I do not like mice! I don't know of any housewife that does really! I think they are gross, not cute and disgusting!!! My husband agrees with me too!!! :) He hates them even more than I do. Normally, I don't lose it when I see one in the house. I try to keep my cool, set a trap, and hope that really soon it will be caught, killed and thrown out!
Well, I have lost my cool this week!!! We are being invaded with a family of mice!!! This is the time of year that we usually kill one or two. We are surrounded by corn fields and so when the corn gets cut down, the mice go running for a warmer place to survive. However, we are hoping they DO NOT SURVIVE here in our home!!!
Here's my story ... We have already killed one or two mice this fall ... actually it's double that amount!!! We stocked up on sticky traps! But the problem was that we had a determined mouse. It was stuck on the trap twice during the night and got away! Twice! We then knew that we needed something more! We burrowed Dad Lapp's mouse trap and the very next day, the mouse was caught!!! Killed. And thrown out! I was happy! We reset the trap (just in case we had another one) and the next morning there was a thousand legger caught on it. This trap is awesome and very sensitive!!!
I wish I could end this post right now and say that we didn't see any more of those nasty mice. Not so!!! On Wednesday, I walked through the dining room and suddenly a tiny mouse went running right in front of me. I screamed! It kept running! I set a trap and I was in a tizz. Seriously!!!??? I had some errands to do, so Ashlyn and I went over to Mike's shop and told him of our little intruder and went for more traps. And mice poison! This has got to end!
I came home but still didn't have the mouse in the trap. In fact, it's still set! But in the mean time, I was folding laundry in the garage (because that is where my washer and dryer are). I kept hearing this little scratching and yes, by now, any little scratch, twitch, or noise has me looking! I looked up and on the garage shelf was a clear, empty container with a tiny mouse jumping up and down. It was trying all it had to get back out! I lost it again and I freaked! I carefully pulled the container down and put a heavy board on top of it. I would leave the killing to Mike!!! This was mouse #2.
I remembered then that I had seen some dirt in the closet that is in the garage. I store my bulks and some groceries in this cabinet. I decided to get a rag and wipe it out. When I opened the door, I screamed again!!! Two little mice were nibbling away at my oatmeal that I had in a bag! I closed the door fast!!! I ran for the traps! I was sooooo ready for Mike to come home and help with this disgusting problem!!! That makes #3 & #4 in one day!!!
Mike finally did come home. It seemed so long! (But really he got home normal time.) Mike, Matthew and Ashlyn killed the little mouse in the container. Then he went to the cabinet and when he opened the door ... there they were. Two little mice just looking and eating oatmeal!!! I think they are too little to know to start running??? He got one caught on a sticky trap and killed it. The second one is still on the loose in the garage! Help!!! The one in the dining room is still loose too!
We have three traps set! More sticky traps laying around! Then last night, Mike was sitting on the couch. I was sitting on the recliner. Suddenly, there it went! The mouse in the house went from under the couch - to under the bookshelf - to the kitchen! It got away! This is becoming quite a show around here and Mike got the broom and started hitting around to see if we could see it run again and put a stop to this creature. Nothing. Not yet!!!
This morning, I was in the kitchen making Matthew some over light eggs and toast. I cut up a grapefruit for Hadassah. Then I heard something. This scratching noise. Yep, the mouse was in my kitchen cabinet. I put two traps in the cabinets. I went right to where the noise was and I noticed this tiny little hole in the cabinet/wall. I put a piece of duck tape over the hole. This afternoon, there is a tiny bulge in the tape. I know it's wanting to come out! I'll let that job to my hubby again!!!
I have no idea what's going on with all these mice around here! It's worse than ever. The hardware man said that there are lots of people coming in and buying traps. That must mean we are not the only ones fighting this problem!!!
Wish us some good catches and I hope, really, really hope that tonight we will catch these two intruders and put on end to this dilemma!!! If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know!!! :) I will take any advice!!! :)))
In the mean while, I will try to not scream. To keep my cool! Not panic!!! :)
Other years we had lots of cats outside and now is when I wish for them all back!!! I can't believe I just wrote that!!! However, we do have a small kitty that showed up a few weeks ago and seems to like our back porch. We also have a tom cat that visits often. I hope they will catch any mice that are still running wild and free outside!!!
PS. I was laughing when I said this but I kinda wish now I would have done it! When Mike took the mouse in the container outside and killed it, Matthew and Ashlyn were right beside him! Matthew had the hoe in his hand. His weapon. Ashlyn held a small paint brush. Her weapon. Ridiculous!!! Hadassah and I would rather not join that gathering!!! :)
