This Side of the Pond

One skunk is bad enough – a whole family is guarantee of a torturous summer.

Such is the position we are still attempting to extricate ourselves from, after weeks with squatters on our land.

Our first hint of infiltration was a direct spray to the face for the littlest dog on the land, who can fit into the sort of hidey hole that a skunk enjoys for a sleep.

Our second hint came a few nights later. We recently lost our outside cat to old age, but that hasn't stopped the largest of the parents-in-law's dogs from skulking around his nest, hoping to do glorious battle.

We don't know why she contin...