Quote of the Day: Hickory Dickory Dock – traditional Nursery Rhyme
Hickory, dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory dock.
Those sneaky, little devils will go anywhere! We’ve discovered mice and evidence of mice in interesting places. If you live in and around woods, lakes, fields, the countryside, grass, and the corn is off the fields, and the temps. drop below freezing, you’ll get univited guests. I have boys and a cat named Matilda, but they’re more prone to sitting around reading books, or hanging out on the piano bench than out hunting mice.
Get up! Didn’t you hear that scratching sound in the vents?
Oh, I know, Matilda, I’d rather be on the piano bench, too.
Matilda likes mice. She plays with them by tossing them in the air and chasing them around, maybe giving them a few love taps until they’re all played out and run under the couch for a rest. The rest can turn into a nap they never wake up from. Then the living room stinks, so I move the couch to vacuum, and WHOA! get a nasty surprise.
Looks like Miss Matilda is reading the paper and waiting, waiting…
We’ve had surprises in the bathtub overflow drain (yes!) and most recently suspicious evidence in the van.
A few years back, when Zach was in the tub (around 8 years old), he called me in because he saw something sticking out of the overflow drain. It was a tail! Then, a small paw! I ran out of the bathroom with a shreek! In the morning, the dad was trying to get rid of the mouse and asked for a tool. I grabbed the spatula. The twins were about six-years-old then. They saw me head upstairs with the spatula and asked if breakfast was ready. “Not, yet,” I said, spatula raised and ready. “Dad has to kill a mouse first.” They responded, “We’re having mice for breakfast?”
So, when I saw evidence of tiny creatures in the van – ripped up kleenex box and suspicious droppings, I freaked out! I thought, if a mouse runs out while I’m driving, I’m going to crash. I looked at the tools I had for this battle – a lightsaber and a cat. Matilda gave me a one-eyed stare and fell back asleep, so I grabbed the lightsaber, opened all the doors to the van, and poked around in there. Jab, then – paschew! the lightsaber lit up and made a loud noise. I jumped. I jabbed again. It exploded with a new color and more sound. I scared myself. The mouse was probably tucked up under the engine at this point, laughing at me.
It might be gone. I’m ready to take drastic measures. I am NOT a mouse taxi. No way. No free rides from this chicken, or should I say elephant. My boys said, “Mom, you’re like an elephant.” Hmm, not so sure I like that comparison. “No, it’s because you’re afraid of a tiny, little mouse.”
So be it. Mice be gone. Matilda, wake up!
Go. Create. Inspire! (then, come over here and help me fight the mice…please.)
Journaling Prompt: Tell me your mouse tales!
oh, yes, they are sneaky and sly and slip through the ittiest cracks. Thanks for the giggle,here. The image of the light saber was too funny.
My daughter, at about age 2, picked up something that looked like dryer lint from my dining room floor and snuggled it. Turns out it was a dead baby mouse my cat Keats had killed. She thought it was cute! EEEWWW! I scrubbed my girl down with lots and lots of antibacterial soap!
Oh, Mary. I had forgotten about it being rodent season, which is funny because I have a mouse phobia the size of Montana. I also have a pet named Matilda, but she’s a dog. Not at all useful in the mouse wars. Great post.
OH, this is too funny!!! I just followed Jon down the highway 2 hours ago. He was driving the RV, I was following in the van. At the stoplight I see a brown “thing” JUMP off the back corner of the RV, landing in the turn lane. YES, as I drove up there he was looking me in the eye. It seems they are taking a vacation in my RV!
It doesn’t even get that cold here in Florida, and still the mice come in. Last year my beagle sniffed a mouse out from under the couch. I left the room cause I didn’t want to know what was going to happen to it. Just know that we never saw that mouse again and beagles will eat anything.
P.S. Our calico cat? Useless.
ROFL! Oh, this was such a visual story that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud – repeatedly! Love it. 🙂
Oh very funny. Now I know how to creep you out, even though I wouldn’t–or would I?
T
Mary, I saw the children’s author in you come alive here. LOVED the photos of Matilda (slacker!) and hearing these stories, some for the second time, some for the first. We had a huge mice issue last winter and I kept running over mice and finding squished mice in our garage. Ugh! Even though they were dead mice, I knew there were more where they came from, and then we found a nest in some boxes of our kids’ clothes. Grossssssssssss! I am not a huge fan of mice, either. I still remember them scratching at the corner ceiling in my room growing up and being totally grossed out. Next time we visit I’ll bring a few extra light sabers and we’ll see what we can do together. 🙂 (That will be quite the scene I’m sure!)
Mice hate the smell of mint so baby go get ya some mint oil or extract and go smell up your car!!! I can be used in your house too if ya can tolerate that much mint…I like mulberry but so does Mickey! :o)
God bless ya’ll and have a most amazing critter free day!!!
oh, Mary … the bathtub ! I have shivers.
They come in spits and spurts here, sneak into the garage. We’ve had them in the attic a time or two and that makes me crazy. But they are just doing what mice do I guess.
You are so funny! I have some bad rat stories from the first house we lived in after our wedding, but I’ll spare you those. I like mice. They’re cute. But one night years ago, as I lay in bed minding my own business, our cat jumped up to lie down next me, as was her wont. I slowly realized there was something funny attached to her paw. It was a sticky mouse trap from the kitchen–with a dead mouse in it. AAAGH! 🙂
Oh my gosh, cracked up at the elephant reference. LOL
Never had mice. (THANK YOU!)
I could NOT handle a mouse in the car. A house is big enough for the two of us, but a car… No way.
These are all such great comments: I laughed, I shrieked, I bought mint! Thank you, thank you!!
Go read this:
http://wyndsonfarm.blogspot.com/2010/10/of-mice-and-menand-toasters.html
It was a hoot! Mice are no fun..but a light saber might have been a good weapon 🙂
Thanks for the comment over on my blog..you are a gifted writer.. I see you know Roxane and Nezzy you just gotta love that gal. 🙂
This is too funny! I’m sorry you’re having to fight mice, but the way in which you’re going about it is hilarious!
A lightsabre. Use those Jedi mind tricks and get them to prace off and drown themselves. A Jedi Pied Piper!
~Jen