A big brown bat appeared in our bathroom. Okay, it didn’t just appear, it flew around the room to let us know whose domain we had entered that evening. We figured the little guy came in through the vent fan from the attic and got to the attic via the roof vent, though we’re not sure. We opened the bathroom windows and when the bat disappeared, assumed our guest had left the building.
But no. It was still there the next evening. It appears that this critter has decided to hibernate in the shower curtain. That’s where it goes after whooshing around us and ignoring the open windows for a few minutes. We don’t use the bathroom that much (another one is more handy), the tub is full of water (our winter stash in case the pump freezes) and there is the occasional flying insect that happens by (good bat snack). So it appears to be a perfect place for a bat. FYI, big brown bats don’t actually hibernate in our area; they go into a semi-torpor and will wake up and feed on a warmish winter night. Or to remind humans whose shower curtain this belongs to.
Big Brown Bat – Jim Conrad (public domain)
Big brown bats aren’t big, but they are pretty cute, eh?
We hope the little guy enjoys the frost-free nap for the time being. We’ll just bide our time and let it have a peaceful rest. When the weather warms up a bit, we figure we can encourage our house guest to go find a new roost, like one of the dozen or so bat houses we’ve installed. Ahem!
The week has been exciting work-wise, too. I was delighted to be hired for two social studies books for grades K-2 – both challenging and fun topics! Then my editor at Albert Whitman sent a pencil sketch for the cover of my first ever Boxcar Children Mystery! It’s an awesome design and I can’t wait to share it with you guys. And I will, soon!
And, after sending a brand new proposal to an editor at a publisher I’ve never even approached, the editor wrote that she was passing it on to the appropriate editor. Wow, that was pretty amazing if you know this business. And the next day, that editor wrote thanks, it sounded fun and the proposal would be reviewed. Wow again! But, the proposal only had a snip of the manuscript, so I offered to send more (after agonizing about even asking). The next day, she wrote “Sure!” Hokey smokes! After agonizing even more over what that meant, I sent 8 pages as one file and the entire manuscript as another file, why not? The next morning she wrote “Thanks!” It was such a shock to get yet another quick response, I almost wrote, “You’re welcome!” But I remembered about biding our time.
"Be part of something good; leave something good behind." 
Great story of benevolent sharing of space. Or maybe it’s one way: Only YOU know you’re sharing. Congratulations on the Boxcar thing. Will you do more of them?
Maybe 2013 is the year of responding? I hope it all works out! I don’t even try talking to people in line at the Safeway anymore. The other day at some gorwn-up type event someone asked what I ‘Do’. I stammered. I mentioned the weather, I told a joke. So much easier than explaining what we do…
Great story. So nice of you to offer your hospitality. Next thing you know you’ll be driving to the pet store to buy some flying insects, just to make sure it get to spring fat and healthy!!
Congratulations on all the sweet acceptances this past week. Your hard work and gorgeous quality is why the success, not luck. 😀
My neighbor back in Illinois was shaving, when he reached out and pulled the chain that flushed the toilet. (It was a VERY old house in what was then the country.) The water went down and a crow flew out! Something to do with the old pipes leaving air spaces. Needless to say, wife Annette was glad he had an electric razor in his hand.