Never a dull moment at the rancho. If the appliances aren’t failing, or the trees falling, then the white-tailed deer have broken into the back yard again. Indeed, the deer have returned, smashing their way through the makeshift lattice work I installed last summer to try to save money (always a big mistake) rather than fix the section of privacy fence that a falling tree eclipsed. The deer are hungry and thirsty of course. It’s cold and dry. And the juniper pollen in the air has kept me inside like the Prisoner of Zenda (if that’s not too obscure a reference these days), so I would not have known about the deer but for Mr. Boy’s sharp eyes this morning before he left for school. Of course they have eaten the antique roses to stems again. This time I have called in a carpenter to come replace the fence, but of course he can’t come until tomorrow. I believe I will invest in either a Wrist Rocket sling shot or a Red Ryder BB gun to harrass the deer in the meantime. Shooting anything more powerful–like a .38 for instance–is illegal in the city limits and the Bambi lovers would go berserk if their precious marauders were severely injured. Don’t need to be arrested or draw an animal rights demo out on the sidewalk. So patience is in order until the carpenter comes tomorrow morning.
UPDATE The carpenter came, did his work, and for about $600 we have a new cedar privacy fence which should keep the deer out for good. The first one who tries to jump it will wind up hung up in a large shrub, but you never know. Bambi is used to roaming at will in our neighborhood protected by city law, too few animal control folks to do anything, and the morons who sprinkle corn on their lawns. Oh, well.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 