Gone Squirrelly

So was Sex in the City's Carrie Bradshaw about right when she said squirrels are rats with cuter outfits?

One fellow journalist walking in Union Square (New York City), saw a squirrel drag an entire copy of the NY Times up into his nest. He lost a few sections on the way up but got most of it in there. I'm thinking maybe he was a literate squirrel, a member of the squirrel intelligencia - or maybe he was in it for the crossword.

One day I heard chattering outside my front room window. Poised on the back of the willow rocker on my porch, probably staring at his reflection just two feet away, a fat squirrel. I stared him down, and he fell off clumsily -- ha!That's what peeping Toms get.

My dog chased him into our drained swimming pool that had about a foot of water and a bucket we'd used to finish draining it. He sat on the bucket, dripping, miserable, cursing in squirrel at the top of his tiny lungs, black eyes huge and accusing. We tried to extend every kindness, a ladder, a pool skimmer. Finally, we dangled a stretchy hose and after about a dozen exhausing (but amusing to watch) attempts, he finally scrambled out and ran off screaming about the poor service he'd received at our resort and how he wasn't going to come back.

Problems with squirrels? Might want to check this out:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRR4bOquEKQ&feature=related

According to National Public Radio, squirrel cuisine is gaining in popularity in (squirrel-ridden) England.No word on if it tastes like chicken, but you might want to check out this fine menu of squirrel recipes that includes Cajun Squirrel, Chicken-Fried Squirrel, Crockpot Squirrel, Easy Squirrel BBQ, Fried Squirrel With Mushroom Gravy, Squirrel Cacciatore, Squirrel Casserole, Squirrels in Cream Sauce, Squirrel Creole, Squirrel Croquettes, Squirrel Kabobs, Squirrel and Noodles and Squirrel Nuggets.http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zsquir.html

And there's always the old-fashioned fix, a nice, soft squirrel coat:http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Russian-Squirrel-Fur-Cape-Wrap-Stole-Coat_W0QQitemZ250245236440QQihZ015QQcategoryZ63862QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem