Where the wild things are

I know for most of you having wild animals roam through your backyard is no big deal. I however live in the 'burbs, so when I suspected that raccoons were visting our yard, everyone thought I was nuts. Every morning for the past few weeks the cushions on our patio furniture were awry. Last night my son knocked on our bedroom door to tell me that raccoons were pulling the cushions off the patio furniture and peering in the screen door with no fear. I've seen raccoons in the yard before, but they were just passing through. We thought the fountain attracted them, and our neighbor's fruit trees, but they've never stayed long. Raccoons and possums are the largest critters we've seen, but I've heard stories of coyotes leaping over fences to dine on small pets as closeby as Yorba Linda...thankfully we have no pets at the present time. The raccoon at the door must have been providing a diversion while a partner managed to make off with one of the cushions. We saw it disappearing under the couch but did not realize that there were two raccoons and this morning when my husband picked up the cushions and replaced them, I realized that one was missing. I guess they are furnishing their "den" with new decor -- my throw pillow will make a lovely addition. I didn't want to approach the raccoon and figured he'd move on, since they've never done any damage or actually stolen anything before, but we're going to have to lock up the cushions for safekeeping at night, I guess. Only we would get the Tony Duquette of the raccoon world shopping for home accessories...