Rita Adventure: Postscript
After much deliberation and re-reading, I realize now that my Rita story is not only full of typos, but I also have a couple of facts incorrect. It's mostly minor stuff, for instance, I actually burned my arm on Monday morning, not Tuesday morning. So, please forgive the mistakes caused by my Swiss-cheese brain. I really think it's an enjoyable read nonetheless, and I'm just a tiny bit proud of it. :-)
It's now been over a week since we came back home, so I suppose we're due for an update. I did a little web-searching for my folks, since they're still relying on the generator and trying to conserve fuel. I found a bunch of information on raising orphaned squirrels for them, and then went on a little quest to find them a clothes wringer. Seems that, even way out in deep east Texas, where antique shops are more prevalent than Dairy Queens, wringers and tubs and washboards are SOLD OUT. Wow. My mom and dad already had the tubs and washboard, but needed a wringer. After an exhaustive eBay search, I do a quick web search and find that there are actually still a couple of companies producing hand-cranked wringers. Sweet. If you're going to spend a lot of money to get an antique in good enough condition to actually use, why not spend a little more and get something brand new with a guarantee? Mom agreed, and so with a quick phone call and a flick of yet another credit card, they have a wringer on the way.
They've also spent a bundle more on fuel, having purchased two BARRELS of gasoline...and that will probably last for only two weeks or so. Bummer. I just hope FEMA sees things the way we do, and agrees that fuel to run the generator and a new wringer and gas cans and all that are living expenses, things that would not have been purchased had my family not been out of electricity so long. My family can't afford to pay for these things out-of-pocket. They really need to be reimbursed. So, pray and keep your fingers crossed that FEMA pulls through for them.
Mom tells me that Rocky and Roxanne are growing fast, their tails properly bushing out. She thinks that maybe Rocky's from a different litter than Roxanne, because he seems so much smaller and less developed than his "sister." It is quite possible that Trapper, the puppy, had found a single survivor from two different nests. There were several trees downed by the storm, after all. Another possibility is that Rocky is just the runt of the litter. At any rate, they both seem to be doing very well and eating plenty.
They've taken to "riding" in shirt pockets, all snuggled in a ball. How cute is that? Since they'll soon be much too big for shirt pockets, my mom has bought a utility apron with two large pockets, so they can eventually ride around in that instead. I said, "So, you're going to be like Katy-No-Pocket!" Unless you've read the children's book, of course, that makes no sense to you, but my mom laughed. It had been one of my favorite books as a child. It's about a kangaroo with no pocket for her baby to ride in, and she eventually finds an apron with lots of pockets and then all the little woodland creatures want to ride in one of her pockets. Awwwww. :-) Anyway, my mom is playing surrogate to two lively squirrels who apparently think they're marsupials because they want to ride in a warm pocket. Silly beasts. Hopefully my mom will send me updated pictures to post here and show you. For now, I'm going to start uploading my own pictures of our hurricane Rita adventure. Enjoy :-)
It's now been over a week since we came back home, so I suppose we're due for an update. I did a little web-searching for my folks, since they're still relying on the generator and trying to conserve fuel. I found a bunch of information on raising orphaned squirrels for them, and then went on a little quest to find them a clothes wringer. Seems that, even way out in deep east Texas, where antique shops are more prevalent than Dairy Queens, wringers and tubs and washboards are SOLD OUT. Wow. My mom and dad already had the tubs and washboard, but needed a wringer. After an exhaustive eBay search, I do a quick web search and find that there are actually still a couple of companies producing hand-cranked wringers. Sweet. If you're going to spend a lot of money to get an antique in good enough condition to actually use, why not spend a little more and get something brand new with a guarantee? Mom agreed, and so with a quick phone call and a flick of yet another credit card, they have a wringer on the way.
They've also spent a bundle more on fuel, having purchased two BARRELS of gasoline...and that will probably last for only two weeks or so. Bummer. I just hope FEMA sees things the way we do, and agrees that fuel to run the generator and a new wringer and gas cans and all that are living expenses, things that would not have been purchased had my family not been out of electricity so long. My family can't afford to pay for these things out-of-pocket. They really need to be reimbursed. So, pray and keep your fingers crossed that FEMA pulls through for them.
Mom tells me that Rocky and Roxanne are growing fast, their tails properly bushing out. She thinks that maybe Rocky's from a different litter than Roxanne, because he seems so much smaller and less developed than his "sister." It is quite possible that Trapper, the puppy, had found a single survivor from two different nests. There were several trees downed by the storm, after all. Another possibility is that Rocky is just the runt of the litter. At any rate, they both seem to be doing very well and eating plenty.
They've taken to "riding" in shirt pockets, all snuggled in a ball. How cute is that? Since they'll soon be much too big for shirt pockets, my mom has bought a utility apron with two large pockets, so they can eventually ride around in that instead. I said, "So, you're going to be like Katy-No-Pocket!" Unless you've read the children's book, of course, that makes no sense to you, but my mom laughed. It had been one of my favorite books as a child. It's about a kangaroo with no pocket for her baby to ride in, and she eventually finds an apron with lots of pockets and then all the little woodland creatures want to ride in one of her pockets. Awwwww. :-) Anyway, my mom is playing surrogate to two lively squirrels who apparently think they're marsupials because they want to ride in a warm pocket. Silly beasts. Hopefully my mom will send me updated pictures to post here and show you. For now, I'm going to start uploading my own pictures of our hurricane Rita adventure. Enjoy :-)
posted by Brandi Rae | 11:33 AM
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