From March 30, 2006
The Saga of the Pesky Raccoon!

Awakened about 3:30 am and got up to get a glass of milk.  I saw the raccoon on the back patio, so I flipped on the patio light.  I thought that might scare him off, not so.  He just looked at me and then slowly turned away and proceeded to climb the shepherds crook in a search for food.  I rapped on the window.  He reluctantly scrambled away.  It is true the raccoon is cute and intelligent, but it can also be deadly, with no natural predators. “And they have four thumbs!” said my neighbor. in a voice that boded no good.  This one must be about 30 lbs and it is getting close to breeding season.  Since there are also families with children in the area, I call the Pest Control officer to bring a cage to capture and re-locate the beast.  

From April 3, 2006
Bandit Raccoon Behind Bars!

This morning our resident raccoon was caught in the cage and Pest Control came and took it promptly away. They left the cage, just in case, on the theory “where there is one raccoon in mating season, there might be a tribe in the vicinity.”

   In the evening Pest Control called to say the raccoon they picked up had been tested by the Animal Control Center because it was “sick.”  Results of the test indicated that the animal had distemper and was put down.  They suggest that there may be more sick animals in the area and to warm the neighbors about animals acting strangely, not to touch them.   

From April 4, 2006
That’s not a Raccoon - but -

This morning I looked out and there is another animal in the cage - NOT a raccoon.  It was confirmed to be an opossum, but was hard to see in the dawn light.  It was calm about its cage experience, and was again removed during the morning.  We are getting to know our Pest Control friends pretty well now.

From April 8, 2006
The Last Raccoon Bandit
  … and another raccoon this morning.  This one, we think, is the big one we’ve been waiting for.  It was duly removed during the morning, and was the last I heard of our Spring visitors.