Unwelcome visitor to PPR

I don't mean Dingus, who of course belongs here, despite his disguise as a really cool dude in Sam's tuque. Dingus was so happy we came home from Seattle, he was willing to put up with a lot from his Pop.

I also don't mean the colorful flowers Sam brought home on Valentine's Day for my Mom and I. We each got a bouquet. What a great guy he is!

Our unwelcome visitor appeared on Friday in the trap we set weeks ago under the deck, right next to the house. I smelled him first, that unmistakable scent of skunk. I was only about 10 feet away. Sam wasn't due home for several hours and we were having friends over the next day, so I decided to try to get him away from the house as quickly as possible.

I found a 3-tined hoe, then tied 30 feet of rope to the handle using a lashing technique Sam taught me a few weeks ago. I held a tarp in front of me, and snagged the tines into the wire trap, then tied the rope to the back bumper of the truck. I felt like a real ranch girl when the whole contraption worked, as I slowly dragged the trap and skunk a couple hundred feet away from the house.

When Sam got home, he covered the trap with the tarp.

I held down the ends, then we loaded it in the back of the truck.

We drove to an uninhabited desert area about 4 miles away on the other side of the freeway.

Sam unlatched the trap door and pulled back the tarp.

Then we spent the next half hour trying to convince the skunk to vacate! Sam beat on the other end and poked sticks through the sides. Evidently Pepe le Pew (as Sam named him) liked the dark better than the unknown freedom.

Sam finally called Dennis, who had loaned us the trap and lives nearby. He had a few ideas, which also didn't work, and he finally just yanked the tarp off, dragging the trap with it, and we all ran the other direction! Pepe was last seen running through the grasses to freedom.

Maybe he caught a glimpse of Dennis's final backup plan, a .22 rifle in the back seat. Good choice, Pepe le Pew!

Regarding our totally welcome guests on Saturday, Mom, Sam and I had such a nice visit and lunch with Jackie and her two daughters, Sharon and Linda, and their husbands. Jackie and her husband Stu were part of the Bible Chapel group in the '80's and visited Immanuel Mission long before that. We have been friends through Christ Community Church for many years, and through Far Horizons East, where we all have lived. Linda and Gord are now good friends of Sam and I, and have helped us out here at the ranch.  Sharon and Ewen are becoming friends, when they have time around their many activities. We are thankful for the many connections over the years!

You may have guessed that once again I forgot to take photos. Am I getting old, or what? I should set a reminder before every event.

I hope your week and mine both improve! Have a good one, everyone.