A Few New Home Things

I'm still mulling over my thoughts about this place. But I will say that I feel here more like the proverbial fish out of water than I ever did in Iowa. And until now, I really didn't think that was possible.

Turns out that the groundhog that met a sad, pickup-truck-collision demise last week is not, in fact, the groundhog living under our porch. I feel a little relieved about that. My students had me feeling really guilty that I'd somehow sent out the *go-away-now-intention* that it had picked up on and that I was, in a roundabout sort of way, somewhat responsible for said dead groundhog. I did have a little talking-to with him yesterday - feel oddly like it's a "he" - told him that if he didn't choose to relocate voluntarily, we were going to have to make that choice for him. I can't explain why, but I get a sense that he is a stubborn and brazen little groundhog who is quite happy where he is and has no intention of leaving. At least animal control here participates in a trap-and-release program! That is a relief.