ITS A BIG BAD WORLD OUT THERE, BABY GIRL – COYOTES!

We had a wonderful evening last night, meeting in “real life” Margaret and Ian, two part-time RV’ers who we met on the internet as friends of friends.  Although they were getting ready to take off on a little trip of their own, they took time out to meet us for dinner at the Blue Adobe Grill in Mesa, AZ – their selection of a restaurant that didn’t require US to drive forever on the unfamiliar streets and freeways of the Phoenix metro area.

I thought that when foodies met foodies over food, they talked about food.  We all hit it off so well that the subject of food never came up, even though our dinners were delicious!  We talked travel, we talked mutual friends, we talked cats, then talked cats again… and suddenly our margarita glasses were empty, our plates were clean, and we were the only diners left in the place!  Thanks, Margaret and Ian, for such a fun evening!

Guided back home by our trusty GPS (no need to turn on a map light and squint at street signs in the dark), this is the sight that greeted us.  It was so warm and friendly that Odel turned the jeep around and returned to the entrance just so I could get the photo.  :)

As always, Luna the explorer was glad to see us.  Later, as we settled into bed, a sudden and unsettling chorus of coyote yips, yelps, and howls arose RIGHT OUTSIDE our window!  How does The Night Before Christmas put it?  “When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter!”  It wasn’t Santa!

We didn’t spring from our bed; instead, we opened the bedside window and peered out.  Luna crept close and gazed with focus into the darkness, listening very intently to the piercing chorus.  Maybe they were saying, “come out, come out, tender little kitty…”  Really, they must have been within a dozen feet of the window.  Howls rising and falling, new voices joining the chorus from 20 or 30 feet away.  Hair-raising.

Luna is a creature of habit (wonder where she learned that?  ha-ha) and her morning habit is to meow loudly and without a break until the door opens and she hops outside.  This morning, for the first time in the last several years of travel, she made not a peep. 

No meows when I threw off the covers.  I came out of the bedroom to heat the water for tea… silence.  I shuffled up front to open the windshield curtains – her cue to jump down the indoor steps and push her nose against the front door while her voice rises to a screech – Luna simply jumped to the dashboard for a through and searching look around.  Quiet.  Still.  Scared straight!  Yes, it can be a big, bad world out there, Baby Girl…

(Afternoon update: Luna has regained her confidence and visited outdoors under our protection, but I suspect she might give us a break in her morning demands for a bit.)