Word has apparently spread that hopping down the basement stairs at our house garners the local toads an exciting fun-filled free ride in the Critter Catcher. Since August we have spied not one, not two, not three, but four toads of various sizes in the basement stairwell.
They are living underneath the stairs, and have a passageway that they hop into underneath the bottom step when Michael tries to catch them. We’d leave them to their bug catching business if Michael wasn’t afraid he’ll accidentally step on one of them whilst traversing the stairs.
This one didn’t hop fast enough to escape Michael’s determined toad nabbing techniques, and was kind enough to give us a mug shot as he took his ride in the Critter Catcher to his new Toad Abode.
I sincerely hope Mr. Toad catches many a bug at his new digs – and stays there, where he’s safe from an inadvertent misstep ending his bug-munching days!
Now to corral those other two little hoppers…
The first casualty of every battle is?
Yes? You over there, frantically waving your hand?
Correct. The battleplan.
Michael has started the next stage of replacing our roof, kicking off the actual work with the help of his folks (who came out here and stayed for the last two weeks – thanks Mom and Dad!).
So far, we’ve had: the decking we ordered delayed by almost two weeks, the shingles we ordered discontinued and all new stock frozen by the manufacturer for ‘reformulation,’ the special underlayment and ice guard discontinued, the premium low VOC paint we chose for the trim ingredients altered somehow by the manufacturer’s suppliers so it has become unacceptable for our use, the wrong reflective insulation shipped to us, and…
It’s rained. Frequently. Sudden downbursts with unheard of rainfall rates of four to five inches an hour.
Stay tuned.
Jenny is a world-class marathoner who was critically injured after being struck by a car. You can find updates on her progress at a new blog website set up for her at http://jennycrain.net.
The new site also contains information on how you can contribute to a fund to help cover Jenny’s medical expenses.
Even if you don’t know Jenny personally, I’m sure her family will appreciate your support and prayers.
Critters, Village Life | JAS | 
October 15, 2007 11:58 pm | 
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