Houseguests

We've been dealing with house guests, and not the good kind. No jokes about mothers or mothers-in-law here, please, as a) it is Mother's Day when I'm posting this, and b) we love to have both my mom and Ed's mom visit.
Nope, our problem is of the four-legged and fuzzy variety. As TJ calls them, "schwirrels."

It all started a few weeks ago when I heard the pitter patter of little feet over my head while sitting in my office. I will lay it out there--I am a big fat chicken. I know it's more scared of me than I am of it, but I just kept thinking of that scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Not so much this one, but more when the front door opens and the squirrel launches himself out. I did not want that to happen to me!
And of course, most of the squirrel hunting took place while Ed was at work, so I couldn't even just pass the buck. Fortunately, Kelly, our babysitter is an animal lover and fairly fearless. I peered over her shoulder as she shone a flashlight into the attic crawlspace over my office and confirmed the squirrel's presence.
A quick trip outside, and we saw the squirrel's handy little hole in the siding, with easy access to our roof. He even popped his head out and waved to us.
Squirrel 1, Rubles 0

After watching the squirrel leave "home," we concocted a plan that involved a 32-foot extension ladder and a board. I don't have a picture, as we were a bit busy, but picture two girls about my size trying to carry, raise, and use that big of an extension ladder. Humorous in itself.
Ed told me later that his plan involved a pellet gun, but we don't have one and Kelly didn't want to hurt the squirrel. With the kids watching in fascination, Kelly steadied the ladder while I climbed up it, hammer and pre-nailed board in hand to cover the hole. I thought I was being all smart in starting the nails, making my job easier at the top of a precarious-feeling ladder. The point was later made that screws would be easier to undo than nails, but we'll get to that later. With a few good whacks, I secured the board in place. Ha ha, sucker!
Squirrel 1, Rubles 1

The next morning, I heard the pitter patter of multiple, smaller feet. Apparently it was a mama squirrel and had babies that were trapped inside. ()#$#$(*&! Fearing dying baby squirrels (okay, so while I'm not a squirrel fan, I don't want them to die, and I certainly don't want them to die in the crawlspace--that just becomes another stinky problem).
Another trip up the ladder, wishing I'd used screws. Fortunately, I only had to pry at one corner of the board to remove it. It plummeted to the ground, narrowly missing Kelly. I scurried back down the ladder before mama squirrel or poor dehydrated baby squirrels could shoot out of the hole and seek revenge.
Squirrel family 2, Rubles 1

After an unsuccessful insulation-covered trip through tight crawlspace to try to extract the baby squirrels by hand (bless her!), Kelly brought two Have a Heart traps, baited them with peanut butter, and positioned them in the attic. Thomas, who HATES peanut butter, was grossed out by the use of it and now calls the p.b. "schwirrel peanut butter." Not sure he'll ever eat it now. Three days pass. The squirrels don't touch the peanut butter or the trap. I continue to hear their little feet, day after day. Sometimes the mama squirrel sits on top the roof peak, taunting us.
Squirrel family 3, Rubles 1

After doing some "research" online and heeding Ed's suggestion (who, thanks to long hours at work and a business trip, was a very minor player in this whole saga...), I bought a box of moth balls, which are supposed to keep squirrels away. I scamper up the ladder again, a handful of moth balls in hand. I nervously and quickly pop 8 moth balls, one at a time, into the hole and cross my fingers that it makes the squirrels' cozy home uninhabitable.
Later that night, Ed sees a squirrel dying in our backyard. We convince ourselves that it's the mama squirrel and that she's eaten a moth ball.
Squirrel family 3, Rubles 2

For the next week or two, I hear sporadic squirrel activity overhead. Apparently the moth balls didn't exactly detract. And based on the noises, it sounds like mama squirrel is still around.
Squirrel family 4, Rubles 2

Then, a couple days ago, I realized that I haven't heard little feet for quite a few days. Could it be that they've moved out? Hooray! Who cares what the score is...our attic appears to be empty again!

Now we just need to pull the ladder out again and tack that board back up before the next animal moves in...