Hi everyone,
Home again and back on the job. Yesterday I was delighted by all the wonderful birthday wishes. I’m sorry that I was on the road much of the day and had no way to respond. We got home at 3:00, unloaded the car, read through three weeks of mail, went to birthday dinner, and came back here for ice cream and cake.
As everyone was leaving I noticed a Missouri brown bat clinging to the brick wall in our living room just above the sofa. 
While we were away the dining room door blew open one evening and I suspect the bat flew in with it. We were surprised when the security folks called to say a motion detector had gone off. Police were summoned but found no evidence of break in. 
Now we know who the culprit must have been. Jeff brought me the plastic container my cake came in and I used it to gather in the bat. 
Jeff and I took the bat outside where I placed it in the fork of a hackberry tree. 
When Jeff checked on it later, it was gone. I hope it found water and food. Next time I look up into the evening sky and see a bat swooping and darting after insects, I’ll hope it’s my birhday bat.
Birthday bat. Title for a new book for you. I love bats. Glad everyone is home safe. My mother frighten me of bats when I was a kid. She was always afraid they would get caught in our hair. Dad said they had sonar and would turn away as they got close.
Good morning, Mary Nida. Birthday Bat. Hmmm. Might be a possibility there. Thanks! And yes, I remember those old tales about bats getting into your hair.
You’ve reminded me of bats that sometimes clung to a screen on a window in our house a long time ago. We never figured out what made that screen special. Happy it was an easy catch, but love that you made it a gift. Glad you had a nice birthday!
I bet the screen provided excellent toe-holds for the bats. They’re fascinating little creatures and the only true flying mammals. Thanks, Linda.
David’s Birthday Bat
Of all the presents
I received,
my birthday bat
made me most pleased!
Wonder how it
got inside,
waiting while
I made my ride?
Perhaps it knew
I’m nature’s man,
and came inside
with some grand plan.
To live inside
and watch me write,
share my house
without a fright.
Make those turtles
toe the line,
no more cold –
that’s mighty fine!
But back outside
it had to be,
my gift a thrilling
memory.
Good morning over there in Colorado! I love your poem, Susan. If I’m ever reunited with that bat, I’ll recite this for it.
LOL! Thanks, David! Glad you and Sandy are home safely. See you in a few days!
Instead of a hat
A birthday bat
Clings in wait
On the dining room wall
Hoping for cake.
Sadly, a whiff and a fork is all
birthday bat got
so it echolo-cake-ed to a better bat spot
Ha! Thank you, dear Cory. My bat and I both enjoyed it. Frankly, I think my turtles are getting jealous!
He found a bat when he got home –
asleep, but young and healthy.
They’re in the bathroom, den, and porch,
but so far, not his belfry.
And thank you to you, Matt, for another good grin for the day. My belfry has enough already stuffed into it so I’m glad the bat went elsewhere.
I had bats driving me crazy this winter! Even wrote a series of blogs about it (really it would have been just one except the bat/bats kept appearing!) called “going batty”. Hop onto my website to take a gander if you’d like…the following is the first post:
https://www.janinescorner.com/single-post/2018/01/08/driving-me-batty
It was fun to host them, but my fear was for their well-being.
Happy Birthday a little late David. Sounds like it was quite memorable all around!
I enjoyed your post, Janine. Hope you don’t have any more uninvited guests!
And thank you for the good wishes. I had a great birthday!