We all live in my house

I have a fairly old house (built 1926) in an older neighborhood--I've lived here about 18 years. Over time, I've noticed that the official residents (me, Bill, Mop the cat) are only a few of the creatures who actually live here. In the basement lives BC, a semi-feral cat who comes in for pets and purrs and food (and to scare Mop, which is easy). If she weren't there, I'm sure some other mammals would be...probably not as cuddly as she is. On the main two floors, it's us and the insects, including the water bugs that live in the drains (we call them Palmetto bugs, but you might call them flying cockroaches..they're very big and very black) but fortunately they only drop in occasionally in hot weather, mostly. In the eaves (I mean inside, behind the facia boards) is a family of starlings, who have resisted all attempts by wildlife people to keep them out humanely (the wire contraption over their entrance seems to suit them just fine as a nice doorway). In the attic I'm quite sure we have bats, and possibly possum(s). I definitely see both very near the house when I sit out on the deck at twilight--evening for bats and early morning for the possum (it also eats BC's food on the porch). There may be squirrels up there too, but I've never seen them. Everywhere are ladybugs and spiders, hopefully eating all the other bugs. I'm sure this menagerie sounds horrifyingly unsanitary, but over the years we've gotten immune to each other's microbes, I think. With a few exceptions, we don't get in each other's way. It's strange to think of living in a house with only people now. And when I hear bumps in the night, there are lots of natural explanations...

(no subject)

It's ladystarlightsj's birthday! Happy, happy, happy! Hope you have peace and joy, today and every day!