Day 2: Paperwork and Animal Fights

On the second day of my week of nothing awesomeness, I slept until 11:15 and then made a cup of coffee. I decided to brave the piles of recipes and clippings that were starting to overrun my bookcase -- so I delved into that around noon. At 4:30, I was still up to my elbows in cooking paperwork and out of sheet protectors so I finished up putting everything together and will slide in the last of the pages when I venture out of the house to get groceries/supplies/social interaction.

Took Kinley to the park for some mud wrestling with other dogs and then cleaned the basement when I got back. Ken went to pickup dodgeball after work, so I made a lasagna while he was gone with the ricotta cheese I made the day before. I also used my homemade garlic sausage, some homemade andouille and used the tomato sauce I harvested from the garden. The only thing I didn't make were the noodles. That was pretty cool. As things were cooking, I watched a little tube while having a glass of wine when I heard animals screaming.

Mute the TV.

Screaming continues. Kinley is on the floor next to me and Hughes is beside me. Check. OK, not our animals. Screaming continues.

I went to the back door and opened it (screen door still closed) to hear the screaming even louder. Something was losing a fight. And it was in pain. Screaming and now moaning continue. I sent this to my friend who was on gmail at the time:

8:45 PM me: I just heard an animal die outside in the backyard (or next door). Screaming fight and then whimpering moans until it stopped. I'm too afraid to go outside and check it out though. And Ken's not home. I feel helpless and weak.

I went back downstairs, got the flashlight and went outside on the porch. The maglite revealed no critters, dead or alive. And I was still too chicken to walk down the deck stairs into the yard, so I went back to the couch, poured myself a big glass of wine and hugged Kinley. Ken got home and I rattled off the tale above. Outside he went with the flashlight. I followed behind. Here's the story I told my friend who was still on gmail

9:21 PM me: Oooh, Ken just got home and we checked it out. There's a raccoon in our backyard. Up in a tree. Above Ken's head as he had the flashlight

We never saw the dead/hurting animal. I figure he skulked off to die in private. But that raccoon with his beady yellow eyes and ringed tail was still there. Up in the pine tree above the rose bushes.

We finished dinner (it was excellent) and went to bed. Day 3 continues tomorrow. I will take out the trash then, when it is daytime and raccoons are asleep.