Play-Doh(n't)!!

This past Tuesday was trash day. The trash truck tends to come pretty early in the morning. We can't take the garbage out the night before because of these guys (or girls or whatever):

Raccoons suck. I bet you all know that, though. And they are really smart. But, I bet you all know that, too. They come out of the woods behind our house and get into ALL of the garbage cans. It doesn't matter if you have a lid or even if that lid locks, they still get into it. They kind of remind me of a toddler in that way.....
So, we can't take our garbage out the night before because the darn raccoons rip it to pieces. Our stupid neighbors (who are obviously not as smart as raccoons) haven't figured that out yet and about once a week we end up with their garbage spread across our yard.

So, since we can't take the garbage out the night before, we have to get up early enough to get it out before the truck comes. My husband usually does this before he leaves for work, but this past week he was out of town. So, at about 7:30 I remember that it was trash day. I looked out the window to see if the truck had come yet. It hadn't!! Woo Hoo!! So, I took the garbage out. I figured the truck was coming soon, so I wouldn't bother actually putting the lid on the can. (I bet you are guessing where this story is headed, aren't you?? Well, keep reading because you are wrong!)

So, I went back inside and was getting my children dressed for a church activity we had later that morning. About 20 minutes had passed since I put the trash can out. I heard a strange noise outside.
"Oh crap!!!!" I thought. "I bet those freakin' raccoons are tearing up the garbage!"

I peaked out my front window. I couldn't see the garbage can because of where my van was parked. Something across the cul-de-sac caught my attention. It was something big.....sitting on the roof of the house across from us. In fact, it was four or five somethings big.....



Can you tell what they are?? Immediately after noticing these nasty, feathered beasts sitting on the roof, I saw something move in the neighbor's yard that is to the left of my house.



Eek!! Vultures!!!! I had seen them in other people's yards, but we had never had a problem with them before. I knew I needed to get the lid to my trash can and get it on before they had their way with it.

I slipped on my shoes, ran out the garage door, grabbed the lid and headed out and around my van. I noticed one of our bags of trash, sitting at the end of the driveway, ripped open.

"You stupid birds!!!" I yelled at the birds sitting in the neighbor's yard. "Don't you have an armadillo you should be fighting over somewhere??"

I rounded the van to head for the garbage can and, much to my surprise.......



I came face to face with more than 30 Vultures!! They. Were. Everywhere!!!!! They were in the road, on the rooftops, in my yard, in the neighbors yard. They were everywhere!! I ran towards them, full speed ahead, screaming (after I went in and got my camera, of course). The majority of them flew away and onto nearby rooftops and you'll never guess what happened.......They sat there, watching me. I cleaned up our garbage. They waited. I cleaned up neighbor number one's garbage and flipped their lid closed. They waited. I cleaned up neighbor number two's yard and flipped their lid closed, and they ALL flew away.

Oh, oh, and you want to know what it was that was sooo irresistible to them.....?? Was it the chicken bones?? Nope. The bacon grease soaked paper towels?? Negative. It was.....Play-doh!!!!! I'm sorry, but I see these nasty birds ripping apart dead rodents on a daily basis and they are going to rip into my garbage for.... PLAY-DOH?!?!?! Seriously?!?!?! I thought they were carnivores! Makes me wonder what exactly they are putting into play-doh these days. Hmmmmm, maybe I should reconsider letting my children play with that stuff.