Even Squirrels

Last night we had a lovely time. Friends came over for dinner, we drank a little vino, and enjoyed good conversation.

When everyone left, I started to tidy up while hubby took Bailie, our little white dog, and went to the bedroom to lay down and watch TV.

Fine by me. I could get more done that way.

Finally I'm ready to go to bed. I walk into our bedroom and what a cute picture; Bailie is snuggling next to hubby, curled up by his chest. Precious.

It's late and she hasn't been out for her "last time" potty break, so I say to her "Let's go outside and go potty". Funny how I include myself in that activity.

I reach for her.

She growls.

I draw back in disbelief.

Hubby looks surprised.

I reach again.

She growls again.

What is up with her????

I just reach out and pick her up saying, "NO! You are going outside and going potty right now!".

She goes out, does her stuff, comes back in, back on the bed snuggling with hubby in no time flat.

Hubby cuddles her.

I lay down and watch TV for a bit, O'Rielly is going to be on for his second go around, it's almost 11 o'clock.

As I am ready to drift off, hubby says. " This little dog has just made me love all animals."

"Okay honey" I think. The gentler softer side is coming out, nothing like a good Cabernet to make you feel all warm and gooey.

I watch Greta say goodnight and turn it over to Bill.

"Even squirrels" he says

"What? What did you say?" I ask

"I said she has changed my mind even about squirrels. I don't want to squish them anymore"

Okay, let me explain. He didn't really want to squish squirrels per se...just shock them a bit.

It all stems from a rather pesky rodent that outwitted every manufacturer of squirrel-proof bird feeders.

Hubby tried funnels on the poles that held up the bird feeders. Rocky the squirrel would bypass the whole funnel road block by finding a bush or tree limb that he could use to jump over to the feeder. Hubby sawed off tree limbs, it sounded like we were filming "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" in our backyard. No tree limbs? That didn't bother Rocky. He just climbed higher on the tree and then sailed down, like a flying southern squirrel. Can you see his goggles as you read this??

Hubby tried those bird feeders that flip over when a squirrel climbs on it. Somehow Rocky figured out how to stay underneath and get to the seed, while a squirrel cousin flipped it over.

We would see him scaling the fence heading for our feeders and hubby would jump up out of his chair and yell, "Here he comes!".

It was like a war zone.

The kids pooled their money on Father's Day and bought him a zapping bird feeder; it was supposed to deliver a small but effective electrical shock to squirrels. They had seen it at a local bird and seed store and knew that was the ticket for Dad.

Hubby assembles it, and gets the battery in and hangs it up. The theory is that a bird is small enough to land on the perch and can get to the seed without getting zapped. The squirrel on the other hand is too big for the perch and will also have to be on a metal plate and when he touches the metal plate and the perch --- ZAP! He gets a good jolt.

We lie in wait for Rocky.

Nothing.

The next day we wait for him.

Nothing.

Wait! Here he comes scampering down the fence rail.

He comes to the new feeder.

He looks at it, watching the birds.

He must be thinking "What have they come up with now?"

He approaches it.

We start getting excited.

This is finally it! Our birds will eat in peace! No more squirrels stealing all the seeds!

Rocky gets on the plate, NEVER TOUCHING THE PERCH, eats his fill and scampers off.

So you see... it is an amazing thing that Bailie has done. Hubby feels compassionate to all animals now.


Even the squirrels.