Fratoytes

Last week I had to boys with me at Safeway. We get out of the van and Merrick goes "Mommy look, a coyote". Sure enough...there he was...a smallish reddish coyote in the Safeway parking lot. One of the many new forms of wildlife I've had to get used to.

Actually, there isn't much to get used to with coyotes. They don't bother you if you don't bother them. They keep very much to themselves. I personally had never seen one before moving here. The first time I saw one, I was getting onto Houghton and he was standing right on the side of the road with his tongue hanging out and his ears were bigger than his head. My first thought was "Oh he's so cute!!!!" Then my second thought was "He could eat my baby!!!"

Since then, I've seen one walk through my back yard like he owned the development (no worries, I have a big fence...no coyotes coming in here) and of course I've just seen them out and about. I have no hard feelings towards them. They are a roomie I don't mind sharing space with. The only complaint one could have around here about coyotes is the ruckus they make.

The first time I heard a coyote it took me a second to realize it was a coyote. I'm so used to hearing dogs howl and bark in the country. Kevin left the windows open one night and I heard this soft/high pitched howl. It's just what you would think a coyote sounds like. That "woo woo wooooooooooo...". That was the FIRST time I heard one. Then the next time I heard the coyotes...I heard what a coyote sounds like 90% of the time...

As mentioned before, Kevin opens the windows in the house on a nice night. It gets the house aired out and we get to hear the desert sounds. I not only hear the coyotes, but I hear a bat flying by and insect sounds.

One night, which happened to be a game night for AU, I heard what sounded like people whooping it up. My first thought was "Oh guess AU did good on their game tonight". Then it just kept getting louder and louder...it sounded like I was living next door to the stadium (which I don't...). It took me a while...but I realized...it's not people making that noise...it's an animal... more specifically it's a coyote. And when we leave our windows open at night...we realize just how much those coyotes like to party...

The next morning, I was talking with a lady I walk with on occasion. We got on the subject of coyotes and she said "They sound like a bunch of frat boys during a party." I had to laugh because that's exactly what I thought they sounded like. I had even made it a habit to turn to Kevin when I heard them and go "Oh listen the coyotes are going 'WAZZUP!!!' " (because seriously, it sounds like that...). Hence the nickname fratoyes.

My in laws came to visit around Thanksgiving. They went on a few day excursions around the area. After one excursion, they told us they learned why the coyotes make their noise. Apparently, after a coyotes in the pack catches something, they fight over who gets the prey. One would think who catches it, gets it...but the truth is...they have to fight for it...so that would explain why sometimes I do hear what sounds like fighting when they are doing their thing...One could imagine the coyote conversation:

"It's mine...my turn!"

"No me, I'm pregnant!"

"Screw you! I'm older."

"Screw you both! I'm contribute more to this pack."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"..."

"Well?"

"Give me a minute, I'm thinking...."

Either way...they bother me none. I kind of like hearing them, knowing they are there...and they are taking care of themselves. Seeing them, is just another thing that amazes me about living there. Never a dull moment.

I tend to live in places that are never dull...which is good...