For want of a possum box.....

...you know the rhyme don't you? Here it is in case you don't. Of course you'll notice the original version is about a nail but it amounts to the same thing. You see we have our own version of this going on right now.

It all began a few months ago when Tom and I had a discussion about all the work we still have to do on the house. We moved into this house 2 years ago and there was a flurry activity before life got incredibly busy and it was all put on hold. With my impending freedom from Uni we are planning to get back into the decorating and renovating. Anyway, during this discussion I suggested we make a start on the easiest job, that is painting the office and laying new flooring in there. The conversation went something like this....

Tom: Good idea, we'll have to move everything out of there.

Me: Yes, where will we put it?

Tom: We could put it in the shed while we paint.

Me: But what about the possum?

Ok, slight diversion here....we have a possum living in our shed. This is a slight problem because we are already storing most of our furniture and several dozen boxes of books out there and the possum has no respect for our belongings, if he wants to sleep, pooh or pee on them he does. But he's cute. Cute and protected (and I mean legally) despite the fact some people find it entertaining to shoot them off roofs and so on (you know who are). So we have to show some consideration. Tom grew up on a farm and has some experience of possums (and trust me it didn't involve building them mansions). However, he now works beside the people that enforce that protection. They are his workmates, it would be embarrassing to evict a possum and something terrible happens and we are discovered and charged with possum cruelty...or whatever. And of course we like the possum, he's cute and funny and finds strange places to sleep in the shed and doesn't care when we find him and stare at him and talk loudly and take photos. Here he is sleeping in a strange spot...see his ear sticking up? Cute eh?

So back to the conversation...

Tom: Well, there's nothing for it, we'll have to evict him.

Me: Oh no! Where will he live?

Tom: I'll make a possum box, leave it in the shed with some fruit so he can get used to it then I'll get the possum trap from the farm, catch him in it and move the box -then him - to a tree.

Me: Ok. Off you go then.

..........some months time later.....

.........and later still..

.......and last weekend.....

This possum box is a sight to behold, it is luxury possum accommodation, it even has a porch. I go out to the shed and look at the possum box and come inside and look at my house and fantasise about living in the possum box.

So getting back to the point, the continuation of our entire decorating and renovating activity is reliant upon the successful eviction and rehousing of the possum, which was reliant upon the building of adequate accommodation for him.

Crazy isn't it (oh and I'll post photos of the penthouse when it's finished)?