Relight My Fire

The last few weeks, since I discovered classic disco DJ mixes on my Premium You Tube channel, I've been reviewing many compilations. Some are good, some are not so good and some are just going through the motions. But this mix, it is the BEST I've heard so far. Puts me in a good mood. And I need to be in a good mood because I almost tripped over another goddamn mouse in our house yesterday.

I was making my homemade applesauce and I opened the pantry door to get a bowl and the little bugger scurried out! WHERE ARE THESE MICE COMING FROM?!

This has to be the worst year for field mice invasion of Casa Tipton-Kelly. Honest to God, these frigging mice! I am not sharing my house with mice!

I think this is the same mouse that was in my bedroom last month. I don't know where it's been hanging out since then because I totally cleaned out my bedroom including pulling all the rugs out from underneath my bed., where I had them stored. I put cedar wood in between the rugs. Mice don't like that smell. 

I sprayed with mint last night. They HATE that smell. It's a bit overpowering for me too. I don't want to do that all the time. 

I pulled out the rest of my mousetraps. The lethal kind and the TinCat which catches them live where I dispose of them at the Broadkill River (appropriately named although I do let them out live, after I relocate them it's up to them to survive). 

Last night I briefly considered getting another cat, this time an adult cat. I checked the Humane Association's website and there was a thirteen and a half year old calico kitty up for adoption, no fee. Her name was "Sweetie Pie", which is a term of endearment I've often used with my favorite pets and people. I filled out the adoption papers online before I went to bed. When I informed Bill this morning of what I had done, he wasn't for it. He said "Just get more mouse traps", and you know what? He's right. I really can't take care of him and a cat, at the same time. Plus, cats no matter what their age, like to climb counters and Bill (and I) hate to see a cat in a sink. My brother's cat practically lives in his sink (she likes to drink from the tap).  So this morning I sent the Humane Association an e-mail withdrawing my application for an adoption. It's just as well, having a cat or any pet would severely restrict my future travel plans. 

I was feeling down about this whole situation this morning but my spirits are miraculously lifted now listening to this DJ disco mix. Brings back great memories of when I used to go to the after hours club in Philly and totally immerse my self in the beat while I danced with my sticks. I still have those sticks too. Maybe someday, when I get out of the caregiving business and disposing of field mice invading my house I'll have a few more opportunities to immerse myself into The Beat. But for now, I have a mouse to catch.

MORE MICE!

Dryer exhaust hose, hole is on the bottom where you can't see it 

 Where are these mice coming from? 

Since my last post I've caught TWO more mice in my Victor super duper traps. TWO MORE MICE! 

WTF? Where are them coming from? 

I've checked the usual entry points (the garage) and set traps along their usual route. No mice caught. Yet another one got in last night that I promptly sent to Mouse Heaven. The night before I caught another mouse, a pregnant female! The one I caught last night was also a female. Mouse Heaven baby.

So I was in a predicament? How are these mice getting into our house. This morning my good blogger friend "Woody in Ohio" provided the answer. They're getting in though my dryer vent! DAMN!

He said he had mice getting in though his dryer vent. When I read that I pulled out my dryer and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I went out side to check the outside vent, yep that's an easy entry point. When I got back inside I decided to clean out all the muck on the floor (fourteen years of accumulated dust and dryer lint) and just on the off chance I placed my right hand around the metallic four inch house and viola! There was a HOLE on the bottom of the hose, not visible by my newly cataract corrected yes. So that's how the little buggers are getting into our house. Well, I'll take care of that.

I called Scott K., my local handyman who helps us out (for a fee of course) when the job is beyond my ability. I do a lot more handyman work since Bill can't do it anymore but sometimes it pays to hire a professional and Scott is very good and reasonable. 

I called him and he answered right away. Phew! Sometimes he's on a big job and not available for a while and I have to keep following up with him but once I get him, he's good. But that's me, I'm a bit of a "Karen" when I need something done. I expect people to drop everything and take care of my needs. But that's me, to know me is to love me and most do get by that minor flaw in my character.

Lots going on around here. I've been preoccupied with this mouse problem and haven't shared some of my other daily challenges which I will do as soon as I get this mouse situation straightened out. 

Thanks again Woody! 

Last night's catch

A Mouse in the House

Last week was the first time I noticed.  The telltale little black dropping. "Oh no" I thought.  That can't be a mouse dropping. 

I quickly put it out of my mind. Rationalization is a great thing isn't it, until it isn't.

Then last night as I was preparing dinner for myself, I saw the signs again.  Now I was sure.  Yep, a mouse was in the house. Must have gotten in through the garage and rushed up the two steps to the kitchen when we were bringing in groceries. Or else Bill left the door open while he was on one of his projects.

This is the first time we've had a mouse in the house. They're field mice, coming in from the cold. When we lived in the woods in Pennsylvania we had that problem. We would live catch them and take them way out in the woods only to have them beat us back to the house. Those little feet can travel fast. I actually caught one running up the cellar steps to our kitchen. They could easily get under the front door because the space was big enough.  Here, there is no space, the mouse (and I am assuming it is only ONE mouse) slipped in when either one of us was going in from the garage which adjoins the kitchen.

In past years these field mice have gotten into our garden shed, only to leave us with many, many droppings and the stale smell of mouse piss.  

Of course I cleaned out our pantry and sealed up any food that was open, as Bill has a tendency to do.  He likes cheese twists and leaves the bag open for easy access. I had to throw out the peppermint patties and candy kisses. The mouse already nibbled on those.  

I don't know where the mouse is now.  I assumed it would come rushing out one of our pantries (we have two) while I was cleaning them out.  The only place I haven't cleaned out was the soup cans on the bottom floor. I'll do that tomorrow morning in daylight when I can see better.  

How are we going to take care of our uninvited guest?  Mousetraps.  Yep, the old fashion kind.  No Have-a-Heart traps here because the mouse will just come back in after we release him/her. I have to be cruel like this but I don't want any stinking mouse in our house. 

We brought eight mousetraps this morning at Lowe's.  Bill put some cheese on them (expensive cheese by the way) and we set the traps along the usual routes. I expect to see results when I get up tomorrow morning. I'm not looking forward to seeing a squished mouse with eyes bulging out but what has to be done, has to be done. I just hope the poor creature isn't still alive when I find it.  

A Mouse In The House

If it's fall it's time for "the mouse in the house."  Yep, one day last week Bill spotted one of the little, gray furry creatures scurrying along the shelf in our garage.  Here we go again.  Set a mouse trap or put out a Have a Heart trap?

I don't like to kill any living creature but I also don't want a mouse infestation in our garage or house.  If we had a cat we wouldn't have a mouse problem.

Alas, Bill doesn't like cats.  Of course the downside with cats is once they catch a mouse they like to play "cat and mouse" with the poor terrified creature.  Someone like Dick Cheney would love the torture of a captive creature but not me.  Then there is the unpleasant sight of walking out in the garage and seeing a squashed mouse in the mousetrap.  Sometimes the squashed mouse isn't even dead!

Bill and I usually trap the unwanted vermin with one of those have-a-heart traps and then release them out into the woods, far away from our abode.  Sometimes that doesn't work because the persistent rodents will find their way back to our warm environs.

Yesterday I bought on of those have-a-heart traps at the Ace Hardware in Milton.  We (Bill) put it out last night.  This morning, sure as the sun rises, there were TWO occupants of our new have-a-heart traps, sniffing around inside the metal enclosure amidst their very own mouse droppings.  Ugh.

Bill took the unwanted house guests out to the end of the lane behind our backyard where there is a clumps of trees on a former home site now long overgrown.

A lot of trouble wouldn't you say?  I would rather have one of those big orange cats to take care of this annual problem.

"Rusty" - my Mom's fearsome mouse (and chipmunk) collector