Last week I attended a conference in the northern part of my state with a group of my "professional peers". This is relevant only because I am the "Director of Homeland" security at my house--and when I am gone, I must delegate the responsibility for keeping the doors locked, windows closed, alarms on, and especially, reminding those who live here and visit to close the doors (to keep bugs, heat, vermin, etc. Out). When I leave, S. is in charge--the cause for some concern, since he is the one who is always leaving the doors (especially the garage doors) open.
We live in an area zoned "rural residential"--a minimum of 3 acres per homesite--with the accompanying wildlife--skunks, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, raccoons, possum, assorted other ex-urban wildlife, and the occasional wolf. S. Feeds the squirrels, because they are so cute, and by default, the local raccoon and a few assorted chipmunks, who chow if the squirrels don't eat it all first. Because S. Keeps the stash of corn cobs in the garage, I think it important to keep the garage doors closed to prevent the pilfering of these goodies by an unintended guest.---S. doesn't see this as a priority--but he isn't the one who ends up face to face with the wildlife in the garage (like I have)!
So, when I return--I begin to lug in all my stuff. I had stopped at the two outlet malls that were conveniently located on my route home, scooping up bargains as I made my way ! On each trip in from the car, I deposited my "stuff" (old and new) in the foyer, staged for the trip upstairs. I had just finished the fourth and last trip, when S. (who has been sitting in his office all this time, staring at the computer screen) wanders out (now that the lugging is safely done) and suddenly yells, "what the ....."??????! He demanded to know what I had dropped in the hall that he had just stepped on!---a flick of the lightswitch showed a chipmunk--or rather the front and back parts of a chipmunk, with most of the middle missing! I did not bring this in from the car!
Seems that Mr. Cat had heard my arrival, and decided to bring me the extra parts of the chipmunk that he had no further use for! A scan of the house quickly disclosed the location of the great chipmunk massacre of 2005--the exact middle of the media room! In addition to the residuals of the "take down and elimination" mission, it seems that chipmunk liver was a little rich for 14 year old Mr. Cat, and (thankfully) his stomach refused to process it--sending it back out the way it came in! Although we were not pleased with the modification of the carpeting, both S. and I were amazed and pleased that the cat was "not used up yet", and still could defend his turf!!
Shortly after moving in, we could have used Mr. Cat's assistance to take care of the mice that thought they should share our home. Apparently chipmunk is more tasty, or more annoying, than mice, as Mr. Cat ignored the mice--forcing us to resort to traps in the pump room to eradicate the unwanted rodents. He seems, however, to have been right on top of being the assistant deputy of homeland security where chipmunk invasions are concerned.
I have no idea how the chipmunk got in, but suspect that S. is somehow behind a breech of security--leaving a door open here or there long enough for a chipmunk to scurry in, either when he was bringing in or taking things out to his vehicle, or that the garage door had been open for some time, then the connecting door long enough to get some tool or other. Either way, I am pretty sure the chipmunk realized the error of his choice early on....
Mr. Cat is pretty proud of himself--and is more alert than usual. Seems that now, in addition to the napping and soaking up the heat of the sun, he has at least a passing interest in maintaining his position as the only furry thing living at our house!! It is nice to have someone to share the load!
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