Heidi Chronicles: The Next Chapter

LOL, Marylyn,

You can see that I am not really a sports fan. Eons ago I watched a little football with a boyfriend at the time. I was SO confused. I just could NOT figure out the algorithm for that 'downs' thing. I mean the pattern just did not make any sense. It was 1st down, then 2nd, then 1st again. Next time it was 1st, the 1st again, followed by 2,3, and 4. Then...I mean the thing seemed to be like pi (3.14...), no sign of a repeating pattern ever. Finally, in total frustration I asked him to explain that crazy downs thing. Now I do understand why there was no discernible pattern and how that works, but must admit I don't know much else - as you can plainly see.

Unfortunately, while those guys may be phenomenal players, their names are not household words. It's probably only the occasional quarterback who gets famous enough to be known to the regular folks like me, well, except for maybe the Refrigerator Perry's. I could call him Receiver. Hmm, maybe not. Still looking.

I think in the one pic I managed to get of the little guy 'going out for a pass' (is that right?) the kits were more scattered out at the time with some in the pool. As a football fan, I bet you would just die laughing if you could see my little wide receiver standing up, hands up to catch the ball, when he is at the back of the group of kits. He is right out of one of those animated kids flicks. I can see that he actually understand now that if he stands up like that when I'm throwing treats, I will see him and throw him one. Then when the treat gets airborne the little guy will try to catch it - even if it doesn't come near him - you can just see his little hands go up in a catch motion even as the treat misses him by a foot or more (I'm no Namath!).

Edited to change 'house' to 'household' as intended and to add that after mulling this over a bit I'm thinking 'Jerry' is no less doable than 'Dennis' when you get right down to it since I always have to explain and re-explain the origins of Dennis (Dennis the Menace). And when our little wide receiver starts having babies Jerry will be a much more gender neutral name than Dennis.

This message was edited Aug 11, 2008 7:48 PM

Well, they both play quarterback, but either of the Manning brothers have names that might work...Eli or Peyton.

Now hold on a minute there...I do like Jerry Rice, and he was awesome in Dancing with the Stars...but Jason Taylor isn't too bad on the eyes either...ummm, I mean plays. Hehehe

Love these stories!

And Cheryl, I just have to tell you, at 2:30 this morning, I had to get up and go rummaging through the closet....DH and I were freezing and needed a blanket.
It has been so cold & damp here....and dh never ever gets cold. I am going out in the yard and do a couple "huffs and puffs" and blow it all your way!
I was joking about the cold and arthritus....but it has been nasty.

Love the smiles your putting on my face. When we lived in Florida, my Mom & SF would "live trap" the coons....and have the transported to Myakka (sp?) state park...as they were building new homes in the area and forcing them out. I remember sitting there, and giving them water thru the garden hose and such to keep them cook and watered. Mom would sneak out and feed them also.
Gosh I miss her so much.

Debbie

>>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

Cheryl -- I'm not even thru all the posts yet, but wanted to say that i've seen this.

When i'm up north, I dont get on line much. We dont get a signal anymore in the trailer, so i have to come up to the club house... so now I only do this a few times per week, (clean out the mail box, etc.)

I dont wanna rub it in, since your weather is so horrid... it's been fabulous here. Just about zero humidity/dew pts, and temps in the upper 70's to 80... nights in the low-mid 50's

this is my absolute favorite weather, and quite RARE here ... the midwest can get very sticky too, but obviously not like you 'southerners'.

OH and i got "stung" on Friday morning... mine hurt like the dickens though... hand swelled and everything .... but almost back to normal -- can finally get my ring back on, but still a tad itchy when the sting was .... I could not imagine 6+ bites!!

Terese

Melody,

I was just getting used to Jerry, and now you've added more good names. I like Peyton. Even I have heard of him, mostly from commercials I think, and Peyton could also be a girl's name - for when 'he' starts nursing kits like all the other 'male' raccoons end up doing. Is Peyton a wide receiver, too?

Oh, just re-read your post and see that you already stated they are quarterbacks, but that will do, I think.

This message was edited Aug 11, 2008 7:53 PM

starlight,

I like the Coach idea but in this particular case was really looking for the receiver even though I didn't know what to call it. The way the little guy (or gal) reaches up to catch a pass just so reminds me of a football player rather than the coach, but I do see your point about how the coach holds his hands up overhead like that a lot.

Debbie,

LOL, I need to get a look at this Jason guy - I mean to watch some of his plays and the dance steps, of course. :-)

Sorry to hear that it is nasty up there. Sounds like it is too cold there and too hot here. I agree that if you could blow some of that cold down here maybe we could even things out and all be just right.

Your story about giving food and water to the trapped raccoons reminds me of the days when I as a child used to free the raccoons my Dad would live trap in his corn patch - because I knew he did not plan to relocate them.

Now Cheryl, I don't want to start any trouble...I mean, being a "big" sports fan and all....for dancing...only....but the man had some moves. This man is quite the, ummmm, muscular....sports man.

http://www.kickette.com/images/uploads/jasontaylor.jpg

I am sure some of the raccoons are pretty steady on their feet with the quick moves.

We have horrible storms moving in again, after the kids being up all night with thunder storms shaking the house...more coming.

Debbie

Terese,

Oh, you know you do want to rub it in - LOL! And it sounds so wonderful there right now, I'm enjoying hearing about it. Tell me more. Tell me snow stories, ice stories, the colder the better! (Anybody got any Antarctica stories?)

Just you wait until the 'dead' of winter when the whole continent is frozen over like a giant ice cube, well most of it anyhow. We actually get 2 or 3 weeks of good weather then. ;-D
A former colleague once had just moved here from the far North and exclaimed happily that he was so excited because now he could finally golf in winter, all winter long even. "Yes" I replied, "You certainly can at that. You just can't golf in summer anymore!"

So sorry to hear about your sting. While I did have 6, mine were not as bad as yours. Mine did not swell. The pain was over in minutes, but they do STILL itch like crazy and I have a red circle about the size of a quarter around each one - so I look like I have chicken pox or something like that. I have always been lucky in that my system doesn't react to stings (so far). I don't get the swelling and such, and the pain is usually very brief, so I really feel for those of you who do get swelling. I think that is probably much worse than 6 bites. But I do realize that each sting brings us a little closer to the chance of a more severe reaction. Glad to hear that yours is healing now.

Ruth,

I lived in the country most of my life growing up and went back there to my parent's former house while going back to college. I sold that house to move to the city because I found it rather lonely out there so far from everything. I didn't like having to drive so far to get to the stores and such. Now I think I would like to, if not move back, at least move to somewhere in between where I was and where I am - if such a place exists. I've learned that the meaning of 'everything' isn't so clear, and it takes just as long or longer to get to the store in the city even when you live down the street from it. In the end, a long drive to the store on an open road is far less stressful than sitting in bumper to bumper traffic inching along and sucking up exhaust fumes while your blood pressure rises because you can SEE the store about 30 minutes before you can reach it. This was my 1st HOA experience. I tried like heck to avoid it. I was raised to take lightly the idea of having someone else tell me what I can do in my own yard, but everyone here told me it would be ok, and I tried to believe them. They were wrong. I hate it. I won't sign on to another HOA even if I have to live on the moon.

Do you know what it's like? It's like living in an apartment! Like having the landlord come by at inconvenient times (when you have other plans) to check on things or make demands like 'we need you to move all of the furniture to the other side of the room so we can do xyz in here'. Never mind that you have more to do than time to do it, you are expected to drop everything and do whatever it is they 'assign' you. I hate it. Don't let anyone sell you on the benefits of a HOA, not if you've spent years in the country.

Oh, but I do love the "rust...as garden art"! Yes, I think that is what the HOA's and POA's of the world started out to prevent, but then, as so often happens when people get a little bit of power, they got carried away, and now...

Edited to add that at this point I would truly prefer to be surrounded by houses with all manner of junked cars up on blocks than to come home from work to the weekly HOA letters of harassment about trivial stuff. Oh, meant to add that while out weeding I noticed that the house across the street and down a bit is up for sale. I'll bet this has something to do with the recent HOA letters since the realtors are quick to call when they see anything that might diminish their profits.

This message was edited Aug 11, 2008 8:26 PM

DD, thank you for the link. I am no sports fan but might have to become one if they all look like that! On the Manning thing I have to tell you that a sports fan I am not. In the business that I am in I see a lot of interesting names that bring to mind various public figures. I kid you not one the the people we did a VA home loan for was actually named Darth Vader. Anyway, I saw the name Sean Manning today and asked one of the guys if he was not some kind of sports figure. I got the rolling of the eyes and a suffering look before one of them responded "you mean Peyton or Eli don't you??" Just thought it was amusing enough to pass along.

ROFL, that sounds like a conversation DH and I would have. The only sports figures I know...are the ones from Dancing or that have been in a movie (The Rock...OMG!) Do yo need a picture of him too? LOL

Glad I could put a smile on your face.

The Rock ain't all that bad on the eyes either!

Ooooh, Debbie,

That Jason guy IS nice, eh, I mean is a really great football player! Nice pic. Wish I had seen the dancing. I need to call DirecTV to get my dish adjusted as some channels are coming in lately, darn it.

Oh, and, yes, I do need a link to the Rock. ;-)

(Sorry, earlier I had to run off to feed the critters.)

tetleytuna,

I can believe the Darth Vader thing. Seems like quite a few people have gotten a bit out of hand lately with the strange names for kids. Did you see where a month or so back the judge in, Hawaii was it, not only changed the kids name but actually took the kid from the parents because they gave it such a ridiculous name (a whole sentence) as to constitute abuse in the eyes of the judge?

Now, the Manning thing sounds like something I would have said. ; )

Well, if you insist.

This would be a wonderful name for any of the raccoons...."Rock"

Here is a picture, just for image purposes of course. He "used to be" a professional wrestler that went by "The Rock". He is from Hawaii/Samoa heritage. Does great kids movies....he is in The Game Plan (football & kids) and the new Get Smart.

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=QpXJP23Qr40&feature=related This is a clip from The Game Plan...very cute

This message was edited Aug 11, 2008 11:38 PM

Have been trying to download pics and find the one of my little receiver. Foey, it didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. Will have to keep trying. Right now I'm downloading tonight's pics.

While I wait (and I swear I'm really going to do better in the future about staying on track), but you just won't BELIEVE what happened today. I must have done something to anger the gods (little 'g' as in the plethora of Greek gods in ancient lore).

So this morning I get up in my house where the low for the day is 78F and leave for work worrying about how hot it would get in that room and whether poor little Widget would be ok. Even when I got to work, I couldn't work for calling the AC people, trying to get things lined up, trying to light a fire under them, and worrying about Widget. Then I remembered this new doggy daycare place not far from me. Called them. It was still early morning, maybe 9:30AM. Widget and I would have to go to an interview to determine if day care would be appropriate for him. 1st available interview would be at 2PM (more time off from work) and the earliest Widget might be able to go to day care if we worked out would be tomorrow. Called the vet to see what they thought about poor Widget alone in the room with the insufficiently sized AC. Learned that he could go to daycare at his vet's office and they would be happy to have him right away. Super!

Left work immediately to transport Widget to daycare. About 2 blocks from daycare, the radio went off and back on, then did it again. How strange. Then the transmission jumped and surged kind of weird. Odd. At the next light, 1 block from daycare, when the light changed and I started to go, the car moved out like normal and then suddenly seemed to jump back into neutral. The engine raced, but the car stood didn't go anywhere. The SUV behind me almost slammed into me - not again - when the car dropped into neutral and essentially stopped in the intersection. Guy in the SUV blew his horn incessantly as I fought with the car trying to get it to go, shifting out of D and back again thinking maybe I had it in some nether zone between gears. Hoped guy in SUV would get out and come to the window so I could tell him what I thought of him and his stupid horn. Finally, on 2nd light managed to get car to limp through intersection in 1st gear only to find that I could not get to 2nd gear (auto xmission). Drove, more like rolled, 1 block in 1st gear while ignoring horn blowers. Made it to daycare so at least I could get Widget to safety before dealing with car problems.

Once in daycare parking lot, I found that I was locked in the car. Elex locks not working. All of a sudden it seemed as if the car had become demonically possessed. Every system in the car was going haywire at once. Tried to restart engine to see if maybe I needed it to work the locks - although I sure didn't think so. Engine dead. Yep, car was possessed. Started to panic then remembered those mechanical thingies on the door, the ones you pull up with your fingers to unlock the door manually. Deposited dog at daycare. Suddenly, I felt so overwhelmed and overburdened. How could this be happening. I hadn't even gottent the AC problem solved yet and now this. I wanted to just throw my arms up in the air and say 'I quit', wanted to kick and scream and throw a tantrum.

Took a deep breath. Sat on a bench in the little Zen garden outside the animal hospital, very peaceful little spot I might add, to call AAA. I'm really learning love them. Tow truck arrived and took me and my car to the dealership. I asked them to unload it right outside my mechanics bay. You know, the mechanic who picked the car out for me and made sure it was sound. : (

Turns out, the alternator had died. Could have been worse, much worse. But you know what? I really do have a fabulous mechanic because he insisted on fixing it for free. I told him that wasn't necessary, that it's a used car and I understand that sometimes they break. I told him I did not want him to do the work without getting paid and did not want him to feel responsible for this, but he refused to take money. Boy, I just wanted to rib him about the car thing, but he's so conscientious you can't even do that.

The moral of the story is this. I was tempted to think I was having a very bad time, a real run of bad luck: the 1st AC, the 2nd AC, the HOA weeding thing, the heat, the dog, the car breaking down in the middle of the AC drama, yadda, yadda, yadda. Ever have a day or week or month or life like that?

Then it dawned on me how incredibly lucky I am. I mean, the AC died on the day the 'cold' front moved in. It may be hot in here but nothing like it would have been if the thing had died the week before when evening temps were in the 90's. The HOA thing was annoying for sure, but, hey, I did need to weed the beds sooner or later, and, thankfully, the universe arranged for me to do it during the 'cold' spell. The AC folks provided that little window unit and although it doesn't really cool the room, it does keep it cooler than the rest of the house, cool enough to get by. The car thing was just a bump in the road, and I was lucky enough to have AAA to tow me and the mechanic to get me on the road again. And Widget can go to daycare and keep cool at a place where the girl's at the vet hospital play with him all day. Tonight he came home all tired and took a nap. Normally when I get home he's all fired up and ready to play. Now he's played out which is good for both of us. And some time during the day I got the news that I can get the AC for 12mo same as cash. Yes!

Hmm. Maybe good and bad are relative terms. Maybe things aren't really bad or good. Maybe the definition is in the eye of the beholder.Maybe we can choose to view events differently and redefine them and find that things weren't really so bad after all. Perhaps if we look closely, we will see that life is a lot like those pages in the kids book, you know the ones where you have to find all of the hidden items; and hidden somewhere in the rain will always be the umbrella.

So, no this wasn't about raccoons. Sorry. Promise to do better. Got more pics tonight. Now have 2 nights worth of new pics to share. Got them downloaded. will try to start new thread tomorrow and post pics with story - about raccoons!

You know what? I love your outlook on things!

Hugs,
Susan
=^..^=

Have to get to bed now. Need to get up early to take Widgie to daycare, but glad he will have a cool place to play while I'm at work.

Thanks for the link, Debbie. Will look at it tomorrow since I've already been up way to late tonight and still have to walk the dog one last time.

Leaving you with this pic from last night. Heidi (right) was eating melon. Reba(left) sidled up real close to do a modified steal. I rushed to grab a pic. Moments later they had a scuffle and Heidi agreed to let Reba eat some melon which was good because I always give the melon to Heidi and the kits lately, so Reba rarely gets any - and she loves watermelon, too.

Thank you, Susan!

What a day! I'm so happy to hear that it ended well.

You do manage to have a remarkably good attitude even when things go south all around you, Cheryl; wish I could do half so well!

The watermelon photo is great; Heidi looks distinctly put out, but she could easily have chased Reba away if she wanted to do so.

Thanks, KyWoods,

All in all, despite the 'speed bumps' it wasn't such a awful day after all. I ended up tired but feeling rather serene, and it was great to see Widget so pooped since I knew that meant he had enjoyed a fun, filled day of running and playing. And I had a nice visit with the raccoons to boot.

Ruth,

As you probably know I don't always have such a positive outlook, but I'm working on it. Sometimes I look at my life and realize, ok, I had 3 flat tires (over several years when I was very young and couldn't afford great tires), but all of them happened in my drive way. You can't beat that for a place to break down. And then when I had my 1st flat on the highway, a helpful motorist pulled over on the side of the interstate behind me, and was out ready to change the tire before I got the car into park. Things do go wrong - often! But there always seems to be someone there to lend a helping hand and get me going again, often even a kind stranger. I can't complain. Well, I do, but I shouldn't. LOL.

Now this next part I feel I must preface by reminding everyone that it is just my opinion based on my observations. I'm new at this raccoon thing. I have much to learn. The scientist in me gathers data and attempts to form what at the time seems like a reasonable hypothesis based on that data. In time, some of those hypothesis don't fit with subsequent observations. Then, as with all 'scientists', I have to rethink my hypothesis in view of the new info. All that said, it really seems to me from all that I have seen, that while raccoons may be somewhat solitary in nature, they do appear to have a fairly well developed social structure, a community so to speak, with rules for appropriate behavior, and even some sense of fairness. Frequently, I have seen Heidi give up her food (after she had eaten enough though not necessarily all she wants). For a while I was quite astonished and confused by this behavior but have come to believe that if she has eaten enough to get by and another nursing female from her group asks politely (with a steal attempt which appears to be the correct way to ask) she will acquiesce, although sometimes with a brief display of unhappiness.

Once, and I never really covered this at the time because so much was going on, when Heidi's babies were tiny tykes I watched her give up her food and watermelon to Rupert. That was back when Heidi would come early, eat her fill, then come back later with the kits. It was maybe the 1st or 2nd visit for the kits (while I was there). Rupert sat nearby as Heidi enjoyed a watermelon and a dish of food while Rupert had none. Rupert was in the steal position but at a respectable distance. Heidi ignored Rupert for a little while, then finally just walked away leaving her food to Rupert. I was so shocked as Heidi had not finished her melon and had not eaten as much as I knew she normally would.

Rupert ate for a little while, then Heidi returned with her 4 tiny kits. All 5 of them approached Rupert and the food which had been Heidi's. The 5 stood about 3 feet away, facing Rupert, Heidi out front, the kits behind her. They stood there for a few minutes looking at Rupert as if to say, "Ok, now, do the right thing. I have hungry babies here, so give the food back." Rupert ignored them and went on eating. Heidi and the kits stepped a little closer, still standing there staring at Rupert. Then when it became apparent that Rupert was not going to 'do the right thing' and give up the remaining food to Heidi and her babies, Heidi walked over, jumped Rupert and very quickly and succinctly secured the food sending Rupert on her way.

That was a very interesting and insightful thing to watch. When Heidi had 1st given up her food to Rupert I wondered if she actually feared Rupert, but when she returned a little while later with her kits to take her food back it became clear that she was willing to share some of her food with the other nursing female but expected it back when she needed it and was willing to take it if necessary. The fact that she stood there with her kits behind her for a while before taking the food forcibly also seemed to indicate that she believed Rupert would get the message and give up the food. The whole thing seemed to show a sense of community and fairness, or at least that's my take on it.

They never cease to amaze me! How wonderful to be able to observe so much!

I admire your positive outlook on life. You definitely see the glass as half full. I hope you have a streak of good luck now - you deserve it.

Cheryl, you reminded me of something very funny....with the car breaking down. It is amazing how we get wrapped up in our "automatic" life and forget about the "manual" settings.

My "clicker" broke to unlock the doors on the car. My daughter called her dad, panicked she was going to be late for work....how do we get in the car and go! "Shannon, there is this old fashioned way we used to use....it is called a key...use it to unlock the door and get in!"

Yes, as you said, it could have been much worse. Perhaps it was Gods way of saying "Cheryl slow down, sit a bit....and breath."

I like to remember a email I read about people being late for work the day of 9/11....one stopped to buy bandaides, one had car trouble, etc. You just never know what you could have "Missed" by being sidelined that little bit of time.

I hope today is better
Debbie

Thank you, goldfinch,

I, too, am constantly amazed by the raccoons. They have so much personality. Recently, I realized that I have become quite attached to them as individuals such that they really have become a factor for me in the decision of whether or not to move. I just can't imagine leaving them. It would feel like moving away and leaving my pets behind. I know that I would long to see them and would wonder about what they were doing. I would worry about them even though I know they can take care of themselves. They have just become such a part of my life now.

Often I find frustration in that I observe more than I have time to write about. Spending so much time around them, there is so much to see.

Debbie,

That is so funny about your daughter not being able to get into the car without the clicker. LOL, but I can so identify. It was only a few months ago that I had to operate the locks manually all of the time, yet now I am so tied to the elex as to panic when I got 'trapped' in the car because the locks didn't respond when I pressed the button. The car wouldn't start again either, so I couldn't turn the AC back on and it was hot in there and I thought "OMG, Widget and I will die in here in the heat!" as though it were some kind of life threatening, 911 emergency. Then as I was frantically beating up on the button as if pushing it harder would make it work, I noticed the little manual thingy less than a foot away, and with just two fingers I had the door unlocked in seconds. LOL at the downside of our dependence on all these gadgets. Could you just imagine if I had called 911 to get them to come with the jaws of life to rip me out of there? And when a 1/2 dozen or so guys arrived with all that equipment and walked up to the window and said, "Uh, mam, could you just pull up on the little thingy there on the door?"

You make such an important and often overlooked point about those who were late to work on 9/11. I have learned that the bad things often turn out to have some benefit that we may not recognize at the time. I try to remember that when bad things happen because I have seen it happen so many times in my life how some momentary annoyance prevents a major problem later and so on.

Well, at least today I am in a much better frame of mind feeling less like a victim and more empowered to handle the little things. That alone should help.

LOL, my mother freaked out once because the tv remote was missing, and so she "couldn't" change the channel!

Only have a few minutes - well, actually no minutes as I'm already late as always. Will really, really try to get the thread switched over tomorrow. Don't have the photos on this laptop. Just a few quick notes to catch you up on all things raccoon.

Last night one of the kits, not sure who but don't think it was one of Heidi's as it seemed smaller and golden, possibly Cissy's baby, just walked over to me, got on my shoe, stood upright holding onto my calf, and just looked up at me like "Hi!" I didn't know what to think or do. I was elated, of course, but had no idea to what I should attribute this behavior. I tried to offer him a marshmallow, but then as though he suddenly awoke from sleep walking to find himself climbing on a human, the little guy ran away and didn't return.

Tonight all of Heidi's kits ran over to me as they have been doing a lot lately. Timba came up beside me where the table served to make him feel extra safe and took not one but 3 frosting finger sandwiches from my hand. (Over the weekend I had run out to Walmart to load up on treats while stretching my dollars. I got lots of grapes, marshmallows, cherries, watermelon, frosting, and $1 per very long loaf bread for frosting finger sandwiches.) Little Jerry - I think I'll go with that name since he really is a receiver - stood over by the pool catching his frosting wiches. The other 2 kits were mostly at my feet, maybe 5in in front of me.

Heidi was over on the other side of the pool. I know how much she like frosting and didn't want to end up with her standing in front of me looking for hers after it was all gone, so I caller her "Heidi, Heidi". Heidi, however, can be quite aloof. It is most un-Queen-like to rush to anyone when called, so Heidi has a bit of that Garfield attitude about such matters. She ignored me, and I wasn't surprised. I turned my attention to Blondie's kits over to my left. When I turned back, Heidi was standing in front of me. : D
She had heard me and had come - just on her terms. Wouldn't want the kids and all of the others to see her doing otherwise. I had been giving the kits pieces of bread with only a thin layer of frosting since they will eat the whole thing and I figure that is better for them. Since Heidi really only likes the frosting, I glopped a lot on a piece of bread and held it out to her. She stood her ground. I tossed it to her, but the kit beside her got it 1st. I started fixing her another one, and before I could finish, she moved forward, obviously not planning to lose this one. I held it out to her. She reached forward with her mouth, then with her hands, then with her mouth, unsure how best to proceed. Finally she reached her hands but instead of grasping the bread, she cupped my hand in hers gently for a second and then gently took the bread by its sides at which point I let go. This time she did not run or even back up. She ate the frosting right where she stood, and then took a 2nd one after that before walking away. Progress!

When I had used up all of the bread I'd taken out - about 1/3 of the loaf, there was still about 1/3 to 1/2 can of frosting left and lots of kits crowding around me. I put some frosting on the top and handed it to one kit then dropped another dolop on a top at my feet where the other 2 kits ate it. Finally, I dropped the can on the ground before me for them. It still held about 1/3 of the frosting, a veritable prize! Two kits grabbed it almost in unison but before they even had time to fight over it Heidi stepped in and took it away. She had been some 10ft away, but as soon as I held the can out I could see that Heidi knew what it was and could see that I was giving it away and she moved swiftly to intercept it. One could almost hear her saying, "Now give me that. It's not good for you to eat so much frosting before bed" as she took it from the kids. It was the 1st time I could recall seeing Heidi snatch food from the kits, but this was a BIG find. With the kits all following along, she took it over behind the cart to eat and eat and eat ...and finally share.

LOL, what a fun night!

What a great moment with Cissy's baby! And the story of Heidi and the frosting can is priceless: such a caring mom to keep the kits from overdoing the sugar (lol).

I think you're right about raccoons having a social structure and rules of behavior, even though their lives in the wild are mostly solitary. I used to see the beginnings of that social order develop in the kits who were overwintered by the rehabbers. The same group would be together for many months, and they developed a definite pecking order: the same one or two would always get first dibs at fresh food, treats, and other resources. These were kids or, by spring, preteens, so they never developed the kind of subtle social nuances you see among the adults, but the beginnings were there.

Sounds like Jerry is getting the pass reception moves down pat!

ROFL, how cute that all sounds.

I have been telling DH coon stories. Last night he walks in with a plate, filled with graham crackers with frosting on them! What the heck.....yep, they sounded good! Get out the graham crackers Cheryl....frosting sandwiches!

Debbie

Neat!!!!!!! What a great time ya had. You know what you think when you feel their fur or have them touch you, wonder what Heidi and Dennis and the others think when they touch human skin.

They know what each other feels like, wonder if they ever think how cna those hariless creatures survive and why do they have to wear them funny pieces of material on their bodies.

Sure would be interesting to get their take on human touch. Which makes me wonder, not being nosey, but do you wear nail polish when your feeding them. Wondered if you do if they are more attracted to yoru hands or not when ya do. Thinking about different colors and how they would react to differnt colors of nail polish. Would they just ignore it, or thing it somethign shiny to play with maybe or eat.

Finally, rain , so guess seeign it for th efirst time in months has my brain short circuited. LOL

This is funny: http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/funny-pictures-raccoons-are-here-to-help-you.jpg

We don't mind at all when you go "off topic", Cheryl. You're our friend. :-) Here in Houston, we have heard of several people who have gotten on the wrong side of an HOA and have lost their houses. It's awful. :-( Our neighborhood has a Civic Association - it's voluntary, only costs $35/year, and mostly noninvasive. They will send you letters if you violate the neighborhood bylaws (whether you joined the CA or not), but they are mostly common sense things. They don't care what color you paint your mailbox or whether your flower beds clash with the street signs. They certainly wouldn't mind your benches. (We're not much - if at all - cooler than you, though, and we have no raccoons, so there are downsides. LOL)

Yummm... graham crackers and frosting... I may have to add those to the shopping list now.

LOL, Marylyn, what a cute picture! Thanks for sharing it!

ROTFLOL, Marylyn!!!

I love it! I giggled out loud when I read the caption. Now, see, that's what I mean about how a slight shift in perspective can change the way things look. LOL.

Edited to add: and what a wonderful job they do of it, too! Between them and the opossums, I find that no matter what I put out there, as long as it is edible, it will be completely gone by morning. Even some non-edibles like cupcake papers will also be gone.

This message was edited Aug 13, 2008 6:31 PM

Marylyn,

This is not remotely related either to the pic you shared or to raccoons, but the humor of that pic just happened to remind me of the little wooden sign hanging at the desk at the veterinary hospital where Widget's Dr practices. Widget has been going there all week for daycare - where they tell me they just LOVE him and I believe it because he comes home too pooped from playing to be his usual troublesome self. Anyhow, I've been seeing the little sign each day and chuckling, so it is fresh on my mind, and I thought I would share it with all of you. The sign says:

All unattended children will be given a large cup of espresso and a free puppy.

LOLOLOL!

LOL, good one! Wish I'd had one like that at the pet store where I used to work--people would drop their kids off and leave us to babysit them for hours! Some of them were real brats, too, terrorizing the animals, running all over the place, leaving empty cups and candy wrappers everywhere, messing up the items on the shelves.