I heard some weird sound coming from the attic. Maybe, just maybe, a big branch on a tree near the house was brushing against the roof? I am all about homeowner denial. But, no. There was clearly something skittering around the vent in Sabrina's room. I was too chicken to even look up, for fear I'd see a pair of beady eyes staring down at me. "GO AWAY!!!" I cleverly shouted, which did make the skittering stop...for, like, three seconds. Then, scratch, skitter, scratch, skitter, skitter skitter skitter.
Dave was out dropping off Sabrina at school and picking me up an iced coffee, which he does every morning throughout the year. Meanwhile, I've booked a weekend getaway to Atlantic City's Water Club and a "deep-tissue massage" for him. Dave operates on a week delay for reading this blog, so I'm not giving away any surprises; I am quite sure he is going to love his squirrel.
This is our marriage, filled with moments of sweetness and fun but also a whole lot of tasks, to-dos and surprises—some life-changing, some of the four-legged variety (or two-legged). Obviously, once kids come into the picture partners have to balance out couplehood, parenthood and life. We just have a bit more to manage because of the extra responsibilities, and occasional stress-outs, that come from having a kid with special needs. Some weeks, there's not a whole lot of "we" time, try as we might; some weeks, we're just too wiped to even try. But this weekend is all about us; my sister (aka Judy Doodie) and brother-in-law are babysitting (eternal thanks, guys).
The neighborhood exterminator came by late in the morning. He couldn't find a hole in the attic where a squirrel might have crept in, and there haven't been any scampering sounds. One of our neighbors, Todd, suggested that a mounted squirrel could be an even fancier anniversary gift, but I am not into DIY taxidermy, nor am I sure how that would look in our Pottery Barned living room, so we'll just have to wait and see when and if Dave's 10th anniversary present makes another appearance.
Do you like the name "Sherlock"?
So your sister and brother-in-law are babysitting AND squirrelsitting? Lucky them.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary!! Your photo is beautiful! (You guys, not the squirrel.)
Happy anniversary to you both! May the squirrel never come between you. :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!! We just celebrated ten years in December. Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteheck, everybody deserves a squirrel in their living room but not everybody can be as lucky as my husband:)
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your hubby on getting his starter Squirrel & huge congrats on your 10 year anniversary!
Thank you for providing me with a much need laugh today, if you've been following my feed you know it was muchly needed :)
We had a squirrel 2 days after moving into our house...I kept hearing something running around the ceiling and the exterminator told me it was mice. Then I went into the basement and heard the baby piano being played. I was home alone with a 6 month old and a 1 year old...both of which were in my arms. F@!K We ran upstairs faster than a woman carrying 2 babies has ever run up stairs. Withn 90 minutes 'the squirrel whisperer' arrived. He walked in and looked just like Jack Palance's Curly in City Slickers...I half expected him to say to the squirrel, 'I crap bigger than you'. Six minutes later, he emerged with a large cage and a squirrel, 'got the sucker in the laundry room, he was a crafty bugger, usually only takes me 3 minutes'. I hope for your sake the squirrel as left the building...otherwise Curly is the owner of 'Critter Getter' and I can get you his #.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary and enjoy your trip & time away! So glad your sister and b-i-l are babysitting :-)
Happy Anniversary! Yeah, beautiful wedding pic.
ReplyDeleteHAppy Anniversary! and yay for making some "we" time
ReplyDeleteHere's a way to determine whether your squirrel is still there: Spread peanut butter very evenly over a small dish, and then cover it with a layer of something else squirrels like, such as peanuts or dry cat food. Put the dry stuff on carefully enough so that it will be obvious if it's been disturbed, leave the dish in your attic, and check it every couple of days. If it remains untouched, your squirrel is either gone, or has a serious eating disorder. (Or you've also got mice.) If the squirrel is still in evidence, get a Hav-a-Heart trap from Home Depot, set it up in the attic, and call Animal Control once the little guy is caught.
ReplyDeleteCorrection for the above: If the food has been disturbed, the squirrel is still there, and/or you've also got mice. UNDISTURBED FOOD, no squirrel and NO MICE EITHER. (Seriously, it will be obvious if the eater is a squirrel--they are monster eaters compared with mice!)
ReplyDeleteHappy 10 year anniversary!! I can't believe it has been 10 years. I remember your wedding day so clearly - it had snowed a few days before, but the weather that day was perfect. I remember that you were even able to take pictures outside without freezing. It was a beautiful day all around.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note - Steve, Margo and I agreed to babysit for Max and Sabrina - squirrel not included!!!
Have a great time at your getaway.
Happy Anniversary!! Ours will be 10 years this year, too!
ReplyDeleteReal life is fun, huh?!
Oh, and I'm expecting a package from zappos today, too!!
Happy anniversary! A squirrel is one way to go, but I think you'll enjoy the trip more.
ReplyDeleteIs there a hunting supply store or a feed store or even a "full service" (to include horses) pet store near you?
ReplyDeleteIf so, go on over there and get some fox urine--if they don't have that, go for coyote pee. Put it on some cotton balls and toss them around the attic, and/or put some in a spray bottle and give a few sprays around the attic in the corners, and then stand back for the EXODUS!
The exterminator will charge hundreds, the animal pee will run you under twenty bucks. You don't get all that much of it, but you really don't need all that much, either. Refresh it every so often, like, say, in the fall or winter when they're looking for a hiding place. Another thing that squirrels and other vermin don't like is moth balls, so scatter those up around your attic, too where you think they may be hiding.
If you're hearing "skittering," or scratching, you've got guests even if you can't see where they came in--they can get in under a VERY tiny hole in your siding or along your roofline, and in some cases, they can pull out a piece of wooden slat and slide in there, without you even seeing the hole! They're pesky buggers! And odds are, you've got more than one--they like to travel in a posse! If you have a tree near your house, with branches that come near the roofline, that's how they're running up to you attic and getting in. Also, if you have an attic fan, or a vent pipe leading into your attic, they could be getting in that way.
Go get the animal pee at the feed store, and let the hierarchy of nature/survival of the fittest work FOR you!!
Oh...and happy anniversary, and many more!!!!!
Oh, one more thing--when you figure out how they're getting in, either say goodbye to that tree or branch and patch/put a board over the hole!
ReplyDeleteOne more point and then I will get off the squirrel bandwagon--they will go out during the day to forage and come on back in when it gets cold, particularly if there's no food where they're hiding--if there's a bunch of them, they'll bring food back home, too--check for a pile of acorns or what have you up in your attic--if that's the case, you have a little family living there. They reproduce in a hurry, too, so it's a good idea to get them gone sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you'll hear the scratching in the morning, usually, when they're "going to work" and and night when they're coming home--like little commuters!
I had this problem in my last house (it was a frigging squirrel convention up there), and I do swear by animal pee, a sturdy board, hammer/nails, cutting branches near the roof, and netting (sprayed with pee) or wire mesh over openings that can't otherwise be secured. The pee trick took care of them completely--didn't need any humane traps or any of that; they just figured a predator had moved in and it was time to move on!
Happy Anniversary! I think you may be starting a trend - squirrel will soon replace tin as the traditional gift for the ten year anniversary.
ReplyDeleteLove the beautiful photo of you and your groom!
Happy Aniversary!
ReplyDeletep.s.squirrels rarely have rabies---just sayin' cuz they are cute and will eat peanuts in their little paws...
happy anniversary to you!!!! xo
ReplyDelete