Heidi Chronicles: March Mayhem

Still laughing!

...was thinkin' the very same thing!

I was just trying to check for signs of babies - honest!

But, it's a moot point anyhow because she wasn't going for it at all.

Hey, I think we can all empathize with Dennis: who among us, at some point in time, hasn't wanted to clobber a big clumsy stranger who was trying to cop a feel?

Sorry, couldn't resist...

Hahahahahhahaha too too funny. : )

LOL, yeah, didn't you just hate that when complete strangers would come up and pat your pregnant belly? The NERVE!
The image of Bast grumbling to herself everywhere she goes is pretty funny, too.

ROTF, Ruth,

When you put it like that, I guess I understand her unwillingness to cooperate.

After reading what you folks had to say, I went back and re-read my post, and LOL now I see why all of you took it that way. ;-)

I seem to be on quite a roll, too. I mean last night I insulted and harassed Dennis, and then today...
I left work in the early afternoon. At the entrance to my community, 4 young girls had set up a lemonade stand. Ah, that time honored business venture of generations of children. One girl held up a hand lettered sign advertising lemonade for 25 cents. I pulled my car over and a little girl, maybe 8-10 came over to the passenger side of my car to ask if I wanted lemonade. As I already had a soda, I really just wanted to help the little girls out with their venture. Digging a large handful of change from the coin thingy in my car (which was way too full anyhow since I had recently dumped all of my loose change in there to lighten the load in my purse), I told her that I already had a drink but would just like to give her some money.

OMG! Being in my own neighborhood where I felt 'safe' interacting with kids, I had forgotten that all children these days are warned to beware of stranger offering money. The little girl's face changed dramatically - a little like Dennis', and she said "No" and started to walk away. I tried to tell her that I lived just down the street and I just wanted to help and... "No", she shook her head still walking away. "Ok, then I'll take the lemonade", I offered still holding out the handful of money. Refusing to speak with me further she continued walking away. In short order I had ALL of the little girls upset. I was about to give up and drive away when one of the moms showed up. I spoke with her. She told the girls it was ok to take extra money (tips). With the mom there to protect them, I gave them the handful of change, mostly quarters, and one of them handed me a cup of lemonade.

Whew! I just don't seem to be able to stay out of trouble here lately. What a difficult world we inhabit sometimes.

KyWoods,

Yeah, I guess maybe Dennis had already had it up to 'here' with people feeling her tummy and the babies.

I only wish you could be there to hear Ms Bath. She's a hoot right now just walking around grumbling endlessly to no one in particular, just making sure none of us ever forgets for even a moment how miserable she is.

So sad that kids have to be so cautious now. Sounds like she did exactly what she SHOULD do if she's uncomfortable, but how sad that she so misunderstood your intentions. I'd think twice about letting my kids even set up a lemonade stand where they had to approach the cars of strangers, rather than the people walking up in plain sight.

I'm a teacher, and I LOVE kids, so I find myself smiling at them, waving at them, talking to them. . .and getting a lot of suspicious, dirty looks from parents. Breaks my heart! I would never dream of hurting a child, but I do understand how protective parents get about their kids. The other day, there was a strange-looking man wandering around the toy dept. of a Sears store, with no kids in tow, and I have to confess I felt a little cautious and kept extra-close tabs on my kids, too.

Poor Bast! I remember all too well how it felt to be big and uncomfortable and perpetually hungry! And I remember how those little feet would wedge up under my ribs, and kick me, and just can't think what it would feel like to be pregnant with a whole LITTER! And then to have somebody "feeling her up. . ." Probably just the last straw! LOL

Angie

I just can't begin to tell you what an adorable sight it is to switch on the outside lights and see all those little masked faces out there waiting for me. And they get so excited when they see me. They will start jumping up on the patio furniture, standing up, and craining their necks to see around each other for a better look. It's like, "Yippee! Our human is finally here!"

Your own personal welcoming committee every time you step outside. How cute!

Will always be amazed at how ya wnt from terified of one to now ya think nothign of walkign out into a massive hugnry group of them and sit and talk and converse with them. If funyn how through the years they have grown on you and you on them. Ya got the racoon touch for sure. : )

Scutler, also known as: "The Raccoon Whisperer"

Or "The Raccoon Thumper." Just ask Bast!



This message was edited Apr 7, 2009 5:56 PM

ROFL, good one!

I'll be back this weekend to chat, respond, and (for goodness sake) make a new thread. I got my new Mac finally (at work), and in the confusion of having all that extra stuff on the desk I've been forgetting to take my AC adapter home with me the past few days, today included. This is my older vaio laptop, so the battery just doesn't hold much of a charge. I'd like to take a few minutes before the battery runs down to catch you up on some of what's going on at the buffet.

For starters, Bast has been noticeably absent for 3 days now. The 1st day she failed to show up I figured she had given birth - and that might also explain her recent bad attitude. Now, 3 days later and still no sign of her, I'm starting to wonder if she may have been evicted, perhaps due to her disruptive behavior. Time will tell.

Now Dennis' normally happy-go-lucky attitude has given way to a sullen and cranky one. Often, she doesn't want to be petted now or even touched. Her body language [when avoiding touch] is not that of fear but of the miserable "just don't touch me" feeling. She will still let me pet her sometimes but other times will grumble and walk away to eat elsewhere. Tonight she went so far on one occasion as to turn her head around and threaten to bite me when I touched her back. (Explaining "threaten to bite me) She doesn't at any point actually bite me, not even the kind of mock bite cats do when they put their teeth on you without biting down, as if to say, "I could bite you". It is difficult for me to describe exactly what she does. She turns her head around toward my hand in a manner that is instantly recognizable as a warning - even though I never see teeth and she doesn't even touch me. There is a subtle but definite difference between this move and the one where she (on other occasions) might turn her head to sniff my hand, for instance.

Lately, Dennis has even started walking around a bit vocalizing her discontent to the world, although not to the extent Bast did so.

Timba has been interesting to watch lately, especially her interactions with Heidi. At times it is easy to think that I've learned all there is to learn in the backyard setting, but not so. The lessons and observations are just inclined to more subtle now. Timba and Heidi are an example of this. Years ago I would have interpreted their interactions much differently.

Right now perhaps due to her increased nutritional needs, Heidi will not eat anything except cat/dog food, not even such favorites as watermelon, grapes, or peanuts. Still, when serving such things I like to at least toss her one or two just in case. Even though she doesn't eat them, the others know that protocol dictates that they must wait until she leaves before taking them - all of the others, that is, except for Timba.

Timba is a bit timid. She comes into the yard to eat, but she won't take on the others, and as a result with such a large group of hungry and aggressive raccoons she often doesn't get her fair share. The only one it seems she isn't afraid of is Heidi. Timba seems to delight in seeing uneaten treats in the hole from which Heidi eats. Timba will run up and grab the treat and then sit nearby to eat it as if still craving the safety of mom's ever capable coat tail. Recently, for instance, when I gave Heidi a large bunch of grapes, it was heartening to watch little Timba as she sat enjoying them after having snatched them from her mom. (Timba, BTW, isn't really little. She is actually slightly larger than average for a yearling, but she is a bit fragile right now as she is afraid to takeon the others.)

At such times, Heidi grumbles and growls but she usually permits Timba to grab the treat and emerge unscathed. In the past I would (about now) probably be voicing concern that Heidi might be loosing her position of dominance since this otherwise timid yearling is taking her food; but now I am able to see more subtle elements of their relationships and understand that Timba though now grown is still Heidi's child. Heidi apparently realizes that Timba, being less assertive than normal, has special needs. For now, Heidi allows Timba to take the treats, although not without a verbal reprimand to remind the youngster that this is not really acceptable behavior. Heidi doesn't really want the treats, mind you, but she still has to walk the tight rope between failing to train Timba in proper inter-raccoon behavior and seeing her [grown] child go hungry.

By letting Timba run up and grab the treats from her, Heidi is able to insure that Timba will actually get them. Otherwise, once Heidi walks away from her food, it is open to anyone, and the other more aggressive youngsters are sure to take it before Timba gets the chance.

I've watched with a sort of amazement lately as Heidi and Timba repeat this dance almost nightly, Timba standing nearby eyeing the grapes, watermelon, peanuts, etc that Heidi isn't eating, eying the treats and waiting for the perfect moment to swoop in and grab them; Heidi, on the other hand, issuing a stern warning while allowing her daughter to take the unwanted treats and run with them. I have also seen other youngsters, not Heidi's, try to take the treats only to be slapped down, reminded of their manners, and sent away empty handed.

Fascinating: you truly are learning to read the subtleties of their interactions. And Heidi continues to be an excellent mother and teacher. Sounds like Dennis is getting close to delivery time; and I do understand what you describe as her warning behavior. I've seen that more times than I can count from a variety of species; and the meaning is unmistakably clear.

Enjoy the new computer; we know you will!

What I think is amazign fromyoru post Cheryl. is the fact that even with all Heidi has goign on and with ne wkits and such, she cna sens e that Timba not well or as healthy as she should be and doe s let her eat. Glad she still keeps her childrens welfare in ehr head even though they growignup now.

A really amazign kind of community interaction between them all and you. Ya do mother nature proud. : )

Since I have permitted this thread to get way, way to long, I decided to start the new thread 1st. I will post comments and responses over there (on the new thread). So, without further ado, please let's all move over to the new thread now:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/974157/

I look forward to seeing everyone there. : )