Hopefully these come out in order part 2 of 3 Saturday morning, more of same. For a change of pace I decide to go up and further fence in the chimney cap. I found a small opening from the first time I had done the same thing to keep birds out. The fencing was just loose on the backside that I could not reach. This time, I took a ladder up on the roof and propped it up against the chimney. A little scary, but I was up for it.
The first task was to clean out the mess of sticks and leaves that encircled the flue hole on a flat surface. The critter had apparently built a nice nest, with one flaw..a hole in the middle, I tightened up all the screens and applied another layer, even going over the top. About a 2-hour job up on the ladder. I was convinced that my unwanted visitor was not or could not make an exit through the top. Back to business at ground level. I added more bait. I had used honey roasted nuts, but the internet said peanut butter bread. (I had no corn on the cob) . that's easy. I poked and prodded the fool, but it only made a rude noise and hopped around the fireplace. OK animal lovers, this is the worst I did. I dropped a fire-starter stick into the fireplace just inches from the offending animal. It starred in the face of flame but did not budge...so I did it again..closer to him. The fur-singed fool just hopped up on the grate and never sought sanctuary in the cage. All I had to show for my pyrotechnic torment was a smoky house and a beeping smoke alarm. Time for a shower and a new plan of attack. I returned to the room, and though visibility was poor through the plastic visqueen, I though the prey had finally took the bait. If a few frantic seconds I was pulling duct tape, grabbing the cage door, ready to celebrate the victory and remove the live capture. That's when things took an awful turn. I looked over and there was a squirrel on the floor next to me. Honest to God, my first thought (because I was so confident in my plan was) How the heck did another one get in here? OK stop laughing, I was stressed. Now, after two days of trying to avoid that Chevy Chase- Christmas Vacation moment, there I was Clark Griswold, without a plan B. He took off, and I went in chase. He sprinted through the living room and dining room and into the kitchen, seeing a tree and sunlight through the window. After struggling between the glass and flopping though blinds, it figured out this was not working. This of course was my best chance for a kill. I have a long and illustrious record of killing unwanted bugs behind these very blinds..but somehow I realized that a fly-swatter was not going to do the trick. I had access to knives and other heavy objects, there was a moral/practical dilemma. Kill the squirrel and possibly break the large window..or continue the chase. He jumped down and passed me, retracing his path back to the fire place. It was man versus beast, and it was time for me to step up and end this chase before he did any damage like the movies. Fighting like a man..I hollered like a child, and threw my shoe at it like a woman. I know I dazed it for a second after a direct hit, but I had no plan after that. He realized the fireplace would not work (remember that impenetrable fortress?) and ran back to the kitchen...another shoe thrown, this one a miss and a search for another plan, If I ran to get a net or basket or a hammer or anything else, I would lose sight of it..and who knows..down the hall and where there are lots of different room would be a disaster. He bolted back to the fireplace, obviously terrified of the superior hunter in pursuit. Finally, the stroke of brilliance..He's looking for sunlight, open the front door, stupid. This time when he headed back, he saw the open door and exited quickly. I slammed the door shut!!! Ha I won. It's gone!! After a brief survey of the damage, I had just one cracked blind slat, and a bit of a mess to clean up. I'm not saying I was shaken up by the turn of events, but it did take me about 10 minutes to find one of my shoes. (I was cleaning during that time though). It's not that I'm afraid of squirrels (though I was bitten by one as a child) but I was very afraid of more extended chase and more damage or a bigger mess. I looked out the window to give the mangy critter one more triumphant smirk, when I realized how glad I was that I had already tended to the opening in the chimney. I can't imagine it getting back in, and starting this all over again..but he ran away and hid..or possibly laughed. _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
