Once upon a time, there was a forest that had long been cursed by a cold and frightful winter. The cause of the curse was complex, as were the reactions of the animals - this fairy tale is not about the socioeconomic status of the forest, the historical implications of weather patterns, or the cultural ramifications of seasons. This is just a story about a hedgehog named Martin.

Martin liked berries. All the animals like berries, but Martin especially liked berries. Berries were rare in the snowy forest, so when a denizen of the forest found them, it was a special treat. Martin knew all of the bushes where berries grew, and he slipped out early early in the morning to make sure he got all the berries before anyone else woke up.

If he saw little field mouse plucking a berry before he got there, Martin would curl into a ball and roll against a tree with a low branch, knocking down a big chunk of snow right on top of field mouse. Field mouse, a timid soul, skittered away, leaving the berry for Martin. He poured water around the foot of the bush near bluebird's nest, so bluebird would slide and skid and not be able to land and pick a berry. Martin had a trick for every animal so he could get every single berry for himself.

Now I won't say that Martin makes the curse any worse, but he doesn't make it any easier on anyone else in the forest either. He uses the cold to his selfish advantage. He takes something that has been dangerous, even deadly, to other forest animals, and makes it into a way to outwit other animals and get his way. There's something insulting about that.

Martin the hedgehog is not going out of his way to make or keep friends...and I would not blame you if you, having met a hedgehog like Martin, decided that they were not worth the trouble to be anything but coolly polite to.

Once you get things settled with the RD (or however high you need to take it), I would suggest keeping your valuables in a safe, secure place.