Where Have the Raccoons Gone?

Until this year we were regularly harassed by those masked bandits, every night, trying to rob the bird feeders, or the garbage cans, or whatever, especially in the winter. None this year.

I think we figured it out. Raccoons don’t like coyotes at all, but coyotes like raccoons a lot! For dinner. In the past few days we’ve twice seen a large, dark, dog-like creature striding through the yard, obviously on the hunt. The first time we thought, in the shadows of early dawn, that it had the features of a wolf. Large enough, with a large head and long busy tail. We thought.

A few days later we saw another, also in the dark, and then it seemed a little smaller, tail less bushy, more like a coyote. Since wolves are not seen in the Twin Cities area, it was probably a coyote both times. In prior years we saw stray cats, too, and snowshoe rabbits, but not this year. Our cat has never been outdoors in her life; she’s afraid to go out. Now she has good reason.

Friday, February 4, 2011:

Oops - we ran in the Stillwater Bubble again, but today my left hamstrings had a new pain, not a serious pain and not the one that I’ve had in those hamstrings recently, but maybe enough to be a signal. I ran only a little, walking for most of the hour. It doesn’t hurt when I walk. I’ll skip running this weekend, probably Monday too, and hope that little pain goes away.

Thursday, Feb 3:

Six more miles in the Stillwater Bubble today, 60 minutes, run/walk, no problems.

Wednesday, Feb 2:

Stillwater Bubble, 120 minutes, about 12 miles. I ran the first 5 miles without walking, but felt a little discomfort on the outside of the right hip, possibly the start of bursitis, so I switched to the walk/run method which seems to be easier on my body. The hip quieted down.

I took gels at 40 minutes and 80 minutes. After the first one I felt some stomach upset, occasioning at least two extra trips to the bathroom. That’s not OK - it’s happened other times recently when I’ve taken gels. I have to fix it. First, I will try a semi-long run with gels but without the 16-ounce latte that I’ve also been having before the run. If that doesn’t work, perhaps I’ll try switching from Clif Shot gels to another brand.


Fruit and berries laid out in preparation for breakfasts (we all like this stuff). In just a few minutes, the marble board warms the frozen berries enough so that they don't hurt our teeth.