Arm Yourself!!

So the other day, we were getting ready to eat lunch, which we often do.  And I looked out the kitchen window, which I often do.  But what I saw was NOT something that I often do. 

Initially, I thought it was a cat, because we do have a few neighborhood cats that cruise through our yard until Charlie (our dog) barks them away.  But this was MUCH uglier than a cat. 

Wait for it... it was an ARMADILLO!!!!

Yes, we live in a city (albeit small).  And yet here this ugly, varmint was, right in our own backyard.  He was absolutely destroying the yard (which is mostly weeds but still) rifling around in the ground for worms/nuts/grubs, whatever!  He looked a lot like a pig digging in the ground.  And he could dig fast!  In the time that we were watching him (20-30 min. tops) he probably dug 20 or more holes...  Stupid thing...

So Andy did the only logical thing... he called the police (not 911, just the local station's #) and they told him that he had their permission to take care of it if he wanted to.  He would've too, but his guns weren't here, so they said they'd get something together and be out. 

About 5 minutes later, we saw the armadillo head for the border (fence between ours and our neighbors yard) and then we saw why, one of the city maintenance men was headed towards him with a rifle (or something like that, I don't know my guns...)

Luckily, the guy was a good shot, and got the armadillo in one shot.  It flopped around in the leaves for awhile before dying dead for good. 

Ira watched the whole thing unfold in utter amazement, while I couldn't hardly keep myself off the floor laughing.

As the maintenance guy was carting the varmint off on a shovel, Ira said, "Mom, what do you think they're going to do with that armadillo?  Turn him into carpet?"  I kind of smirked, so he changed his mind and said, "No, they're probably taking him to jail." 

Let me just say, it was the kind of entertainment you just can't get from TV.  It definitely made my day/week/year? 

Fun fact, did you know that armadillos can carry leprosy?  Who knew?  And that leprosy can be treated by antibiotics now?  Crazy stuff! 

Here is some pictorial proof of the nasty thing in our yard.  The photos kinda give me the heebeejeebies just looking at them...

 What I saw when I looked out the kitchen window

Grody-ody thing

  Nasty ringed tail