Well, I'm back from 2 weeks at camp, a camping trip, a visit with my folks and my 20th HS reunion. Today my dad and Rick (a friend from church who is a skilled handy-man) started building a new deck off the back of the house. I got busy putting all the plants my mom sent up with Dad in the ground, pulling weeds and watering as I went. I headed to the little shed-like area under the front steps of the house and found a couple opossums snuggled up in the pot I wanted to plant my Creeping Jenny in. I poked at it a bit and it bared it's teeth and hissed at me. I didn't want it to bite or attack me (or the kids), so I left it alone and discovered on the internet that opossums are not fond of ammonia or crushed garlic. I also called animal control, but they won't help because it's a wild (not domestic pet-type) animal. The department of Fish and Wildlife hasn't gotten back to me...should I even hope they ever will?
So now I know that all the cat feces I've been finding in the lawn since I got home is really 'possum poop! And I'm mad because I want my pots back! How I wish they would just go away - but like all problems, it will take time and effort and patience and know-how. Lord, help!
Update: Dad and I hung out above the steps at dusk and waited for the opossums to leave for the night. One scurried out the first evening after we threw many paper-towels soaked with ammonia into the shed. It climbed the apple tree and we went to bed. The second evening, we waited and were finally relieved to see the second opossum leave. We closed up the hole they'd dug to get in and said so long to these nasty creatures.
prep and paint the front (South) side of the house. I think it took so long because of all the nooks and crannies, windows, door and trim to be prepped. We painted the front steps/porch and included all the way-up-high soffits in the painting, too. The garage door still needs a coat of paint, and there are a few trim pieces to finish, but it's mostly done and looks so much better. I learned a lot in the process and have a new appreciation for all the work that goes into painting a house!
This week, it's been rainy and I'm enjoying a break from the monotony of painting (and also the cooler weather)! While I was painting these past two weeks, Dad and Rick worked on doubling the deck in back and building stairs down to the patio off the West end. Rick and Sovann are still working on putting the cover on. After that, there will just be some railings to be put on the stairs. Oh, and of course we still have to stain the deck and paint the wall behind it - ugh! Can't wait 'till it's all done so we can have you all over for a BBQ.