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Caspers Mum
Moderator
 
Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 1694
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Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:29 pm  |
Greetings and salutations to all!
I am still trapped in my apartment (Day 10), and my mother is still here. She is leaving on April 11th, but she's planning on going to Victoria sometime within the next couple of days. She wants for me to join her (a.k.a. - she wants me to help her with the buses, has never gone on the ferry herself). I am probably going to stay home. I need some peace, quiet, and privacy. Down-time would be good for me, as I have to go back to work, full-throttle on Monday morning. I appreciate her help & care, but am getting a little annoyed with not being able to do my own thing!
Last night, I was about to explode at her. Long story short: she insisted that she smelled "something electrical, burning". I told her that it smelled skunky, and that it was probably someone on my floor, smoking pot, or cutting fresh weed. She wouldn't let-up, and kept going into my hallway to smell. This was 10:30 pm. I went onto my patio, and smelled no skunk. Hence: pot.
My mother wouldn't stop fretting, so I agreed to call 911, and explain the "situation" to the fire dept. dispatcher. There is a fire hall about five blocks away from where I live, so I asked the dispatcher if he could please send a guy (or two) just to check things out. Did they comply? No.
They sent TWO trucks, with sirens!
My mother was anticipating a guy or two, and was there to meet them in the lobby. Guess what smelled outside? Skunk. It was very strong, for a couple of blocks, apparently. I hid in my bedroom (with the cat), embarassed, as I'd heard the sirens & melee. Fireman came upstairs, and I heard him say that he agreed that the smell was chemical, electrical, and very strong on the third floor. No fire. Nothing burning. Just a friggin' skunk! He told my mother that they will often get ten calls in one night, when skunks spray, because people assume that the smell is chemical or burning. I don't know about all of you, but I can certainly tell the difference between something actually burning, a skunk, or something just skunky! Not my mother!
Let me just say this: I was mortified, embarassed, and p***** right-off that my mother had done this! She carried-on about "how strong it smelled", "Your father would have done the same thing; he trusts my nose.", etc.
"God Almighty, Lord above, please help me! Grant me some serenity and peace!"
Other than my patience wearing very thin, and having to adapt to selective hearing (versus actual listening), I am coming along. Bruising is going away, and my main suture can be cut next week. I still look like "Frankenboobs", but am feeling better every day. Sore today, and took a painkiller for the first time in four days. Considering that I had surgery only last week, I am doing well. Have watched too much t.v., movies, and sat around in my p.j.'s too much. Haven't ventured too far. Get tired easily. I'm sure that this has to do with lack of fresh air and mobility; am going out this afternoon, to look for new running shoes. Can't run for the next five weeks or so. Doctor's comments, "If it doesn't feel good, don't do it. Nothing that will cause bouncing." Guess I'll be walking a lot?! Need to shed some weight, as swimsuit season is coming up sooner than later. Must have a better bod to go with my better boobs! |
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Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:35 pm |
CM-
Hope you deal with mother ok. She sounds lovely tho.
Am bit confused  - was it a skunk animal or was it pot smoke> Have never seen a skunk, they arent in Australia. I have heard that people can be scared of them- are they that bad? am feeling a bit sorry for them. Would not be a very nice creature to be. |
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Caspers Mum
Moderator
Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 1694
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Fri Apr 08, 2005 12:49 am |
| maddy wrote: |
CM-
Hope you deal with mother ok. She sounds lovely tho.
Am bit confused - was it a skunk animal or was it pot smoke> Have never seen a skunk, they arent in Australia. I have heard that people can be scared of them- are they that bad? am feeling a bit sorry for them. Would not be a very nice creature to be. |
The smell was caused by a skunk who'd either sprayed, or been run over by a car. People aren't scared of skunks (they're cute), but I wouldn't want to startle one, as they spray when they feel threatened. They're pretty timid & shy, and will usually scurry away. I know people whose dogs have persued skunks, and it is hard to get the smell to dissipate. The best remedy that I've heard of is bathing a dog in tomato juice.  |
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Fri Apr 08, 2005 3:53 am |
Caspers Mum You made me laugh so much with your story, you poor thing - I can't believe you have skunks over there!!! I bet the sight of all those firemen from your window cheered you up though   |
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Fri Apr 08, 2005 5:28 pm |
So glad you are healing up. You might try bicycling, that shouldn't be bouncy.
It seems like no matter what, when somebody comes to take care of us, we still end up, emotionally if not physically, looking after them. I'm about to know what you've been going through. We're in New Orleans right now and I'm scheduled for heart surgery on Monday. I'm already busy keeping my husband's spirits up and my parents are flying in - in about half an hour - and within minutes of seeing them I know I'll be reassuring them too. Tim's mom wanted to fly in from Florida and I adore her but that was going to be way too much support!
When I lived in Vancouver I used to take grapes into Stanley Park and feed the skunks. Too cute. The only time I worried about them was when the Canada Geese wanted grapes too, they'd spread their wings and hiss at the skunks. They never sprayed though.
Liz |
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Owner at GS & Company at Semiahmoo Shopping Centre |
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Fri Apr 08, 2005 8:11 pm |
| freefall2 wrote: |
So glad you are healing up. You might try bicycling, that shouldn't be bouncy.
It seems like no matter what, when somebody comes to take care of us, we still end up, emotionally if not physically, looking after them. I'm about to know what you've been going through. We're in New Orleans right now and I'm scheduled for heart surgery on Monday. I'm already busy keeping my husband's spirits up and my parents are flying in - in about half an hour - and within minutes of seeing them I know I'll be reassuring them too. Tim's mom wanted to fly in from Florida and I adore her but that was going to be way too much support!
When I lived in Vancouver I used to take grapes into Stanley Park and feed the skunks. Too cute. The only time I worried about them was when the Canada Geese wanted grapes too, they'd spread their wings and hiss at the skunks. They never sprayed though.
Liz |
freefall2,
Many good wishes being sent your way for your surgery on Monday. I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery. 
Hugs,
Winnie  |
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Fri Apr 08, 2005 11:19 pm |
| wouldn't mind having a look at a skunk. am intrigued now. are they very common? am picturing parks with grazing skunks dotted over it. |
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Sat Apr 09, 2005 5:22 am |
Skunks are very cute, they waddle. My uncle had one called Angel as a pet. It acted a lot like a cat. It had it's gland removed so it couldn't spray.
Here's a skunk:
Here are more:
http://www.skunk-info.org/photos/photos.htm |
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Owner at GS & Company at Semiahmoo Shopping Centre |
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Sat Apr 09, 2005 3:35 pm |
Thanks freefall. Such a little head with huge tail etc. Is strange for me to hear that people like them, since I have only heard the opposite.
Good luck in surgery Freefall. I hope it all goes well (and your husband is ok too).
Good luck at your first day back at work tomorrow Casper's Mum- altho probably not tomorrow yet for you guys (I think it is still Saturday over there). Is nice to hear you are feeling better.
maddy |
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Sat Apr 09, 2005 6:21 pm |
| maddy wrote: |
| wouldn't mind having a look at a skunk. am intrigued now. are they very common? am picturing parks with grazing skunks dotted over it. |
Skunks really are quite adorable (as you can see by the photo posted). They are very shy and rarely seen out in the open. I think they are nocturnal & prefer to stick to undergrowth or bushes. But if they are startled or run over by a car you sure can SMELL them!
In Vancouver they are all over the place. I live close to the downtown area, and it seems that every other night I'm smelling skunk outside!
Caspers Mom, that was a funny funny story. Moms are wonderful, but they do drive you nuts when in close proximity! |
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Sat Apr 09, 2005 8:53 pm |
Caspers Mum, so happy you are feeling better. When I had my surgery, I had a bit too much help also. My parent's insisted I have the surgery done where they live so they could take care of me. I took lots of painkillers, watched too much TV also and when I got really bored, I tried to give myself a manicure with fake nails. Oh, that was pretty! You will just keep feeling better and better and bathing suits are a whole new and fun world!
Freefall2, I'm sure I speak for everyone in wishing you warm and positive thoughts for a very successful surgery on Monday.
joani |
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Sun Apr 10, 2005 4:33 am |
Caspers mum,
i am sure when you are feeling better and your Mum has gone home you will look back and laugh at the Fireman incident. I can barely cope with my mum for a couple of hours these days. What is it about mothers reducing us to children again and making us feel like we cannot be trusted to make the right decisions for ourselves.
Freefall2
Wishing you all the best for your comming surgery and a very speedy recovery afterwards.
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50, happy reluma user started 16.6.12 original formula. PMD user. started LouLou's ageless regime. |
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Tue Apr 12, 2005 5:07 am |
I pass at least three dead skunks on the side of the road every morning when I drive to work! They’re everywhere down here. One morning when I was pumping gas at the local gas station, I saw a skunk wandering across the farside of the parking lot – I just prayed that nobody came along and honked their horn or a car alarm didn’t go off and startle it so it would spray me....
True story: one of the attorneys I used to work for called in late to work one day, seems she’d had some kind of catestrophe at home. When she walked into the office later that morning, we could all SMELL her before we could see her. The reason? She had one of those “doggy doors” in the backdoor of her kitchen, and that morning when she heard the door thud, she assumed it was her golden retriever showing up for breakfast and so Sally wandered down to the kitchen. She walked into the room and when she saw that it wasn’t Nugget waiting by the food bowl, she started screaming hysterically – which in turn startled Mr. Skunk into turning tail and spraying her. Sally claimed to have bathed in a tub full of tomato juice/sauce and V8 cocktail (hey - she was desperate!) before she came to work, but I can tell you that it didn’t do any good!! For about two months after that, we could continue to smell Sally coming down the hallway...I don’t know how she ever managed to get the smell out of her house!
My sister had a pet skunk (de-scented) when we were kids. It’s name? Pepe Le Pew, of course. You know in the cartoons when Pepe is chasing Jeanette the cat, the way he sorta hops, hops, hops? That’s actually the way that skunks move when they’re showing aggression, except they hop backwards instead of forwards. It used to be hysterically funny to watch Pepe and our dog going at it, fighting over the cheetos we’d toss on the floor. Note: cheetos give skunks bad gas! |
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Tue Apr 12, 2005 5:10 am |
| P.S. Best wishes, Free Fall, for a speedy recovery! |
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Tue Apr 12, 2005 5:44 am |
carekate your stiry was hillarious.
We only get rabbits up here oh and rats (did you know that rats love chocolate. We had them under the decking once in the garden, we had to be so careful because of the cat so we got someone in to poison them, it didn't work. He told us to put down chocolate and shoot them with an air rifle!!!! |
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