Steamy Thursday (With an Early Morning Visitor)

[JudyJB]

First time I have started the Morning Coffee! But the reason I am up so early is because I heard thumps and bumping noises at 6:00 am and could not figure out where they were coming from. So I finally got dressed and with my grabber and flashlight went out and looked around my vehicle. Nothing on the roof, nothing underneath, but I opened up the rear left storage compartment where I keep my hoses and stuff, and found a lot of torn up paper and someone had been chewing a box there. This compartment has a 7" high pass-through to a matching compartment.

So when I flashed my light into the compartment, I saw a BIG, FAT raccoon staring at me from the pass-through area! I yelled at him, and he took off past me. THAT will wake you up in a hurry, to say the least! I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. Now I have to empty that compartment and clean up all the mess he/she made.

The humidity and heat here at Sebastian Inlet has been oppressive, and I am getting bored with Florida, so I am going to get dressed again in a few minutes and head to the office to check out early and get a refund for the next three nights so I can head north to Georgia. I want to get up to the lakes in the north, probably Lake Lanier, but that will take two days of driving. No problem since I would have been headed that way in a few days anyway. I will sleep better with colder nights and no raccoon!

So good morning everyone!

[Colliemom]

Boy Judy, you sure seem to know how to have all the fun Good thing that raccoon was making some racket though or you might have checked out and he/she would have been looking for a new home in GA. Sorry about the mess though. Hopefully nothing serious.I fortunately haven' t had that kind of excitement. Now my neighbor could tell you about her adventures with a flying squirrel in the house

Happy to report that Molly came through her little operation with no problem yesterday. When I called the vet's office in the afternoon, they said she was doing fine and resting comfortably. So I will pick her up later on. They keep them overnight to make sure all's well, take them out for a walk, make sure they are eating/drinking etc. Sure was quiet around here yesterday with no lively puppy bugging me for some thing. I miss that ball of fur

But this morning I am going to do a little house cleaning before I get her. Be easier than having her underfoot and more peaceful for her to rest. Didn't work in my project yesterday as it was yard work day. Lawn tractor is up and running, leaf blower going etc. so both got put to work yesterday blowing and hauling. Yard work is done except for picking up a stump and a few branches I piled under a tree. Now can concentrate on TT and trip.

So going to get a move on here, Molly's blanket is in washer and heading for dryer. So have things started. You all have a nice day

[IrishIroamed]

Mornin' Judy, Sue & all that follow.

Yes Judy, you sure do know how to find fun Dang critters. Some are cute to watch but can cause a lot of havoc too.

Sue, Molly may be upset that you washed her blanket. Just when she got it all rumpled and smelly the way dogs like

Ran to Illini SP last night to figure out if I want to be brave and try a drive-in one-nighter tomorrow, but couldn't figure out where the heck to pay, so I PM'd Kathy (GingerK). I know she's been there. Might make the BIL follow me there (it's only 1/2 hour) in case the nice huge sites by the Illinois River are all taken (still a lot of available signs as of last night) which I think I could do , but one campground was still locked closed an the other, woodier spots by the river are really tight with trees. Gotta jump in sooner or later and with or without dewinterizing. We'll see. Even tho I haven't camped anywhere yet, I guess hitch-itch is starting.

Have a good day everyone and if you're on the road stay safe.

On edit: Just heard from Kathy so I know where to pay if I go. Thanks girl friend!

[Othersharon]

Happy Thursday morning. Goodness but this week has gone fast! Judy, I imagine having a raccoon visiting so early in the morning wouldn't be a good way to wake up! Sue, glad Molly came through for operation okay. I know what you mean about the quiet when our furkids aren't home. Last time I took the boys to the groomer it seemed so strange not to have them around. I managed to get the kitchen floor cleaned and the floor actually stayed clean for awhile! No wet or muddy footprints! An ongoing spring thing! And yet I was so glad when they were home!

Been busy week, spent Tuesday in Grove City for shopping and lunch with a good friend! We really didn't get much but sure enjoyed lunch! We usually hit Vera Bradly with our birthday discounts in Dec and April so that's always fun. I managed to do some birthday and/or Christmas shopping for GDs. Now I'll just have to remember where I put the items! Lola went to the garage Wed and is now legal on the road. They changed to spark plug in the generator and it is running fine. Then I went and got 2 new house batteries. I got closed cell marine batteries so I won't need to worry about filling them. Definitely a hit to the pocketbook but I hope it'll be one less thing to worry about. Plus a longer warrenty on them. I should have taken her in for a quick bath but figured I'd rather do it myself. Then wonders of wonders I actually backed her into the backyard from the street. It took lots of jumping out and looking but I got her through the gate with no damage to either her or the gate! And I even remembered to fold the mirrors in when I went through! The rear camera was a great help! So today between working in the yard I want to start loading all the stuff I hauled out last fall and check batteries in flashlights and all other things that have batteries. Carolb threw out me joining her in VA but not sure yet if it can happen. I have a couple of appointments scheduled next week so will see if I can change them.

Well, enough rambling, time to get moving so I can get somerhing accomplished today! Coffee is on and I can always stop and visit! Have a good day and travel safe.

[dayspring39]

Good Morning or maybe nap time for me... was up most of the night... need a bit of rest then get things done around here and pack a few things for tomorrow... Kelsey did not come yesterday so did what I could...
Pain med is taking the edge off that is good... I went to the laundromat last evening... dried the clothes at home... now I will go back to being careful how many clothes I use like when in Fl during the winter!
I have been thinking of Molly glad she is ok... she will be overjoyed to see you Sue...
Judy that would be a bit scary... they can destroy more than paper... not sure if Bounce works on those critters or not...
Have a great day everyone... I am going to take a nap...

[gingerK]

Morning gals,

Bit of better news this a.m.; my attorney called to say that the relative did send the listing of accounts and personal property that we requested in our letter. He is going to email it to me to look over and let him know if I think anything's been left out. Not much but it's a start.

I don't like this rainy gray drizzly weather, it makes my bones ache. Yesterday was so pretty I worked in the back yard with the dogs raking up branches and sticks from where DH cut the dead tree limbs down and made a mess. Shooter, the puppy, kept insisting that I stop and throw a ball for him, so I did. He is a retrieving fool and never quits.

Sue, glad Molly's doing okey dokey. Bet she will sure be glad to get back home to her Momma.

Judy, nice of you to open MC, and while scary I'm glad you found your "critter" before it did more damage.

Cheryl, hope you do go to Illini, you won't learn if you don't try!

Kathleen, I wish I could help with your pain. I hate to think of a friend hurting, especially you.

O'Sharon, how I wish I could join you and Carolb for a trip to VA, that would be so much fun!

Off to start my day, everyone enjoy yours!
Kathy

[JudyJB]

Mostly the raccoon just shredded a half roll of paper towel and part of a cardboard box--tiny little pieces. Might have been building a nest. Saw no babies thankfully. She must have been in there a couple of days. Good that I store no food in basement!! Still a lot of cleanup.

[judi]

I don't like raccoons. Years ago when I lived on a lake in a wild area one pushed through my screen door and walked right into the kitchen. It looked at me like I was the trespasser, and calmly began eating the dog food.

I've been staying with my son, his wife and my very sweet 13 year old grandson while the deep scratch on my RV is being repaired. Today my daughter-in-law is taking me for a massage - did I say how much I love her!

Have a wonderful day all -

[bluepinecones]

Just a quick hello this morning; off for medical tests in a few minutes. So glad taxes are done even tho expensive plus had to have a new central unit installed at rental house at same time taxes due.
I posted a link about campground photos in the campground ground review thread. Looks pretty interesting for those ho like to see more about where they might be spending time.
Chilly and still raining; making both mine and Nicky's old bones ache. If this rain doesn't stop soon, it might be time to consider building an ark.

[AlmostThere]

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I grew up with many raccoon pets!

[JudyJB]

Actually, there is nothing cuter than a baby raccoon, and I do like animals of all sorts. I just wish they would not move into my home! Ditto for the little mice that occasionally move in and the occasional baby skunk.

As I was driving today, I got worried there might have been babies in the compartment. I did check the pass-through and there is nothing there, luckily. Also, if she had moved babies there, I think she would have hissed at me and not taken off so fast. If I had stayed there a few weeks, however, there might have been since I think all the tearing up of stuff could have been nest building.

[Liz]

Wondering how the raccoon got in your compartment? Did you leave it open overnight?

[JudyJB]

I am lazy. The second-from-the-rear compartment where my sewer and electrical connection is has a small hole in the bottom where I am supposed to thread the electrical cord through so I can close the door and latch it. But I am lazy because it is hard to stick the plug through the small hole, so I just pull the electrical cord out of the door and leave it open a crack. This compartment is next to the rear compartment. It is hard to describe, but the rear compartment is a pass through that is maybe 7" tall where I stick my outdoor chairs, and on both ends there is a larger and deeper storage bin. I have plastic bins in each of these. On the far side I keep outdoor cooking and picnic stuff as well as toys for the kids.

On the driver's side large storage bin I keep all my hoses and extra electrical cords and a bunch of attachments, as well as a bucket and cleaning stuff. There was half a roll of paper towel there. This rear bin is accessible (I think) where the large sewer pipes come through from the sewer compartment, back in the pass-through part.

So, I am guessing that the raccoon came in through the partially open sewer/electrical compartment door, slid through the holes where the sewer pipes come through, and then got into the rear compartment, hiding in the pass-through area, and starting to make a den in the bin where I had hoses. Or at least that is where most of the shredded toweling was.

The other possibility is that there are some openings in the middle of the vehicle underneath somehow, where I cannot see. In my vehicle, all of the water tanks (fresh, grey, and black) run down the middle of the vehicle from front to back, with storage bins on either side. I have a 7' pass through right behind the cab and one in the rear of the vehicle. The bins look closed-in, but I can see pipes and stuff in the pass-throughs, so I think critters can scurry around there all they want!

[SoCalGalcas]

Love that picture of you with the dog and raccoon! Once, in an OR ST Park, I went to dump the trash. When I lifted the lid on the can, a hugh raccoon jumped out...scared the heck out of me and I screamed! Man standing close laughed and laughed....I can laugh today, but not then!
Nothing much new going on in my life right now. Spent yesterday with the daughter and gr grand son whom she was baby sitting. lyn