Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2005. Mattie was almost three years old. That day we took Mattie to Butler's Orchard in Maryland. This was one of our favorite farms to visit as they planned wonderful events for the children for the Fall and during Easter season. That day we went for their Easter egg hunt. I am so glad we did all sorts of adventures with Mattie. We squeezed a lifetime into seven short years.
Quote of the day: Stress acts as an accelerator: it will push you either forward or backward, but you choose which direction. ~ Chelsea Erieau
It was a regular three ring circus this morning. The raccoon fiasco continues. So apparently Ricki Raccoon did enter the shed last night. How do I know? Because Richard created a cardboard tunnel and door yesterday, to see if the cardboard would be disturbed. It was disturbed and scratched. So we know that Ricki is still living in the shed. Of course Ricki is smart enough NOT TO GO into the traps! Any case, Richard further educated me today, and he put up another piece of cardboard attached to the shed wall with screws. He wants to see if Ricki scratches his way in tonight. If he doesn't then they are sealing up the whole back wall of the shed with sheet metal tomorrow.
Over the course of the last day or so, I was talking to another wonderful friend of mine. She was concerned when I told her I was planning on cleaning out the shed myself. Given that raccoons carry disease, it may not be a wise idea to do this myself. After thinking this through, I decided to discuss the clean out process with Richard. Richard is going to use a disinfectant mist all over the shed's interior, he will shovel up the feces he can see, and he has also agreed to help me throw out big things in the shed that have been decimated. It is almost impossible to describe what one animal could do to a shed.
Richard told me that the raccoon in the shed is most likely a male. He says that the males are loaners. They mate, but after mating, they leave the female to birth the babies and raise them herself. I told Richard we also have possums in the backyard. He says the possum is a great creature to have, as they eat ticks, mites, and keep a garden clean, without being destructive. BRING ON THE POSSUM!
Richard and his colleague were up on our roof today installing the metal guards around our attic fans. The sound of people jumping all over the roof was disheartening, but whatever it takes to keep Ricki out of the house, is a plus. While working with Richard, our carpenter arrived to discuss how to fix the shed doors. They have practically disintegrated and it is close to impossible to shut the doors. All I know is I have become a project manager of multiple problems and issues in the house. Truly no day is peaceful and frankly I see no end to this, to me this is now my life.
As an aside, I had the opportunity to talk with a neighbor today while outside. I think so many people want me to have a happy life, to find peace, and to see a future of possibilities. In this person's words to me.... "the best is yet to come." I absolutely get why people try to remain positive with me, but in the process of being positive, it negates how I am feeling. I truly do not know how anyone could conceive that I could go from being married to divorced, after 35 years together, and be happy about it.
I can say that one entire room in my house has now been packed up. I have packed about 12 boxes so far. Tomorrow, I move to the next room. As I come across items that are not mine, I set them aside. All items are boxed, organized and labeled. I have learned from experience that getting started is always the hardest part. So I take it one day and box at a time.
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