Off The Clock

Ah, the life of a squirrel, always so busy, running here, running there, on high alert at all times - I bet it can get pretty stressful on the little furry guys.

"Wait, is that a spa?  Do I hear a fountain running? And what are all those things swimming in the water, they are such pretty colors!  I am simply mesmerized, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ".

Which is how I think the thought bubble should read above this little squirrely nutkin at rest. Here's the thing, I've NEVER seen a squirrel at rest and believe me this one was resting.

I looked out my bedroom window and saw this guy sitting on the edge of the pond.  I thought - oh how cute he is getting a drink of water from the pond.  I grabbed the camera and snuck outside to snap a picture or two.  I didn't want to get too close and disturb him, so I zoomed the shot in.

Then I went inside.  An hour later I looked out and he was still there and I thought, hmmm, well I've never seen a squirrel sleep before, maybe he is having a nap.  They are always so, so busy, he deserves a good rest every once in a while and the sun must be warm on his back.

An hour after that, oh my - is he dead?  Crap, did a squirrel die hanging over our pond?  Is there something bad in the water?  Oh no, are the fish dead - that would really suck. We've been "raising" Koi for at least seven or eight years now (ok, once you have them, you are stuck with them - I hear they live 50 years.... It's possible the Koi will outlast us and they keep breeding, there is no end...)

Then I couldn't stop looking, you know, like a car accident.  You want it to all be good, but you are pretty sure it isn't.  He never moved an inch and I didn't want to sneak up on him to see if he was breathing - could you imagine scaring a sleeping squirrel???

First the loud scream out of both of you and then I envision the squirrel attached to your face or arm or something you need - then comes the six weeks of rabies shots, because you know there is no catching a squirrel without a shot gun... So nope - I wasn't going to check on him for breath.

I'll wait for the hubby - that's what I'll do.  He's a pro at removing dead things from our yard, yeah - great idea!

Hubby comes home, checks him out a lot closer than I would have, determines he is breathing and we should leave him alone.  And since he has NEVER seen a squirrel at rest before either, he looks up at the big oak and decides he fell out of the tree, conked himself a bit dozy and is just hanging out in slumber land while he regains his senses.

I prefer to think he stopped, had a drink, the pretty swirling fish sent him off to lala land and he was dreaming about how to build that raft with Twinkleberry to sail off for Owl Island across the mighty waters.   ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, sweet dreams buddy!