Late Night Visitor

I’ve always said critters like to hang out at my house.

We’ve had a lot of oppossums at night. They especially love munching the strawberry plants.

And our area also snakes, skunks, and the occasional coyote. When our tract was brand new and the area was more rural than it is now, it was nothing to see a coyote in the street. And there was a mama owl one summer who thought Bogie would make a great snack for her babies. I had to go out with the dogs every time they wanted out at night.

First we had Gabby adopt us. The cat talks all the time and the neighbor’s name for him worked perfectly.

And with the warm days we leave the garage door up a bit during the day so he could go in and out then I'd close it all the way before bedtime.

Last night I went out to the garage, noticed Gabby's food dish wasn't where it normally was and after I closed the garage door all the way down a skunk walked out from under my husband's truck.

He might have been cute and well mannered, but I don't allow Gabby to have overnight guests. I popped the door up and hopped back in the house, so I wouldn’t spook the critter.

Luckily, the skunk went out and the smell was out later front and not in the garage. Billy the Exterminator said baking soda and hydrogen peroxide if you get sprayed. I'd just rather not get sprayed.

And this morning, Barney examined the back yard big time, his nose to the ground. He wanted out big time last night and no way I was going to allow that!

Poor Gabby. I can’t keep the garage door a bit during the evening anymore. But I like my SUV to smell nice!

Linda

When Your Kids Have Fur, Feathers, and Shells

“Are you awake, Mom? Mom, you awake? Mom, wakey wakey. Mom.”

Yep, just a typical morning in the Wisdom household as my son does his wake up thing. Except when I open my eyes I see a little white furry face with black button eyes while a cold nose nudges my cheek.

No, my son doesn’t need a shave. Barney’s a three-year-old white mini-Schnauzer whose idea of waking me up is sniffing my face and nuzzling me until I’m alert enough to climb out of my nice comfy bed and take him downstairs so he can go outside.

And while he’s outside, I’m hearing “Awake here!” That means my other son, Syd, our twenty-eight-year-old Amazon Panama nape parrot, wants to be uncovered.

If I could just teach one of them to fetch coffee, because I can’t get it until they have their ‘me’ time.

Some people don’t believe in treating your critters like humans wearing fur, feathers, or even shells or scales. You’ll even hear the dreaded “but he’s a dog.” Yes, he is, but you’d be amazed how much those little guys understand.

And all our guys have minds of their own.

Barney came to our household last summer when he was lost in the neighborhood. It took three weeks to find his owner, I was heartbroken to return him, but two days later the owner called me and asked if I wanted him. You’d think he’d always been with us. When people hear me talk to him, they think I’m talking to a human. He’s smart enough to know what I’m saying and he’s very vocal. And many times he’s happy stretched out in my chair with me when I’m writing. Friends told me Barney was sent to me since my beloved Chihuahua/Yorkie, Bogie, was going on eighteen and showing declining health. Bogie went to Rainbow Bridge in January and Barney did offer a lot of comfort then. And he still does. Although he’s only twelve pounds, that little guy does a great job of hogging the bed and it’s “no, you move” when I want more room. He seems to think my side of the bed is also his even if he has his own blankie on the bed. :}

Syd has a habit of coming upstairs if he feels neglected. Nothing like hearing a “hi!” and seeing him walk into my office, ready for his share of attention and his playpen.

Luckily, Barney’s smart enough to stay out of beak and claw range. Syd’s been featured in a past book and I know he’ll show up again.

They’re not my only kids. There’s also Florence, a twenty-four year old tortoise we’ve had since she was a baby that our avian vet gave us. We’re talking tortoise with attitude. She believes the house is hers. She wants wall-to-wall carpeting, A/C and central heat. During the summer she has her Dogloo and hibernates in the guest bathroom during the winter. Definitely a conversation piece for visitors especially since she snores when she’s hibernating. Florence may use her senses, but if I call her she will come since she follows the sound of my voice. And she loves nothing more than having the top of her head rubbed. She’s also appeared in one of my books.

They’re not my pets. They’re my babies, my muse at times, and I love them all. That’s why they show up in my books.

My kids won’t be honor students, but that’s okay. They’re tops with me.

Even if Barney does his “Mom, are you awake?” at 5am, because he’s decided he’s got to go outside.

What about you? Do you have furry, feathery, scaly, or shell kids?

Linda