“Remoted” Workday 205 / Day 311 (Thursday)

The elusive, out of focus Squirrel King.

This morning offered another sighting of the magnificent backyard Squirrel King. Every now and again, I see a squirrel perched on the peak of my shed, surveying my yard and the neighboring yard in the morning light. Today, the squirrel was especially large – close to the size of a small cat. The bulky beast sat still while I attempted, unsuccessfully, to take photos with my cell phone from between the slats of the mini-blinds. Usually, before I can even grab the phone, the elusive critter has already skittered down the slope of the roof and onto other adventures. 

The tree in the yard behind mine has branches that don’t just hang over my shed, they recline upon the roof of my shed, which is likely the red carpet path to the shed roof. Maybe someday I’ll have the resources to climb up and trim the branches. For now, with no cutting tools beyond a small branch lopper that is inadequate for much more than twigs, trimming the neighbor's tree encroaching on my air space remains an item on a lengthy list of home and garden projects.

Later in the day, I learned that January 21 is National Squirrel Appreciation Day. Who knew? Ok, my cousin obviously knew because he posted it on my aunt’s Facebook feed and that is how I found out about it. The appreciation of the impressive size of the squirrel on the shed during the brief morning visit was coincidental.

A quick search on Google revealed that this date has been Squirrel Appreciation Day since 2001. How has this important information escaped me? Granted, on that first National Squirrel Appreciation Day, I was in Seoul, South Korea, where I had been since November 21, 2000. I’m pretty sure the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS, also known in our home as A-Farts) didn’t cover National Squirrel Day in between the screenings of Happy Days, Oprah, and the military network news which included the dates and locations of upcoming civilian protests outside the Yongsan Army Base and weather reports for Vladivostok, Russia. There was already a lot going on. National Squirrel Day must have been lost in the flurry of other important information.

Over in Seoul, while National Squirrel Day was being launched in America, we were enduring a winter with multiple record-breaking snowfalls, for which I was blamed by the now ex-husband, who was certain I had brought the New England winter weather with me. We were a week shy of our three-month wedding anniversary, with just a few weeks left in Korea before we returned to the states. That explains my not knowing about Squirrel Day in 2001, but what about the next two decades? I must be living under some major rocks. 

Squirrel Nut Zippers!

At least I know about it now, and I can begin plans for next year’s celebratory recognition, which will certainly include Squirrel Nut Zippers – both the caramel candy and the swing band, and acorn shaped treats. How could it not? If I can rustle up some of the delicious, special caramel and peanut candies, maybe I can enjoy a belated celebration this year and try to make up for lost time.