Heidi Chronicles: The Next Chapter

Glad you getting to have some one on one time with the little ones. amazing that they trust ya so much with so many coons about, but guess they know ya got a good heart. Waitign to see what happens when the scared and shy ones get over their nerves and ya have a little circle of tiny kits all gathered aroudn at yoru feet. Will look like story time in a kindergarten classroom. : )

And you'll have Dennis and Fraidy hanging over shoulder and instead of them saying, don't skip any pages, they wil be saying and don't skip throwing any treats. LOL

Shoot, if I knew my face was gonan be covere din sticky watermelon juice and my fur all going every which direction, I would hide too. She probably knows she not looking her best then and as reigning queen has to always show her best.

Debbie,

You know, I didn't even think about the benefits of good, clean water in this deadly heat. I just clean and refilled the pool and all of the containers Monday; so the water is nice and clear, although I imagine it must be providing more of a hot beverage these days. Late one evening a few weeks ago, long before this intolerable heat wave, some water spilled on my hand as I was dumping the water from the pool. I was surprised at how hot the water was, especially that late in the day, but then again that water sits in the sun most of the day. The water in some of the other containers is shaded most of the day, but the pool is in the open. Now that I think of it, that might explain why the kits aren't playing in the pool so much. I guess they are depending on that water though and using a lot of it these days. I filled everything on Monday and was surprised to see that both of the shallow copper basins were bone dry again on Tuesday.

Thanks, Debbie. That makes me feel good to know that I'm providing such an important, life saving resource.

You might take a couple trays of ice cubes out at dinner time....will give the kidds a new toy...although they won't last long in the heat.....to bob for ice cubes. I do that for Isabelle when she is in the pool...she loves playing with ice.

If you save a cool whip container...or something similar....and freeze water in it...you get a good size chunk....and they still float when dropped in the water. Might be a new playtime!

Debbie

weather related..... the nights are in the low - mid 50's.... ahhhhhh, fantastic.

the humidity is gone, they say for about a week. days are upper 70's to 80f. nice northerly winds.
a lil nippy for water aerobics this morning, but it was nice and sunny.

end of this UMW weather report. *big cheezy grin*

Wish I could box up all this heat and humidity here and the drought and throw it all back in yoru backyard. LOL 50 a bit chilly for me, but would to have it about 80 again or even 70.

That a really good idea about the ice. I know I buy bags of ice from the corner store and put them in the dogs dishes and some out in the tray for the squirrels to drink from.

Don't know how messy it would be or if it would attract ants or not, but maybe if they was put in smal dishes, you could make koolaid ice cubes . That would give them coons a cool sweet treat.

Oh just what Cheryl needs, Dennis and the crew on frosting and koolaide high! ROFL I can see it now....and then, people wondering why all the raccoons in the neighborhood have red or blue teeth...depending on flavor! LOL

Debbie

Oh no, not red Koolaid, please. I can just see some idiot calling animal control about seeing vampire raccoons in the neighborhood.....

hahahahahah that funny. : ) Well she could give them grape juice fozen cubes and then they could all go around with the little purple mustache on their faces. ( snicker.. snicker .. teehee)

ROFL, vampire racoons!! Purple moustaches would be cute!

Yep, then they could play ring around the racoon together. LOL

Hi, Everyone,

Sorry I've been AWOL for a few days. I really enjoyed the images of raccoons with purple koolaid mustaches eating frosting pops and Italian ice while sitting in a pool full of floating ice sculptures... And those vampire raccoons with the red teeth, what can I say? LOL. I have an image in my mind of raccoons with pulsating, glowing red eyes and exposed fangs sneaking around through the forest at night. Funny thing is that is probably what frightened people actually see when raccoons arrive at their home.

I haven't written because, well, we are having a bit of a rough time right now - and just praying it is temporary. By Thursday evening when the rains finally came to cool us down to 80F in the early evening, it became abundantly clear that my 2nd and last AC unit had also expired as it was still unable to cool the house. On Friday while I sat in my bedroom sweating (in between running out into the great room every few minutes when they said something starting with "I need...") the AC folks worked diligently throughout the day trying everything in their arsenal of tricks in an effort to revive the unit long enough to get me through the weekend - the hope being that they will be able to install at least one of the new units early in the week. But, alas, it seems the AC unit had long since gone toward the light never to return again, so after a brief period of mourning, the AC guys installed a temporary window unit in my bedroom - complete with 3 miles of shiny silver tape that will surely net me yet another letter from the HOA, but no matter I've started a new hobby collecting those things. The window unit seemed like a wonderful idea, a way to at least keep the MBR cool...except...except that the window unit is good for up to 400sqft and my MBR/Bath is atleast 2x that (can't close off the bath unfortunately)

So, essentially, I've been hot, sweaty, and miserable for a week or more now and have figured out how the south got that slow, laid back reputation. In this kind of heat and in the absence of AC about the only thing you can do is 'laze' around with a cold drink in one hand, wiping your brow with the other. Oh, and hey, about that 'cold' front, well, it's here, but it appears as though the people in the north, I don't want to name any names (Debbie, Terese), already used up all of the coldness out of the cold front before it got here! The 1st day of our cold front we had a high of 89F (actual) and the mercury has crept up each day since. Today was 92. Tomorrow is supposed to be 93. While that is better than the heat wave we were having, I wouldn't actually call this cold. It's more like a warm front I think.

As if that weren't enough - and I'm telling you it is 80F in my MBR right now - and you don't want to know about the rest of the oven, I mean house - Sat morning I had to set my alarm to arise with the sun, which was especially painful since the poor little AC had finally caught up and the room was finally cool, to go outside and work on that 'Honey-do' list I got from the HOA recently. Told you I was collecting those things. Had to weed the front flower bed - in the front yard located on the SSE side of the house and in full, scortching sun! So just to make my life a little more miserable, while I was out there sweating and pulling weeds, I managed to upset a nest of yellow jackets, a nest full of babies. I felt a painful sting on my arm and swatted it. Before I could even get a handle on what was happening, I was surrounded by an angry, yellow mob. About 1/2 dozen of them were all across my chest and arms stinging there little hearts out - for real. Thankfully, while I did sustain about 6 stings, including 1 on my leg and several on my upper arms, several of the ones on my chest only managed to embed stingers in the folds of my clothes, unable apparently to penetrate the thickness of the ribbed tank and the tightly woven, moisture wicking material of the exercise tank underneath. Thankfully, I'm not allergic. The stings were more annoying than anything. Due to the number of stings I took a benedryl just in case. The discomfort was very brief, over in minutes really. Now the sites all itch like crazy. I'm trying not to scratch but would like to dig in with all 5 nails.

When it got too hot out there to continue, I came inside to sweat some more. LOL...with 'pouty' lower lip...

So, now for my question. Since the temp outside is now quite nice, low 70's, I went out into the oven portion of the house to try to open a few windows, something I never do. Naturally, since I never open the windows and since I've been so far behind with everything and struggling to get caught up, I never got around to fixing those screens that Mr T the errant Titmouse destroyed a few years back. When I opened one of those windows on the back of the great room and saw the part where T had cut around the screen as though he were opening a tin can, I quickly closed that back so as not to let all the mosquitoes in. Then I opened the windows in the breakfast/informal dining portion of the kitchen. Those windows just happen to go down to within about 1ft of the ground and open onto the patio (where the raccoons congregate). As soon as I opened them I thought how nice the air felt, but then I wondered...and here is my question...

If the raccoons happen to drop by, will they be likely to think the open window covered only by a thin screen is an invitation to come on in?

I've got enough problems already, I think, and would like to avoid waking up to find a house full of angry raccoons in the kitchen.

Edited for a typo or two and to add: As if being hot and sticky weren't enough, Widget is 'allergic' to the feel of fans blowing on him (and I have 2 running in the room right now), so he has been determined to sleep right up against me - as if I needed a fur ball stuck to me right now.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2008 2:20 AM

Good grief, Cheryl; what a miserable week. My sincere condolences, and hopes things will soon improve greatly. I just can't imagine your climate in summer without AC, and then nastygrams from the HOA and yellow jackets besides! Hope they'll get some new AC units installed really soon; you need some relief ASAP.

As for the open windows downstairs, I wouldn't worry about raccoon incursions. If you were hanging around in that room and hadn't fed the wild ones, I could imagine Dennis climbing on the screen to get your attention. But with you in other parts of the house, and assuming you're still putting out food, I don't think an invasion is likely. That would just add insult to injury, wouldn't it?

Cheryl, you poor honey! What a crumby week for you. Hope you'll be able to get some "cool" going soon. I too doubt the raccoons would "invade", might peek in the window to see what's going on, but doubt they'd come inside.

Did realize you lived in an HOA. My DH refers to them as "communist communities{", LOL It's a shame they can't mind their own business.....

Hope it gets better soon, hugs!

They say when it rains, it pours and looks like a whole lot of bad luck is pouring down on top of you right now.

Other than the HOA part sound slike you had one of my weeks when the air went out and got all them wasp stings.

Don't scratch, get ya a little tube of some anti itch cream. It does help some, but I was so miserable I scrached all my stings and all the scabs they made and now have some nice little scars all over the place. But if ya do scratch, can fully understand why,. Them things itch like crazy.

So sorry your having to get another ac, know that is one expense you were hoping not to have to do for awhile. : (

They also say it comes in threes when it comes, and that three things, so maybe now you'll have a bit of good luck. Ya got all of us holding your hand in friendship across the miles. So if ya need to vent or shoulders , we here for ya.

Don't know if they would come in our not, but could just imagine you getting ready for bed or getting up during the middle of the night and finding Dennis eyes peeking at ya through the window.

LOL... Why is it when your misable the dogs always want to cuddle. At least ya got a littly bitty one, be glad it not 90 lbs of fur and slobbery body glued to ya.

Hope they get your ac fixed early on Monday and you cna col down again. If worse comes to worse, go for a midnight swim with the coons. ; )

Ruth,

The image of Dennis climbing on the screens is a 'cute' one, well, except for the screen damage. Trouble is, lately, more and more of the raccoons have been following Dennis' cue and hanging around on the patio to wait for dinner. And, although I did go out and feed them on Friday, at the time I wrote that last post I had skipped the Saturday night feeding. I was just too miserable to leave the fan long enough to go out there. I find I'm most reluctant to do anything that will make me sweat since I know I can't cool down easily as I have no air conditioned retreat inside. Since I hadn't fed the raccoons, I figured they would be checking back from time to time and so was most concerned that they might come to the patio, find the open window, smell the container of dog food by the back door, and figure I'd left the window open as an invitation to come on in and help themselves. I figure one good swipe with those '9 inch nails' should be sufficient to open the screen.

After I wrote that post, I tried to go to sleep but the vision of raccoons in the kitchen soon prompted me to get up and go out into the backyard in my jammies with a bucket of dog food, a flash light, and a partial bag of cherries that were getting a bit old. It was after 2AM by that time. I didn't see any raccoons and was too miserable and tired to wait around for them. I put the dog food in the usual places including a few handfuls on the table beside my bench just in case Fraidy or Dennis came looking for it there. I started to put the cherries up there, too, but decided to spread them around on the ground in front of the table in case the kits showed up. I know the little tykes like cherries, too, and I'm not sure if they can reach that high yet - although I can imagine Heidi tossing the light plastic table around to free up the cherries.

Curious to know if the raccoons came back after 2AM to check for food (since I never go out that late), this morning when Widget went out I went with him to check. I found that some of the raccoon had been there, but probably not all of them as probably 1/2 or more of the food was still there. The food was gone from the spot where both Cissy and Bast like to eat, the spot beside the little birdbath. I suspect that Bast was the one most likely to come back and find that food as she is almost always out there early, late, and in between. She is about to rival Dennis for the position of #1 pet. Heidi's dish was empty, although that could have been due to just about anyone as they all like to use her dish. The cherries were all gone, and while 4 dishes still had some food, all of the food was gone from the top of the table beside my bench. I found that most interesting since they have to stand upright to reach the food on the table while the food in the dishes is much more accessible. I like to think that means either Fraidy or Dennis came back and ate the food on the table top and maybe the cherries around the table as well. I figure since they are accustomed to eating from the table when I'm there, they would be the likely culprits.

So bottom line, when I wrote that I actually had left a forest full of hungry raccoons out there, but after thinking about it decided to hedge my bets for a successful outcome by putting some food in their dishes.

LOL, doccat,

Laughing at the idea of the raccoons peaking in the window, but I think you may be giving them too much credit. Dennis in particular tries to come in any time I open the door. She has managed to get the upper 1/2 of her body over the threshold on several occasions while following me through the door. I'm pretty sure she would be happy to come on in if I didn't so rudely shove the door shut in her face. ;-)

I have learned to hate the HOA Gestapo rules. Recently, I got a notice requiring me to remove the stone bench from the side of the driveway and the small faux (outdoor) wicker bench from the front yard. Both benches are in excellent condition, are designed for outdoor use, and both were purchases after my knee surgery for the specific purpose of giving me a place to sit down while working in the front yard. They are anything but an eye sore. In fact, the wicker one appears in some of my flower pics and I think it enhances the photos. I thought that 'request' was down right ludicrous, and, yes, I agree with your characterization of this as a communist community. Each time I get one of those ridiculous notices I am tempted to move. Then I think of the raccoons, and, well, for now I feel sort of stuck here.

In response to the collapsing housing market, local realtors some of whom live (and work) in the community, have been instrumental in whipping the board into a frenzy thinking that they can halt the downward spiral by keeping the neighborhood picture perfect. What they are actually doing is making this a place where no one wants to live and word travels fast in a small community. I feel as though I don't own my front yard; they do. I'm just required to keep it in pristine condition looking as though it just popped out of a House Beautiful layout. Thankfully, they are only concerned (for now) with what is visible from the street, so the privacy fence and forest protect the privacy and sanctity of the backyard wildlife sanctuary - for now.

Last week, arriving on day one of the heat wave when we were under daily heat advisories lasting until 7-8PM with heat indexed temps ranging from 105-113F, I received 2 notes from the HOA, 1 directing me to weed the front flower beds (in that heat) and another stating that I should not put yard waste out on the curb for pickup on any days but Monday or Tuesday. We don't have containers for yard waste as I hear some areas do. Yard waste is placed on the curb in bags (for grass clippings, mulch, leaves, etc) for small stuff and just piled neatly for limbs and such. I didn't even have any yard waste out there at any time that week or any of the prior 6 or 8 weeks. There was a pile of palm fronds out there, but I don't even have a palm tree. Still I found that notice annoying since it leaves me wondering what the heck they expect us to do with limbs and such when we do yard work on the weekend, the most likely time. And who the heck has time on Monday after work to haul a bunch of limbs from, say the backyard where you might pile them up on the weekend, to the curb in time for pickup on Tuesday? Are they ridiculous, or what? It is as though they think we have nothing to do but sit around doing 'their' bidding. Argh! I would really like to move to somewhere where I could avail myself of the rights of a US citizen, but for now, again, am stuck here collecting HOA letters for a hobby.

I'm looking for a pic of one of the benches. Think it is on the linux VM. Will post if I find it quickly over there.

starlight,

When I was swarmed by the yellow jackets, I thought of you immediately, but forgot to mention that in my post. Thankfully, I didn't get any down my shirt as I imagine I would have come out of that shirt right there in the front yard in front of bikers, walkers, joggers, etc where I was only a few feet from a busy sidewalk and all hot and sweaty with sweat dripping down my face making it difficult to see through my glasses and in no mood to get stung any more than necessary. None the less, I could definitely commiserate with you. Mine, so far, haven't required medical treatment so I don't think I got it as bad as you did.

I had to laugh when I read your words about being thankful that the dog glued to me in the heat was a small one. That really put things into perspective for me! I have no idea why Widget, who is often panting in this heat, is determined to sleep jammed up against me when I must be radiating all kinds of heat, but, yes, I am sure glad he is a little guy. At only 4.5lbs he doesn't put out any appreciable heat as would a huge dog.

Thanks for all of the support. I am sure that this too shall pass. I just wish it would hurry the heck up. LOL. I keep reminding myself that my predecessors somehow managed to survive here before the advent of AC but, frankly, am wondering why they didn't load up the wagon and move north. After all, they had fire long before AC.

Am very surprised that I've not heard from any of my friends from the North (Debbie, Terese) in response to my complaint that you guys sucked all of the cold air out of that cold front before it got here. ;-D
I'm telling you, I was SO excited about the prospects for that cold front. I even told the AC guys I didn't need the room AC because the cold front was coming for the weekend - and am now glad they didn't listen to me for although the tiny unit is unable to keep up, it is better than nothing, especially since the cold front has turned out to be more of a less warm, warm front.

Here is a pic I found of the bench. It's not necessarily the best pic, just the 1st one I found. I was actually photographing flowers, of course, so the pic is just there as an artifact. Now perhaps some of you will agree with the HOA that I should move this horrible eye-soar of a bench from the front yard immediately, but I actually think in enhances the photo making the flower bed look more inviting - and it sure helps to take a load off my aching knees when I work out there. You can tell me if you hate it. The guys at work have already said they agree with the HOA.

I would fight some of them HOa tickets. I don't know who yoru head, but I would find out when one of thei rmeetings is and blast their ears for change.

I would also get a not from yoru doctor because of the injuries you have and that you need them benches and other things for your health and welfare.

My one friends, they don't have HOa, they got somethign worse. A bunch of elder women, and no offense meant by that word, cuz I elderly too, that have nothign better to do than they go around my friends town and go street to street and write down everybodys addies that they don't like looking at and then call the city department and have them given a ticket.

My friends are handicapped and can only do so much in th eheat and when there bodies allow, but there yard not a mess, no trash or such around, just plants and planters. yet these self -appointed lets beautify the city people , complain. TRhey get tickets usually every month.

The front of her house has Iris , roses, lanatana and a few other flowers in a neat mulched ringed bed. Even handicapped, they also mow the yards of of the neighbvors houses where other handicapped, widow folks live. yet, this last ticket they got was because in a couple of spots, three to be exact there was a couple of pieces of grass that was over 1/2" tall. The city also put on there where no trees and shrubs should be over 16" tall. Now who in the world plants bushes and tres that only grow that tall. I tell ya it getting downright ridiculus now adays. Now I have no complaints when somebody in the city is piling the front yard with old junk of cars tires and old appliances just left abandoned, but now tellign folks they can only grow certain height flowers and trees. They ought to be thankful that people do plant nice flowers and trees to look at.

I would send them HOA folks a nasty letter and tell them did they not think about folks working all day and night durign the week and folks generally only have the weekend to put out stuff like that.

grab your coons and come on down here. At least out where I live personally, there very few rules and regs and if ya want ot let the yard grow wild ya can. Being in the country does have its advantages sometimes.

Awwwwwwwww the quilty concious wil get ya every time when it comes to animals. : ) Well it just shows ya a reinforcement that if ya miss a night or maybe even two in a row that they won't suffer. That they will find food someplace else.

Thought maybe ya would have woke up to find them all sitting on yoru back porch with hands and food dishes hanging out and little signs that said " Hungry coons. Will smile for food" or something"

Oh what lovely flowers you have. I like your bench. Man I wish I had one and near the flowers and trees it looks like an inviting cosy place to rest.

What them fools do to ya if ya don't move it? let them take ya to court, you need it for your health and it not an eyesore. They wouldn't win. Don't let them bullies scare ya or endanger your health.

remidn them that accidents in life cna happen in a blink of a second and the next time it may them or one of their family members hurt or injured and they may just have to make compensations for it too.

Cheryl, I am behind on reading....but I am so dang cold I didn't want to crawl outside the covers to come type...the arthyritus in my fingers has gotten so bad from the cold. (smile).

Sorry your having such a bad time. I will update more later....just had a houseful of company walk in!

Debbie

Oh, you poor thing, I am so sorry to hear of all these issues! I will keep you in my prayers. Do you live in a condo? I thought only condos had HOAs, but maybe not. My sister and brother-in-law live in a condo, and a neighbor complained about them feeding stray cats. I wonder if you have a neighbor complaining about you feeding the coons, so they're just giving you an extra hard time?
Yep, living in the country is better for those reasons. You could always move and take up with a new bunch of coons--we could use some help feeding our bunch!

KyWoods,

No, this is a free standing, single family house, not a condo or duplex or anything like that. It's a house, not connected to anything else. Around here there are very, very few houses in the city that are not under the authority of some kind of HOA, and some are actually even worse than ours. I know one guy who is expected to have his trash can out of site by noon on trash day; that presumes that a person works close enough to home and can drive home to put the trash can away in the middle of the morning. I find that absolutely ridiculous, especially at a time when we need to conserve energy.

The only hope these days of finding a house in the city that is not covered under a HOA is to find an older house for sale. Many of those have even been converted to a HOA but some still remain truly 'free'. In certain parts of the city in the down town area home owners are further constrained by city rules aimed at maintaining the historic appeal of the city, but that at least makes sense I guess. Anyhow, all work done on those houses must be pre-approved by the city, must be in keeping with the styles, architecture, building materials, etc of the 18th and 19th centuries. Paint colors must be selected from a list of city-approved historic colors and must be purchased from one of a handful of vendors approved by the city. Even interior architecture, plumbing, etc must conform to old-world, historic, antinque styles and materials.

I can see how it might look like this is about the raccoons, but I really don't think so. If anyone had complained about the plethora of raccoons in my backyard I suspect I would have heard about that from the city health dept, DNR, and who knows what other authority, and I don't think the HOA would have any qualms about sending me a letter about that as well. Actually, I was talking to one of my neighbors one day. He said he was getting a number of letters from them, too. His take on this was a lot like mine -- too many retired people in the neighborhood with nothing else to do but run around worrying about everybody else's yard. Since they don't have jobs, they don't understand what it is like for those of us who do. He said he thinks we are in a particularly 'bad' spot because 2 of the newly elected board members including the pres. live down the street from us and have to pass our houses every day, and we have a number of those busy body types living around us.

The lady diagonally across from me walks her dog by here each day. The guy next door and I are both under the impression that she is one of the people who take notes and call the HOA to complain about anything she doesn't like. OMG, if she knew about the raccoons, I would surely be tarred and feathered and run out of town. Ironically, she doesn't do such a great job of following the rules herself, but then I guess her violations don't bother her. They play their music so loud over there as to serenade the entire neighborhood for blocks around. I really hate to be outside when they are playing music. On most holidays they have parties and set off fireworks galore even though that is strictly forbidden. Once they even shot rockets over my house and into my backyard - so I had to pick them up the next day. If one of those rockets had landed on the roof, they could have burned my house down - which is one reason fireworks are not allowed. Yet she still feels entitled to run around the neighborhood making reports. From conversations I've had with her in the past, she thinks she is doing a good thing. She's a self appointed yard police.

Since all of you have seen the disaster back there in the feeding area, I should hasten to add that the front yard does not look anything like that - or I'd have been carried away in cuffs by now. That mess you see in the pics in the backyard grew out of a combination of my prolonged period of disability following knee surgery and car accidents coupled with the activity of feeding the raccoons. If either of those things did not exist, the mess would not exist. Know that I was not raised to have such a mess in my backyard and if my parents were alive I've no doubt they would be appalled. The front and side yards, however, are in a totally different catagory for 2 reasons: (1) when I started planting my cottage garden I constrained myself to the backyard. Except for roses and irises down the sides of the house, a few roses added to a pre-existing bed at the front door, and irises around a tree in the front yard, I have left the front yard just as it was originally designed and planted by the landscaper. (2) After my 1st knee surgery when it became obvious that I could no longer maintain the front yard in accordance with community rules, I hired someone to maintain it. Even though I now have the lawn Beast, I still pay a landscape company to manicure the front by-weekly because they do a great job of keeping knife edges on all of the borders, along the sidewalk and walkway, etc and that alone is worth a mint to me. In addition, I pay them to periodically trim the hedges, cut anything off the outside of the backyard privacy fence and along the top of the fence to maintain the appearance on the neighbor's sides of my fence, and trim the trees in the front yard including 3 large wax myrtles that are kept in the shape of lollipops. After my surgery I tried hiring someone to work the backyard but kept having problems with people pulling up clematis and such thinking they were weeds, basically just not knowing the plants from the weeds. I found it best to take care of those things myself.

Lastly, it is true that the front bed has/had some weeds in it. Life happens. I knew they needed to be pulled but a handful or two of weeds were not at the top of my list and I figured they would still be there in Sept when things cool down a bit. In the past, I kept the weeds suppressed with mulch. The guy who used to care for the front yard brought some red mulch in and put it on all of the front beds at my request. A year later, I learned that he had used an inferior quality of wood and bark chips dyed to look like the more expensive product. I learned this when I chased down a foul and persistent odor at the front door, one so horrid I was sure an animal had died under the hedges, only to find that I had an infestation of stink horns and skunk cabbage, a bunch of related mushrooms, growing in the flower beds. The mulch was a substrate for the mushrooms which had probably been brought in with the mulch. I also learned that these mushrooms are almost impossible to eradicate in my area where winters are too mild to kill them and they thrive on the constant moisture.

Determined to find a way to get rid of those horrid shrooms, I raked up all of the existing mulch and wood chips and left the beds bare in hopes of suppressing the their growth by depriving them of the things they need to prosper. They don't like direct sun, preferring the darkness and cover of mulch. They don't like to be dry either so I've left that area baking in the summer sun in hopes of killing those mushrooms. It has worked so far at least in suppressing them. I've not seen or smelled a single one this summer. I am hopeful that if I continue to treat the area this way for a year or so I may be able to reintroduce mulch - but not wood chips or bark - in time. I'm sure the HOA (and the lady who takes reports) would love to see mulch in those beds but they don't know about the smelly, rotten mushrooms.

When it cools down a bit, I will take you a pic or two of the front to show that it is not a big mess like the backyard.

starlight,

I did fight the issue of the benches and the HOA backed off on the grounds that if it involves my health that is something they don't want to get involved in (i.e., don't want to be in a lawsuit over).

If I don't comply with the rules they will impose fines and more fines and more fines until things are brought into compliance. I've read that people have actually been known to loose their houses (not here, elsewhere) over what began as minor infractions of HOA rules and ultimately grew to bills in the 10's or even 100's of thousands of dollars. From what I've read, you can't fight city hall and you don't want to try to fight the HOA. But you can attempt to reason with them, which is what I did with respect to the benches.

I knew there was no need to even try to argue about the weeds. I got up early Sat and Sun to work on weeding the beds. There was some errant grass growing in the irises under the tree by the street and a few small suckers growing under the crepe myrtles near the front door. I didn't get it all finished. I did the best I could in the time allowed before the sun got too hot out there. I will do more as time allows. They may still send me a 2nd letter since I won't have it perfect by the 7 day deadline. They may even fine me. Oh, well.

Debbie,

Oh, I feel for you being chilly up there - while I'm sitting here thinking about getting in the tub and filling it with ice water to cool down. I do feel for you about that arthritis. I have it in my knees, back, neck, and hands - for starters. I take 2 Aleve 2x day every day. Occasionally my hands will start to throb anyhow. It is not a good feeling. I end up 'wringing' my hands over and over trying to make them feel better. It doesn't work though. I write software for a living which involves typing pretty much all day many days. I've been doing this for almost 2 decades and shutter to think how it may be effecting my fingers, wrists, etc.

Take care. Enjoy the company and read when time allows. I was just expecting a comeback from you and Terese on my statement that you guys drained all of the cold from my cold front. I should know you guys have other things to do as well as monitor the Heidi threads. LOL.

To assuage my guilt over talking off topic, I'd better tell a raccoon story. ;-D

Friday night the little chaps, Heidi's bunch, ran right over to me as soon as they arrived. Timba and Calvin argued over the watermelon I'd put out for them with the outer 2in or so of red scooped up into manageable chunks and left in the melon 'bowl'. The other two, the timid ones even came over, too. I gave them peanuts, grapes, and frosting, and soon all 4 of them were sitting in a semi circle around my bench looking very much like starlight's image of kids being read to. They were about 1ft from the end of my shoes.

As heart warming as that was, perhaps the more important event of the evening involved Bast. Earlier in the evening Cissy had come over to me to see if I had any goodies. Except for the few handfuls of peanuts and grapes I was saving for the kits, I only had a can of strawberry frosting - which has a very yummy smell BTW. I spooned up a big glob of frosting and put it on the upturned plastic can top at my feet for her. Cissy gobbled the frosting up quickly, and I gave her a 2nd glob. A few minutes later, Bast arrived on the other side of my bench where she gently sniffed the back of my hand as if to get my attention. I turned and seeing Bast there, moved the can top over to her side of me where I again placed a glob of frosting on it.

Thinking the can top and any frosting that might be added to it as hers, Cissy argued a bit with Bast, but I told her gently that she had had her share, and almost as though she understood if not the words at least the concept, Cissy went back to her dog food leaving Bast to eat the frosting. Bast ate a total of 3 globs of frosting while I periodically practiced trying to pet her. Each time she felt me touch the very tip of the hairs on her back she would back away and look at me as if to say "What the heck are you doing?" But each time, as I looked at her and said "It's ok" she would immediately step forward and continue eating. In fact, as she ate she followed the top as her licking actions caused it to slide across the ground and up under my legs. While she was confused about why I needed to touch her back, something animals don't do for any good reason in her world, still she clearly wasn't afraid of me.

By the time Bast had eaten the 3rd glob of frosting, Heidi and the kits arrived atop the fence. Just as I had taken the top from Cissy to feed Bast, so I took the top from Bast to feed the kits. I put a big glob on it and set it close beside the watermelon. For a while as they argued over the watermelon and sat their scarfing it down like children with ice cream cones, the kits did not see the frosting nearby. Bast, however, apparently still seeing that plastic top as her dish (much as Cissy had done before her), stood under the table beside me facing the kits and growling. She wanted that top with its frosting glob. She believed she was the rightful owner, and she wanted the kits to move away from it (and thus the melon) so that she could retrieve it. The kits were ignoring her, but Bast was pretty adamant about having that frosting.

To avert an argument and keep her from chasing the kits away, I did something I'd never done before with the raccoons. I wasn't so much thinking, I was acting. Like riding a horse, it wasn't an intellectual or cerebral thing. I was doing, being. It came to me naturally, instinctively. Using my flashlight as an extension of my arm, I held it out in front of Bast, between her and the kits as she stood their growling. Using the flashlight I gently guided her backward away from the kits as I spoke to her in a calm voice telling her that she had had her share and it was their turn. I did not speak harshly to her. I didn't do any of the things you are 'told' to do in dealing with dogs or whatever. I liken what happened to horseback riding because when done right you are one with the horse. You communicate your wishes to the horse with your whole body, your weight, your entire being. It is as though you have fused with the horse. You read him in the same manner as though thoughts were transferred from his body to yours and from yours to his and the two of you move as one body, one mind. That, for a brief moment, is how it was with Bast. I did not think about what to do, I just knew what to do and did it, surprising even myself when it was done. I did not speak harshly, and yet just as I understood her she understood me. Like horse and rider for a brief moment, Bast and I moved as one. I guided her back with the flashlight as a rider guides a horse with reins and without a moments hesitation she walked backward as wonderfully as the best trained mount, moving in unison with the flashlight and with me guiding it.

As I moved the flashlight away, Bast moved forward again having not yet given up on her desire to have the frosting. Again, without thinking, still feeling, doing, being, I reached for her under the chair. My hand coming to rest firmly but gently on her back, for an instant I restrained her forward movement. Amazingly, she did not fight, did not shy away in fear. Still moving as one with me, Bast stopped when I restrained ever so briefly, my hand cupping her back. As with riding, the moment she yielded to the pressure, I removed it. Bast stood there for a moment looking at me. We were both stunned at what had happened. I was stunned that without thinking I had reached for her and she seemed equally stunned that I had done this and she had not resisted. Then I put the flashlight in front of her again and again guided her backward telling her calmly that she must go back and eat her cat food and let the kids have some frosting, too. And Bast did just that and did not come back to try to take the frosting from the kits again that night.

Later, when I thought of what had happened in the light of the manner I had normally used to try to chase raccoons away with fear, I realized that I had surprised myself even as Bast had surprised me. At some unconscious level I had known that raccoons could be at least under some circumstances be comunicated with without all that yelling and nonsense. And it had worked.

Amazing!!!!!!!!!!! You had me on pins and needles reading about Bast. What a great comparision. You are so right especially when riding bareback all you have is your legs and your hands on the mane to communicate what you want.

I wonder what this new development wil bring for your relationship now with Bast. Maybe you will able to do more petting. Seems the tryign to pet before hand, kind ahelped the situation. You definately a racoon whisperer. : )

Sure hope Bast comes aroudn tonight if ya feed them. Anxious to here how the next encoutner goes. If she comes right up or gives ya leary looks.

Good grief. Yoru backyard not really a mess and heck yoru working and feeding what 18 animals now. You can't even walk out on my porch or down the steps for all the pecan nut shells the squirrels have left these past coupel of days. Ya know how much of a mess 80 pounds of nuts makes.

starlight,

lol at 80lbs of nuts and their shells on your porch. But the important thing is you made friends with the squirrels and helped them raise their families.

neatness and tidiness have their benefits, but all things in moderation. sometimes other things are just more important at the time. I wouldn't trade my time with the raccoons for the neatest backyard in town.

thanks for giving me a different perspective on that neatness thing.

Kywood, almost all new housing additions theses days have HOA's. We had one at the old house.

Where we live now we have a POA...Property Owners Association. Because here all lots are owned...but not all have homes on them. Same BS though!

Wow, that is really amazing! Sometimes you just "know" what to do. The trick is actually following through with it without overthinking. If you had stopped to think about it there might have been a very different outcome. You were very aware of how both Cissy and Bast were feeling without even consciously being aware of it. I think a lot of it also has to do with the knowledge on the part of the racoons that you are to be trusted and would never harm them even if you do something that would normally provoke a "fight or flight" response. The are very intelligent and will have observed how you are with the kits and Dennis. It is like your yard or territory is an oasis where the normal survival rules do not apply. Also you were emotionally calm which will also calm them.

When I was a pet groomer I did much the same thing. I could go up to various critters that other people either could not or would not handle because or their various agressive or other behaviors. I was always very calm and matter of fact with the expectation that I would accomplish what needed to be done. It is hard to describe but what I would do is "read" the pet and then approach the situation based on what I was seeing and feeling. This usually never took more than a minute or two and was done without much conscious thought. I do remember one time when I little Shih Tzu literally launched himself across the room at me and managed to climb halfway up snarling and biting all the way. The little darling did not manage to bite me but tore a hole in my grooming smock. I simply snatched up part of the leash and followed it down until I could scruff him and then calmly turned to the owner and asked how the little prince should be groomed. I think I saw major jaw drops both from the owner and the dog. LOL It took several groomings for the dog to stop that nonsense altogether and he would always try it again with anyone else. The other staff were terrifed of him and the little guy probably tipped the scales at 6-8 pounds.

nanny,

That's pretty much what I thought, most new housing comes with HOA. I know for us it is written into the deed. LOL re your comment "...Same BS thought!"

Widget and I just came back from our daily (since the AC failed) run to Sonic for a fruit slush for me and a small water slush for him. The 1st night when we went, I wasn't sure how he would feel about the shaved ice in his water, but he dove in and drank and drank and drank. I had to take the cup away from him for a few minutes because I was afraid he would get 'brain freeze' if he kept slurping the thing up that way, but when I put it back he started slurping away all over again. I put his cup in the cup holder in the center thingy (in the car) between the seats. That is a perfect location for him to access his drink while standing on the passenger seat. Anyhow, I told you this convoluted story to preface the fact that when we left around 9:30PM or so (well after dark), a neighbor a few doors down was outside doing yard work by floodlight. I gather he was doing it at that late hour to avail himself of the cooler temps. I had to wonder if he was also the recipient of one of those HOA letters.

tetleytuna,

It was only after I had done it that I realized I had known what to do. If I had stopped to think about it, I doubt I would have done any of that, and I surely would not have restrained her even for an instant, yet when I acted it all just seemed so right. Everything just flowed, just fit like a glove. We danced in step as though we had done this forever and as though we spoke a common language and understood each other. I have no doubt that this all worked in part because Bast, like the others, trusts me to a fairly great degree. But while I was acting rather than intellectualizing, I understood instinctively that Bast was ready to accept being touched. On the one hand I think my earlier attempt at touching her may have helped prepare her. On the other hand, I think maybe she would have permitted me to touch her earlier if I done so with the same conviction as when I reached to hold her back. Earlier that night when I was trying to touch her back, I was still in cerebral mode and was touching her very tentatively, expecting failure. I think I probably conveyed my hesitancy to her, and so she resisted. Conversely, when I touched her as though it were just the normal thing to do, she reacted in kind.

I got much better compliance with Bast when I calmly guided her back from the kit and the food, communicating non-verbally and in a non-combative manner that she was to leave the kit alone, better compliance than I had previously gotten in any of my earlier attempts to drive the raccoons back from food by flailing around like a silly biped while yelling at them. LOL.

That is an adorable story about the little dog. LOL. Love it. I can just see the shocked look on the face of owner and dog now. I had a very beautiful horse like that once. When I 1st got on him he took of running while I was still trying to get on him. I reined him in and he started rearing and plunging this way and that. We had quite a little disagreement there for a while. He kept acting out and I kept calmly reining him in and repeating my (nonverbal) command. After I countered all of his moves, he settled down and behaved quite admirably from that day on, well, except for the occasional, "I can't help myself", playful buck when running across an open field on a cold day. Soon he and I were getting along so well that I could ride him around bareback with just a halter, no bridal, no bit and he would walk calmly looking like the most obedient and well mannered horse would could ever ask for. One day I offered to let a friend of a friend ride him on a group trail ride. When she arrived I was trotting him around the ring bareback with just the halter. I told her I would go and put a bridle and saddle on him for her to try him out. She got all insulted as though I thought she didn't know how to ride. She had watched him behaving so well as I rode him around with the halter. When she got all p___ about it, I said, "ok, then. Here" and slid off holding him for her to mount. As soon as she got on he took off, ran around in a circle and came back to me with her hanging off his neck at which point I calmly said, "So now would you like that bridal and saddle?"

Anyhow, that's an adorable story about the little dog.

Oh, BTW, I wish I had gotten a video of Widget and the AC guy on Friday. I heard all this racket and went into the hall to see the guy (who had been working outside for a while) standing with the front door open about 3in, his nose and mouth pressed through the opening, trying to talk Widget into letting him in while little 4.5lb Widget was standing inches from the door, his little miniature fangs showing, snarling at the guy, just daring him to open the door a little more. Now, don't get me wrong, I was very annoyed at Widget acting this way, and I scolded him accordingly, but it was a cute sight, none the less, to see this big guy begging such a tiny dog to let him in.

OMG that is sooo funny about Widget and the AC guy. Isn't it always the little ones that have the major 'tude??

Before going out to feed the raccoons, I cut a melon in half, ate the heart of one 1/2, and scooped the remaining melon into kit sized pieces as usual. I took that out along with 2 of those Little Debbie cakes, the vanilla frosted ones, and some marshmallows. As soon as I got out there and set the melon down, I looked up to see one of Heidi's kits appear atop the fence, just his face sticking out of the foliage. I called to him and could see the look of recognition on his face. It wasn't quite dark yet and he was a little hesitant, but with a bit of coaxing he came on down followed by the rest of the gang.

Suddenly, I realized that they had arrived to soon and I hadn't put the food out yet. There was still some food left from the night before and some of the kits ran for that as others ran for the melon. I quickly opened the marshmallows and threw each of them one. That kept the kids happy, but there was no food in Heidi's dish. No matter. Heidi has wonderful problem solving skills. While the kits ate their marshmallows, she just walked right up in front of me, looked at me for a moment and then reached up and gently turned over the bucket at my feet and started eating. I laughed at her and told her it was "ok" as I gently reached to reclaim my bucket so that I could distribute the food more amicably among the feeding stations. I had to laugh though at how far we had come that Heidi felt welcome to help herself to the food in the bucket (at my feet).

The neighbor down the street was running his lawn equipment the whole time and the kits were a bit concerned by the sounds. One kit ran back up the fence and hid in the tree, but the very next time I served up a round of marshmallows, down that little fella came in a hurry so as not to miss his. One of the timid kits, the other one not the one that ran back up the tree, is just so cute I can't help but laugh out loud at him. He does this same thing all of the time and it is just adorable to the max. He is usually in the back somewhere behind the others. Whenever he (realize it is probably a she) sees me getting ready to throw a treat, he stands upright sometimes, I kid you not, with his hands over his head so that he looks just like a quarterback going "here, throw it over here" I swear he is just so cute. you would have to see it to believe it, and he is doing it intentionally. He really is trying to get me to throw him a treat. He does this over and over. Every time I go to toss one, he pops up behind the others with his little hands out and I just have to laugh and throw him one - which causes him to do it again. It took some work, but tonight I managed to get a pick of him standing upright for the treat. I've not downloaded the pics yet as the equipment is in the hot part of the house, and I'm not going there until it cools down - which mean after I get AC or late January whichever comes 1st. A few times he got down again before the lens closed and I just got a pick of him walking away, and it wasn't easy to fake him out that I was going to toss a treat while at the same time shooting pics, but I finally got one - and am hoping it's a decent one. Looking forward to posting that. Hoping it is a decent representation of his adorable antics.

So, I would like to name him something with a football theme commensurate with his smooth moves. Any ideas? It can be a famous football celeb past or present or something else related to the theme but needs to be 'callable' and if a name, needs to be identifiable as a single word name - as in Madonna, Cher, Elvis, etc., i.e., Joe Namath, for instance, doesn't work since Joe is not recognizable as a football personality and Namath isn't a good name by itself. So, any ideas? Help, please.

Cissy and Bast came over and I gave each a few marshmallows and 1/2 of one of the cake squares. I didn't try to pet Bast. She did come up close and sniff me at one point when she wanted another mm. She was very well behaved. I sat very still as she sniffed my arm, hand, etc up very close. Then, being most polite, she turned to walk away - so I called her back and gave her the mm she had been seeking.

I haven't seen the meanies since the night when the food ran out and Heidi ran them off. Things are great without them around. The kits are now running right up to me as soon as they arrive and are paying me lots of attention. I didn't stay out late and didn't see Dennis or Fraidy.

Yes, tetleytuna,

For some reason the little fellas do seem to a bit on the edge. Widget is a little overzealous about his job as my protector, and no matter what that guy said or how he tried to sweet talk him, Widget was not about to let him in until I got there to say it was ok.

starlight,

I just realized that I forgot to thank you for the compliments on my bench and flowers. Thank you! Actually, that daylily was one of those deals where the vendor sent the wrong one. The one I ordered was a pink that would have matched the pink and purple theme with the roses and iris. After it bloomed and I saw how that orange clashed with my color scheme, I moved the daylily to another location, but I did decide that I liked that daylily, just with a different grouping. That is Capricorn Fiesta (or something like that).

Thanks again.

Oh, and I'll try to get a new thread going soon, as soon as I can get back to the other laptop (without melting) to find a cover pic.

Great stories about the troublesome Shih Tzu and horse! And the interactions with Cissy and especially Bast are remarkable; you do have great instincts, Cheryl, and are able to accomplish miracles when you go with them at crucial moments.

I've had issues with living in the country, mainly of the boredom variety; but we are delightfully free of HOAs and POAs, so I may learn to appreciate country living. I have no problem with reasonable rules and expectations (and sometimes wish someone in the country would tell folks that leaving dead cars to go to rust in the front yard does not constitute garden art), but the HOAs' rules seem to be anything but reasonable - and are frankly highly intrusive. As someone who's always had trouble bowing to authority I can't respect, I'd purely be having a fit.

Hummmmmmm. With his arms always going up like that, you could call him Coach. cuz that who always puts their arms up a ta game and calls a touch down. Thought about Goalie, Touch, short for touchdown and also Score. Since his/her antics seem to be scoring with you.

LOl. Widget such a good little baby. Protecting his home and mommy. When my small Shasta was alive she was one of them little devil wirlwinds when strangers came. Yelps bigger than their bites, but the bites form little ones can and do hurt. I have a big scar on my little finger joint from a little dog bite when I was a youngster.

You want a receiver, not a quarterback. You would be Joe Namath.. He's more like Jerry Rice or Michael Irvin. LOL Jerry Rice is probably the best known (fairly modern, now retired, was REALLY good!) wide receiver.