In my time in the great State of Missouri, I have noticed that when I walk through the grass sometimes, the ground feels very soft...as if it's collapsing under your feet. It's only a few inches, but it seems like someone or someTHING has been digging around. I've seen it in our yard and in many others'. Until recently, I had no idea what was causing it. Then, on Thursday night, Melissa and I were coming home from eating Sushi (it took over an hour for us to get our food, by the way), and as we pulled into the driveway, I caught the culprit red handed--or red...snouted, I guess. Yes, that's right, it was an armadillo, or as I affectionately refer to it: a rat with a shell. There he was, shamelessly indulging himself in our grass, or looking for who-knows-what underneath it. Frankly, I'm not quite sure what he was doing, but it doesn't matter. I caught him. I had a mind to get out of the car and kick him, but I thought his hard shell might hurt my foot. So instead, I just honked at him (I know, that'll teach him). He got away, but the most important thing is that I solved that mystery. And in order to deal with the continuing threat against our lawns, I am officially starting the Anti-Armadillo Vigilantes, or AAV's (commonly referred to as "double-A V's"). As of right now, we don't have much (a shovel, a fake M-16 Assault Rifle, a large MAG-Lite, and a fishing pole), but I tell you what we do have: heart. And rest assured, we won't stop until the lawns of Fort Leonard Wood are safe and these little rats with shells are no longer roaming our streets...or until we move to Kentucky this coming April...whichever comes first. You can count on our vigilance.
Andy
Andy
2 comments:
That is halarious! I have never seen an armadillo and I had no idea they caused such a ruckus. I am proud that I will be able to say that I knew (well, at the least knew the wife of) the man that started the AAV! Good luck with the fight and keep us posted on the rats.
I have your first mission for the AAV--catch that "shelled rat". They were pretty plentiful in parts of Argentina and we actually worked with a family that had one as a "pet." Of course, I am not sure that you can call something your pet if you are raising it to eat! That is right, where they were plentiful, they were made into a tasty meal. I never had the pleasure of eating one, so I can't speak to the tastiness ... or lack thereof. I can't even give you cooking tips. But once you catch that guy, fire up the stove. That will send a message to those vermin that will convince them to leave Fort Leonard on their own!
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