This has absolutely nothing to do with LDL, I just have to get it off my chest

[Halla]

One of my housemates came running in and told me "There's a dead squirrel outside!"

I love our squirrels. They're cute, they're funny. I feed them. I bought them their own special watering bowl and put ice in it every day (several times a day in this heat) for them. They run UP to me rather than away from me when I step outside. We have a bond, those squirrels and I. So when one of my housemates came running in here to tell me one was dead by her rose garden - I was a bit upset, to say the least.  Then I saw it...

It was a baby! So little! Like a mouse size except for the tail. Suddenly something got in my eyes (OK, I cried a bit) and I thought "what happened to you, baby?" but didn't want to touch it to check for external injuries. There were none immediately present, btw. We do have an outside housecat that will threaten our lives by bringing us "presents" of dead things, but he was nowhere around when we found the baby squirrel. 

I gave him a decent funeral. I dug a deep hole by the side yard fence, used a long stick to gently nudge the corpse onto the shovel, placed him in the hole and buried him. Everyone who was home at the time was forced to stand in a tiny circle around the hole and say a few kind words about the baby squirrel, who never had a chance to meet his potential. And I cried. And cried. And cried.

I have no idea why the death of an animal hurts me more than the death of a human (even one related to me) but it does. Tyler says it's because I am not sure where dead animals "go" after death. He may be right. I'm way more upset than any rational person should be over the death of a baby squirrel. But who ever said I was rational?

*hides under blankets and weeps*



(laugh/giggle if you want to. I already know it's irrational, but hey - it's how I am...)

Oh, and while we're at it - what would YOU have done? I have no idea how the squirrel died. I hope no one poisoned it, but you never know. When I get out from under my blankies and quit crying, I'll be giving my neighbors a whole new level of the "evil eye". Some of them have told me in the past they consider my (yes, they're MINE) squirrels to be "pests". *gasp!* Jerks. They're cute critters. Deal with it and buy them peanuts.

[massageangel]

I would have cried, too.  We're all a part of God's family.  That was sweet of you to have a funeral for it. 

There was a wolf spider in my bathroom sink the other morning and for the first time in my life I wasn't scared of it.  I went and got my plastic Starbuck's cup and scooped it up and put it outside.  Normally I would have screamed and pretended I didn't see it.

[Halla]

Angel, aren't wolf spiders very big? I would have screamed and run the other way. Then I would have begged someone to slaughter it for me and dispose of the corpse. I am terrified of bugs. And spiders. And scorpions. I know I outweigh them (especially right now), but that does nothing for my phobia.

You NEVER leave something like that just stomping around your house, or it will eventually make its way on to your bed and walk on you while you're sleeping.

*just about has a heart attack over the very thought*

Blessed Odin's eye patch! Make someone kill it for you and then gently bury the corpse with full honors so it doesn't invite others of its kind into your home!

*shudders*

A wolf spider? Seriously?

ick. GAAAAHHHHHHHH! ick again.

[MissBizzyLizzy]

awww....sorry your so sad!    squirrels are very cute.  they almost remind me of kittens running around tackling and rolling on the ground with each other.

spiders....shivers as well!!  i am very afraid of spiders but when i see one i do like to check it out.  if it's big...i HAVE to take pics.  soooo...last night i caught one that was under the bottom step to the pool ladder.  it's BIG and black...and HAIRY!!!  while i was reading this i remember about it...it's in a jar now.  i had to go rescue it from the hot sun. 

[Clown Lady]

I would have cried also, and I would have buried him.  God takes care of all his creatures, we need not worry about that.  As for us we have to walk the right way.  I have baby bunnies and squirels and two horses.  I live in the country and sometimes the oppsum gets in the trash can and can't get out and my husband calls for me as we release him back into the wild.  They are so cute
Hang in there. 
Snuggle with your blankie

Donna

[massageangel]

Yes a big wolf spider.  I was not afraid.  It was more afraid of me, really.  I am the only one here (besides my four cats) so there was no one else to get it.  I guess it was his or her lucky day.

We have big palmetto bugs here.  I hate those things.  Sometimes I am brave and get a broom and a dustpan and scoop it up and flush it down the toilet screaming all the way.  Other times I pretend it's not there.  One brave evening we met eye to eye so I told it this is it - you're going.  I went into the laundry room and got my broom.  When I got back to the spare bedroom it was no where to be found.  So I gently walked across the room and stepped on something.  I screamed bloody murder and jumped across to the other side of the room.  When I finally came to, I turned around and looked and what I stepped on was a Juicy Juice wrapper!

Another time I was sitting at my computer facing the bedroom door.  I saw a palmetto bug run in the hallway and one of my cats was chasing it.  A few seconds later I saw my cat running with the palmetto bug chasing her.  I had to laugh at that one.

Okay, no more bug stories.  Bugs and Florida.  You learn to coexist sometimes.

[Halla]

Angel, I'm going to take "bugs in Florida" the same way I'd take "earthquakes in California".

It happens. We don't have to like it but there it is.

*doesn't even wake up for less than a 5.5*

[massageangel]

Yeah, well I lived in California for a year and 7 months of those were on the beach.  Those bugs are HUGE!!!

I learned real quick not to keep a sack of potatoes under the sink.  In Florida, no paper bags, either.

We didn't have those in Minnesota.

[Shera]

Halla,
  I cried just reading about it.
When I see dead animals on the road I always say, Up to my corner of heaven you go!
Then I don't feel so bad.....I know they will all be there when I get there.

Sheral

[massageangel]

I've heard they go to a place called The Rainbow Bridge.  Imagine all the animals running, jumping and playing around with each other.

[katmpad]

I can't stand to see any animal hurt or dead.  It's so heartbreaking.  I'd have buried the little guy as well.  I love my squirrels and they seem to be pretty happy with me - as long I remember their peanuts!  Peanuts are always on my grocery list!  I have to put out extra because the big old blue jays make away with them almost as fast the squirrels and one little bitty chipmunk.  I'm trying to convince them that fruit is better for them - they aren't buying it - yet!

[Halla]

I have made special trips to the market just for peanuts! I was washing dishes by hand in the sink one day and a squirrel hopped up on the little ledge where I have my fresh herbs, leaned against the window and gave me a dirty look. "Awwww. Are you out of peanuts, baby?" *throws a handful of peanuts outside*

They are cute and funny and so much fun. I've got one trained to walk up and take the peanut out of my hand. And it will stand there at first in that cute squirrel pose with one itty bitty paw poised over its chest like it's saying "is that for me?"  Which always makes me LOL. (and scares the squirrel)  But it still comes up to me and gets the peanut!

Awwww... poor baby squirrel. I'm going to pretend it was a little viking squirrel and carve a few runes onto a stone* and raise it over the poor thing's gravesite. Runes to your memory, indeed.


*next time I'm exceptionally bored