Ziba and THE STORM

Well we had an interesting night. The storms that the news is still talking about this morning here in southern VA were loud - the tornado warnings had us all listening closely to the wind in case of the "freight train" sound. We unplugged the TV, VCR, Internet and all that. After losing two televisions in this house, we don't play anymore - however that also had taken away our way to know what was going on around us.

I was sleepy though. That was the best thing for me to do - go to sleep and sleep through the storm. Right as I drifted off, Ronnie JUMPED out of bed, grabbed his gun, and ran to the front of the house. My heart started racing but all I got out of my mouth was, "WHAT are you DOING?" As if he were doing this just to wake me up. All he responded with was "I heard something."

yeah, thats comforting.

He throws open the front door and I hear ALL the neighborhood dogs going CRAZY. Ziba was obviously being loud too. I am usually more worried about Ziba frustrating our neighbors. Ronnie starts yelling from the front porch.. "ZIBA! ZIBA!" I am REALLY more worried now about Ronnie - its one thing for Ziba to make the neighbors mad, but Ronnie yelling at her might just put them over the edge. I am behind him (inside the house) watching out the door.

Finally Ziba comes running back to the house, Ronnie had watched her chase something down our driveway, and around the abandoned house across the street twice when she just decided to come back to the porch. She was terrified. At least Ronnie said she was, I didn't get that close. About the time she gets to the porch, our neighbors down the street turn on their flood lights and BANG! One shot..... This makes Ronnie go back to the edge of the porch. About that time. BANG! A second shot.

The flood lights turn back off.

I have no idea what they were shooting at. Did they see the creature Ziba had been fighting with under our carport? Were they shooting because Ziba had made them angry? Were they shooting warning shots because Ronnie was yelling? I am just not sure. But regardless, it took me a while to get back to sleep of course. Ronnie said it was either a Coyote, or Fox or something... I am not sure Ziba could have scared off a Coyote without getting injured, so I think it was something smaller... We think whatever it was, was taking Ziba's food - and well - no one messes with Ziba's food - she is VERY protective of all things FOOD.

So, thats the excitement of the story, lightening, thunder, tornadoes, dogs barking, guns firing. Just a normal night in southern VA.