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We've returned from our latest vacation. I pretty much live for these wonderful breaks in the monotony of labor. Carole and I have been lucky enough to pick some great vacation spots the past few years. One thing we enjoy doing is seeking out the freshwater springs in Florida to explore.

As usual, we enjoyed seeing the wild critters who inhabit these places. This time, however, we interacted with some of them a bit more than usual. We had a particularly stubborn raccoon at our campsite. This one managed to steal our hamburgers while our backs were turned, one of Carole's water shoes (why it wanted that, we haven't a clue), and I had to stand guard with a broom while Carole grilled salmon fillet so that the raccoon couldn't chase her away from the fish.

We reluctantly notified the rangers who set out traps. And that's a story unto itself. First, the traps succeeded in capturing only an innocent opposum, and later a scrub jay arrived to steal all of the bait out of the traps. Raccoon had three wins and a draw. And I had to carry a big stick to get the draw.

Cute? Not really. A very aggressive critter. I suspect it was a pregnant female in need of many calories. I had to stand guard with a broomstick while my wife cooked on the outside grill.