When she wants to come in she lets herself in through the heating duct of the trailer. Well she has been around two years and one and half litters (she is expecting any day so be prepared for the pictures). She is as a part of Connor's life as is bath time or homework.

Last October when the kids were out for either a teacher planning day or just a school break (They have so many these days it seems) we were having a quiet day indoors. The weather was chilly and Connor had been sick.

So Connor was watching his movies and I was working on my writing. Kevin was being Kevin of course. I admit I was deep in my thoughts when the whole thing unfolded. I felt something run across my bare feet. I knew instantly it wasn't Kevin. I jerked my feet up just as Kevin can running around the table. Connor having a view from the sofa of everything started screaming with delight as Kevin chased this thing.

"Look Mama! Look!" Connor hollered at the top of his lungs as he jumped up and down on the leather sofa. "Kevin has a little friend!"

I didn't want to look. My mind thought "Field Mouse!!!" another creature I can't really stand but didn't want to see killed by the Kevin the great hunter before both Connor and my own eyes. Also didn't want to have to clean it up afterwards (YUCK!!!) but as Connor joined in the chase I realized that I had no choice.

It was then I realized it wasn't a field mouse. It was too big to be one of those things. Besides it had a bushy tail but not as big as a squirrel's tail. It hit me instantly. It was a chipmunk. It had the same markings as Alvin and his little brothers from the movies. I found out as it raced crossed my keyboard. Kevin right behind it.

I panicked I am not so ashamed to say. I jumped on the glass covered kitchen table and screamed. This got a HUGE laugh from Connor who was still trying to help Kevin out. I called my friend Dawn. She is the only human great hunter I knew. Our conversation went a little like this...

"DAWN! DAWN! There's a chipmunk in the house!" I am sure she had to hold the phone from her ear.

"What?"

"There is a damn chipmunk in the house and Kevin is chasing it! Connor put that damn thing down!!!!!!" Connor is holding it out to Kevin by the tail.

"Well catch it." Dawn is very logical about these sort of things.

"HELL NO!!!" I hear her laughing as I jumped up and down on the table. Still a little surprised that I didn't break the table.

"They are harmless." she was still giggling at me.

"I don't care! Connor put that damn thing down! It might have rabies!"

"Well let Kevin kill it." At this point she was trying her best to still control her laughter.

"Then I have to clean up the mess. I don't do chipmunks unless they have a hit song under their belt and wear sweaters."

"I don't know what to tell you." she was losing it. I was sure I wouldn't hear the end of this when we went to work that Sunday.

"Dawn I have to do something. I am standing on top of the table." she didn't hide her laughter after this confession. I knew I was not going to live this down and I didn't. At the time I didn't worry about that. The dang thing had ran under Connor's father's recliner.

"I have to call Arty." I told her before hanging up.

If I thought Connor's father would be more helpful. I don't know why. I mean he would have laughed at this when we were together. Now this would just be great comic relief for him.

"Arty there is a chipmunk in the house."

"Catch it. I can't do anything about it. I am at work." he was a little short at first.

"I don't know how and it's under your chair." he started laughing.

"Well flip the chair over and then open the front door." I could hear his co-workers laughing. I realized he had put me on speaker phone.

"You are no help!!!!!" I hung up on him. By now I had climbed off the table.

I walked around for the next twenty minutes scared to death (I know silly). Finally the chipmunk came out of hiding. The sleeping Kevin and my eagle eyed son went into action. The chase resumed. I opened the front door. With a broom in hand I shooed both Kevin and the chipmunk out the door.

After a while I got Connor settled down. We laid down together for a nap. I thought the whole thing was over. WRONG!!!! Connor woke me up with the chipmunk dangling in front of my face by the tail. I screamed!!!!! I jerked the thing out of Connor's hand and threw open the door. Kevin went right after it.

I think this chipmunk had like a million lives or so. He came out yet again when Connor's father came home. He laughed and kept saying how he was amazed that I was scared of such a small thing. I tried to tell him, I was a city gal. I had never had to deal with such a thing.

The chipmunk either disappeared or Kevin ate it. Not sure which but I didn't see another again after that day. can't say I am the least disappointed. Still spring is around the corner and I am sure that I might have yet another run in with the dang woodland creature as soon as Kevin sees it.