These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Ohhh, Noooo!

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while are not gonna believe this ...

I went to my storage under the house, a basement of sorts, to put another box there until the garage sale, and when I opened the door, there was a distinct aroma I'll call "Eau de chair de décomposition" or if you prefer Spanish, "carne de la descomposición." Yep. I have a dead critter down there. And I'm beginning to smell it here in the office.

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!

What is it with me and dead animals under my house?????? Am I the Angel of Death to animals, luring them to my premises and willing them to die and stink up my house???

If you're new to my blog, this and this might help you understand my frustration.

This means I have to go down there, move all the boxes out of the way, find IT, remove IT, air the space, replace all the boxes. Well, that will be a good three days shot to hell in the schedule of getting on with life.

Hey, Caroline ... wanna come help me again?????

Damn.

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PS @ 2:49 pm mdt

OK, I'm taking a break again. I'm exhausted. I'm aggravated. I have now removed everything, checked the whole area that I can reach or see (the ground slopes up at one end) and I can find nothing. I also can't smell anything noxious. I don't know what is going on. I need to rest, too, because I have now cracked my head three times ... yes, THREE ... on the steel girders. Non felt good, but the last one was just above the left temple and it hurt like a ... well, you know what. I need to finish up, but I do need to just let the throbbing ebb.

There was clearly something down there as evidenced by the multiple paw prints over the suitcases. I couldn't ascertain what kind of paw prints because it had been tracked over several times, but there was certainly something there.

I've now rearranged everything. I drug in some wooden shipping palates that were in the yard, leveled them for safety, and loaded my Christmas decorations, luggages, camping gear, etc. on those. There were already tarps on the dirt floor, but this gives another couple inches f protection from moisture. Everything that can fit is in plastic tubs, too. The organization is going to help. Even with the garage sale boxes back in there, it will be less cluttered. I think I can get it finished today. I hope so, because I'm so disgusted that I don't want to have to work with it again for a long while.

This has afforded me the time and incentive to get out the banquet table, saw horse legs and other things I will need soon to set up for the garage sale. Some of those things were at the back, and I would have had trouble getting them out. Now I can begin to move to the next stage of my unloading process.

OK, I'm going to go outside, sit in the porch swing with a glass of iced water and wait for my cool, calm collected self to return!

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Another update @ 7:07 pm mdt

Well, everything is put away, but I never found IT. I have no idea. The smell seems to be gone. I'm leaving the door open tonight to air some more and just hope I don't catch another IT when I close it tomorrow!!

I love how organized everything is down there now. I hauled a pickup bed full of crap from the previous owner off to the dumpster. When I came in the house after that, I walked straight to the shower, peeling off clothes as I went. I was SO hot! I threw the clothes in the washer and crawled in the shower. [Why do we say "crawl in the shower"? I actually step in!]

When I got out, I felt much better, but I was very keyed up still. I looked at that big bath tub, which I've never used for myself, and I ran it full of barely warm water with lots of aroma-therapy bubbles, put the head rest in place, got a cold beer and just slid in the water. I soaked for over an hour! And I feel very good now. I'm gonna use that tub more often!!

Wish me luck on the stink. I hope it is magically gone!

18 comments:

  1. I can't believe you have to deal with this again! :(

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  2. Apparently animals find peace with you and die. Yes I still vividly remember the dead animal under the deck.

    We fear this soon to be happening in our abode. The "kittens" who are now a year old keep bringing toys in the house. We have now had to extracate snake, birds lizard and last night a mouse. Who knows what they have brought in that we haven't yet found! I just hope we find it before the housekeepers.

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  3. Ick. Call Allan. That's what men are for!

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  4. Ew ew ew!!! That is so icky and I am so, so sorry you have to deal with it. :P Gag.

    BUT...there must be truth to the thought that you are a peaceful person who draws critters to you for comfort in their final hours. At least maybe that will help as you deal with it.

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  5. Oh YUCK!!! So sorry you have to handle something like that. If it were me, it would be money well spent to have someone do the removing for me. But I'm pretty creeped out by stuff anyway...How you say in America...I'm a SISSY!!! LOL

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  6. I'm taking a break from the nasty task, so I thought I'd reply to all of you at once.

    First of all, I fear that this animal was not "drawn" to me. I'm afraid it might have gone in one day while I had the door propped open and I closed it in without realizing it. This may be born out in the fact that I've found residue of muddy paw prints having gone across 2 of my black suitcases. If I've caused the demise of one of the neighborhood cats, I'll be devastated. It occurs to me that I haven't seen that beautiful tabby that I photographed weeks back. ;-( I had attributed it to his belonging to a neighbor and was staying closer to home these days. ;-(

    After airing it for a couple hours, the smell is minimal. I'll continue removing the boxes slated for garage sale, the luggage, and the holiday decorations until I can find ... something. I guess a good thing is that I will organize everything, and hopefully it will be more managable after this.

    Old Lady, I had a cat that brought me "presents" all the time. Tigger would bring a mouse or bird, or in bad times, a grasshopper or cricket, to the front door and meow until I cane to appreciate his gift. They were often alive and unharmed, and he let them go after I raved at his love for me!!

    Dawn, I may well pay someone to remove it, also. It will depend on where I find it and how badly decomposed it is. I may not be able to do it myself, even if my stomach and nose hold out!!

    Well, back to work. Icky, yucky, ugh.

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  7. Um, I think I will pass this time.

    Hope it gets resolved soon because I know how they can start to stink really quickly.

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  8. Caroline - Well, thanks ... for nothin'. (who does that sound like?) I hope it is resolved soon, too. Read the PS on the post.

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  9. Eeewwww! I hate it when that happens! I have a huge bath tub to put in when we remodel our bathroom. I cannot wait!

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  10. Visiting for the 1st time. Enjoying your blog!

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  11. Traci - Ohhh, the tub was soooo nice! Jump on that remodeling wagon!!

    Nesting Momma - Well, thanks for the visit!

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  12. Eww.. I hope you find it or it goes away magically. You certainly are one brave lady.. You couldn't pay me to go down there!

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  13. Burg - Wouldn't I make a great pioneer woman? LOL! NOT!!! No, you find when you live alone you have more backbone than you knew about. I'm not brave, just listening to the voice of necessity. And praying for magic!!!

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  14. Good grief!!! And YUCK!!! Where the heck is it coming from?

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  15. Ohhhhh Lynilu, maybe the third time will be the final time ! Yuck and ugh ! I hope all of your re-organizing and airing out did the trick and it doesn't stick tomorrow, nor a new it decide to make its home there !

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  16. If it were a cat sure you would have heard something?

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  17. Don't snakes live under houses!! Shudder.

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  18. Jenn - I wish I knew!!! At least it is better now, just a slight odor on occasion.

    Annie - If I knew how to do the Anti-dying-animal dance, not to be confused with the "rain dance," but similar, I'd be in the yard now gyrating around!!!

    Sandra - Allan and I talked about that, and as well insulated at this house is, I might not have heard unless it raised a really big, awful noise.

    Seven - dear, darling Seven, I could have gone a long long time without that reminder!! I was actually watching for any moving thing, but if I'd thought of snakes I would have been just creeped out, BIG time! Now what am I going to do???? :)

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!