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On Friday I sent out 30 pages of my manuscript for editing and critique next weekend.
(this is where I love to go to write. I don't end up at this coffeehouse/cafe often enough, but when I think of myself as a writer, I often think of myself here.)
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I received the loveliest flowers and the loveliest chocolates (peanut butter filling with chocolate icing and topped with salt. the salt was fantastic) from the loveliest daughter.
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I gave the loveliest flowers to the loveliest Mother.
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.I gave the loveliest flowers to the loveliest Mother.
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With very mixed and very tender feelings, along with my beloved JB I spent two days cleaning out the house I was born in and grew up in so it can be rented or sold.
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I found treasures in the form of recipes, photos, wallets, books, and memories embedded in the walls.
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I nonchalantly looked up at the chimney...
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...and came eye to eye with this very concerned raccoon.
JB was sure it was not okay for a family of raccoons to be residing in the chimney so we googled it. It's true: it's not good for the chimney and it's especially not good for the raccoons if you use the fireplace. Indeed this Mother's concern was about protecting her babies inside. We would leave her family alone. They will all move out of the chimney when the babies are ready to wander on their own.
.However: want to know how to get rid of raccoons in a chimney. Here:
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1. Put a radio in the fireplace and play rock and roll music LOUD, or
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2. Put a flashlight in the fireplace and shine it upward, or
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3. If you need extra ammunition, add a bucket of ammonia and just let it sit there.
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It turns out raccoons, like the rest of us, just want peace and quiet.
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And finally, you'll have to go to to this special blog to learn the story of this found heart. And when you get there, have a look around. I'm sure you'll find your visit worthwhile.
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Ooops. Don't go here afterall! It's by invitation only while the architects are at work.
Here's wishing everyone a good week, my dearest friends and visitors.
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Love!
kj
Lovely post and you are a good soul for letting the Raccoon family stay rent free for a while. One should practice compassion toward all forms of life.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the blog link is by invitation only so I am going to bed. We do not celebrate Mother's Day (if you know or read about Anna Jarvis' story you would know why we do so to honor her and my children grew up understanding that but still call me to wish me Happy Mother's Day and I will never take that away from them)
so we have a quiet, warm Sunday;
our gardener came as today was the only extra day he had and wanted to help me move some roses, went to a farm to get some vegetables, to the nursery to get some plants, to the library - which goes to show the world that having a Kindle is not the death of books -
and now I am going to bed after visiting my peeps. Love to you from here, have a great week.
The raccoons here are brazen. My elderly neighbor tried to run one away from her cat's food, and it ran her back into her house.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Like Allegra said, it's good of you to let the raccoons stay rent free for awhile, but after about day two, I would send a collection notice.
ReplyDeleteyes, invitation only - boo hoo - left out of the club.
ReplyDeleteRacoons in the chimney are NOT good. You should contact someone to collect them and ask them politely to leave. I know someone who had them in his chimney and he didn't know...lit a fire after putting a cap on the chimney and boom - on fire racoons running thru his house. I was horrified but in reality they were not really on fire, just hot as potatoes but dirty as all get out and made a mess...and scared the bejesus out of everyone. So...it would be best to have them leave. Bring them to the country, we can always use more wildlife out here.
Be well...
Hi kj! That must have been very hard to clean out the house you were born and raised in. I moved so much as a kid that the only house I really have fond memories of is one in Texas, when I was very young. As for the raccoon, he looks adorable. Put him to work! haha! We had bats in our chimney once. I caught one in a butterfly net. I felt like Indiana Jones. :) Xoxo Pam
ReplyDeletei hope you continue to be kind to the racoon esp re: the babies in there. the house is empty right? i assume that what you say is true, that once babies are bigger they all will leave.
ReplyDeletesounds like you had a lovely weekend both being a mom and being a daughter. congrats on the 30 pages. hope the critique goes well. you know if i move to northfield, which i am again contemplating, i could join the writing group, if they would have me that is.
Looks like a good Mother's Day was had by all :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the raccoons will pack up and move as soon as it's safe and the babies are old enough. I know we talked on the phone but I'll repeat myself for others.
Raccoons can't be relocated to the country or other areas because they each have territories. Moving them nearly always ensures their death. Also, animal control officers and other folks in the biz have to euthanize them if they come to get them because again, they can't be relocated. Sometimes though the babies can because they haven't established turf yet! But then they lose their moms :(
It's a tough situation all around.
Snowbrush...tell your neighbor to stop putting cat food out! That's a delicacy for raccoons (as are cats themselves.)And yes, they can be extremely aggressive, esp if they have babies.
Okay, that's enough animal sermon for one day. I can't help it ;)
xoxoxo
Lo♥
When I had to clean out my folks house (where we settled after living ALL OVER in the Army) it was sooo hard. Mom had been born there as my grandparents had built it. I spend most of my late gradeschool and all my highschool years there.......and it was packed with generations of STUFF.
ReplyDeleteIt was a hard job and I still occasionally dream about being there.
This must have been the weekend for *looking up* and finding interesting things....check my post today.
here's to a good Monday!!!
XXOO!!
Anne
Verification word: *mukesto*
I feel pretty *mukestoed* after being in the pollen all weekend....LOL!!!
A very busy and productive weekend!
ReplyDeleteFull of conflicting emotions....but, it is good to move forward.... and the wonderful memories of your childhood home will ever remain in your head and heart. (And photos, of course!)
The Raccoon..... so adorable. Lo, I am glad you chimed in about trying to relocate them...and also the cat food "tidbit". I think the family will vacate when the babies start to grow. (And they grow quickly!) When I was younger, we didn't have many in SF and on day, one was "sunning himself" on our neighbour's veranda! Word got out and everyone was out there videotaping the "Wildlife"! Mr. Raccoon, nonplussed, kept on napping.... and finally left.
Today, they are more prevelant in the City...and I make it a point to keep cat food away from them - they can kill a cat in a minute.
Enough "Animal World".....KJ - CONGRATS on sending those first 30 pages in! I am proud of you!
OMG....my word verification is: sperm! Ha-ha!
Love,
♥ Robin ♥
Lots of work to keep racoons at arms length. We have lost entire trees of pears and apples to a night raid of racoons. Ouch! They are alarmingly smart.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning kj~
ReplyDeleteThank you for that wonderful post. Peanut butter, chocolate and salt!!!
We had raccoons living in a rental once and we had to call animal control as the mother was vicious~ it was being a mother of course ... I know that feeling since having my own child... I would be vicious also!
I'm glad you were honored ~: )
Much love ~Pattee
So glad to see you had a beautiful mother's day kj, and i do love all those flowers.
ReplyDeleteso glad too to see you writing, i think 30 pages sounds like a lot, please think of yourself as a writer, that IS one of the many things you are. i love the coffee house, and can imagine you sitting there, with pen in hand (or maybe a keyboard, but pen is much more romantic)lost in your thoughts...
the house cleaning gave me a lump in my throat. this is the kind of thing that makes me feel as if i'm watching myself from a distance, and saying this maked me realize why, it's hard to be so close. the reality of it all.
this was probably my last mother's day with my mom, where she knows who i am. i wish it were eaiser for me to talk about it.
and raccoons, omg they are such rascals. it is an ongoing dilemma here, they are into everything. we sometimes have them trying to nest under the house. we were advised to toss handfulls of moth balls through every vent. it is supposed to be the most humane way to get them to move on. it really works too, the only bummer is the whole house smells, not just the underneath part.
i liked your title kj, would you believe i couldn't think of a title for my post last night? i finally gave up and left it blank!
wow, this was a long reply!
lots love,
lori
Oh, so happy you are letting the Raccons be :-). When I lived in Oregon I lived near a park on the 3rd floor of an apartment building and I had a Raccon visit me on a regular basis he came up the fire escape, tapped on the window and I gave him veggies.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a bittersweet time at your mom's.
Beautiful flowers.
xoxo
Fantastic shot of the raccoon! Yes, quite kind and considerate of you to let her stay a while. Can't imagine how I will do it when it comes time to clean out my parents home...it was emotional enough doing it with Gary after his mom died. Beautiful flowers. Happy Mother's Day just a bit late. **kisskiss** Deb
ReplyDeleteallegra, qs far as i'm concerned, compassion is a gift to myself! what a wonderful day you've described. i know how happy you were moving through it! xoxo
ReplyDeletesnow, i have just learned about raccoons. this one, i have to say, looked very concerned. she did stare at me intensely, that's for sure. xoxo
mim, i don' know what i would do with any wild life in the house! i freak at bats. but these raccoons won't disturb anyone since the house is vacant. i assume they will leave, so i can be patient. ♥
pam, you are so thoughtful. i think you 'get' me in the nicest way. it was indeed emotional and hard. tsup! i have had several bats and i am a total wimp. i jump and make them jump for no reason. so i am impressed to hear about you and your butterfly net. xoxox
suki, not just the writing group! you could meet me for lunch. and brunch. and dinner even! please let me know if you move in this neck of the woods. i would be happy to offer a hand. xoxo
lo, you are an animal whisperer. ♥
anne, my partner and daughter kept reminding me that i was lucky to be emptying the house while my Mom is still alive, and there is some truth to that. i know you understand all the emotions that go into it. part of it felt disrespectful even though it had to finally be done. it is time. tsup anne.
robin, hahahaha 'sperm'. be on the lookout!!! hee hee. the 30 pages felt awesome to get out, and i liked a good bit of the writing this time. i now have 90 second draft pages. i'm feeling like there is some form to what i am doing. yay! ♥
lakeviewer, i'll bet you wanted to throw something at them! funny, everybody's description reminds me of many PEOPLE i know!! hey, thanks for stopping by. i'm on my way to you now. xoxo
ReplyDeletepattee, yes, i could identify with that Mother in the chimney. she was nervous, with good reason. i would protect my tribe in the same way. well, okay, i would try to talk it out first, heehee, can't expect that from a raccoon xoxo
pattee, it;s me, emily rabbit. i wouldn't talk it out even though i can talk. i think it's better and faster to whine and complain.
lori, in case anyone here doesn;t already know, i think you are a total doll. you are a wonderful friend, and i always love how thoughtful and observant and sweet and fun you are. so there. i am so sad about your Mother. it makes me sad every time i think of you and her. i'm glad you are not alone in facing the changes. and i'm glad all that love is in your heart, because it will stay there, lori. ♥
ps lori, try the music and lights. maybe you won't need the mothballs. i wouldn't like that smell either. xoxo
annie, what a great story. i didn't know raccoons bothered with people at all. yay for you! xoxoxo
deb, it's a brutal process, actually. i think all anyone can do is do it with love and let the memories come as they will. i wish your parents a long healthy life. they must be so proud of you. xoxo
What a bold raccoon. Up where you can't get at him. I think wait until the babies leave.
ReplyDeleteI love your racoon! She looks so relaxed. Glad you had a lovely weekend although clearing out your mom's things must be bittersweet.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have a wonderful week eh? I am so glad you did. Beautiful flowers and CHOCOLATE YAY! Score!
ReplyDeleteI love those big purple balls of flowers you gave your mom!
My mom loves those.
Look at that face on the chimney, so cute and sweet. They seem to be everywhere now. OR just coming out more. It makes for a very tender heart going through our loved ones things. The memories will always be with you though, where the physical things change.
Good afternoon kj!
Thanks for the suggestions. I am thinking I will still play it by ear on every piece. To antique or not to antique, that is still the question.
Thank you so much for adding me to your side bar. I am honored to be on your page with so many other wonderful souls.
I added you to mine too! Hopefully I gave you a brief respite from #@^%& reports. I guess anything would though.;-D
I had a great Mother's day, I made homemade macaroni and cheese and applesauce in honor of my hubby's mother. Since he was a better mother to our children than I was, I figured it was the least I could do. Yesterday was also the anniversary of his father's death.
Mac &cheese and applesauce is his family's comfort food. Now it is our's too. With my daughter being a mom now and being on her own, I kind of play surrogate "other" for her and try and make her day nice!
But that was very nice for me!!
I meant to tell you I love the heart your father left for you.
ReplyDeleteOn Mother's day.
For his daughter.♥
It doesn't get any better than that. ;)
love you,
Lo
I love raccoons. I guess we've taken so much of their space they just love where they find a home - including your Mom's chimney. I like it that you are leaving the babies to grow up first.
ReplyDeleteLOVE, LOVE, Cafe Evolution.
ReplyDeleteVery Left Banky.
Hugs,
Linda
So wonderful to see the pictures. No coons in my chimney thank goodness. Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeletexoxoxoxxo
that racoon is adorable. I hope not a bothersome pest. So cute.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's day, sounds like it was sweet.
I'm sure the mother raccoon sent a smile of relief your way at not leaving a radio blaring up the chimney ;)
ReplyDelete