Looks like we’re headed out to the Arboretum today to look at the purty leaves. It beats the wife’s first suggestion to go see “Killers of the Flower Moon” in a theater. She keeps forgetting that I can’t sit that long without straightening my knee, and that neither of us can sit for over three hours in a theater without a bathroom break. I counseled patience, as it will be out on Apple+ before too much longer.
My only experience with bats was going to Carlsbad Caverns and sitting out at dusk to see the huge flock of bats exit the cave mouth for their nightly foragings. It looked like a big swirling tornado, and the flock trailed out over the desert, disappearing into the dusk. Pretty neat.
Just got done with the despised task of cleaning the stove top. I remove the grates into a basin of hot water laced with Krud Kutter, remove and dispose of the aluminum foil I use to cover the stove top, then use pure Krud Kutter to dissolve cooked-on stove top grease. Then I replace the foil with clean new foil, scrub the grates (that’s the worst part), and replace them. Knobs get a scrubbing, too, but if you scrub too hard, you remove the red paint that marks the upright position of the knob. Cheap crap.
Phew. Glad that’s done. It has to be done about once a quarter. Now to try to cook without messing up the nice clean stove. Yeah, right.
MIL went to bed at 9 last night and got up about 9:30 this morning. She didn’t believe me when I told her what time it was! I’m guessing she was pretty tahred… You, too, huh?
I’ve been productive. I made a big pot of navy bean and ham soup, and I’ve got 2 containers of it packaged for MIL. I’ve got 2 quiches in the oven - when they come out and cool, I’ll wrap up 4 pieces for MIL, and the rest will be ours. I took MIL grocery shopping, then to her bank (PNC SUXXXX!!!) before taking her home. And the dishwasher is now sloshing away.
MIL called to tell me her suitcase is still in FCD’s car - I’ll take it when I go back to take her to the hospital. Meanwhile, I have some time to myself - crochet time!!!
The two days of eating junk really messed me up - I’m craving all kinds of junk food now. It’ll probably take a week to purge my system of the sweets and such that I ingested. Dammit.
But for now, I’ll crochet.
Never been a bat fan but, if they feed on mosquitoes, that is a big plus in their favor. LOL
Chefguy when you sleep 11 hours it’s a really wonderful feeling. Happens to me a couple times per year and always after a month-ish of short sleep. You’ll probably be feeling great soon.
Cornmeal pancakes. Hmm. Pure cornmeal, or just a lot of cornmeal added to ordinary batter? Either sounds pretty awesome.
Her Ladyship went to see Killers of the Flower Moon with a lady friend a few days ago. Good but very, very long was her verdict.
{{{Nellie}}}: Yaay! For your triumphant return that is. Seeing well is easy to take for granted until you can’t. happy you’re seeing well again. Good luck w housesitting & leg bending. One day at a time.
I propose a “Lugosi of bats”. It’s shorter and punchier. A “Bella of bats” is more fun to say, but the reference might be a tad too obscure. Especially right now when half the 6yo girls in the USA are named “Bella” after some Disney movie character of a few years ago.
Great idea though; you get all the credit in any case.
From my time as condo prez the thing I really saw is that the last chance to easily make the move occurs a lot earlier than one’s wishful thinking typically pegs it. As one gets slower and less ambitious, the job goes from readily do-able to difficult to not at all do-able at an ever-increasing rate. It sneaks up on folks, even those who don’t have a sudden sharp adverse health event. For those who do have one …
ThelmaLou had a good thread about her recent move that was forced by outside circumstances earlier than she expected. She was initially devastated, but it seems that by the time it was done she was happy for the outside impetus to do the right thing at a still do-able time.
FCM yeah, eating properly on the road is hard work, and doubly so along the interstates. “Hamburger pickle as only veggie of the week” is too true. BTDT. But boy does real home food & real veggies taste good when you get back. So there’s that. 
:yumm:
As to me:
Awoke with swollen jaw glands and a raging sore throat. Thought the throat might have been from stomach acid, but after a bit it was obvious I’d been infected with something. Damn.
Took a 3 hour nap as soon as Her Ladyship emerged in the morning. Slept under the covers in my tracksuit and still wasn’t quite warm enough. Now midafternoon the COVID test is negative and the trip is still on, but has a big question mark over it. I’m still short of sleep and may do the nap thing again here in a few minutes. Gaah!
Swampy’s gay???
I don’t know anything about bats and never had any dealings with them. The hay mow in my previous barn had lots of them but I never went up there. Current barn just has pigeons. I hate pigeons.
Not much new here. Went to the chiro, the gym, the fuds store, the bank. Came home and roll sucked. Currently having a PBJ then I’m going to read.
Cornmeal Pancakes (Johnnycakes)
Ingredients
• 1 cup Water (250 mL)
• 3/4 cup Medium Grind Cornmeal (120 g) (I use Bob’s medium grind cornmeal)
• 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk (310 g)
• 2 Eggs (100 g)
• 1 1/2 cups Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour (210 g) or cake flour
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder (14 g)
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda (1 g)
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Oil (60 mL)
Tsp of vanilla
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over cornmeal and stir until thick. Let stand for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Add in buttermilk and eggs and stir until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Fold the flour, vanilla and oil into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine.
- Preheat a griddle to medium heat. Once hot, portion batter onto griddle using a 1/4 measuring cup. (I like to put a generous dollop of butter in the pan to brown things up nicely). Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges begin to set, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook on the other side for 2-3 more minutes. Enjoy warm with your favorite toppings.
Took me way too long to get that one.
Tell me swampy is still under the weather, without telling me swampy is still under the weather.
The mental image is hilarious.
The hardest part, for a lot of people, is not throwing a mental temper tantrum about getting sent to bed early.
Same, and same.
The frozen crusts are IME utter crap. But the refrigerated ones made by a company that starts with “P” and rhymes with “Illsbury” got a thumbs up from the snooty Cook’s Illustrated folks, and that’s plenty good enough for me.
I’ve had homemade, and I’ve had ^^ and the only difference, to me, is the labor, both in the actual making, and the 
cleanup.
What’s the old adage? “Chickens always come home to roost.”
I’m sorry, this is gonna be harsh, but she created this problem, and now it’s falling into someone else’s lap to deal.
That sucks. For you, the designated lap.
You already know the answer. It’s right there ^^ and that IS the only sustainable solution.
They’re like kittens; I wanna take 'em ALL home!
(The jellyfish, especially.)
How’d the fundraiser go?
It’s nearly 2 p.m. I’m considering it.
I lived there, for seven glorious years. (Hook 'em! \nn/ ) I knew a long time ago that the bats would be one of the top things I’d miss.
Hell, I used to work at the Austin American-Statesman (best job I ever had) so I got to park in the employee lot to watch. Their employee car stickers had a bat - kept that sucker on my windshield for years after moving back to Dallas.
The “bat show” really is something. People absolutely coat the grassy banks near the river, so there’s lots of dogs, toddlers, etc. while everyone jostles for space.
Plenty of mosquitoes, too.
… for a while.
Once it gets close to dusk, everyone kinda quiets. Looking towards the river.
You’ll eventually see one. Maybe two. The brave ones (or extra hungry) scouting it out.
Then a few more.
Then it’s like a living river, absolutely pouring out from under the bridge.
It’s fascinating to try to focus on a single individual - picture rush-hour traffic on a 4-highway grid, but in 3 D - nobody ever hits another, but damn they come close.
I never understood the old nature documentaries about zebra and wildabeest (“There are so many, it’s difficult for predators to track individual prey…”) until I watched the bats. It really is challenging.
Late summer is best - the pups have started to fly, so the “river” doubles in population.
Yeah. They stinky.
But that was a good description of the daytime sound. The area under the bridge is redolent, but the auditory outweighs the olfactory, for me.
High pitched, you can barely hear it … but when several thousand individuals are making the same (to us) sound, trust me, it registers.
Absolutely credit where credit is due. I can picture the fierce stare now!
That is just a giant ball of suckitude, and also, one of my biggest fears.
Oh, give the ol’ guy a call. It’ll give him some break in the sucky routine of his life.
Four hours. Just like me.
The solution is NOT caffeinating. Go pee (that is why you woke up, isn’t it?) and have a snack, smoke - oh, right, not you, that’s me - and then toddle on back to bed.
The ocean will still be there when you wake back up again.
We’ve been fine. FINE! But { sniff } you never called, we’ve been so worried !
(Sorry, that was my mother poking into the chat. I called her last week on Wednesday, I think, and she was all, “You didn’t call Monday!” - my usual day off - and I had to explain, yet again, that telephones are a 2-way technology.
“I wanted to talk to you!”
“So why the fuck didn’t you call? Or better, text?”)
Damn. And here I was, waitin’ for a good story.
(I am genuinely, truly, sorry for whatever it is that happened. I joke, as my coping mechanism for awkwardness.)
Sometimes, when I think there’s no hope for humanity anymore …
Netflix: “Are you still watching?”
I always think of that screen as a little kid poking a dead critter with a stick.
“Hey. You dead yet?”
That must be AMAZE-BALLS.
I can’t even imagine how that must feel.
I saw a video of a woman listening to her dead son’s heart beating in the donor girl’s body, and even my shriveled soul teared up.
I’ve seen pictures of nightjars, are they the same?
Weird lookin’ things.
I’d love to see one in person.
Coupla weeks ago, a customer pulled up to my drive-thru window who I swear was thirteen.
{ tilts head sideways, confused expression on face }
This is now the acceptable term. Thus I have written, and thus shall it be.
One of my few bucket list items is to see one of the big fruit bats in person.
Preferably, to hold it and snuggle it, and then try to steal it for my very own.
Okay, not the last part - my brain is too pragmatic to even let me enjoy my own silly fantasies!
But to experience one hanging off my forearm, even for a moment … ? I could die happy.
That, and seeing the aurora borealis (“Northern Lights”) in person.
My late beloved Other Shoe had a pickup. He’s been dead ten years, and I could still hear him laughing at your post.
Swap “high rise cityscape” for “desert” and you have Austin.
Very good description. “Swirling tornado.” Apt.
Me, too!
(My way is easier: close eyes, go to other room.)
Also, I don’t cook as much as I used to - it’s amazing how much more cooking and cleaning I did while living with men.
This is why God gave us nail polish. Hell, screw boring red … go sparkly lavender for the knob dials!
Put up a welcome wagon for barn owls. Sweet heart-shaped faces; talons primed for pigeon murder.
It’s coming up on Saturday, so we’ll know that evening.
FCD has said he’ll take his mom to the hospital, so I get a reprieve. I just need to pack up the food to go to her. Waiting for the quiches to cool so I can cut ans wrap them.
Afternoon all. Swimming and Sauna are done and the gym scale says I am at 239.8 lbs, so yeah! for finally getting below 240. Of course I came home and celebrated with a Snickers bar, so that shot it all to heck, but still trending in the right direction. Leaving for soccer practice in about an hour, it’s 77f and beautiful outside. Then an evening of sloth is in the cards.
Nellie, nice touch by the Washington folks.
Cookie, enjoy the leaves.
Lucky, I’ve got a glass-top stove, which is supposedly easier to clean but it simply won’t get all the stuff off of it, no matter how much I wipe. Still, probably better than what you face.
FCM, Monday is my Junk Food day (tonight it’s Jack’s, a local hamburger place with good crinkle-cut fries). I can resist it (mostly) the rest of the week.
Did a little research and a group of bats is called a “Colony” or, if flying, a “Cloud”. Some folks use the term “A Cauldron of Bats” which is my favorite.
Pilot, feel better soon.
Shoe, much thanks for the description of the Austin bat show…now dammit, I have another addition to my Bucket list…
OK, nearly time for some TV watching and then dress for chasing 10-11 year old boys around the soccer field for an hour. Take care all.
Started Typing: 3:37 PM ET
Clicked Reply: 5:37 PM ET
Monday, Monday…
It has taken way longer to be able to start this post than I expected, because I have some Definitely Not Genius colleagues – and, unfortunately, one of them works for me. *sigh* In happy work-related news, though, I got a surprise “thank you” for my efforts on a recent document that was submitted to our customer! It required more than the usual amount of editing/formatting: I didn’t think twice about it at the time (just doin’ my job, yadda yadda), but that team nominated me for one of our program’s quarterly awards…which come with $100 bonuses, which I received this morning…and which I have already converted to an Amazon gift card and spent. A little recognition and some unexpected 
are always nice!
I’m ambivalent about bats: I don’t particulary like them, but I don’t mind them. In my late teens/early 20s I was part of a group of friends who always hung out together (ingeniously, we called ourselves The Group), and one of us had a bunch of bats on her family’s property. Whenever we’d hang out around her pool at night, we’d always be dive-bombed by several bats. Slightly disconcerting and scary at the time, but a fond memory now (and my only experience with them).
I am so glad I have no plans/meetings this evening. For the past week or so I’ve been feeling randomly…not bad, exactly, but kind of sinus-y and sometimes a touch congested (i.e., blowing my nose more than usual). No cause that I can figure out so far, but today is one of the randomly sinus-y days. I’m looking forward to logging off work soon and then doing a mess o’ nothing. I actually thought about dinner early and have already preheated the oven (!), and am planning on chicken cordon bleu for dinner; I’ll nuke some frozen corn as a side. I just have to decide what I feel like watching.
I’m a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI): my local chapter is starting a “Women in Leadership” community of interest (COI), and there’s a kickoff happy hour tomorrow. I’ve been meaning to start attending PMI events, and the COI could be interesting, so last week I registered for the happy hour. But I also have long-standing plans to go hear some live jazz in DC tomorrow night: I’ve had a ticket for the 7pm set for three months, and when I decided to go to the happy hour I also bought a ticket for the 9pm set. Tomorrow I’ll decide whether I’m actually up for the PMI event – they tend to not be as good/interesting as they seem, but I could use some professional networking – and therefore which set I’ll go to (there are pros and cons to each). I already cancelled tomorrow’s personal training session, and I’ll also be skipping a volunteer-related Zoom meeting. When did Tuesday evenings get so busy?!
I used to not care for jazz guitar at all, but my appreciation of it has definitely increased over the past 14 years (since I started singing/listening to [more] jazz). In fact, these days I think I’d rather listen to jazz guitar than jazz saxophone.
McD’s has a senior menu?! I had no idea! I honestly don’t even recall seeing senior menus at other places I go; just kids’ menus (and not everywhere even has those). I have no compunction about ordering off the kids’ menu when it strikes my fancy to do so: in addition to smaller portions the food is often “simpler,” which usually appeals to me. Most times, though, there’s an appetizer that will do the trick…or an entree that will reheat nicely.
As MetalMouse beat me to, online sources seem to favor “colony” but there are several votes for both “cauldron” and “flock.”
That said, henceforth I shall refer to a “Lugosi” of bats! 
Welcome back! 
Yaaaay! 
My recently widowed 82-year-old aunt has, on top of some dementia and limited mobility due to bone-on-bone knees, really terrible vision. Understandably, she gets angry – and, frankly, a little mean – when she gets confused/frustrated. I feel like the other issues wouldn’t overwhelm her nearly as quickly/easily if she could just see. (My cousins have taken her to various eye docs, but she’s had lifelong issues with the medical establishment and nothing can be done that she’ll allow.) At least her hearing is still good.
That was so smart of someone!
The first time I worked as an election officer was in November 2020: because of COVID the county didn’t give out stickers that election, and I swear that was the only reason some folks voted in person! They were not happy! LOL!
Keepin’ a few appendages crossed for ya… 
My latest update. Another 3 hour nap, a dose of Dayquil and at the moment I’m 99% normal. Her Ladyship has departed for a long evening out, so I shall consider showering, then go get simple dinner someplace nearby. Like Metalmouse this may be my day for a local burger-n-fries.
Cookie those pancakes / johnnycakes sound wonderful.
Nope. I awaken between 5:30 & 6:30 because that’s the time my body likes to do it. No peeing involved. It takes serious sleep deprivation for me to still be asleep at 7am. It’s weird. It’s not even tied to sunrise, since at that hour it’s still fully dark outside almost all year.
Her Ladyship does bake, and the refrigerated ones the lovely and talented Shoe favors are Her Ladyship’s favorite too.
Very evocative description of the bats; thank you. I’d like to see fruit bats and northern lights too.
Oopsie congrats on an award & some free money. And on a fairly sane day. I did PMI for awhile and yeah, the events weren’t too exciting. They were however less cringeworthy than the networking events for software developers; PM’s have at least a semblance of a social personality.
Howdy Y’all! As promised, sloth has ruled the day. The major productivity was sup gettin’ fixed and et, then the kitchen cleanded up. Day drinkin’ was bourbon on.the rocks while in the N.O. rockin’ chairs on the back porch. We even talked in our “southern gentlemen” accents whilst doin’ so. Think Foghorn Leghorn, but with a deeper voice and you get the general idea.
Pilot and Oopsie feel better soonest. Sounds like how I felt last week.
WetOne SHHH! They don’t know I’m gay.
Nellie welcome back! Yay for improved eyesight. Have fun house sittin’. Also yay for the sticker. I lurve gettin’ my I’m A Georgia Voter sticker with the little peach on it.
lucky ICK! Better thee than me.
Taters hope the flight was uneventful. I gather you are now in Missouri.
And now this… even though it’s probably not the bday anymore.
< AHEM > CLEARIN’ THROAT < AHEM >
HAAAPPPYYY BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAYYY TOOOOOO YOUUUUUU!!!
HAAAPPPYYY BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAYYY TOOOOOO YOUUUUUU!!!
HAAAPPPYYY BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAYYY DEEEAAARRR SSSEEENNNSSSEEEIII!!!
HAAAPPPYYY BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAYYY TOOOOOO YOUUUUUU!!!
I’m with you here. If I had enough table / counter space to properly roll it out, it might not be so bad, but I don’t and haven’t for years, so my skills are rusting away.
I really like the gnomes Mooooom.
Happy birthday sensai!
Yay for better sight nellie! Good to have you back.
Irked, came home, walked Nelson, et and talked to Sis on the phone. She’s supposed to come up Friday. I also have a doctor’s appointment Friday morning, so I took Thursday off to get other stuff done to enjoy a couple of days with her before she heads north to see Dad.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
I just got the following text from my son: “Hi, Mom! Just a reminder to engage the deadbolt on the back door. The raccoons have learned how to open it.”
He’s not kidding. If I don’t report in tomorrow, it’s because I forgot the deadbolt and was hauled to the Secret Empire of the Trash Panda. I’d like to think they’d make me their queen, but odds are, they’d make me their lunch.
Cookie, does the theatre have those fancy reclining chairs? Just wondering if those would help.
shoe, I had to look up nightjars. I like that name! I did a quick skim and learned two things: Night jars have longer bills and softer plumage than nighthawks. The Latin term for nightjar means “goatsucker.” At that point, I decided I didn’t want to know any more.
Seeing better feels like coming home.
That’s a state I know all too well. When I was a teen, I knew a guy who was a carnie. He’d call me once a month, and when he was in town, we’d go out. Actually, he was a hippie who sold tee shirts at carnivals and state fairs, but he picked up so much carnie slang, I couldn’t understand most of what he was saying. (The only term I remember is that cowboys were “goat ropers.”) I did that head tilt/furrowed brow constantly.
Oh, so gorgeous! I hope you get to see them!
I think you’re onto something. I swear my mind is clearer when I can see better. Even though she gets cranky, I feel so sorry for your aunt. It’s a tough road. And congrats on the award!
MetalMouse, congrats on achieving the next goal! It seems you can continue losing even while allowing yourself the occasional treat, which is wonderful and must make it easier to stick to your plan.
LOL!
People can be pretty cool sometimes
Stay warm and dry!
Darn it Ziva, stop worrying Mom, she’s got enough on her plate right now.
You make VERY cute stuff, I hope you do very well for the school.
There used to be water in our lakes and hubs and I loved to go out on bright nights and watch the nightly ballet over the water as they feasted on the night insects.
30 years ago, hubs could hear them ping if he listened carefully but that’s gone now. I can hear them but cannot tell where the sound is coming from, it is a rather odd sound.
Absolutely, plus if there is a window on that end, it will probably be the second bedroom and will have a wonderful view of our fence. People tend to close their bedroom blinds at night and kids tend to go to bed fairly early, so it’s all good. It has to be because I have no say in the matter.
Oh thank you, I love knowing the technical terms for things
Your trip sounds like fun, take pics for us.
Welcome back sensei, and happy birthday!
HURRAY!!!
I’m so glad you can see again. I agree that appreciating what you have is the secret to a happy life.
It’s a colony, but I agree will also be using Lugosi of bats from here on.
I have also been to Carlsbad Caverns and yes, watching the bats billow out of the cave at night is pretty amazing!
There’s always a gray lining in every silver cloud.
Back when I was growing weed, I paid big bucks for small cans of bat poop, that stuff is magic for plants.
Have a very safe and fun trip!
Wear it with pride! That silly sticker was the only reason I voted in person (it was a bother because I couldn’t vote where I was working so had to rush off to a different poling place when ours was slow enough). Once they started sending them out with mail-in ballets, voting in person went away.
Oh neat, I need to check with Mom and see what she thought. I know she enjoys getting and opening the boxes, but I think that she forgets about them afterwards.
Bats can eat up to 1200 mosquitoes an hour. Love them so much just for that!
Well, dang. Get better soon!
You’re slowing down, girlfriend 
Ain’t no shame in using store bought crusts. I would like to be able to make pie crusts like they do on that British baking show, but kinda figure that as long as the filling is good and the crusts aren’t soggy…nobody is really paying attention to the crust anyhow.
What a beautiful and loving description, thank you for sharing.
Be very careful, the raccoons got three more of chicken man’s birds a few days ago. He only has one left and says he can tell that she’s really lonesome.
We’ve been seeing raccoons here, usually drinking out of the deep birdbath (the shallow one is really tippy). Someone local advised putting onions around the fence line to keep them out, but I have my doubts.
Evening all. Soccer has been practiced and dinner consumed, so just chilling on the MMP until later into the evening. down to 57F already but with my space heater at 2/3 power I’m nice and toasty.
Oopsie, $100 is always a nice surprise, glad someone recognizes you. And I usually have those ‘not sick but not entirely well’ days in Jan/Feb, so far this year I’ve been doing good. And networking with professionals versus some live jazz…I know what I would choose, but then again, I’m retired…
Sensei, a happy Hippo-Birdie Two Ewe.
nellie, please don’t get eaten by raccoons. We’d really miss you in the MMP…As for occasional treats, hit the Halloween candy bag again, glad they are such small sizes…
Pilot, hope you’re feeling better.
OK. need to finish the evening internettin’ and be thinking about bed-time. Take care all.
When I was a child, discovered we had bats roosting between the old cabin wall and the new addition. I loved waiting for nightfall to watch them come flying out. But in the morning they would wake us up with their reentry boasts and fighting. Eventually, my dad sealed the gap and no more bats for us. I have successfully rescued bats at the office but the first time, I didn’t know not to place it on the ground outside so I doubt it survived. Now I know to place it in a tree or bush instead.
Twas a good weekend but my body still protested the alarm telling me it was time to get up and go to irk. Next week, that alarm is going to start buzzing two hours earlier. but only 4 days instead of 5. And then of course, we’ll revert to standard time right after. I hope my body doesn’t go on strike over all the alterations.
St. Paul has been hosting peregrines for years. We all cheer on the successful fledging of more pigeon hunters.
Mooooom, those critters and trolls are so very cute. I want the crab! Or maybe a troll. Or the jelly…
I’m sorry the BIL situation is ongoing but glad you are able to support MIL as well as share your soup with her.
Cookie, sounds like maybe you went to Mayslacks. When Stan Mayslack ran the joint, nothing was better than his beef sandwich. The bun usually disintegrated from the juice. Congratulations on all that sleep. I am just a touch green with envy.
Nellie, your not going to jail? You need to try harder. Sorry to hear the knee is still swollen. But very glad that your vision has improved so much. Keep focusing.
Oh dear, I hope is is a short infection. Lots of water, and maybe a tequila sunrise for the throat.
If you missed it, I had a possum in my kitchen a coupla weeks back. (I’d left the side door open for my own furry buddy to wander in & out. Wasn’t expecting a BOGO sale.)
Possums are hissy, look like rabid rats from the gates of hell, and fall over fake-dead (“play possum”) when you attempt to shoo them back outside with a broom.
Raccoons are smart, have insanely dexterous hands, and know full well that they’re cute enough to (mostly) get away with their bullshit.
If one is gonna wander into my kitchen again, I want the dumb one who isn’t gonna open all my cabinets before I notice.