Step aside Goldilocks

So...I was at the mall the other night and got a call from my neighbor on the cell that there was a bear in the back yard of my next door neighbor. You heard me right...a BEAR. I was beyond surprised. She said that they (other neighbors) had all stopped in front of the house with cars still running and doors wide open to check out this site. He was up on the playset in the back yard.

My first thought should have been, how cool, the girls would have loved to see it. But Oh no, my thought was, Chuck is miles away in another state and I have to get home before it gets dark so I can water the garden with out running into our new neighborhood mascot. I am playing out the whole imaginary scene in my head. How would I ward off a bear with my garden hose and BB gun??? We quickly ended our trip and got in the car and headed home. All the while I was trying to down play the whole thing so the girls wouldn't be scared.

As soon as we got home I got my garden boots on to get out there and water those veggies. Just as I was another neighbor lady drove up in her golf cart to say she heard there was a bear over here and wanted to see if we had seen it. I am thinking to myself, the sun is going down and I need to get these plants watered so I can get inside, I don't have time for chit chat. Instead I say, come on into the garden and we can visit while I water. She does and we do. I turn around and notice the door on the guest house (above the detached garage) is WIDE open. First panicking thought...the bear is up there. So with my neighbor in tow, I climb the stairs (listening first) to check it out. Now I would be lying to you if I said my heart wasn't pounding just a little faster than normal. By now the sun is down and it is dark. I lean in and turn on the lights. Whew. I thought for sure I would find remnants of scenes out of Goldilocks and the 3 bears. I was just positive there would be the table thrown over to the side and the cupboards wide open and a big ol' black bear sleeping in the bed. But, nothing. No bear. No mess. The door must have swung open in the wind or something.

What a crazy night full of drama. I have enjoyed living out in the country. I guess it does have its ups and downs. I am all the more praying for out home to sell so we can reunite with Chuck. I mowed our 2 1/2 acres myself yesterday and felt pretty proud of myself for getting that done and being brave enough to investigate the possible bear in the guest house. And I am not sure what I would have done if I did come face to face with a bear sleeping in the bed. I hadn't gotten that far with my plan.

Here is a picture from my neighbor of the bear. He is cute, but look at those claws.