Little wonders

What a day off. I had a compensation day today for working this weekend... and it has been full of house projects. I got up early to get going sanding the walls of the bathroom in prep for the final coat of mud.... to hear some chattering. Like large rodent chattering over the bathroom/bedroom on the 1st floor. I climbed up on top of my ladder with a flashlight, and found a gray fuzzy ear sticking out of the insulation. We have a raccoon. I listened a little bit more, and became sure that we had a mama with babies - called my Dad (who had a 'coon as a pet when he was little, and he said that animal control would likely need to be called. I called the contractor, and he (eventually) came over and shooed it out. I didn't hear any noise, so I assumed that it was a male with creative vocalizations. The contractor and I hauled in our 32 sheets of sheetrock, and while we were doing that the 'coon made it back in. We then plugged a few holes, nailed down some boards, and shooed it out again. This time, the contractor checked the insulation nest and found.... 7 babies. I was outside when mama came out, I followed her around the house and she took off into the neighbors yard and disappeared. We currently have 7 baby raccoons in a bucket outside my back window... I hope mama shows up soon and moves them to a new home.