Row, row, row, your boat... reverb 28

Well, I made Husband a happy boater.  I now have my Oregon Boating Card. 

Uh, will have my card, after I mail the certificate in.  If you have to take a boating course, please be aware, they say the test (this one) is about 3 hours. 

COWPOOP!  (Upgrade to proper swearing if you wish.)

I read quickly, the combined time for reading and testing the material over 2 days was closer to EIGHT HOURS!  But, I was able to get through it, slowly, agonizingly slowly, and passed with a pretty high grade, so I guess it works out.  But, gee holy cow crap, it was a bear to do!  I have had a MUCH easier time with FEMA classes, and those are meant to be intense! 

So.  I went out and enjoyed our sunshine, (although it's tempered with the concern that there is NO snow up in the mountains nearby, so I am hoping that we won't be paying for it this summer...  And I am yelling at the stupid tulips to go back to bed, it's January, why are they up three inches???), and asked Husband about renting a Havaheart trap.  He said one of his friends has one, and will check on borrowing it.  We then discussed a very rural, uninhabited area that we could put Mr. Raccoon, so he will hopefully not become someone else's problem. 

So, I am writing this short blog, and I think I am going to try and uncross my eyes for a bit...

***

Prompt: Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

Ok, folks, I am not doing this one tonight.  I am sorry, but as you read above, I have been working on passing a test online, and quite frankly, my dear...

Well, you know. 

I will try and hit it tomorrow.

The case of the Problematic Prints. reverb 26

(Oh, I lost .4 of a pound this week.  I'll take it!)

Got up for my walk this morning, and before I do, I feed. 

I went to put food in the cat's dish, turned around, and saw tracks.  Rudee has been sniffing about in one corner of the pole barn, so I knew SOMETHING was there.  I suspect that several of the 'catfights' that Tux had been in, might not have been with another cat. 

So.  I look, and there are these brilliant white footprints on the pallet.  (We feed the dog on the pallet.)  The tracks are white because we have some clay type stuff that when wet, makes a white track.  The dog and cat know enough to stay out of it. 

Sometimes, I do, too. 

Obviously, the raccoon doesn't care.

The little wet tracks are from Buzz.  The big white ones are from, we suspect, a raccoon. 

This is not good.  Raccoons eat chickens.  Raccoons eat cat food.  Raccoons eat dog food.  Raccoons fight with smaller animals.  Raccoons are a big pain in the butt.  The neighbor had a pet raccoon, didn't want it any more, and released it.  I wonder if that might be said critter. 

So, Plan A, get a "Havaheart" trap, see if we can catch it, and take it to the woods waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay away from here, and release.

Plan B.  Uh.  Sure.  We will get a Plan B... Soon.  

I want it gone for a second reason, our cats and dogs have been vaccinated for it, but raccoons can carry rabies.  Don't want to deal with that.  At all. 

Fun, oh, joy.  Dealing with ticked off cats isn't fun, a ticked off raccoon will be even more fun.  Thank G*d for Welding Gloves and heavy jackets...

News as events warrant.

***

Prompt: Soul food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

Ok, we are going include 'drink' in this, as it wasn't a food item, but a beverage. 

After going to the concert, I'd told Husband that I had a Thermos of hot water and some tea for breakfast in the morning for me (he doesn't like tea).  I think I slept about 4 hours...  I awoke, at the break of dawn, grumbled slightly about this fact, and then dressed and went to the restroom to do the morning abolutions. 

I managed to get the hair in some sembalance of order, face washed.  I was almost presentable to the human race again, walked back to the truck. 

Sitting on the picnic table was my tea.  Finished.  Sitting next to it, was Husband.  He looked up, and said, thought that you might like tea to start to your morning.  We sat quietly, my drinking tea, Husband rubbing my back, listening to the quiet of a morning, (and several people PROFOUNDLY snoring), and watched the sun rise over the camp.  I finished my tea, and he went to the truck and poured me another cupful, with a fresh bag.  We talked over the plans for the morning, and listened to birds start the day. 

Tom P. is cool, but he is no match for my Husband.