Mommy & Daddy's Early Morning Adventure with Wildlife

So Jamey & I greeted this morning at 5:15 am in the front yard, armed with a flashlight, shovel and pole as we were banging on the house - trying to scare out the "varmint" that has AGAIN taken up residence somewhere in our soffits/gazebo roof. We awoke a few minutes earlier to hear the unmistaken digging and scratching sounds and somehow, arrived at the decision to venture out and try scare it out ourselves. Yes, I realize this was rather uncharacteristic of us. And on our way back in to the house - after an unsuccessful scare tactic, of course - a neighbor drove by us, so Jamey is concerned they are going to think we have really lost our minds this time!! I am sure we made quite the picture.

It has been a NEVER ENDING ADVENTURE for us lately with critter control in the porch. It started this fall with a nest of squirrels, in which a baby fell out - and I found laying on the front porch - and had to deal with keeping Foster & Squirrel Cat (no pun intended) away from, as they were mesmerized (and drooling). Then right before Spring Break in Vegas - I swore I kept hearing scratching and digging in the ceiling, but Jamey just thought I was crazy. When he finally heard it, he did further investigating in the attic to prove it was outside of the main house. Upon return from Vegas, it was REALLY bad - I was having visions of a rabid raccoon falling through the bedroom ceiling, so I began to call pest removal. Oh, but since it is an ANIMAL - that is not qualified as a pest, but "varmint" and therefore the professional removal choices are quite limited and costly. (as I told my mother - they are understandably costly b/c if I was going to KNOWINGLY go in after a rabid furry beast - I would charge an arm and a leg too!) When Jamey heard the cost for professional removal, that got his butt in gear to take care of it himself. We have put down "varmint repellant", we have a capture trap ready to go.....and of course, nothing for the past two weeks until this morning. Jamey is supposed to be setting the trap up this afternoon so we can hopefully rid ourselves once and for all of our unwelcomed newest house pet! Adding further urgency is that all the professionals I spoke with told me that the animals are bedding down and nesting in preparation for birthing young....and all the professionals charge "per head" for removal - even if they are young babies!!

Let's keep our fingers crossed the trap works (or me, wielding a shovel). I am sure we will update, with pictures I am sure, WHEN we have eliminated our critter.