The Raccoon That Wouldn't Leave!

October 24, 2021

I am up at 5:05 a.m. My mind is working overtime and I figured I might as well get up, let Lacy out, put the birdseed out and make the coffee.

I walk into the kitchen and start Jim's coffee, grab a couple of the bird feeders, open the door and head out on the deck with Lacy and pretty much stop in my tracks. There on a 2 x 4 post of the deck was a Raccoon. Not a real large one, I am guessing just a youngster, maybe, as stubborn as it was a teenager. I tried to get Lacy back in the house, but she totally ignored me, never saw the Raccoon, and even with her sharp nose, didn't catch the scent either. I was amazed! Down the steps she went to the back yard, more likely the concrete pad, to do her business. The Raccoon and I were pretty much just looking at each other. I decided to go in the house and go get my camera! I really didn't think the Raccoon would still be there but, it was. I took a couple of pictures, with my flash up, and the flash didn't go off! I finally moved away from the light of the kitchen and backdoor. I sometimes use my head! The flash went off then.

Now, Lacy is finished with her business. She comes back up the steps. The Raccoon is right over her head. The Raccoon makes no noise, stays still and I open the back door and tell Lacy to come on, which she did, so there was no incident between them. I am still standing outside the door and seeing if the Raccoon will move off. Finally it comes down from the lattice above, down the 2 x 4 and is back on the railing. Now, you would think this Raccoon would leave, right? Wrong! Went back over the the flower basket that I had put some older mixed nuts in. I basically had it there for the squirrels, which, by the way, had been eating it, just not really fast! That Raccoon decided I was no threat and went back to eating the mixed nuts, while I was standing there!

Now, I knew it was getting close to the time when Rosebud would be let outside! I sure didn't want a confrontation between my old girl and that young Raccoon. I told it to leave, I said "git!" Nope, didn't work. What to do, what to do. I had to get that critter off the deck and gone! I glanced over and there is my hose! YES! That's what I will do! I undid the hose, turned the water on, remembered it was set on "shower", changed the setting to "jet" and started spraying. First, that critter moved back up to the lattice top, nope, couldn't get away from the spray, came back down, and finally, finally started down the steps. I turned off the water, and went to the steps. That critter hadn't stopped on the steps, not light enough out for me to see where it went but praying it was gone out of the yard now!

It is now, 5:26 a.m. I would call this quite the entertaining morning, Wouldn't you?