Just when you thought it was safe to go outside…

Okay, September 11 was 10 years ago. I have looonnnnggg ceased to be actively afraid of terrorist attacks. I am afraid of lightning, tornadoes, nutso drivers, a few species of lepidoptera (it’s a recognized phobia, google it), deep water, and my own shadow. Aaaannnddd….

Skunks!!! If you live in grizzly bear country, or poisonous snake country, or Ebola virus country, you are probably laughing at me. Skunks are so cute! Once we were hanging out in the Landfill Back Room on a hot July night and we heard an owl-like noise outside. The GG headed outside only to come slam-banging back in after about a nano-second. We never figgered out whether or not there was an owl but what *was* in the back yard was a mother skunk with a bunch of babies. I dunno how many. 10 or 12 maybe? A clump of skunks. They were traveling back and forth across our yard. It was one of the cutest things I have ever seen. I’m glad I was inside…

We seem to be having a banner year for skunks. There is one(?) skunk that hangs out on our block almost every morning at 0-skunk-30 when I take off for my walk. I peer out into my front yard before leaving. Any skunks? I wonder whether there’s a skunk ambling along on the other side of the Landfill Fleet of Vee-hickles. Once many years ago, I rather cavalierly opened the front door at 0-skunk-30. Yikes! A skunk was cruising across my front porch at that very moment. Close door quick!

Yesterday afternoon, before it was anywhere near twilight, the GG went outside to monkey around under the hood of the Mean Green Frog Hoppin’ Musheen. No, nothing is wrong with our loverly new vee-hickle, it was something to do with emissions testing. As he was standing there, a skunk went by on the other side of the car. I was yelling out the chitchen window that it was a really odd time for a skunk to be traveling (they are crepuscular aminals) when ANOTHER skunk walked right by his feet! Fortunately, he was not skunked. I probably would’ve been because I probably would’ve freaked out and scared the skunk.

It is dark for most of my morning walk these days. I love walking in the dark but I am back to walking in the middle of the street, scanning both sides for that stripe of white in the darkness. And dodging the damn Newspaper Jeep.

2 Responses to “Just when you thought it was safe to go outside…”

  1. Marquis Says:

    Do you think that when the girls moved out, the skunks moved in?

  2. Margaret Says:

    No, skunks are not cute. They scare me too, although we rarely get them in that close. They get hit out on the road sometimes and their stink lasts a LONG time. (which makes me even more fearful of being sprayed by one)