They're Back!!!

Remember I said some time ago that we have a large population of possums here in Fullerton?
Well, a couple weeks ago, Jim saw these little critters in the church parking lot close to the church entrance. There were four little ones.
Unfortunately, (or maybe fortunately for us?) there was a cat lurking nearby, and several days later, Jim discovered the sad remains of baby possums. They really are kind of cute when they are little. And they are also very fiesty! If you get too close to them, they will hiss at you!
One evening last week, we saw this mother possum drinking water on the patio cement next to our house. She did not try to run away even when we came close, so we wondered if she was ill. But then, it had been very hot that day, so we reasoned that she must be dehydrated.
Yesterday, we started to smell a horrid odor (reminiscent of a dead lizard behind a cupboard in Cameroun...), and started to investigate. The smell seemed to be coming from a lower kitchen cabinet. After cleaning out a couple of the cupboards, and finding nothing (whew!), we proceeded to investigate the bottom part of the outside of our house. Jim found a vent-hole that was missing a screen, AND lots of flies, AND a horrific stench! A flashlight illuminated our "possum friend," now deceased.
I've said it several times before, and I'll say it again to you--living in Africa was great preparation for living here in southern California! We didn't have possums there, but we did learn how to cope with many other difficulties that weren't always pleasant!