April Certainties: Raccoons, Books, Birthdays

It's the ides of April, i.e., April 15, and not even taxes are certain this year as the filing deadline is Monday, April 18!


What we can be certain of in April in Northern California: raccoons.

Here's to cayenne pepper!

Two days ago, someone who rises much earlier than me, reported that raccoon(s) were scratching away at the foundation vent pictured above after having ripped up all the ground cover in search of grubs. 


Two years ago, the &^%$^** raccoons had ripped off the already-compromised vent (a French [it's an important distinction, but one which I'll have to save for another post] electrician had opened it to install a floor outlet, but didn't properly re-seal) and enjoyed the under-house condo for about two weeks until four of them were trapped and re-located.  After their re-location, the six foundation vents were replaced and re-inforced.  


Not wanting to re-experience the cost, lack of sleep, and dealing with raccoon excrement of two years ago, I decided to reinforce the re-inforced vents and employ one of the home remedies suggested by my trapper who was used to dealing with 'coons: cayenne pepper.  I bought two of the largest jars I could find and spread them in front of the vents.  That's the orange-red powder. And it all seems to have worked:  no indication from either my early-rising roommate or the 'coons themselves that they've decided to revisit.  I stopped short of spraying foam insulation around the vents as raccoons will eat ANYTHING and I decided not to tempt them.


Another April certainty:  new books from established authors.  Spring and fall are the two biggest seasons in publishers' years, not to mention authors' lives, at least for those publishers and authors who are able to promote and commit to book tours.

Here's just one book from the list of April 2011 book debuts from one of my favorite mystery sites:

It's only appropriate that you have to turn yourself to read the book jacket.

I just finished reading Heads You Lose and am still marveling at the creativity of the two authors; it's genius, at the Quorum Group level; see page 87 of the book.

Birthdays: the last of the April certainties

Given the extreme weather of late (our March showers and mini-heat waves brought this lone flower to my garden),

it seems we can't even rely on the adage, "April showers bring May flowers," but I know I can always rely on the following birthdays occurring in April, rain or shine:

April 14: Alka

April 15: Jenny G. T.

April 22: Buddy (!), Kathy, Karen W.

April 23: Jenny T.

April 26: Rachel

So many, many happy returns (birthday, not tax) to all the above.

So what remains of the once-certain April certainties?  With apologies to Alfred Lord Tennyson and his "Charge of the Light Brigade,"

Ours is not to reason why,

Ours is but to be taxed and then die.*

*The correct, original phrase:

'Forward, the Light Brigade!' 

Was there a man dismay'd ? 

Not tho' the soldier knew 

Some one had blunder'd: 

Theirs not to make reply, 

Theirs not to reason why, 

Theirs but to do & die, 

Into the valley of Death 

Rode the six hundred.