Thursday - Day 60 - Wild Animals

I woke up in the middle of the night, the entire RV was shaking.  It was my own version of an earthquake in my world of simplicity.

I was half asleep trying to understand, what could possibly be outside, while the dog paced back and forth in the living room area, moving the entire camper as he ran from one window to the next.  I had never seen Rabbit worked up like this before. That dang dog!

In my dreamy haze, I peaked out the side window expecting something big and scary to be peering back at me.  And then I saw it, it was a huge, menacing, big clawed raccoon!  He had his puny little eyes set on Rabbit's dog food I had left outside the night before.  No wonder Rabbit was so uptight.

I knew I would either have to find a way to get the dog food inside the camper or I would be cleaning up a huge mess in the morning.  Not to mention, I would have to buy more dog food.

I scurried outside, quick as can be, grabbed the food and darted back inside.  My heart was racing, I was panicked the raccoon would fight me for his next meal.  Relieved I made it unscathed, I did feel a bit silly once I was safe in the RV.  I can laugh about it today, but seriously that raccoon was a creepy sight.

A few minutes before James walked by
with his own creature.

James enjoyed his own encounter with a wild animal, specifically a wild reptile.  He stomped into the camper with excitement. "Mom, I caught a lizard and his tail fell off, and it was STILL alive!!".  Up until this moment, I had thought I heard it all from this child.  He was fabulously intrigued that the lizard was still alive with no tail.

A bit earlier, James walked past the window with something dangling in his hand.  I leaped to the conclusion it was the lizard's tail.  James ultimately caught the sad little creature in one of our drinking glasses, one I will never be drinking out of again.  I had officially ventured into that little boy realm of life most mother's try to avoid.  Deep down, I knew I needed to embrace it, yet it was difficult not to be utterly grossed out.

 I cautiously told James I thought the poor little guy was withering away.  And to please wash his hands with soap when he was done.  Later that evening, James referred to the lizard as, "his lizard," apparently they had bonded before the lizard's passing.

James with his withering creature.

Wild animals, both day and night.  I'm sure they'll be more in our camping world.  Did I mention the alligator in the lake?  I'm just relieved there are no bears prowling around. The alligator probably ate them all.