My front porch is about 22' wide, across the front of the house. And it's 6' or 7' in the other direction (out from the house.)

Two-thirds of the width is screened, and a nice place to sit and rest or read or (almost) whatever.

I decided to eat supper there this evening, at the far end from the exit--in the screened area.

I wouldn't say the raccoons are trusting or anything, but one of them came onto the porch, took a look at me, and began eating from a bowl of food I'd put at the end by the door to the outside. He(?) looked at me a couple of times, but nothing deterred his eating. His food was about 8 or 10 ft. from mine.

I finished before he did, and I quietly went inside, not making any eye contact. He looked a bit nervous, but I got inside fairly quickly, and any threat I might have been faded (in his mind) compared to that dish of food.

It's really nice to have a raccoon as a co-diner.

Other than that, it was an IUD.

It's now about 8 PM, and fully dark.

Before I came back to the computer room I tossed several handfuls of dog biscuits out the side door. They were cheerfully received by the masked ones.

They seem to recognize (and accept) the cats as the dominant four-leggged ones and don't fight over any kibble I may toss out.

The cats--being cats--accept the dominant role as The Way Things are Supposed to Be.

I hope there's something on TV other than the Democratic Convention. Maybe the educational channels and/or PBS?