overease

Though I saw a deer by the side of the roadearly in my stay, and lots of interesting birds, I was very excited to see a chipmunk puttering around outside the cottage yesterday, and then a raccoon a bit further afield. I started to say I hadn't seen a raccoon in the flesh in years, when I realized that I'd actually seen one in Hyde Park a month or two ago, crossing 57th St. Ah well. This time, I got a better look. Its nose was pointier -- more rodent-like -- than I remembered, probably because my primary point of reference for raccoons is an excessively cute stuffed animal I had as a child. But the tail was unmistakable, as it trundled away as quickly as its little legs would take it.