oh, Sam!

when I got home a little after noon from the overnight team building trip 

I saw that he did it again

which meant I had to do it again

and I didn't want to

so I ignored it

Deborah called and we chatted about plans for next week

I told her what I needed to do

she said; "oh, no!" 

I still didn't want to do it

so I chose to turn my attention elsewhere

I read my Bible

I journaled

I prayed

I fixed a bite to eat (canned peach halves count as a meal don't they?)

then I headed out to watch the soccer alumni games 

we were out on the pitch for several hours

the heat index was over 100 degrees 

between that and getting to see the men and women who returned to play

the thing I needed to do never crossed my mind

until I returned home and looked out the window again

that dead animal was still laying there 

a big white mass

in the middle of my back yard

where Sam had taken care of it

I am guessing last night was a loud one for the neighbors

he may be old, but he's still "got it"

whatever "it" is that enables him to not only catch but kill cats and opossums

I am becoming a veteran at this

but I will be honest and tell you that today-

well, today I almost buckled and called someone to come and take care of it

I simply did not think I could 

but it was unbearably hot and I didn't want to bring anyone else into my mess

so I tightened my boot strings 

figuratively, I was actually wearing Teva sandals

took the almost empty trash can liner from the kitchen

went out the back door

and off the porch

I could smell the stench of death

so I did what any self respecting woman would do

I walked right past that critter

and found something else to do

my red raspberry patch is looking good now!

when there were no other backyard chores to do

and the trash bag was almost full 

because that is where the weeds went

I was dripping with sweat 

and I took my largest garden shovel and approached the menace

it was the biggest opossum I have had to deal with so far

I wrestled it from the flies into that Hefty trash bag 

pulled the drawstring tight, knotted it

and walked it to a dumpster 

(I didn't want that smell to linger in my car!)

moral of the story:

sometimes, when we have an unpleasant chore to take care of and we are at a point where we just can't do it right now, it is okay to do something else first. And second and third. Also if you have a giant dead opossum to dispose of and the temperature is in the upper 90's and probably will be until the trash is picked up, which isn't for a few more days, finding a dumpster to put it in so your backyard doesn't reek is worth the risk of a fine.  ;)