So today I was standing in the kitchen talking to Boppy and I noticed that he is not making eye contact.  This has become more common lately.  This glazed look of a man married long enough to be secure is not new.  It happened some where around year eight.  This time he had been the one talking though, not me.  So I had to ask what he was looking at.  “The skunk swimming in our pool.”  Sure enough, there was a full grown skunk paddling for its life in our pool.  That begged the question of what to do.  We debated calling animal control, but this was the adult skunk.  I knew there was a baby somewhere who needed his mommy, and I just couldn’t send her off.  I had Boppy net the poor thing and then he placed it, something like gently, on the lawn.  Two hours later the poor thing wandered off.  I had hoped that she would be grateful enough to keep her sprayer under check for awhile, but tonight we have once again been blessed with skunk scent.

About 9:00 p.m. tonight there was a loud banging on the door.  The bell rang more times than is usual for door to door sales people and since it wasn’t Saturday, I felt certain that it wasn’t the Pentecostals or Watch Tower people.   I went to the door and saw my daughter anxiously mouthing “skunk” repeatedly with panic in her eyes.  I opened the door and she ran in.  Apparently the baby skunk was in the azaleas by the window.   I opened the door in time to see the tiny little stinker streak by the front door and off the side of the porch.  He promptly sprayed the side of our house.

We have tried to be kind.  We saved their furry asses.  We didn’t call animal control or set up traps (which my oldest son suggested).  We did spray some environmentally friendly skunk repellent around the house, which did absolutely no good.  I read online that lighting the house up like a Christmas tree (exteriorly) will keep them away because they dislike light.  Really?  When they camp out on my very well lit porch it makes it hard to believe.  I’m at a loss.  On the bright side, the skunk smell is covering the rotting carcass I can’t find, quite nicely.  I guess it’s true.  Life is all about trade offs.