08/24/2026
We all just kept yelling, “WHAT is that?” in panicked confusion. At some point, you think our collective intelligence would figure it out, but we still didn’t think it smelled like a skunk. By then, it was too late because that smell was everywhere—on our rugs, on our hardwood floor, on the corner wall. At some point, she even grazed a basket of clean laundry sitting on the floor {I found that one later}. Jamin coaxed her back outside and immediately ran water into her mouth and on her face, where she’d taken most of the hit.
In the meantime, the inside looked like a panic-cocaine version of that scene from Mary Poppins where they clean up and acknowledge their efforts with a rousing song, except instead of a poised and beautiful Julie Andrews, I ran, yelping commands in a choked voice with nothing but a ratty T-shirt and puffy eyes. I’m pretty sure I did an awkward granny panties flash, so the kids can add that to their growing list of traumas. Opening the windows would only let more of it in. I had an immediate headache. It was so bad that one of our kids tossed their cookies. We read later that this is a common reaction. All three dutifully followed shouts and commands in between gasps for air and gagging noises. They knew that it came down to survival, and we had to get the oil off the floors and everything else. But hey, props to us for working as a team when we all just wanted to cry.
Need a good laugh? It’s the two-year anniversary, and whenever she runs through the morning dew, or gets a bath, or it’s raining… she still smells. COMMENT SKUNK for the whole story on our site today!
https://www.thehandmadehome.net/bad-things-happen-in-threes/
