Owl vs. Devil-bird

It's fall again. And you know what that means. We sleep with all of the windows open! It's just like sleeping outside, except there's a screen between un and the bugs.

Oh wait, check that. There would be a screen if not for little Miss Essie who likes to leave the back door open for the dog, mosquitos, and other assorted wilderness creatures to enter uninhibited. Last night I was assaulted by a marauding mosquito that snuck in with the help of his "littlelest accomplice."

The other night we were sound asleep when who should come a-calling but "Devil-bird". Or something. Who knows what it was, but it perched just outside of our window and began to screech at 500 decibels. My wife, who can identify all of the birds that frequent our backyard by sight and sound, woke up and said those infamous words feared by husbands everywhere, "What is that??"

I have a little trick I've learned over the years whereby I insert the heel of one hand into my ear, thereby creating an impromptu ear plug. It worked, and I fell back asleep, but the next morning Monica said she thought she heard the bird, or whatever it was, being...eaten. By an Owl. There was a scuffle outside, some thrashing, the sound growing fainter, and then finally silence.

Good. Maybe the Owl didn't like all that racket either.