What's goin' on?

I found that picture in images and had to put it on. It cracks me up. That is one big, fat, Raccoon. I notice she's turned him or her away from her face and is holding it's paws. Yep. I know that move. It looks happy though, you can tell by it's face. They have so much expression, almost human. I found a Coon three times the size of the one in that pic, but, it was dead, shot by a hunter, so I had to pass on saving that one. I don't begrudge hunters, but, I despise the traditional 'Coon hunt'. Here, they have no Coon hunting season or sex limits, so you can imagine how bad that is for the animals. Second, they hunt with dogs, which I hate. They go out at night, drunk as skunks in packs of redneck noise and trucks with barking hounds and they let the dogs loose, while they sit on fat asses and drink beer, to tree some poor animal and then they shoot it out of the tree. I think that's really unfair and cowardly. Real men don't hunt that way and it should be banned. I really think it's wrong and I wish I could do something to change it so the animals have a fair chance. A real hunter always gives the animal a fair chance, unless he or she is starving. That's the way I see it. Anyhow..

Speaking of big, fat, Raccoons...since I talked to you last, Tooney has decided to live on his own, in the wilds of Guntown. When we last talked about him, I said, I just didn't know why he wasn't wild, but, would play it by ear. Well, he went out..and didn't come back. I had a feeling he was going, he had given me too much sad affection that day. Almost like he was telling me. So, he went. I hadn't seen him for three days. But, I knew he was okay. You know how you have a connection with someone or some animal and you just know? I put his cage on the back deck, put some old blankets on it and filled the food dish with goodies. Each morning the goodies were gone, the huge water bowl empty and played with, but, that could have been any animal around here. I was sure it was my Tooney when one single blanket was stolen and it just happened to be Tooney's baby blanket. Made me laugh. This morning he decided he missed me and pounded on the window where I was sleeping (how did he know where I was??) and woke me up. I ran to the door and yelled, "Tooney, you're home!!" He jumped off the lawn chair he'd been standing on and ran to me. He was grinning from cheek to cheek, he flipped over backward, did somersaults, grabbed his head and screeched. Then he attacked my legs and bit my thighs and went back to back flips and screeches. I laughed so hard, because it was 5 am and I wanted to get him breakfast, but, he wouldn't let go of me. Like a two year old when mommy goes out alone for the first time, that kind of leg hug. Finally, I told him to go around back and he understood. He ran for the back deck and I went through the house, grabbing a bag of Friskies, a Snickers and some Oreos. He calmed down after he ate and let me pet him while he licked my hands. He wanted up in my face, like a baby, but, I wouldn't let him because he was just too excited and rough. He's also, pretty near the size of the Coon in the pic above, so, I can't lift him at all anymore. I noticed when he rolled over he has a huge set of real Coon balls. I guess they finally dropped all at once. (Laughing, gross, but, true.)  I sat in a chair and played foot and leg wrestle with him. Which was really too rough and he's much stronger than me, but, I wasn't about to not do it. It's his way of showing joy and love. He played with his brothers too, but, he was too rough with Ouija so I made the cat go inside. Tooney wanted in then too, but, I told him no. He understood. We played and visited, he ate some more and about 7am, when the  sun was fully up and he booked without even a look back. He just kind of melted into the tree line and was gone. It was awesome. My Tooney is fine and finally wild. I have no idea where he's nesting, but, when I find that baby blanket, I'll know. IF I find it, Coons are good hiders. I hope he's in the garage or cabin, but, wherever it is, he's obviously fine. He looks great. So, I was sure you guys would like to hear that, it makes me really happy. We, yes, we, you guys and me, did the right thing. I needed your support in raising him because I felt alone here in it. You watched him from the time he was newborn without even his eyes open until now and your comments and encouragement meant the world to me. We did right by him and now he's really happy and healthy and wild. It's all we ever wanted for him. It's a good thing (as Martha would say). He is one handsome, joyous Raccoon. I never even bothered with the camera. Sometimes I just want that moment in life and I don't feel the need to document it, you know? But, I'm sure he'll be back one of these days and I'll keep a camera by the back door.

I am still unpacking here. I am so damn slow, it's ridic, but, my doctor warned me that if I tried to kick ass like I usually do, I could hurt myself permanently much sooner than expected. I believe him and so does my body. It's hard to fathom the pain that can come from the things I have, but, put them all together and OMG. So, I've been really going slow. I still have to get my big furniture, some antiques, etc., but, I want the boxes here thinned out before anyone loads more stuff into this house or I'm afraid I'll never catch up. I don't really care who I piss off. My mother has someone moving into that dump and she's always on my ass, but, I told her, right to her face, straight out..I will get it done, but, in my own time. I put a goddamn padlock on that door over there and I refuse to tell her how to open it. So, there. I believe she should look at her deed. That fucker has my name on it too. I need one day to move a load and clean, then one day to let my body heal. That's how it's going to go. But, every day I am supposed to rest, she calls me and has me running her around. I do it most of the time, but, not every time. That's something I will always do for her, within reason. (Sometimes she has no reason and can't be reasoned with.) She's still weird and can't get it into her head that I have real physical and health problems. She doesn't understand because she's a hypochondriac. But, this time, I am calling the shots, for real, because I am not going to end up in a wheel chair or some fucking care center just because she's a mixed up dimwit.

So far, still LOVE my cute house. It seems to have no problems, except a leak in the kitchen sink which the plumber promised to fix this week. No bad haunts, no bad feelings, nothing creepy in the basement, it's just nice here. Lissa loves it too. I just realized I have never been in the attic. The door to it is in my bedroom. Hmm, we'll save that for another day. I have a brand new roof and chimney topper, so I have zero reason to go up there. No noises from there at all. Odd that I just thought of that, but, in truth, there is a lot here I haven't explored yet. There are treasures to be found, I'm sure. Another day. Today is the most beautiful, gentle rain, Fall day you could ever ask for. I have a bail of hay to put in the cabin (hopefully for Tooney), but, I have to take it apart to carry it in. No way I will lift a bale of hay. Not happening. I really am being careful. I'm going to unpack boxes in my bedroom today and work on making it a tiny sanctuary. Right now it's pretty junky looking. Boxes and guitars everywhere and I nailed an old heavy table cloth over the window that faces Joey's house. It's not cute, but, he can spy on someone else. I'll buy proper black out blinds when I get my check. Money is tight this month, with all the shit I had to buy for moving, (you know how that goes) but, we should be fine. Until I get completely moved, I feel sort of disjointed. You know that feeling? I like consolidation and semi-order. I'll get there. You just never realize all the STUFF you have until you move. Cripes, I'll bet I have one load of just yard stuff left. Bird baths, statuary, solar lights, flower pots, weird things I've made and picked up, those heavy metal road signs my son left..OMG, my arbor. Shit tons of stuff, stuff, stuff out there. And shit, the shed. Sigh. I forgot about the shed.

This week we have volleyball practice and a PTA meeting. Yeah, not things I look forward to, but, things that stress me out. So, yeah, I am just swamped. Also trying to get a damn driveway, that could be a whole post, but, I won't bore you. Maybe I will. Later. The city owns the curb. I want the curb gone because I have no legal access to my own property! We shall see what happens, I guess. City Hall, here I come? Ukk. I am too old and too busy for this shit. So, what have you all been up to??