How to Evict A Raccoon in Three Easy Steps

Step One: Determine that there is a raccoon living in the ductwork under your office building. It helps if your office building used to be a house.

Step Two: Empty an entire box of mothballs into said ductwork under the building as raccoons can't stand the smell and will voluntarily leave.

Step Three: Evict humans for the rest of the day as they also can't stand the smell.

Really, it's that simple!

Our Honorary Aussie Turns One

My how time flies... our honorary Australian, Wyatt, who was born on Australia Day last year, has turned one! He's a very happy chappy - and who wouldn't be with such a great honour bestowed upon them?

The Problem With Flea Markets

As I think I mentioned to several of you, I recently toddled off to the local flea market in search of gifts. The problem with this is that I didn't find any gifts, BUT I did find something for me... two 1960's vases in Art Deco style that I just KNEW would look wonderful on my mantlepiece. And they do! Given that they were half price, I just couldn't resist.
Another problem with flea markets is that they tend to lead a person to searching out other places with old stuff. All research for gift buying, of course...

I discovered an antique mall, and unfortunately for my bank balance it had a few things that I simply had to have. In my defense, I did wait a week before I bought them. And the first one is actually something I needed - a bedside table. No more cardboard cylinder with a sarong thrown over it for me! As you can see it needs some work, but since it was only $35 and it has all its original handles, I thought it was worth it.

Of course, once one has a 1940's bedside table one's 1990's digital alarm clock just doesn't look right. How lucky I was to find this little gem - a 1940's Westclox Moonbeam electric alarm clock.

It had a ridiculously bright bulb in it, which made the lucite case get way too hot (and would probably keep us both awake at night), so I replaced it with a much lower wattage one. The alarm works, too, and is actually a little less annoying than the one I had before. I didn't know they even made electric clocks back then.

All in all, a productive bit of flea marketing, I would say. And I did find the gifts I was looking for, I just need to mail them now...