So we've had a family of possums living with us for some time now. Well, it's pretty much just been this summer, because they came in through the crawlspace under the house, and we've had it open this summer because our water spigot is under there. About a month ago I heard one crawling up the wall behind the shower, and we spotted it in the attic, but chased it back down and out, or so we thought.
Last night I came home with Haven from a nice dinner at a friends house (that Nic Cheetah can cook!) at about 9:30pm to find a possum in my bathroom. I interrupted Williams 'guys night out' with the news that he needed to come home tootsweet and deal with a burgeoning marsupial problem. William came home and walked in the door carrying a lead pipe. "You brought a pipe???" I said incredulously. He went into the bathroom and bludgeoned what turned out to the the baby possum to death. (Later that night I found an eyeball on the bathroom floor, it was DISGUSTING.)
We could see the nest under our bathtub. William said he would need to shoot his gun in the house to get the remaining possum(s) and we would do it tomorrow when I could take Haven out of the house.
Tonight. Haven and I go for a little ride and soon get the call that the other possum is shot. Back home I am going pee when I hear WHAT?! that's right YET ANOTHER possum rooting around behind our bathtub. And just like that our percentage of possum elimination went from 100% to 67%. Suck.
William can't get it when it's behind the tub, so we open up the attic and wait for it to make it's move. About an hour later I hear it scratching it's way up to the attic. William runs into the bathroom and I go up to get the headlamp when I see it. They really are kind of cute, except for the tail. Soon I spot it in the farthest corner of the attic, behind 2704 empty boxes all stacked up neatly.
Williams first shot hit it behind the neck. It was bleeding but still moving so he shot again. This time it was definitely dead. And it only took us four times as long to dig it out of the attic. Tonight I learned that a 22 rifle is surpisingly quiet in an insulated attic.
We are now
possum free, and getting a new cat, a healthy cat that will chase away the vermin, on Monday.
Every year the Bellingham Community Chorus sings at the Port Festival Holiday fair. Haven stole the show with all of her dancing, and we sang real pretty.
William took his first foray into deer hunting at Twin Meadows this Thanksgiving. Due mostly to a very limited time schedule, the deer all got away. This year.
Grampie found this new car for Haven at the Trego 'free store.' He pieced it together with a hunk of wood and old computer parts. Haven just loved it. And her Uncle Jeremy was only jealous for a little while.
In true Twin Meadows fashion we burned a big pile Thanksgiving night. Mom had great success in preparing our entire Thanksgiving feast on the cookstove this year. The turkey was succulent (so they tell me) and the pumpkin pies were great. Dad made the observation that though most Americans were probably eating turkey this night, not too many of them had wood fired turkey from a cookstove. Mom has that stove down to a science. And somehow we managed to squeeze everyone into the tiny cabin kitchen to eat together. Yum.
William wore a unitard for under his cloud costume. I laughed and laughed. See, most men would take one look at the thing and say "NO WAY" but not William, he just shrugs and says, "okay."
The process was painstaking and involved coercion and too much time and even a few fibs, but we were finally able to bring home a kitten. So far so good, she's a sweetie!
possum free, and getting a new cat, a healthy cat that will chase away the vermin, on Monday.
First Haven rode a canoe around a weird little plastic river.
Haven's favorite ride was the 'fast boats.' She went on these three times!!!
Haven sees a pig! (Notice the ruby slippers)
Haven got to go to her first rock concert! The Doodlebops were playing, and she just loves watching them on the Canadian channel. She danced up a storm. And she can talk of little else since!
Yesterday we put Rungus to sleep. He was old and his condition had really deteriorated as of late. It was time, but it was still very sad. He has been my loyal companion for 12 years. We buried him in the backyard under a plum tree. He is sorely missed. 
Then back at home, potty training just sort of happened! We are lucky parents.
Haven looks so good in our official logo (abbreviated version)
