A mysterious visitor

[balzaccom]

After three weeks in Europe, and then a few days dealing with thanksgiving, we finally got around to heading back up to our cabin this week. It might have been feeling a bit neglected, and we were certainly missing it.

But we were rather surprised by what met us when we opened the door. The runner on the table behind the sofa was on the floor, along with the notebook and thermometer we always keep there. A quick glance into the kitchen showed us that all the dish towesl were on the floor--as were the towels in the bathroom. As we looked around the place, we noticed a few things knocked over (a lamp, a basket, a nice Indian bowl) and a blanket on the sofa had been shredded.

Hmm.
We quickly checked the mousetraps, which were sprung, but empty.
We were on high alert. Whatever had done this was probably still in the cabin. We slowly poked into the stack of firewood, checked the corner behind the computer (where it would have been warmer.)
Nothing.
Then our daughter gave a groan. She was looking under a bench in the living room, and there it was--a little grey squirrel, complete with XXs in his eyes, was curled up on the floor, dead as dead could be.

We don't know if it somehow crept in just as we were leaving. But that would have been a month ago---and even though it's been cold, I think we would have scented a certain smell of decay by this point. The only other option is that the curious little fellow somehow climbed down the chimney, and couldn't figure out how to get back out again. Since there was no available food or water, it wouldn't have taken long for him to give up the ghost,.

I took him outside and left him out behind the shed. The next morning, he had been recycled by a raccoon, a fox, or some other creature of nature.

But he left us with another story to tell, the next time we're gathered around a campfire.

[rlown]

If it did go down the chimney, might want to get a chimney cap.

https://www.google.com/search?q=chimney ... e&ie=UTF-8

[Shawn]

"complete with XXs in his eyes", LOL

[Harlen]

balzacom wrote: :

he left us with another story to tell, the next time we're gathered around a campfire.

No, no... you must work him into your next novel! You owe him that much Paul.

[wildhiker]

From the post title, I thought you were going to tell us about your next novel!

[balzaccom]

From the post title, I thought you were going to tell us about your next novel!

LOL. That won't be out until about June of 2023...

[Harlen]

So, ..... the bad guys kidnapped Lois, the backcountry ranger, and were holding her in a hollow tree. Lois is desperate to get free, and not only to save herself, but because only she now knows the bad guy's nefarious plan to burn down all the forests, and turn the Parks into Walmart malls. She has to get a message to Dan Courtright! So she trains up the little gray squirrel as a carrier, writes her secret message to Dan, rolls it up and ties it around the squirrels neck, and sends him off with directions to Dan's cabin.

There's something to work with Paul, and I don't need any credit for this great plot... just a small cut of the royalties.

Have I gone off topic? Oh no!
So, I agree with rlown that you've got to put a wire cap over your chimney, and any vent pipes too. That will also keep your cabin from being completely filled with acorns by the Jays, which Mark Twain has warned us about.

[balzaccom]

You guys are full of good ideas!