The Visitors

 So, you may recall the revelation that a racoon was the culprit stealing the dog and cat food. This explains a lot, since I marveled at how skinny the cats were. When we prepared to leave, we carefully closed the doors at either end of the screened porch. The doors are screened, as well.

Screen is not exactly secure; I told the man who invited all the wildlife into our yard. Did he think they would simply sit and wait quietly for his return? And why would they not share the source of available food with their forest friends?

Stay with me now and I unveil my evil genius .... I have suggested that we enclose said screened porch that is 10 feet wide and runs the length of the "house", some thirty odd feet. He scoffed at the idea, telling me it would cost too much, and he wondered what a 10' X 30' room would look like.

Well, I know exactly what it would look like! I have the layout in my head! It will include a living space far bigger than we currently have, a huge closet that will allow me to remove the current closet and make my bedroom bigger and a laundry room. The short hallway will be less crowded, and my kitchen will grow.

I have been planting small seeds for 3 years now. We have to turn sideways to walk beside our bed, I don't have enough closet space causing the need to store seasonal clothes in a different location. Recently I saw him measuring for a closet and laundry room, after many nights of me telling him how a bigger bedroom would make our lives a tad easier. When my back was out, getting into bed was so difficult.

So, now that his wild animal show has started with watching the racoon tear a hole in the screen to access the place where the cat food and dog food lives, he has been thinking about real doors on either end of the porch. Then his wife threw a monkey wrench in his plans when she opined that there was nothing to stop the racoon from creating a hole in any of the screens to get in.

The screens are easily accessible from the small platform on the back and the deck on the front. The long length of screening on the back side that faces the ravine, not so much. So, now I have him thinking about putting new doors and windows on either end of the porch. The complete closure can't be too far in the future after that!

The cat population is growing. Another generation of three young kittens have found their way to his feeding spot in the carport. Two of them are look a-likes and will come out from under the tool shed to watch me tending my gardens. Eddie is usually at my heels, and he was excited to see one yesterday. His tail was wagging non-stop as he approached the little kitten. The kitten scooted under the RV. Eddie is curious, but pretty lazy and when I told him not to follow the cat he stopped. 

The third kitten, whose father must be the yellow striped cat that my husband named Garfield, showed himself this morning as I was opening the door to the dog's yard. He ran onto the porch and Bo and Eddie gave chase. Bo is fast! Eddie can move fast with motivation, but he would never best Bo in a race. Toni Louise heard the commotion and came out to help them bark, but tired of the game and went back inside to join her master in more sleep.

I tried to help the little kitten get out of our yard and it attacked me! Those little claws are vicious! Despite the pain, I was pretty satisfied that I now have more reasons to close in the porch!