The Squirrel and I

Anyone who know me will tell you I love nature. My garden is my pride and joy; I religiously fill my bird feeders (only in winter); love to see trees preserved; and will stop on any highway to move a turtle. But I have an ongoing war...a serious 3-megaton-war...with the hairly rats called 'squirrels'.

It started 20 years ago when I set up my first slab-style feeder to watch birds after having major surgery and needing something besides my scar to look at for 2 months. Within hours, the squirrels had discovered this new cache of food and completely cleaned it out before I ever saw a single bird! The war was on! By the end of the first week, I was hiding behind the doorframe, pea-shooter at the ready, to try and give one of those little rats an real 'ass-zinger'. Luckily for the squirrels, my aim was less than accurate so no serious damage ever occurred...except that I nearly choked to death on a mouthful of peas...but it started what was to become as "The Squirrel Wars".

I don't believe for a second that squirrels are the dumbest rodents on the earth (definitely above earth worms) and I'll bet they can pass info down from one generation to another...you know...genetic implanting...so for the last 2 decades the battle has continued and I find I'm just moving slower (the broom has replaced the pea-shooter), and they are getting faster. There are now 3 'regulars'--a red one, a black one, and a grey one (I saw the grey and black squirrels doing some 'funny business' in the tree so there may be some Dalmatian ones next year--who knows).

When I launch myself through the patio doors, broom raised and ready to throw/smack/poke, and yelling something like, "Bugger, outta here, s-s-s-s-s-s-s", it's really a sight to behold! The neighbours love it--most of them are old and retired like us so any entertainment is welcomed to break up the day--although it's not a pretty sight in the early morning.

The squirrels have a new gymnastic routine this year and I'm almost enjoying it. They sneak up the railing, eyes on the lookout for me, and when I blast out the door they do a flying leap into the hedge, about 3 ft. I may be solely responsible for creating a new species--the Non-Flying squirrel who isn't supposed to fly but does (when threatened with a broom by a crazy woman). One of these days there's going to be an impaled squirrel in the hedge--I feel bad, but war is hell!

One Man's Garbage......

Businesses come and go but there's no question that one of the most successful, and inventive, is 1-800-GOT-JUNK. What a creative idea...everybody has junk, stuff, crap, or garbage that they don't know what to do with...and someone has answered that call by charging you to haul it away. They probably take the best of it to another creative mind who paws through it and re-sells it to the rest of us at various flea markets around the country. The possibilities to make money from crappy stuff is endless.

However, what constitutes an article being correctly labelled as 'garbage' is pretty subjective. There are a couple of guys that my cousin Carol and I are quite close to, who have their own definition of garbage. They believe that if it's no longer fit to eat, has unremoveable mold/rust embedded in it, or has been crushed beyond recognition...then it's gargage! Everything else is useable, and in fact valuable for future use and should be stored until that date arrives.

Our husbands, Bob and Wayne, are clones! We know this because there's no common gene pool that we can identify and these two are more alike than Siamese Twins. Their 'sameness' goes beyond them looking alike, acting alike, and thinking alike...it drops to the most basic human level....they feel the same way about garbage! Now that's not a coincidence! Oh yea...clones!

Separately they are regular junk haulers. Together, they are 1-800-GET-JUNK. Case in point--they are going out for a fun night together. When Wayne arrives to pick up Bob at his house, Bob is glowing with excitement. "Look at the terrific baby crib I just picked up on the curb for free...not a mark on it." Wayne wants to feel that same glow and he barely lets the words get out of Bob's mouth before he says, "Yeh, there's also a white bookcase up the street that looks really nice". Turns out Bob wanted the bookcase as well but Carol put the kie-bosh on that piece.

Before you can say 'Value Village', the two of them are wrestling it down the street and loading it in to the back of Wayne's car. Now, he knows that we don't have room for it, I don't want it, and I'll put a beating on him if he tells me "it was too good to throw away." But we have a new daughter-in-law....who isn't wise to his ways yet. She has lots of books, therefore she must need it. (Note...she's still getting used to the 6 ft pine table that magically appeared in her garage last week).

The most irritating part of this whole story is that there never fails to be that one instance when an urgent need arises for something and they can each root through a drawer, box, shed, etc. and come up with the single item to solve the problem and be able to say, "There, I KNEW I'd need it someday."

The bookcase is nice and it doesn't have a mark on it.

Colin & Jennifer Get Married

Colin and Jennifer got married on 13 Oct and it was such a beautiful wedding. These two have known one another since middle school, and anyone who doesn't believe in fate should meet Colin and Jen. They were absolutely meant for one another.

It had rained nearly all week and Jen was losing hope for the outdoor wedding of her dreams. However, about 15 minutes before the final 'inside/outside' decision had to be made, the rain stopped, the sun peaked through the clouds, and everyone moved outside for the ceremony.

It was a beautiful wedding. I only had my small point and shoot camera with me and wanted to get a photo of Colin when he first saw Jen and her father, which I did. Then I turned around to look at Jen and she literally took my breath away! She was so beautiful. Each photo of them together clearly shows their happiness and love for one another.

In his speech after dinner, Wayne said the most lovely and appropriate thing. He said, "If Lynne and I had known how terrific our three sons would turn out, we would have had three more kids. Well, today we got our wish--we just got our sixth child."

We are so fortunate to have these special children.