Taming of the Shrew

I was watching reruns of Angel at around midnight when I heard this loud screeching noise. I thought the cat was trying to scale one of the windows with her claws, but then it continued until it became this eery sound that seemed to be unnatural. I went to investigate with knitting needle in one hand (makes a handy weapon in a pinch) and a phone in the other. My cat was at the base of the stairs interested in whatever was making the sound and as I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw whatever it was had a tail. I assumed she had cornered a gecko and it was now chirping its little head off out of fright. I shooed the cat away and moved my daughter's backpack and there was this smell and I saw something furry. Not a gecko!!! I had a rat as pet growing up as well as mice, gerbils and the like so it didn't scare me, but I was startled to find something other then a gecko in my house (I was however very grateful that it wasn't a cockroach or some hideous bug). It was kind of stinky so I thought maybe a muskrat, but it was mouse size and had a pointy nose and small almost nonexistent eyes. I opened the front door (which it just happened to be near) and shooed it out with a broom. It shot straight outside, much to my relief and amazement. Very delighted that I didn't have to chase a scurrying creature around trying to get it out the front door. Talking to other people and looking on the internet led me to the Musk Shrew. Musk obviously explains the smell and I found out that they use echolocation like bats and dolphins, hence the high pitched eery screeching noise. After going to bed I heard another chirp later. I'm hoping there's not a nest down there in that pile of things that I need to pick up. It's right at the front door where we dump everything and I clean it about once every two weeks so it couldn't have been there long if it has set up a nest. I just hope that it hasn't. I'm scared I'm going to find baby shrews and then I'll feel guilt for chasing off their mommy. It was that or the cat was going to dispose of her and I don't need to find tiny, furry dead mammals in my home left as presents by my kitty kitty. How did it get in is the question so that I can keep more from entering. It may have just snuck inside the door along with us or it came in through a hole. No reason to worry though unless I start seeing more of them. They sure are loud little things, I'll give them that. And stinky too. If I was the cat I wouldn't have messed with it after it started letting off that smell. It wasn't that bad, but I'm considerably bigger and wasn't down on it's level. I'm sure it's more pungent to a cat or other predator.
Hubby comes home today!!!! The boat pulled in this morning around 10, but, of course, they won't let anyone go because they have to muster first....... for 14 hours. I hate this command. If you are thinking of joining the ranks of the Frank Cable, just don't. It might be fine if you're a single sailor, but if you have a family and especially if you are in engineering, JUST DON'T. We've been here almost a year and my hubby just started getting his weekends off. Most of the time he would only get Sunday off (unless he had duty) and during the weekday he leaves at 5-6 in the morning and doesn't get home until after 8 pm most nights. Which would be fine if the US Navy paid overtime because we'd be swimming in money and I would have no complaints. The kids hardly ever get to spend time with daddy and if they get little time I get even less. The CO wonders why the divorce rate on the Cable is so high, well there's your problem. Better organization and leadership is needed and being able to eat meal is a RIGHT not a PRIVILEGE as the higher ups would like you to believe. No use in complaining. There's even a rumor floating around that a wife complained and her husband was given more hours. They also say that the Captain (not our current one) was responsible for the boiler explosion that took two lives last year because he gave the order to light anyways (even though someone said there was a leak) because there was a delegate onboard. Everyone has their conspiracy theories, but there's that chance that it could be true. Who knows, I might get my hubby in trouble just by writing this..... if I thought anyone actually read my blog. Really people, you can leave comments. It's okay.