And Then I Felt So Stupid

[Edie]

Brett is out of the country this week. So it's just me and Windsor (10 lb. poodle) to keep the place safe.

I woke at 2:40 this morning to sounds under the arbor. Windsor woke and started growling. I got up and turned on the porch light. The sounds didn't diminish.

I picked up the phone and called 911. I gave the lady all the information. She asked if I could see anyone. I got brave and peeked out the blinds. Nope, nothing. But I'd like an officer sent out to check it out since I'm home alone.

Wait! There's something! It's a raccoon! No, it's two raccoons! We both had a laugh. I told her not to send anyone out unless they had raccoon traps. It appears they may be living in the wisteria vines.

And then I felt so stupid. I'd called 911 about RACCOONS invading my wisteria! At least they haven't gotten into the MH just around the corner of the house from the arbor. Yet.

[Pahaska]

They are noisy critters! They used to wake us up at night by flinging the lids off of our garbage cans onto the concrete floor until I bungeed the lids to the can handles. Then, they started to tip the entire cans over until I bungeed the handles to the side of the house. We would have a whole family of five or six on the porch.

[Silvertwinky]

My wife and family were visiting my grandmother and uncle near Canton, Ohio once when we were woken up in the middle of the night also. We were peering out the window when we discovered it was just one raccoon. They do make a lot of noise. This one removed the trash can lid himself in order to get to the trash. He just kind of flipped it aside and let it bounce off of the walkway which produced a lot of noise. I suppose he was just hungry and looking for something to eat. They will get your attention rather quickly.

[85MH325]

I came home in uniform two nights ago and let our pug out the back door on his leash in our usual evening routine. It was just after dark. As I let him out, I stepped out and turned the light on at the same time.

As I stepped out, I noticed the sidewalk start moving! .. oops, it was one of the groundhogs that live under our backyard shed! He'd meandered up and was walking around the house, and had paused underneath the 8" ledge at the back door! As I nearly stepped on him, he startled and ran. He startled the hell out of me, and the pug jumped over him without even noticing him! Once I regained what little wits I still have, I was afraid that the pug would attack him, and then I'd have a real problem on my hands!

Anyway, the groundhog ran off to his den, the dog did his business, and I sat down in the patio room for a while. I expect that all of us were relieved!

Roger

[markdoane]

No offense, but I'd get a dog with a little more presence of mind.
I was working on my air conditioner on afternoon when a groundhog came around the corner of the house. He was HUGE! We were both speechless for about 3 seconds, then we went our separate ways. Quickly.

[garry]

I wouldn't feel bad about dialing 911. It's far better to be safe than sorry, if you wait it could be to late.

Garry

[JaceBeck]

I heard some rustling around the A/S while out camping a year ago in a remote, primitive site and, since I often leave the stove and other items out at night, I thought someone was filching my goods or worse...trying to get into the trailer.

Being short-tempered about thieves, rude people and other social miscreants (and having two little girls and a wife to protect) plus a fight rather than flee attitude, I grabbed the spring-bar handle from it's spot near the front sofa, flung open the door with flashlight blazing and stepped out in my boxers yelling a loud HEY!!!

I met with a very large skunk, tail pointed straight at the stars, not ten feet away eating the Oreos that my 3 year old had taken out.

I spent the rest of the trip nursing my badly scraped shins from my very poorly executed dive back across the threshold and into the trailer waking everyone in the process. They all had a very pleasant laugh at my expense.

The good thing was that since my feet were on the ground for less than 1/10th of a second when I jumped out of the trailer and then back in, the skunk did not spray at all. In fact, he casually stayed to consume the entire bag of cookies and then slowly ambled away to find another unsuspecting fool.

[85MH325]

Originally posted by markdoane
No offense, but I'd get a dog with a little more presence of mind.

And, no offense taken. The old guy's about 11 years old, has cataracts and is mostly deaf. I truly just don't think he even knew the groundhog was there. I'm 48, have reasonably good corrected vision, and can hear well (within reason). I didn't see the groundhog either. The dog's got an excuse...

Roger

[Pick]

I work at the county 911 Center, and believe me, that is a legit call. You would not believe the calls we get.

Some 911 calls that are NOT LEGIT:

1. My power is out, when will it be back on?

2. My power has been out for 2 days when are YOU going to send someone out to fix it?

3. Our garbage was not picked up yesterday, why not?

4. I cannot see my garbage can from the house, could you send someone out to see if it is in the ditch?

I could go on and on and on................

[Edie]

I wouldn't feel bad about dialing 911. It's far better to be safe than sorry, if you wait it could be to late.

I work at the county 911 Center, and believe me, that is a legit call.

Thanks for the encouragement. The 911 operator certainly made me feel like it was okay. And she truly seemed to share my relief that my intruders were only raccoons.

But why do these things only happen when Brett is away?

When he was away earlier this year I had to call 911 at about the same time of night. Our overhead garage door opened. I had officers ALL OVER the place that time.

Nothing was missing, and nobody was found. The guess was that it was some electrical glitch that triggered the opener. In any case, Brett unplugged the opener before he left on this trip. It's probably a good thing, too, or I'd have raccoons in the garage refrigerator by now.

[markdoane]

85MH325Opps:
Hey, I'm sorry. My mom didn't raise me to disparage other people canine companions. I'm sure the little fella feels bad that I bad-mouthed him. Please pass on my sincere apologies.

[85MH325]

Originally posted by markdoane
85MH325Opps:
Hey, I'm sorry. My mom didn't raise me to disparage other people canine companions. I'm sure the little fella feels bad that I bad-mouthed him. Please pass on my sincere apologies.

Your mother should be proud. No harm done, my little friend is pretty resilient, and he forgives you... I'm the one who needs the infusion of presence of mind!

Roger

[Silvertwinky]

This may be getting off of the subject at hand just a bit but I thought I would share my skunk story as well.

I was sitting up about 11:00 p.m. one night, next to a camp fire, reading a book the best I could by flash light. I spotted a skunk and he came closer and closer to me. I didn’t move, I just sat there and watched. He walked right underneath my legs while I was sitting and didn’t even act as if he cared. I’m not sure if he even saw me or not. I understand they can’t see very well but I just made sure that I didn’t make any sudden moves. He soon went on his way.

[norbert]

good security always requires an attack poodle......

norby

[markdoane]

...except I think Silvertwinky is glad there wasn't an attack poodle around during his skunk experience

[john hd]

edie

don't feel bad about calling.

one morning i was half asleep walking rocky in my back yard. he came across a possum.

he decided to have breakfast early!

he is 12 now and in semi retirement, in his prime he was 125 pounds!

needless to say he never got that possum because i had hold of him by his tail! with both hands.

he didn't know if he wanted to bite me or the possum!

i'm sure he would have just licked it like he does to our cats! yeah right!

john

[54FlyingCloud]

About 2 years ago, my wife and her friend were having a yard sale out front. I was inside on the phone talking to our insurance agent about our policy coverage.

All of a sudden my wife runs in and tells me she needs the phone immediately. She dials 911. Someone did a hit and run at the nearby intersection in our somewhat quiet residential area. The police show up and find that the victim is only slightly dazed due to the accident. They also find a bumper laying in the road that was ripped off the offending hit and run car.

After another 10 minutes, someone weilding num-chucks (which is the Bruce Lee type weapon with two sticks joined by a short chain) shows up. This was the hit and run driver coming back to the scene to reclaim his bumper with his license plate attached. May have been the Drugs????

Now for the somewhat stupid action on my part. I go back in the house to finish the call with the insurance agent. I hit the redial button to get the insurance agent but you guessed it. I spent about 30 seconds explaining why I just called 911.

[yukionna]

One night last summer, shortly after I let my two Golden Retrievers out into the backyard, I heard barking followed by yelping. I ran and opened the sliding glass door to see what was going on. Before I could react and close the slider, one of my Goldens who had just been sprayed by a skunk, ran into the house. He was freshly sprayed by the skunk and was still dripping with the liquid. I don't know if anyone else out there has been up close and personal with skunk spray, but it is nasty stuff -- much nastier than the smell when you drive by where a skunk was hit by a car. When up close, it is not the smell that overpowers you but the effects the spray has on you physically. I immediately started to retch uncontrollably and my eyes were watering like faucets turned on high. I was rendered absolutely useless in the cleanup effort and ended up sitting it out in the Blazer for 2 hours with a gas mask on while poor hubby cleaned the house and the dog. Moral of this story is to turn the outside lights on for a few minutes BEFORE letting the dogs out!

[Edie]

I am REALLY glad it wasn't skunks last night. I have been close to a freshly sprayed dog and shared the snow maiden's experience.

I think everyone should have an attack poodle. Really, they are hunting dogs, and he was a lot more upset about the whole ordeal than our Great Dane ever would have been.

Windsor was wound for HOURS. He still isn't done looking for the raccoons every time he goes outside.

Up until last night it was nearly impossible to get him to go outside. He'd just hold it forever so he didn't have to leave my side, and wouldn't go out unless I went out with him. Today on the other hand, I can't get him to come back inside!

[Silvertwinky]

Can't say I have an attack poodle but we have a killer of a dog!
"Killer Paco Wayne" Paco is a Chihuahua!
I'm kind of glad he was inside the A/S during my skunk encounter! He likes to bark a lot.