Nocturnal Creatures

Ah, winter in Key West! Beautiful blooms on the bougainvillea, blue skies, and highs in the 70s. With nights in the mid- to low- 60's, it makes for some perfect sleeping weather....all windows open, my linen curtains blowing in the breeze. Unfortunately, we had to close the windows this week to get some uninterrupted sleep. It is sad to have the air conditioner on in this gorgeous, breezy weather, but the comings and goings in our front yard have been keeping us up. We had new sod put in while we were traveling over the holidays. It is just gorgeous - bright green and uniform, unlike the straggly stuff we had before. We are enjoying it, and sadly, so are many of the feral creatures that roam the streets of mid-town Key West at night.

It started with the chickens. I started hearing a strange noise through the open windows, and eventually caught a rooster and his girlfriend making baby chickens in my new green grass. I scared them off many times and he must have found a new date spot. Until this week. Mr. Rooster must have realized that while I may yell out the window or squirt him with the house during the day, I'm probably not going to get out of bed to do it in the middle of the night. So he's been back. And he's been busy. Apparently word has spread to the cats who call this area of town home, because they have been making one heck of a racket as well. Without getting too graphic, mating cats produce a terrible sound, a wail/growl/scream combo that is hard to forget. Not something you want to be woken by....scary! And loud if it's right under your bedroom window.

I feel like we should start charging rent! What is going on? There are lots of places chickens and cats can get busy.....why do they have to do it in my yard in the middle of the night? Last night was peaceful with the windows shut, and John and I got a good night's sleep. We need to make a plan to keep these amorous creatures out of our space so we can enjoy the rest of the winter with the windows open. I haven't been keen on getting another dog, but this week I'm thinking we just might need one. A big one with a taste for chickens and cats.