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Squirrel! (A Harrowing Tail.. oops - Tale!)
I live on the North Side of Chicago, and I gotta tell ya...we live amongst THE SERIOUS SQUIRRELS. You encounter them as you pass your apartment building's garbage dumpster, or by the trees on the sidewalk, and they don't scamper away from you (unless you have your dog with you). They look at you funny, as if to say, "You think this place is just for you, Two Legs?", and stare at you as pass them by. Watch for them...THE SERIOUS SQUIRRELS. They are plotting something, god only knows what.
Lol! I saw one the other day, hop out of the dumpster with a half-wrapped brownie in it's mouth. I think it was one of those Little Debbie ones, with the nuts? Which is probably what attracted it it. But jeez! Squirrels have become strong, fearless little creatures.^^;
I think that my nemesis Squirrel is off celebrating with his buddies that he has successfully battled his "Goliath"... I can hear it now:
"Hey, guys! you see that? I had that giant scared! She was all 'Shoo! Shoo Squirrel!' and then gave me some food! NOW we know who runs stuff around here!"
Cheeky little bugger... Haha!
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And one time when I was in a parking lot in Alaska I saw this seagull keep dive bombing this guy!
...and here I thought squirrels were just cute, little, furry things. Sounds like they are CRAZY!
They would like you to think that they are cute, Ikiwiki! Don't fall for it! ;)
Oh my...I recently moved from Ohio to Kansas and I am having new experiences with slugs and crickets. They are HUGE out here! slugs bigger than my fingers. And crickets have invaded my apartment. And they can DEAFEN you, they get so loud out here. They have, I'm serious. My hearing is starting to fail on me. Lol...
Speaking of slugs, I stepped on one the other day (luckily I was wearing shoes, although they were thin slip-ons) and almost lost my lunch. Not very appealing material to walk on, it's true. We also have these mystery insects here. They look like a centipede bred with a daddy long-legs wearing a fur coat. These come out at night, and like to make their way into my bathroom. I have 2 "fearless" cats that won't go near them. (They do attack paper though, so I guess they are good for something. ;) )
On a positive note, I am glad that there are no palmetto bugs or water bugs up north. When I lived in Florida, these bugs were always around, and they ARE fearless. The palmettos are like flying roaches on steroids but twice as mean. They fly at your head. Waterbugs are huge unkillable beetles that enjoy toes. For breakfast, I think.
*shudder*
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Speaking of worms (Rob)...Does anyone else smell the worms come out when it rains? I swear, the little devils have been out to get me ever since I had to disect one in science class all those years ago. Seriously, they surround my car and swiggle in front of me as a I walk into work. Yuck!
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Yes, smell the worms. It's not like I get down on the ground and am snorting them or anything... I can just smell them as soon as I walk outside. It's just nasty!Very funny, Rob. *mock scoul* Who would want that nasty smell infiltrating their home?
I am totally freaked out by squirrels! When I was little my mom told me this story about a friend of hers while she was going to school in Minnesota in the 1970's. My mom's friend was walking from class and the campus had these super friendly squirrels that would blast out of garbage cans like they were cannons and get really close to the students. I can't remember if this woman had a a habit of trying to feed these friendly critters but one day one got too close and climbed up the leg of her bellbottoms! Ever since my mom told me this story I've been freaked by squirrels that get too close.A couple years ago i was reading Pet Semetary. One a real nice spring day, I decided to read out in my parents backyard on one of those plastic recliners you usually take to the beach. I was reading and got that feeling like something was watching me. I look with my peripheral vision and this brown squirrel is eating a nut and staring at me with his beady black eyes. I watched him, he watched me for a minute. All of a sudden he took two steps toward me and I bolted into the house. Later on that night, I admit to my mother that I lost a staring contest with a squirrel.
That's pretty funny Rachel! Squirrels just want to be our friends, that is, until they can take over the world! Mwahahaha!
I just want to to say, I have been to Florida and Becky's description of palmetto bugs is spot on! I got one in my hair and FREAKED out! I think it meant to get in my hair too!Ikiwiki-Do you really smell worms? I ask, because I have always been able to smell snakes. I know you are all laughing, but I AM SERIOUS! It's kind of a musk mellon smell, but not exactly! My mom lives in the sticks-lots of snakes, and I have located them by...SMELL!
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squirrels we don't have in Australia (well if we do I don't know where they're hangin' out) ... BUT - I bought my daughter a cute little bunny rabbit for Easter one year ... cute, fluffy, little Benny Bunny ... that little hopper was the most viscous thing I have ever crossed paths with ... he would attach himself to your leg and kick you with his back legs! ... which was hilarious to watch but not so fun to experience while you were hangin' out the washing ... LSS - Benny Bunny ran away to join the circus
erm Rob - we don't have capybaras either ... so I'd be pretty freaked to see one in my backyard ;o)and I didn't want to come out with all the exotic Aussie stuff - cos I thought Benny Bunny was funnier - and I'd come off as a braggin' Aussie arsehole ... don't want to let people on to that just yet - I've just started postin' messages here with all you lovely American types :)
but we do have some pretty scary stuff here - spiders! snakes! f*** off big crocodiles! cane toads!(eewwww - people lick them!) ... oooh and drop bears! ... drop bears are the meanest of them all ...
Computerless Rob wrote: "The Braggin' Aussie Arseholes would be an excellent name for a band though, don't ya think?"Isn't that the name of Russell Crowe's band? ;)
The ROUS's in The Princess Bride look just like capybaras to me, so I think they live in the Fire Swamp;)
There's a rabid squirrel that features in the Joe R. Lansdale novel Bad Chilli. Very funny but dark book. After reading Pet Semetary last month all animals are freaking me out at the moment!
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Ah now drop bears are far from cute or cuddly ... They live in the trees in the bush & literally drop onto their unsuspecting prey ... The tourism dept try to keep them under wraps because they've been known to kill the odd Japanese tourist ... Nasty businessI've cuddled a koala - they're smelly and have long claws ... Related to drop bears but not as mean
... In fact I think - and I could be wrong - that drop bears are a closer relation to squirrels - hence the ballsy squirrel attitude documented here
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Incase you haven't seen it I thought I would post it... I know you are crying:
Oh man... That is why I can still tolerate humanity at times. That's so sweet. Thank you for posting that!
Aaaahhhh. I had not seen it. My day is better for it. Thanks, Angie:)
awwwww Rob - you're a gorgeous soul ... The whole story is just beautiful - check out the video footage of it ... The koala's little paws were burnt & he was putting them on the firefighter's hands because they were cool / wet from being in the esky to get the water
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and Santa Claus. and The Easter Bunny.
sorry Rob - Aussie arsehole humour ;)
Angie - I've just realised that you posted the koala picture - not Rob (viewing on my iPhone I got a little confused) ... so while I'm not retracting my original statement "awwwww Rob - you're a gorgeous soul" ... I'd like to add:
awwwww Angie - you're a gorgeous soul
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Just Plain Rob! wrote: "We're a whole freaking community of gorgeous souls! Sam included. (Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.)"community of gorgeous souls...now there's a band name.
Kandice wrote: "I want to be a gorgeous soul too!!!!"Awwww! But you are!
(is humming Kumbaya ... 'cos she doesn't know the words)
awww so cute and yet still kinda scary!
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It starts walking toward me. And doesn't stop. I shout at it, and it backs off, but then starts coming at me again. And, I'm not wearing shoes.
I have never, ever seen a squirrel act like that. Normally, they scamper up the nearest tree when a car door slams on the next street over, but here is this squirrel, backing me into a corner!
Now, maybe this is just paranoia talking, but this cute little rodent Freaked. Me. Out. I couldn't help but think that it was rabid and that it was going to bite me!
I went back inside and put some shoes on, and called my boyfriend to have him check it out (for evidence that I wasn't just being melodramatic) and he says "Aw! It just wants to be your friend... Give it some bird-food!)
We do have a bird-food holder hanging from our porch, so maybe the little guy was just used to us and wanted to thank me for feeding his family all summer, but he could have just sent a note!
Has anyone ever heard of a squirrel acting like this? (By the way, it is still on my porch... waiting...)