Carnage in the Hood

It’s hot here in North Texas. We had the cooler streak for a week or so and then the serious heat arrived.

And right on queue, the nitwit brigade on NextDoor is castigating anyone walking their dogs when it’s over 85 degrees and posting “Did you know” posts about dogs and heat. For what it’s worth, You have until 11AM or so around here to get your dog walk in. Then, it’s best to wait for dusk. When I left this morning, it was 83, when we returned, it was 88. What parts of the walk were sunny, the sidewalks were still cool from the overnight temps. There’s a lot of shade in my neighborhood anyhow.

That said, I get it. So do my dogs, who mostly lay around all day now, each in their favorite cool spot. Aria’s is next to my chair in the office, with the fan blowing on her. The don’t move for anything. The mailman gets a pass, as does the Amazon guy.

They literally can’t be bothered.

Unless it’s a critter – Squirrel, Mouse, Rat, Cat.

Then, it’s game on damn the heat.

When I’ve been out in the garage working, Jasper became super interested in one area. Didn’t know what it was, but he wanted to find out. Didn’t think much of it.

Then Sunday evening as I was watering the gardens, I was summoned by Herself to find out what the dogs were up to. Jet was by the side door, fixated on the space behind a filing cabinet. Jasper was on the other side, on top of a cedar chest focused on the other side.

Did I mention it was hot as hell?

So I get to moving things around. Pulled the cover off the chest, and saw rat droppings. Uh-oh. When I tipped it up on end a rat ran away towards the shelf at the garage door.

Game on.

So I rolled the compressor hose to shoot air under the generator and behind the shelf to flush the bugger out. Nothing. No love. Meh. Good try.

I finished what I was doing and headed in, with full flopsweats.

When it was time to feed the pack, they were nowhere to be found. Not Good. So I venture out to see what’s up. That’s when I saw this:

They’d ripped the inner fender out of my car.

The rat left the garage and went up into my engine bay. I’m guessing it’s the same one, as I’ve had this happen before. He’s usually in the space under my brake master cylinder, sitting on the insidew fender.

After I had a screaming fit, I grabbed a flashlight and the compressor hose, and popped the hood. Two seconds later, Jasper is up on my engine sniffing. Good thing I had been parked for a few hours. He wasn’t where I’d figured, but was probably on the battery side, given Jaspers nose.

So I blasted air and this happened:

Epic beatdown. Jet ended up getting him. He gave him a chomp or two, went to take off with him and puked all over the poor dead rat. I’m guessing it was nasty, or had a full bladder. Who knows.

So I had another carcass to dispose.

Not long after the excitement, our Son, who as far as the dogs are concerned causes the sun to rise and set, came over. Took them some time to cool down.

Big day for them, heat or not.

Later on I put a rat trap out in the garage to maybe get any of the rat’s buddies that may be around (Nothing in it so far), and ordered a new inner fender. I’m not sure the entertainment was worth the $35 (with shipping).

And I’m sure to roast installing it.