You can't see a picture of the mouse, because we can't find him. He ate the sunflower seeds that I left for him that first night - don't laugh! d'you think I would let him die of hunger before I could borrow my friend's humane mousetrap? and I did hear him scuttling about under the grate, but since then, there's been no more scuttling, no more little dinners.
Today, knowing that they were good Finders but hopelessly inept Killers, I let the cats back in, to sniff and search, and eventually give up. Mouse gone, perhaps? (If so, where? into the back of the sofa, living on stuffing and upholstery fabric?) The trap remains baited, although Scooter sometimes bumbles into it and springs it as he just double-checks for his live toy behind the furniture.
You also can't see the newly carpeted attic, because I haven't quite finished, there being no staples left in the gun, and a reason for that scrap of staple carton - with the required size written on it - being in my handbag for about a year to remind me to buy more.
You also can't see my scabby bloodied head, because that would be gross, and also hard for me to take a close up picture of. Take my word for it that hitting yourself repeatedly on the sharp corner of a shelf while painting skirting boards, preparing a floor and laying a carpet results in a rather painful little scalp wound, and possibly some brain damage - but I might not have noticed the latter yet.
I won't let you see my filthy broken nails, my horrible old baggy carpet-laying trousers, and my tired old baggy face. I might be a little brain-damaged, but I still have some scrap of decency and consideration left.
Meantime, the allotment is in a terrible state, through my criminal but guilt-ridden neglect of it at this key period of the gardening year. I am expecting a Letter about it any day now, threatening expulsion if I don't pull my socks up and my dandelions out.
Oh, all right then, and entirely unrelated to anything else, you can see this.....
In my back yard: Veronica gentianoides. Pretty, isn't it? Click to enlarge, and notice the three spindly little white legs sticking out of each ballerina skirt.
11 comments:
Perhaps he's done the right thing and upped and left? If not, we found that chocolate swiss roll and Mars Bars were ideal for luring them into the humane traps - worked a lot better than seeds - it seems they have a very sweet tooth.
Sounds like you've been working hard - looking forward to seeing the finished result, and sorry about your head, but thanks for now sharing that!
Dan
-x-
The trap is baited with chocolate (from the baking stash); no peanut butter in the house. Or Mars Bars - I'm on a diet!
I sympathise with you. I have got a mouse in my house too. And he keeps moving round so I can't catch him..... there's no flies on him.
You left food out for the mouse??????????
Are you sure your nerves will take having a garden right outside your back door?
Now then, Veg Artist, are all those ???s and the term "nerves" really a coded message that I am barking mad? You might be right.....
I hope the little mouse decided to move on and take up residence elsewhere. You have been very busy - hope you recover from your wounds soon.
I think it's nice that you left a little snack for Mousie. Maybe he's gone on a field trip and will bring back his relations for a feast.
You've forgotten to mention over the months that your former profession was as a carpet layer. Have you got those nice knee pads and that thing you ram to stretch the carpet into tight corners?
Mr Mouse - perhaps you've done a Tom and Jerry and stapled him under the new carpet?
Ooh, you are a mocking bunch!
But, mice aside (no, there aren't any mouse-shaped bumps under the carpet, but my friend did find a well-flattened and preserved mouse under her hall carpet once) I could have used one of those knee-kickers yesterday, instead of a plank! Cheap carpet isn't that easy to lay...
We have an ongoing battle with mousies in our garage. Their latest victory was this week when we lifted the sun-parasol down from the garage rafters, took it out of its protective covering, and were showered by bits of chewed up umbrella.
Earlier this year I found a stash of peanuts and chewed up stuff inside the hollow handle of my garden rake. They also ate my husband's waterproof trousers. Very tasty they must have been!
This winter we have killed about 8 (they scoffed at the humane trap, I swear I heard them laughing!). We use those traps that look like castanets and DH baits them with cream cheese spread.
Sorry to hear about your bashed head. Benny hat?
The mice in our outhouse like rubbery things best: wellies, the padded handles of the shears...must be good nesting material. They don't get in the house so I leave them to it.
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