Entry #2 – Dated Nov 7 & 8, 2000

One of my favorites on OD (hello Barton ) got me smiling with her last entry about the chaos a mouse caused in her home recently. It also reminded me of these 2 entries I made in my original OD years ago. I thought everyone, especially FireFaerie and Mathemagician would enjoy reading it.

A mouse in the house!                              – 11/7/2000

Ugh! I was sitting here just going through my email and noticed ‘something’ moving out of the corner of my eye. I finally turned and looked straight into the bulging eyes of a little fat brown mouse! This is not what I need first thing in the morning I think to myself, and take my first gulp of coffee.

I was so amazed at how brazen he was, just sitting there looking at me that I just sat here looking at him! This is the second mouse I have seen here and this one looks just like the first one except it’s not drowned in the dog’s water dish! And contrary to what my oldest daughter says, these things do NOT look just like ‘Jerry’ of the Tom & Jerry cartoons and are NOT cute at all! Now, when I was 20 and had my own apartment and found a mouse, I called my grandfather up at 10 at night and had him come right over and hunt that mouse down til it was found and deposited decidedly elsewhere other than my apartment. And I did not get down from the breakfast bar til he got there either!

But I am 40 now and I guess a mouse staring at me is not a crisis anymore. Besides, even if my grandfather were still alive, I doubt he would travel 600 miles to hunt the mouse down for me! LOL! So I am on my own since hubby is still out of town on business, and I don’t want to be bothered with the darn thing and try ignoring it, but I think it wants to be friends or something! Sheesh! I can’t keep it away from me. I have a mouser cat wandering around somewhere outside, but if she catches it, there’s a mess. *sigh* What to do?

Hmmm…my oldest (aka ‘Morticia’ because of her fondness for all clothes, makeup and haircolor black) is up! So I call her in, she will catch it for me she says…then can she keep it as a pet she asks?? Why DO I even bother I ask myself!  I say no and start looking for the darn cat.

But the mouse has disappeared. I left the cellar door open and hopefully it went down and not up the stairs. *sigh* So how is everyone else doing? I need another cup of coffee myself! LOL!

The mouse leaves the house!                        – 11/8/2000

The mouse has left us, and it went like this…

I was making the kids’ lunches at 5:30 AM or so, still trying to keep my eyes open, and there goes the darn little rodent again! Right across my family room rug and behind the couch. It is bad enough this thing is in my house, but it is rubbing salt in the wound by not even trying to stay hidden! Walks around like he’s taunting me and taking a tour of the place! But I am too tired to do anything more than let the cat in – which I do with an evil grin.

The mouse gets forgotten as I feed the kids their breakfast, but while they are clearing their dishes, they spot the mouse dashing back behind the couch! They make so much noise that they startle the cat who reacts by ducking for cover…in the opposite direction of the mouse of course! *sigh*

So I’ve got the oldest girl carrying a tupperware container to capture it with, and cheese to lure it with (Do you think mice like processed cheese food Mom?), and the youngest girl commenting non stop on how gross it all is while the ‘tupperware warrior’ is disagreeing profusely with her in her Australian Crocodile Hunter accent! My son is loudly protesting the oldest trying to get behind the couch on which he is taking his ‘waiting-to-go-to-the-busstop-nap’ on and suddenly I KNOW how the Grinch feels when he starts yelling "The one thing I can’t bear is the noise, noise, NOISE, NOISE!!"

Finally I tell everyone to calm down and be quiet and finish getting ready for school and I will handle it…which I do by simply opening the slider to the back deck. And wonder of all wonders, it is but a mere 2 or 3 minutes and we all see the mouse make a mad dash for it and poof!…he’s gone! I slam the door shut and comment that must be what he was waiting for and is heading home now. I ignored the comment my son made about that home being in the basement!

So it is over with. But no…it’s not! My oldest looks sad and starts digging in my cabinet and comes up with a dish cloth.

"Where are you going with that?" I ask her.

"I feel bad for the mouse out in the cold. I’m gonna put this on the deck for him." she answers and honest to God, she’s serious! Keep in mind this child is a sophomore in high school!

"What? Do you think he’s gonna carry it home to his sardine can and tuck himself in?" I ask astonished. "Well he’s not, and let me clue you in on something else here, The Mouse on the Mayflower is NOT a documentary either!"

This got her cracking a smile which relieved me, and all I can think is ‘Good Lord, I’m already exhausted and it’s only 6:35 AM!’

6:35 AM??!! TIME FOR THE SCHOOLBUS! There is a God and He loves me today!! I am saved!

So the kids are gone, the mouse is gone, the noise is gone, my sanity is gone…. ah, sweet bliss! LOL!