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Thursday, November 09, 2006

Day of the "eeek"



Yesterday started out fantastically boring. It was plain and simply dull. I was sitting by my computer, having an IM conversation with a friend, rolling in my own tedium, when I suddenly heard a strange sound from the corner of the kitchen where the oven and the refrigerator lives. It was sort of like tapping on metal. Every time I heard it, I got up from my chair to investigate, but all became quiet as soon as I did.

Thinking that it was probably nothing, I returned to my chair and my conversation. Just as I had almost stopped thinking about the whole thing, I saw, in the corner of my eye, something small, brown and roundish dart out from behind the refrigerator and disappear behind the dog’s feed barrel. “Mouse!” shouted The Voice that lives inside my head.

In a split second, my attention was ripped away from my computer screen and towards the barrel. Somewhere along the line, I let out a gasp. The dog, which up until that moment had been snoring away in the livingroom, immediately flew out of the couch and came running. Somewhere in her puppyhood, she made the connection between gasps and something happening. As far as gasps go, this was a good one, and she was determined no to miss the cause of it.

Now I was sitting on my kitchen chair, stiff as a board, my eyes darting back and forth between the dog and the barrel. The pooch stood in the middle of the kitchen, ears pricked upwards, looking around, wide-eyed. Her whole body was tense and her tail wagged, not just from side to side, but around in circles.

The mouse chose this moment to make a run for it. Around the side of the barrel it went, towards the door which leads into the hallway. To a rodent on the run, it probably seemed like a good place to hide. The mouse and the pooch spotted eachother at the same time. Immediately, the doggie rushed forwards towards what she perceived to be a nice, crunchy snack. The mouse was rightfully terrified as it aimed for the door, moving much slower now than it initially had. I managed to slam the door shut between it and the dog before something really gross happened.

There have always been mice here in winter, living inside the walls, and I’ve gotten used to that, but I don’t want them on MY side of the walls. Now there was one in the hallway. That’s just great.

A quick search online told me what mice like to eat and how to place the traps to make sure that they are killed immediately when they walk into it. I also have a new respect for the intelligence of rats, but that’s a whole different story. After a few moments of procrastinating and feeling sorry for the mouse, which was kinda cute, after all, and hadn’t really done anything wrong (that I knew of), I loaded up four traps with bread and placed them around the hallway. Then I took the dog for a walk.

“There’s no point in checking the traps this soon,” I thought when we got back. But I did it anyway. And sure enough, there it was. Apparently it liked bread more than I thought. At first I just mentally confirm that something shaped like a mouse’s butt was sticking out of it, went “eeek”, turned right around and ran into the kitchen where I called my mother. I’m not really sure what good I thought that would do.

Then I got a broom, swept it up, went “eeek” again and dumped it into the trashcan outside, trap and all.

And that was my day.

15 comments:

Irene said...

Eeks! You've been tagged! Give me four! :p

Jazz said...

Ah mothers, the ones we turn to in case of crisis...

*Note to self, never invite Choochoo to cottage in winter when we often dump 5 or 6 per weekend...*

choochoo said...

Irene - I have? Oh dear. lol

Jazz - well, in situations like this, when you have the choice between a man with a weak heart and a middle aged lesbian, you go with the middle aged lesbian.

Too_Lively said...

I knew this was coming. When I first read about your mouse issues, I knew drama would ensue.

Jazz said...

Choochoo - Indeed. You are right about that. Where are the middle aged lesbians when I need them...

choochoo said...

Lively - I had a nasty suspicion of that, myself...

Jazz - Next time I talk to her, I'll ask her if she has any friends to send over.

Hageltoast said...

get humane traps and post themto me!!! I will call them binky and keep them. ;)

Steven said...

Maybe they just want to be your friend? Like in "An American Tale?" ;)

Steve~

choochoo said...

Toasty - I have bad news for you... Binky died.

Steven - I bet they're regretting that decision right about now.

Tim Rice said...

Oh, lol, you are almost as bad my aunt who would scream and go stand on the kitchen table when she saw a mouse. ;)

But maybe I mentioned that before in another post.

Jocelyn said...

You kept surprising presence of mind during the whole thing--I mean, slamming the door between the critter and dog was genius. This compliment comes from someone who leaves a home with a mouse in it, packing no bags, and never returning.

choochoo said...

Tim - so I shouldn't invite her over then, with other words? lol

Jocelyn - My mind had nothing to do with it. It wasn't even there.

Tim Rice said...

If you're having mouse problems inviting her over would be a definite No! :)

DiaKL said...

poor mouse hihihi, but I would do the same, a mouse in my hall...yikes :D

choochoo said...

Tim - I'll remember that, then. lol

Dia - I ended up killing two. And I'm hoping that's the end of it *shudder*