SKUNK!!!!!

That is a word that makes my skin crawl!  I get that little shudder whenever I hear there is a skunk in the area.  I used to think they were so cute, as they ambled along their path, with their bushy tails waving in the air.  I had never been squirted by a skunk and never had to deal with the chaos those little critters can cause.  That was before our sweet Goldie learned how much fun it was to chase skunks.  You may remember my post from last year, when Goldie brought me a baby skunk...in her mouth!  That was a miserable ordeal, but we got through it.  Gallons of soap and peroxide (Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel found that recipe to be the most effective.) and lots and lots and lots of patience got us through it.  Our trailer has been blasted a few times since then, but nothing serious.  Since we live on the edge of the pond, all kinds of critters meander about in the moonlight, including the polecats.  I think they just mist us every so often to keep us on our toes.  Yuck!  I prefer to not deal with skunks and I do not think they are cute any longer.

So, this morning, at about 3 a.m. or so, as we slumbered in our beds, finally feeling the cool morning air filter in through the window, there was a familiar scent as well.  I thought, "SKUNK!!!  Some dumb skunk passing by and giving us a whiff of his power.  Blast the varmit!"  I kept my eys closed.  It would pass.  But instead, the scent grew stronger!  It was bad!  Almost as if the polecat had climbed right up into my bunk.  And then I heard..."Mrs. Sands!  Dixie got sprayed!  Ugggghhhh!!!"  I opened my eyes!  DIXIE!!!!  Blast that hound!  She was SUPPOSED to be cuddled up with Kolton.  Bryan and Kolton slept on the deck last night.  (They ain't no dummies!  It was hot last night!)  I asked Keri if she was sure.  "YES!  I am looking right at her!  She got downstairs, to the side of the house and....Mrs. Sands...she is rolling all over the ground!"  Another "ugggghhhhh!"  Keri was fuming!

Dixie is the big, lazy oaf of a dog that normally just lounges about.  She isn't partial to moving much...but I guess the moonlight seduced her into an early morning walk and, perhaps, a walk with a skunk.  That dog!  She was blasted...up close and personal....right under our window.  The air was thick and our throats burned.  Bad!!!  Bad!!!!!!!!  Bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The boys awoke and helped Keri contain the smelly hound in the backyard.  The damage was done and there was little to do except groan and hold our noses.  Michael and Shirley were blessed to continue their sweet slumber.  I was glad for that; their room is on the opposite side of the blast zone.  With Dixie safe in the backyard, some of the kids wandered back to bed.  Some went downstairs to lay on the couch and lament.  I looked at the clock and decided to just leave...get out of dodge!  Now do not think I was being ungrateful and heartless by just upping and leaving my generous host's home.  I was planning to leave anyway, a few hours later, but, under the circumstances, I decided to get an earlier than planned start to my day.  I had to drive back home for an appointment.  The scent stayed with me, though.  My clothes...my PILLOWS!  And they weren't even sprayed, but, oh, they stink!  There may be a bonfire here tonight!

The last I heard, Dixie was pouting in the backyard, shunned by her family, oh except for one, Shirley.  Shirley can face the skunky dog.  She can sit right next to her without a care or a plugged nose.  It is no secret, as Shirley has shared this fact before.  She cannot smell...AT ALL...the musky, skunky, sickening smell of the polecat!  She is blessed.  God has spared her olfactories and she has no idea why everyone gets so excited when they hear....SKUNK!!!!!!!!!!