Oppossum

This morning as I sat typing, the dogs went crazy. I had just fed them and they were still in their cages (I have to cage them while they eat to keep them from eating each other's food). Side note: These dogs consist of a Sarge, a Boston Terrier, Scooter, a wire haired Daschound, and Oscar an short haired old Daschound--just vision that. I went to let them out. As I let them out they went straight toward the side of the house but still on the patio. Just as I started to shut the door I did a double take. There was a opossum on the patio between the house wall and a small table I keep for grilling supplies. I was barefoot and not about to go after any animal with out shoes, so I shut the door and went for my shoes and a shovel that was beside the door in the house. By the time I got back to the scene of the crime they had "killed" the opossum. Well, I knew from a previous experience Vickie and I had that he might not be dead, just playing "possum".

First I had to decide what to do with him and second I had to make the dogs leave him alone long enough for me to do whatever I wanted to do. I looked around trying to make up my mind when I spotted an empty charcoal bag in my yard. I put the possum in the bag and folded the bag down tight and put the bag in the garbage can that stays outside. I was going to take the garbage bag to the ally, but it was too heavy. So I made sure the lid was on the can very securely.

I posted a statement on Face Book, primarily for Brian's benefit so that he would put the garbage out for me tonight. Then I went on with my plans for the day and forgot about the whole ordeal, until Brian got home. When he walked in the door I asked if he had seen the Face Book post. He laughed and told me he had just seen it before he and Lisa went somewhere.

Brian and I went to the patio and took the charcoal bag out of the garbage can. Nothing in the bag wiggled so Brian dumped the contents on the patio. There was more charcoal in the bag than I realized. The possum was well coated in charcoal and had probably suffocated, if he was not already dead before I put him in the bag. Then we put him back in the charcoal bag and back in the garbage bag and Brian disposed of the whole mess. Lisa thought Brian and I were gross for playing with a dead possum.

His body was about 8" long so he was just a baby. That means that I will probably see more of the little critters as time goes on.

A year or so ago my dogs (Sarge is Brian's dog) killed one and then we thought they had killed another, but he just played possum long enough to get away. This past fall my dogs were going crazy and I looked outside only to see an adult opossum (probably the mom) walking along the top of my fence. So I guess she has gone and had another batch--just so my dogs along with Sarge--could have entertainment.

I live in the city. I should not be privleged with this kind of excitement. But I am. That was my excitement for today.