Hard to believe, but more and more rain and then a raccoon.

The rains have started again.  I suppose this is good for my new plantings, but aside from that, it is just too much.  The ground is completely saturated, the rivers are rising once again (flood warnings everywhere until tomorrow) and of course it is dreary dreary wet and gray.

Ready for siding.  

Yesterday, George and Johnny declared the repair work, the shoring up of house, the cementing in of new bits of foundation,  removal of rotten beams, etc. was finished and they would now be able to finish installing the siding.  This will involve much more debris--the white vinyl siding has to be torn down, and the cedar shakes underneath that. We will no doubt fill another dumpster.  This time, I'll have Keith drop one off.   It will make life much easier to toss everything in rather than the cumbersome two-step we just executed.

The other evening, I thought I heard an animal scurrying about the house.  There have been no animal occupants this year, but since the back of the house had been open for much of the day, it was possible that something had managed to get in. I have been amazed at how quiet the house usually is.  My memories of the house are filled with crackling, heaving, buckling, scurrying noises.  Now, decades later, there is silence.  The noises of childhood were probably winter sounds--steam heat, creaking wood.   When I told George he thought it was unlikely that anything bigger than a mouse could have gained entry.  I wasn't so sure, but was ready to believe the scurrying was a remnant of a long lost memory.

This morning, however, I noticed a series of muddy marks on the edge of the tub.  I couldn't imagine how I'd done that.  Even if my feet were dirty, I certainly hadn't balanced on the narrow edge of a clawfoot bathtub.  Close  inspection revealed raccoon footprints both on the edge of the tub and on the wall beneath the window.  That did not make me happy.

I then discovered that the insulation that was stuffing up the small hall in the wall next to the downstairs door was now lying on the floor, there were bits of dirt around and wonder of wonders I discovered raccoon footprints going downstairs.

It looks like the raccoon came in from under the house, then went upstairs and into the bathroom and then down the stairs and out again.  I think.  I put the insulation back in place, tipped a wooden box against it and hoped it wouldn't return.