This is a good story. It almost sounds like fiction, but totally true. Some folks have heard the story and retold it; so thought I would blog it, because a good story is a good story.

After going out on a nice long walk one Saturday morning, I was craving some bacon and eggs. Mike accommodated by preparing and we sat and ate a great breakfast.

For those who have been at my house, you know that we look out into the backyard from my breakfast table–a nice view in good weather and a winter wonderland in the snow.

After finishing up, Mikey looked out the window and made a twisted awful face exclaiming “Oh shit, not now.” As I looked out I noticed what his dismay was about: a dead squirrel…. bottom of the pool. So I hastily exclaimed to Mikey that I would help clean this up. We both have an aversion to cleaning up “dead animals.”

So we discuss [Mikey and I always discuss things like this before taking any action]. We got a huge, I mean really really huge, black garbage bag and the very large skimmer to get to the bottom of the pool. I said I would hold the bag, but alas, I could not. The thought of the squirrel landing in the bag, just freaked me out. I bailed on Mike, dropped the bag and said, “so sorry Mike, I can’t do this.” I walked some paces back and said, “I am here to support you, I just can’t hold that bag.” So Mike got a garbage pail, put a plastic container in the bag and the bag in the garbage pail and retrieved the very dead squirrel. He closed up everything and put it out in the trash. What a good man he is.

So by now you are thinking, what is so good about this story……well read on…..

It takes us about 1/2 hour to complete this task. We go back into the kitchen ready to clean up after our really good breakfast. I am taking the dishes off the table and oh no, what do I see…..another dead squirrel at the bottom of the pool.

We have had a pool for many many years and have never had a dead squirrel in it. We just figured they must have radar about these things.

I now immediately explain to Mike that I cannot help him and this time I don’t even go out to provide moral support.

He completes the motley task [alone] and comes back into the kitchen. I have in the meantime tried to be helpful by finishing the cleanup of our breakfast.

Now we are standing by the window looking out and wondering what the hell was going on…..two dead squirrels in a matter of 1/2 hour. Was it a suicide pact? Were they just so hot, it was necessary to go swimming. They were smaller squirrels, so we thought maybe just learning how to fly from tree to tree and fell in.

While we are discussing, low and behold, our necks practically snapped as we whipped around to see a site out the kitchen window–a bluejay flying across the yard carrying a squirrel through the air. Damn, I have never seen that before.

We were thinking, ugh ugh, more cleanup. But this time, the blue jay dropped the squirrel in the next yard.

The history behind this…..all week we had been seeing the bluejays protecting the nest they built a nest in this tree.

As the squirrels would run by the tree on the fence, the bluejays, both mom and dad bluejay would be sitting in another tree and dive bomb the squirrels as they walked/ran by the tree on the fence. The squirrels didn’t have a clue that there was a nest in this tree, nor did they really care…..but the bluejays are protective parents or parents to be and decided to be aggressive.

Well, the baby bluejays were born the next week and moved within the following week.

We definitely are not looking forward to this nature adventure next year.