Sunday, August 26, 2007

This is NOT what you want to see...

So yesterday at around 6pm I was walking across the parking lot towards the mailboxes, which are on the side of the next apartment building, when I looked up and there was a skunk walking across the patio/sidewalk in front of that building. The skunk heard me, and presented its tail. Being not insane, I slowly backed away, and the skunk then hurried off to the left -- where the mailboxes are.

I decided I didn't want to pick up my mail that badly. I went through the building and went a different route to the complex office to handle some business, and came back that other route and picked up my mail at that time.

As for where the skunk came from... who knows? Probably he was displaced by one of the new condo projects around here. Skunks are carnivores that eat bugs and grubs and such so basically all they need is a big field to live. This guy, apparently, had discovered that this apartment complex is overrunning with snails, and was here to get his escargot fix. More power to him. At least he doesn't make a mess like the raccoon that I've also spotted hanging around, who tears into the garbage cans looking for tasty morsels. I don't know where they're going to live now that the last condo project has taken the last field in the area though. I suppose they'll wander a block to the railroad tracks and live along there, or wander two blocks to the Guadalupe River greenbelt, that's a long way for wildlife to go to look for free food but I don't put it past 'coons to do that.

Meanwhile UPS did a dump-and-run of some camping gear that I'd mail-ordered despite lack of the "No Signature Required" on the label, and it wasn't there when I got home. GRRR!!! Only good thing is because there is no proof of delivery (no signature or anything), UPS is liable for the contents of the package, not me or the guy who mailed me the gear. Only problem there is that because this is hand-made custom stuff, I now have to wait a few weeks for him to make me another set (sigh!). UPS freakin' *sucks*, their little tablet's software should not even allow the driver to claim that something has been delivered without a signature unless the label specifically says "No Signature Required".

- Badtux the Wildlife-co-existing Penguin

4 comments:

  1. Yes, and you have to pay a fortune for a signature. I sent an overnight package from KS to IL and it was 78.00 to get a signature on it. It was a foot by 8" by 6". Maybe 8 lbs.

    78.00 -- an extra 10 to make the wretched driver would knock and get a signature.

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  2. Ah, UPS destroyed a $3000.00 dollar sewing machine that my friend had shipped to Spokane for a cleaning and tuneup.

    It got destroyed after it was cleaned and tuned up so it was in perfect shape and then sent back to him via UPS.

    And since then they have done nothing but give him the run around. He had to buy a new machine to stay in business.

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  3. I don't deal with UPS. I much prefer FedEx. They seem to be a little more responsible.

    I used to be a bit of a fan of the USPS, but their recent rate increase puts them in the too expensive category for most things.

    As for the skunks, they're nocturnal animals, so seeing one in the day is bad news. That frequently means that it may be rabid. Skunks have a bad habit of becoming rabid since, when confronted with a rabid anmial, their usually response is to just spray the animal. Unfortunately, a rabid animal is not always deterred by the spraying, and frequently infects the skunk. Not good.

    Dave

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  4. I've often seen skunks in the early evening. Back when I lived on a farm, I once looked out the back window to see my cats (a previous pair of cats) stalking a skunk about 30 minutes before sunset. I quickly stepped out the back door and started shaking the cat food bag. The cats decided cat food was more interesting than skunk. Phew!

    So while skunks may be nocturnal, seeing a skunk in the early evening is no big deal. I often saw rabbits around that time too back in the farm days. But the armadillos truly were nocturnal... I never saw them before nightfall.

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