When is a Possum not a Possum?

Monday, July 25, 2011

When is a possum not a possum? Saturday was yard work day that was delayed due to a 20% chance of rain. We thought if we divided and conqueror, with each assigned specific tasks, it would divide the time. Not really what happened.

What happened was we lost 5 pounds walking out the door, only to be followed with, “I forgot the shed key can you bring it?” The response, “where is the weed eater gas can?” Needless to say the first half-hour was spent laughing at our age or at least making fun of it.

I went to my assigned weed eating machine and tired my best to make friends; Ms. Twister went for the more docile pony ride and started the riding lawn mower.

The befriending was not going well, in fact my tactic had gone hissy-fit when I heard something; the lawn mower was not running. It broke my hissy-fit concentration and I looked to see Ms. Twister standing in the driveway.

”What’s wrong?” I knew from her face something upsetting was about to spew. “Do baby possums have fur when they are born? Well anyway, there is a dead possum down by the fence; you have to go get it.” “Why am I in charge of backyard-kill?”

I gathered my leather gloves, the dog pooper scooper and headed down the hill. No way, am I slinging some dead varmint with bare hands. Halfway down I yelled, “Exactly where is it?” I got the finger from Christmas past pointing to the spot.

As I kicked around the grass looking for a possum, I found a strange flat furry thing. “Hum, that is not a possum, what is it?” I do not mind dead animals so with gloves on. I picked it up.

Just as the strange dead creature cleared the grass my light bulb went off. With the varmint in hand I headed back. I looked, and could see the fear and dread in Ms. Twister’s eyes, she cannot handle dead animals.

I held the creature out to the front and proceeded toward her. I was almost there too but she screamed first, “You are not bringing that up here are you?” To which I replied, “Do you remember what I asked you last night?” That changed her look to fearfully, confused.

Top of the hill and Ms. Twister backing up I took pity. Just as she was about to freak I squeezed my hand and then I cried. When I squeezed my hand the strange little creature squeaked and I cried laughing.

You see, I had just asked Ms. Twister the night before if she had seen the other stuffed dog toy. So when is a possum not a possum? When Ms. Twister says it is a possum. With certainty the only animal Ms. Twister can identify is her own dog, who probably is the one playing the possum joke on her. 

That was my Saturday and this is Monday. I’m still working my tail off for this week. I am also doing my best trying to visit everyone at least once during the week. Please if I miss you let me know, my reader is so loaded with un-read it is freaking out.

May your week be full of squeaky possums.

Peace…



32 comments:

Li said, 

The reverse happened to my sister - her Lab has a toy stuffed hedgehog. One day she was gardening and thought she'd found the toy - it was a dead groundhog.

You were very brave to go and pick it up :)) Respect!

July 25, 2011 at 9:21 PM  
Berts Blog said, 

So that was pretty funny. Did you know all along that it was a stuffed critter.....

We love jokes.

Bert

July 25, 2011 at 9:25 PM  
Karen Lange said, 

Well, if yard work must be done in this kind of heat you may as well have a good laugh! :)

Have a great week!

July 25, 2011 at 9:26 PM  
Alex J. Cavanaugh said, 

That is so wrong - I like it! Squeak!

July 25, 2011 at 9:27 PM  
Summer Ross said, 

Yikes! I'm glad it was only a toy, what a mean trick to play- but very funny. thank you for sharing!

July 25, 2011 at 9:31 PM  
Theresa Milstein said, 

Awww, the fear and relief to find out a dead animal was never actually alive in the first place.

I'm sure it made the chores way more fun!

July 25, 2011 at 10:09 PM  
Kathie said, 

hahaha! at least it wasn't a dead animal. I once found a dead squirrel in our recycling bin, but it was so far gone, I didn't realize what it was until after I had already picked it up and stared at it for awhile. I think it was placed there by a mean neighbor as a trick on me and it worked-blech! (The bin had only been there overnight and I know it wasn't in it when I placed the bin outside for pick up)

July 25, 2011 at 11:03 PM  
Manzanita said, 

Leather work gloves.... we love you. Every mother's day, a daughter gives me several pair of garden/work gloves. Just in time for the summer yard work. Can't think of a nicer present.
Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck

July 26, 2011 at 1:14 AM  
Samantha VĂ©rant said, 

You crack me up. So did the picture of the possum! Hysterical. Sometimes dogs chew the stuffing out of toys, leaving a flat "dead animal."

July 26, 2011 at 1:47 AM  
RHYTHM AND RHYME said, 

This cheered me up on a dull day Jules, a wonderful post, most enjoyable, Hope you are well.

Yvonne.

July 26, 2011 at 7:28 AM  
Larri said, 

Holy Frijoles! I thought you found the possums in the picture awaiting you in the shed! Glad to know your 'possum' was merely a toy. Thanks for the giggle! Hope your week goes quickly and is uneventful. Happy Tuesday! ☺

July 26, 2011 at 7:31 AM  
Tammy said, 

So glad you were able to find the time to post about it! You always make me laugh so hard. At first I was worried that dead baby possums were a trend, because I recently found one that my dog might have tried to squeak. Yours was a much better surprise!

July 26, 2011 at 9:47 AM  
T. Powell Coltrin said, 

So very funny! Look at you being the heroine or at least the brave dead animal cleanup. HA! It's easy when it's not real.

July 26, 2011 at 10:10 AM  
Golden Eagle said, 

Funny story! Glad it was only a toy, though. :)

July 26, 2011 at 3:48 PM  
Paula said, 

Squeaking hilarious! Thinking of you. Much love to you.
P.S. Miss you around my blog. Yet I prefer that you catch your breath and come visit when you more time on your hand.

July 26, 2011 at 6:04 PM  
floweringmama said, 

Oh I wish you'd had a camera in hand to capture that moment! That is truly a country cathy moment. I laughed til I cried, then read it again.

Just got home and am catching up!

July 26, 2011 at 9:10 PM  
Elliot Grace said, 

Squeaks!!!

That was good stuff. I always leave your post with a smile ;)

EL

July 26, 2011 at 10:11 PM  
Talli Roland said, 

Haha! Love it!

Sounds like something I'd do...

July 27, 2011 at 11:23 AM  
Katie Gates said, 

"the finger from Christmas past" -- brilliant imagery! Possums go so beyond ugly they become cute...

July 27, 2011 at 4:05 PM  
Mary@GigglesandGuns said, 

Sorry Kid, I have to go with Ms. Twister on this one. What it is doesn't matter nearly as much as the fact it's dead. (even if it's stuffed)
I postponed mowing yesterday because of a stare down with a live rabbit. The rabbit won and today I'm mowing wet grass.

July 28, 2011 at 9:22 AM  
Michelle Fayard said, 

You've made me smile in the middle of a hectic day; thank you!

I’m delighted to be a new follower and have left a response to your comment on Bird’s-eye View at http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/07/getting-blog-comments-to-work-for-you.html.

July 28, 2011 at 6:59 PM  
Arlee Bird said, 

Thank goodness it was not a dead animal. I'm with Ms. Twister--I don't much like dead animals.


Lee
Tossing It Out

July 28, 2011 at 7:13 PM  
Unknown said, 

That is such a wonderful story. Me, I wouldn't touch the animal with a ten foot pole (doll or real).

July 28, 2011 at 9:52 PM  
Velvet Over Steel said, 

Oh my goosh you had me going... I was feeling a little sad for Ms. Twister, but knew you wouldn't be mean :-).. love that it was a dog toy!! I had the opposite happen with my son's Miss Pickles last year. I 'thought' it was one of her toys on the kitchen floor... oh no..... it was a baby rabbit that she must have found in a nest under the deck!!! Thank goodness he just brought her in show me! :-)

July 28, 2011 at 10:19 PM  
Unknown said, 

Oh my gosh that is hilarious! Thank goodness it was just a squeak toy and you didn't have to scoop up a real carcass. :)

July 29, 2011 at 2:15 AM  
L. Diane Wolfe said, 

LOL! I love that. I would've done the same thing.

July 29, 2011 at 9:13 AM  
Julie Flanders said, 

What a great post, how funny. I was totally in suspense wondering what you had picked up LOL.

And, the photo alone made me laugh out loud! :D

July 29, 2011 at 2:27 PM  
Ella said, 

I love that you kept approaching her; squeak happens! How are you? I am in the same way...so behind! Thanks for sharing~xXx I needed a good laugh~

July 29, 2011 at 6:46 PM  
Anonymoussaid, 

Thanks for the story. I needed a good chuckle. Me, I like possums. From a distance, of course. I think the young uns' are kinda cute and cuddly looking.

July 31, 2011 at 12:29 PM  
Anonymoussaid, 

Thanks for the smile. Charmingly told! I look forward to more.... R

July 31, 2011 at 1:48 PM  
Unknown said, 

That is truly a scary picture! I pick up dead mice (comps of my cat) with a garden shovel, but not a task I enjoy.

August 1, 2011 at 2:40 PM  
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