Time to recover this mission!

Last known status:  Trapped squirrel in roof above front porch.

Objective:  Create an opening for the squirrel, Get squirrel out , and re-seal the opening.

Mission:  FAIL

So, alarm set for a quarter to 7 am.  One hour before sunrise.  All I am thinking is these squirrels are usually up and attem long before me.  I know because they are loud and angry little creatures.   8 am comes and I inevitably have two outside my bedroom window crabbing at each other.

So I don’t want to miss his wake up time.  Really don’t think he needs to be freaking out any longer than he should.

It is dawn, plenty light out.  I am up dressed, teeth brushed,  shoes on, jacket on and tools gathered before the clock hits 7.  Dreaming about squirrels all night and checking the clock every hour does wonders for helping me get my butt out of bed when needed.  I waddle the heavy extension ladder out of the garage and waddle it to the side of the house.  I had help yesterday.  Did not move the ladder at all . . .  Last time I tried to man-handle this ladder by myself was over a year ago.  I got it up.  But I could not get it down.  I had to walk around it for three days before someone could take it down for me.  Sad, I know.

Needless to say my last personal encounter with this monster did not end in my favor.  So I am nervous as I drag the thing out all by myself.  I got it open and up.  Slick!  Climb up with flash light and tools.  No sign of my fuzzy unhappy friend.  I tried to undo the bottom portion of the hardware cloth but it was stapled down pretty good and just couldn’t get the leverage to peel it up.  So I aimed for the upper corner against the house.  Cinch.  Peeled it down and back and left a perfect squirrel sized hole.  He will have to climb up a foot of wire mesh to get out, but their little feet are designed for that sort of thing.  And when I found him last night, that’s where he was.  Smooshed up toward the top.

OK!  Time to get him gone!  I climb down the ladder . . .  The plan is to scare him out. Bang on the ceiling and have him vamoose!  find his way out.  Nope.  Nothing.  No noise, no scattering, no sign anywhere.  hm.  That sound of a sleeper?  or that freaked out and hiding.  Or worse . . . did you find yourself to access elsewhere?  Believing he is sleeping in or scared is much nicer.  After standing, dumbfounded, contemplating my next step I decide to let the little guy have his late morning.   A little disgruntled because I would have like to sleep in this morning . . . .

I pack up the tools, and even manage to break down the ladder and waddle it back into the garage.  I would hate for someone else to walk away with it.

I will wait for a second pair of eyes.  Someone needs to see the thing Leave, and monitor to make sure it does not come back.  And I will wait for its daily scattering noises when it warms up a bit later this morning or early afternoon.

In the meantime, I think it is nap time.  4 1/2 hours of sleep really isn’t my thing . . .   That is if I can sleep.  I am hearing and seeing squirrels everywhere still.  Even in my dreams.  Ugh!

Even if I was unable to finish my mission, I still am calling this one a draw as well.  Last night we both lost.  This morning we both kinda win.  He gets access to freedom, I no longer have a squirrel trapped inside.  For now, this is good.