Party Animals

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I am writing this at 1:17. IN THE MORNING.  The kids are in my bed where they are a snoring tangle of suntanned limbs and dinosaur pajamas. I however, am unable to sleep, what with the wild party going on in the backyard. I am trying hard to ignore it, but the revellers have Van Morrison’s “Greatest Hits” cranked on the stereo and “Brown Eyed Girl” is winding its way into my brain like a hot corkscrew.

This family is new to the street, and so I have been holding out hope that they have just not figured out the rhythms or social rules of the neighbourhood. But this is the 3^rd night this week they’ve been at it, and it’s getting progressively worse.

About an hour ago I awoke to the distinct sounds of ice cubes clinking against glass and water splashing.  At first I thought it was the neighbours next door out for a midnight swim, so I wrestled my pillow back from my daughter and tried to get back to sleep. But the longer I listened to the noises outside, the stronger I felt the burn of agitation rising inside of me, coiling and twisting itself like a vine around my already worn patience. I jumped out of bed and crawled on top of my dresser so that I could see out of the window. I was blind with sleep, and so my shouts were at the general darkness and I wasn’t able to discern any one.

“Hey! We’re trying to sleep in here! It’s after 1 o’clock for crying out loud! Some of us have work in the morning! “

Okay; at 1 a.m. my language was most likely more colourful than that, and I have only tentative plans for tomorrow involving matching odd socks and eating grilled cheese sandwiches.

I turned around to go back to bed, but something caught the periphery of my vision. I heard snickering , and so I looked back again.

There they were.  Six raccoons lounging my hot tub, all of them giving me the finger.

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Filed under Family, Irritation Level: High, Music

Tags: Animals, backyard party, Family, insomnia, kids, Parties, raccoons