Our guests - a squirrel family.

I have been watching with utmost fascination, a squirrel family that has its nest in a corner of our bathroom, in the space between the mosquito proofing and the window. We’d shut the window at the onset of winter in early Dec ’09 and stuffed the space, between the warped window and its sill to prevent the cold winds from blowing in, with old cloth. Towards the end of the month, while both of us were away, the parent squirrels- or was it the efforts of the ‘father’ squirrel or the ‘mother’ squirrel, I really do not know- had set up their nest taking the cloth and some other waste material from outside, as assistance. There didn’t seem to be much of activity thereafter, but towards the end of January there were routine trips made by either of the parents out of the nest and out of the safe environment to bring in feed for their offsprings! Another fortnight from now should see the new born ones scampering in and out of their environment to get used to the ways of the big bad world!!

The same cycle of activities were witnessed by us a year back, when there were five newcomers and boy, didn’t they make one hell of a racket with their playful activities? And like what I’d done last time, this time too, I shall have the nest shifted to a tree nearby once the baby squirrels are able to take care of themselves and have the window opened to get ready for the hot summer.


Tailpiece.

Murukesan, my brother-in-law, was taken off the ventilator on Monday and shifted into the ward yesterday. He has difficulty in moving his left hand and has a problem in vision of his left eye. He’d have to be in the hospital for another week says the doctor and through physiotherapy, should be able to regain his health. His folks’ efforts have definitely helped him tide over that difficult period!