jungle

I live in a jungle. Or at least it seems like I do. Starting at about 6pm, the bugs and birds find their voices, and they are not beautiful voices. Wild animals roam the yards before the sun comes up and after the sun goes down each night. I saw a muskrat the other night. Who knew they lived in Peoria?

Not only do jungle-like animals/bugs/birds reside all around me, I am also surrounded by people who sometimes act like they belong in a jungle or a zoo. And while I may be referring in part to my children, I am also pointing fingers at all the odd people I happen upon each day. For example, I just saw two men drive down my street with a fake siren stopping at people's trash cans to find hidden treasures. They had a torn mattress and a broken computer chair tied to the top of their van and stopped to at a trash can to pick up a broken bat. I wonder what they are going to do with all that junk. I understand the old adage that "One man's trash is another man's treasure," but I wonder if that statement is always true or if that junk will just end up on their porch. I have seen a couple drop their groceries and argue until they are literally red as I entered the grocery store and walked out of the grocery store to find the same couple kissing a little too provocatively for my taste. Umm. Get a room. Or a new habit. I have seen several accounts of shoplifting. It's amazing how quickly it can be done and how it seems like the scoundrels will never be caught. They probably will, if I can catch them, someone much more important will too soon.

Luckily, I don't get out of the house much. Since I only have the car once a week, I only see the stranger crazies on that special day of the week. However, I get to see a whole lot of crazy in my own house. Mya and V are little animals. If I had to compare Mya to an animal, it would be a tiger. When she's friendly, she is as cuddly as a kitten. But man, if she is hungry or tired, she can turn and pounce on you in a minute. And after she is done pouncing, you feel ripped to shreds. Pleasant, huh? Don't worry, she only pounces a couple of times a day and normally gives me a couple of hours to recover between spells. If I had to compare V to an animal, it would be a monkey. She is long and skinny. I feel like her feet dangle for miles. And her arms have an uncanny ability to reach things I wish she couldn't. Her ears are kind of pokey-outey like mine and so her lack of hair and the funny faces she makes always make me think of a monkey. (The following pictures were taken from my iPhone.)