WHAT A STINK

I came home one evening and spooked something in the yard. It was dark, so I couldn't see exactly what it was when it dashed across the yard to get away. I assumed that it was just a stray cat and didn't' give it another thought.

I woke up the next morning and my trash was scattered all over the yard. It kind of reaffirmed my thoughts about a stray cat.

Yesterday, when I went outside for my morning cigarette, I noticed that the dirt under the living room window next to the house was disturbed. I went over to check it out and there was a hole a bit larger than a softball going underneath my house. It got me thinking again, because cats don't do that.

Tonight, after the girls got settled in bed, I heard a rustling outside the door. I turned on the outside light to finally see what was taking up residency in my yard....and it was a skunk....a big skunk. I had my .22 inside the house, but no shells, and I have never really shot anything with it, so it was useless to me. I thought about calling my neighbor across the railroad tracks to come and shoot it for me, but decided against it since it was already 10:30 at night. I have thought about poisoning it, but the with my luck it would die under the house, and I can imagine the stink that would make.

Tomorrow, I am going to have to go out in the yard right away and gather up everything it has dug into and then fill in the hole going under the house. I cannot set my trash outside my house anymore or it will keep coming back.

I have been very fortunate that it hasn't decided to spray anything yet. I can just imagine how long my house would stink if it did.

If anyone has any suggestions about how to get rid of this stunk in the least stinkiest way, please feel free to let me know.