I think I have PTSD over the event, no joke. Bad dreams, jumpy responses, nausea. Saturday, though, the coin flipped and if I focus on the good things that have come out of this ugly situation, I just might survive it. Here's the list of things I have to be grateful for because of this nightmare:
My lunatic friends who chat daily on Facebook kept me sane and reminded me to BREATHE as the worst of it was going down. They had suggestions and offered sanity when I felt like my world turned into an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
My very special friend who, despite her objections to this title, is extremely nice and sent messages of support as she could tell how something like this would really get under my skin.
My cats who made me feel at least a little safer when I slept by keeping up the Feline Patrol throughout the nights. Their keen GPS positioning system led me to the places that needed checking. Keep up the good work, boys.
The critters themselves for forcing me to deal with a part of my house that I have ignored due to being busy and having not-so-great health. From now on when it is on my "I'll get to it" list, I will get to it! Even if I have to hop on one leg to do it.
My friend who stopped by during the porch clean out, and rolled up her sleeves, donned gloves, and assisted, bringing much needed laughter to the situation. Sometimes if we don't laugh, we cry. Thanks for bringing laughter.
My guy friend who helped keep me sane on Halloween night and helped with Closet Duty on Sunday, even bringing some home cooked food along so I didn't have to cook to eat well. Thank you.
My forever friend of thirty five years who instantly recruited her amazing husband to come over early Saturday to assess the situation from the outside, make a Home Depot run, and then make needed repairs to the exterior areas of the house that gave the feral beasts access in the first place. This fine guy also didn't laugh too hard at me when I greeted him at the door and quickly dissolved into hysterical tears while describing the situation to him. He has significant back issues and is in pain all the time. Despite this he mixed concrete and did tough physical work for hours. "We invalids have to stick together," he said -- Mark, I love you to bits!
My friend who helps me around the house who became The Bravest Guy Ever by opening closet doors, moving boxes around, and sealing up potential entry points. He skillfully wielded long pliers while I held trash bags open as we emptied the closet corner of detritus, waiting to see something fling itself into a hole. Thankfully it didn't happen, but I was grateful to be behind someone else in case it did. Ugh. This guy has come to my domestic rescue several times now -- it's a bird, its a plane, it's Jody!
And finally, crazy as it sounds, I even appreciate the one remaining little creature that wasn't able to escape the closet before we sealed up the holes. It spent Saturday night scratching at the hole fill, and was in a panic, all alone, by Sunday afternoon. I'd set traps in the closet, and this little one was able to get the bait without triggering the trap because it was so small. As we removed things from the closet, it made a run for its usual exit point but got hung up on something, and was unable to move freely. It struggled and squeaked tried desperately to get free. Seeing as I'd most likely killed its parents, and its siblings were nowhere to be found, and it was crafty enough to survive a very serious trap, I grabbed a container and scooped up the little fella. I carried it out to the brook behind my house and let it go, after telling it not to come back and to tell all his friends that Hotel Ropple is now closed. I took a minute to appreciate its little nose, tiny eyes, delicate feet, soft fur. I know it is a dirty icky disgusting piece of vermin, but it is a living creature, too. I opened the container and tossed the contents, watching it land about fifteen feet away, drop into the brook, and swim away. It is a curse to love all living things. Maybe this one act of kindness to this one hated piece of wildlife might help my sense of guilt over what took place in my house over the last few days. Maybe.
Monday means a new week, and this one has to be better than the last one! Truly!
What will you make today?