This morning I had a surprise visitor from a Santa impersonating squirrel.  I was in the next room and I heard a plop and the fireplace screen door opening. I went in to investigate and IT WAS A SQUIRREL that had come down the chimney.  A squirrel, in the house, running around crazily and bumping into windows and jumping on things.  Neither of us were very happy about the situation.  Here's what I learned:

While I do fancy myself as someone who's good in a crisis, it turns out I do freak out and squeal loudly and talk to myself when there is a wild animal loose in my house.

Emergency pest control services cost $195.

Apparently the "emergency" part does not mean they come quickly.

(two hours later) Opening all the windows, channeling the Three Blind Mice farmer's wife, and shooing it with a broom works just as well, thereby saving us $200.

I feel like that $200 is now mine to spend as I choose.

Louie is not a hunting dog (remember how he's not a watchdog either? When will he earn his keep?).

While he didn't trap or chase the squirrel, Louie was a good wingman, standing in the doorway & preventing the squirrel from running into the rest of the house.

Wild animal stress will drive me to eat all the Trader Joe's peanut brittle 3 hours after I swore off sugar.

The stress of being cooped in a human home drives squirrels to wet their nonexistent pants.

Also, google images even has something fitting the search term "santa squirrel":

. . .

Best of .09: Best rush.  Well, I'm inclined to say this squirrel-chasing thing was quite a rush.  But I guess I'll have to go with the shock in receiving the Zero to Three fellowship and attending the first retreat.  If a rush is measure by adrenaline and heart rate, I'd say mine hit a year-long high when I was presenting my project to that group and the mentors, all eminent leaders in the field & heroes of mine.  

Oh, but I reserve the right to change my answer after I take the young women I mentor at church on an adventure at the end of the month: skydiving in a wind tunnel.  Gulp.