Trapped

I have been bothered by an annoying woodchuck all season.  It ate up half my garden and destroyed numerous of my most treasured, and expensive, perennials.  He lived happily under our sun porch, his burrowed hole plainly visible. At the block party the other night, I mentioned the beast.  A couple who were visiting the lady across the street offered to loan us their trap. They said we could even return the trap to them with the critter in it, which was quite generous!  They live way out in the country. We borrowed it and put it out on Monday.  No signs of the woodchuck anywhere on our property all week.  We had just about given up hope.

Early evening Friday, I was out cutting off dead flower heads, and lo and behold, there stood a woodchuck in middle of the trap.  I was so happy, relieved, thrilled, giddy.  You cannot imagine what a joyous and bubbly person I became!   The couple who loaned us the trap were the children of the lady across the street, who is away.  They said they would be at her house often this week.  I saw a car there, and went to tell them of our good luck.  It was the grandson who answered the door, not Bob or June.  I learned that the couple would be occupied at a sale all day Saturday, and I knew we would be gone all day Sunday.  So, we called June and Bob and decided to deliver the cage immediately.

Gerry insisted on going in the Smart Car.  I was horrified at being in that tiny little car, eye to eye with my worst enemy,  a caged animal just one foot away from me.  He assured me it would be just fine.  Still, I was creeped out, and made him cover it with a tarp.  He laughed.

It was the biggest event of my week to be able to humanely dispose of that animal.  (That is really only because I don't own a gun and you can't shoot one in the development where we live!)