Last month I was away in Utah for over 2 weeks. My worries that Ryan would be lonely without the kids and me was completely unfounded. Mice moved in to keep him company.
Ryan was awakened each night by the sound of their scratching and crawling and munching! At first he would flick the light on to frighten them away. But they became more and more comfortable in their new abode so Ryan had to come up with new ways of keeping the rodents at bay. Hissing like a cat, creating a rattle out of popcorn in a bottle and yelling. And yet he didn't think to get rid of all the junk food around his computer.
Well, I am not one to share a home with mice. After being rudely awakened one night upon my return to the sound of a mouse eating Ryan's Reese Peanut Butter cup and seeing one scurry across the kitchen floor I made it my duty, nay, my quest to rid ourselves of these unwelcome squatters.
Firstly, I had to throughly clean the pantry and seek out any evidence of tampering. Thankfully everything was clean and no "trace" could be found.
Off to the store I went to buy electronic vibrators, traps, poison and Reese Peanut Butter cups. Armed with my mouse arsenal I went forth boldly and bravely to battle. The Electronic vibrators didn't so much deter the mice but excite them. The poison on it's own was avoided as if they knew exactly what it was. And the traps with tasty bait lay empty, bait gone without setting it off. What to do?
I then began lacing the bait with poison. Not wanting my children to play with traps I set them after bed. Shortly after setting a trap I returned to the kitchen to see, to my astonishment, the bait already gone. As long as they ate the poison inside I wasn't too upset. Setting the trap again I went into the living room to watch movie with Ardie. Halfway into the movie I heard the much hoped for and yet gruesome snap of the trap. There lay my prize. I was victorious. Exhalation surged through my body... then the horrifying realization that this beast that lay dead on my floor, that I KILLED, must now be dealt with. With queasy stomach I mustered the courage to clean up my kill and dispose of it properly.
Since that night our home is much quieter while we sleep. And sleep I do... no guilty conscience gnawing away at my peace for my murder.
7 comments:
You have officially made my skin crawl. If you don't know how much I hate mice, check out the "mighties" link on my blog.
EW EW EW.
I'm happy you're the victor. I couldn't deal with mice in my house.
I'd move! ;)
I hope you threw the successful trap away. Thinking of you removing the captured critter out of that trap is too much!
Don't be deceived. Where there is one mouse there are others near by waiting their turn to taste the victuals in your kitchen, by your computer or in the basement food storage area. Good luck mighty hunter!
That house has always had mice. Remember when Pat Crouchy convinced mom to put mothballs in the basement and we stunk of mothballs at school for months?
As for mouse traps, I remember having some sort of a deal with dad when I was a little kid. I got something like a quarter for every mouse I trapped and disposed of but I didn't get paid if mom saw the mouse so I had to be discrete.
Maybe Joe could do the dirty work for you so long as he can remember to wash his hands.
Sharon,
Please refer to my May 22 & 23, 2008 postings on my site entitled "Unbelievable" and "Accomplishments". I can almost totally relate to the psychological distress this rodent has caused you. I say "almost" because I haven't had to actually catch the creature myself. In my house, that falls under that category of "man's work".
Since my May posting we've had two more "incidents" which have resulted in the disposal of two more dead rodents. The most recent was this morning. I've given up on blogging about it anymore because it seems to be becoming more and more part of our daily life, rather than some usual event. Now, that's disturbing.
How funny! You are a great writer.
Hey Sharon,
I stumbled onto your cute blog. Love this post, and seeing what you are up to (shoveling the snow off the roof..good work!). I hate mice as well, and I'm glad you were victorious in your quest.
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