Stevensons 6 Possums 2

We haven't heard much from the possums since Friday when we took Stretch to the historical society.

I know we have to figure out how the critters are getting into the house. I have gotten several suggestions for places to look. But, as I bring up each suggestion, Paul assures me it is impossible. I go for the logical option - they are here - therefore they are getting in somewhere. Silly me.

So, Saturday I went out and looked for possible entrances to the house. I checked out all the places that had been suggested. The area where the dryer vent was blowing out of the house looked suspicious to me. I checked the lint that had gathered in what was formerly a window well. There was a linty folded up dollar bill there. I picked it up, unfolded it and took it in to show Paul. My reasoning was that if a dollar bill could get through whatever opening there was, it might be large enough for a possum to traverse as well!

Paul looked at the bill, took it from me and calmly folded it up and put it in his wallet. No, he didn't think that indicated a possum could get in there and he launched into an involved story about how the vent pipe led here and there and it just wasn't possible. I was not having any of that argument. He finally agreed to think about how to block the vent. He found a plastic milk carton box we had and with the help of a brick blocked the vent to all but small creatures. He assured me the holes in the box were too small for anything to pass through. I wasn't so sure. To mollify me he got some duct tape and blocked the handle holes.

Saturday night we put some flour on the top edge of the stairs that lead from the basement to the kitchen. We figured that if we saw possum prints there in the morning we would at least know which area of the house the critter was living in. Paul went on up to bathe and I put out a slice of bread to check and see if the possum had been there.

As I get up Sunday morning, Paul rolls over and tells me that he was up about two a.m. He mumbles that there wasn't any bread in the kitchen so he put out a piece so we could check for footprints. He figured that I had forgotten. Sure enough when I got down stairs the second piece of bread was missing and there we lots of little prints in the flour. I guess the thing enjoyed two meals that evening.

Sunday and Monday evenings were uneventful. Didn't hear anything, didn't see anything. Wonderful!

However, this morning I woke early and came down the stairs. I could hear a noise but I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Everything that could possibly be edible is in cabinets with the door shut or in the refrigerator. I have even gotten onto Paul about the box of small cheeto bags in the breakfast room, I make him keep the top flaps of the box tucked in. I looked all around, checked all the cabinets, checked all the corners of the kitchen - no possum. Next I went down stairs to check the basement - not that if I spotted a possum down there I would have any chance of catching it among the stuff that is stored down there. The noise became more faint. I decided to check the kitchen again - nothing.

After some thought about where the noise could be coming from I decided to check outside the kitchen door where the trashcans are stored. The noise grew louder. I got the flashlight we keep by the back door for emergencies and looked in the first can - there was almost nothing in it. Except a to-go box from Senor Fajita's where we ate on Saturday and a possum doing his best to get into the box to finish off some refried beans. Ah ha!!

I didn't think he could leap up the yard or so between the bottom of the can and me so I figured I had a bit of time to consider my actions. I rummaged around and found a lid for the can. I wedged it on trapping the possum inside. Then, I thought that I wanted to make sure the thing couldn't push off the lid so I got the kitchen step stool and put it on top of the lid. I went up and told Paul that I had captured another one and that we could deal with it in the morning. I think he heard me.

I just went out and checked again. He's still there - dirty and smelly though - so getting rid of him is going to take some figuring. That's Paul's problem. We are in the throes of a final blast of summer here and if we just leave the possum there he will probably cook so something will have to be decided before we leave for school.

More to come.