We had another two trees cut down and I guess a little friend found his way inside, a tiny black beetle. It was an insignificant insect, tiny, but the crunchy variety and if you know me, crunchy is ICKY.
My son spotted it earlier but it scampered under something. When it reappeared I was barefoot. I grabbed an empty cup sitting next to me and popped it on top of the beetle. The look on my husband's face was priceless. I explained this was a process used at another house when big ugly waterbugs made their way inside. He expressed concerned about the ability of cup to contain the bug.
"What do you mean? This is proven technology!"
:)
I put on my shoes, removed the cup, and squished the bug.
Oh no no no no... Karma had to rear her head.
The next day I am in the bathroom at work. As I turn on the water to wash my hands the biggest damn cockroach, the ickiest of crunchy bugs, came charging out of the drain. I didn't quite scream, it was more of a yelp. Somehow I managed to rinse the soap off my hands and skeedaddled out of that tiny room as fast as humanly possible. Had a cup been available I could have contained the situation, maybe found a dustpan to scoop up the whole mess and escort it outside - no death necessary.
No, I didn't leave him there for someone else to find but I also wasn't capable of killing it myself. I reported his existence and how he was escorted off the premises was blissfully not in my presence.
Showing posts with label Vermin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vermin. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
OH THE STENCH!
On Sunday we were grilling on the back porch. My husband kept saying he smelled something dead. I got a whiff of it as I passed the trash so it had to be chicken bones or something. We didn't think anything about it from there on out.
Oh we were sooooo wrong.
There was definitely a dead body in my yard.
On Tuesday my son discovered it and came running in the house insisting that I come look. Tangled in the netting of a strawberry cage I had leaning against the house was... a.... five foot long SNAKE!
According to Facebook friends I should pack up and sell the house. Nah, I'll keep the house and just get rid of the carcass.
It was up to ME to evict our little friend. Not the two men living in my house, me. Had this been a live snake my story would be drastically different, but the bastard was dead so I had no problem being the one to remove him. I had to pull the cage away from the house, snip the netting away from the cage framing, then used a pitchfork to move the snake into the trashcan. My difficulty was with the horrid smell. It took forever as I would walk to the edge of the yard, take a deep breath, come back to do a few steps, then run back to the edge of the yard.
The consensus from coworkers is that this was probably a black snake. It really was about five foot long and about an inch diameter.
I was happier thinking my moles and voles had vacated the premises because of the noise - I never even considered that they may have been eaten! I have no idea how long Mr. Snake had been living in my yard, I would prefer to think he was just visiting and his actual residence was somewhere across the street.
OH MY GOD THERE WAS A FIVE FOOT SNAKE IN MY YARD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh we were sooooo wrong.
There was definitely a dead body in my yard.
On Tuesday my son discovered it and came running in the house insisting that I come look. Tangled in the netting of a strawberry cage I had leaning against the house was... a.... five foot long SNAKE!
According to Facebook friends I should pack up and sell the house. Nah, I'll keep the house and just get rid of the carcass.
It was up to ME to evict our little friend. Not the two men living in my house, me. Had this been a live snake my story would be drastically different, but the bastard was dead so I had no problem being the one to remove him. I had to pull the cage away from the house, snip the netting away from the cage framing, then used a pitchfork to move the snake into the trashcan. My difficulty was with the horrid smell. It took forever as I would walk to the edge of the yard, take a deep breath, come back to do a few steps, then run back to the edge of the yard.
The consensus from coworkers is that this was probably a black snake. It really was about five foot long and about an inch diameter.
I was happier thinking my moles and voles had vacated the premises because of the noise - I never even considered that they may have been eaten! I have no idea how long Mr. Snake had been living in my yard, I would prefer to think he was just visiting and his actual residence was somewhere across the street.
OH MY GOD THERE WAS A FIVE FOOT SNAKE IN MY YARD!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Voles, Moles, Squirrels... OH MY
Last fall I left you with moles going into hibernation somewhere beneath my rose bushes. My yard had several mole habitrails running behind the house as well as several vole holes. Warm days would bring fresh activity on the mole trails and I would punch them down and drop in a few pellets of poison. The voles remained very quiet during the winter, even on warm days. The poison in my traps sat for months untouched and eventually molded over. EW
Then in March we brought down the trees. They fell so hard the house shook. I think that rattled a few cages below decks. For days we would roll, flip, and drop the heavy logs across the yard trying to get them into a reasonable pile. Then we rented a wood chipper and ran it for two days. I'm pretty sure that ended any attempts to expand Mole Nation across my yard. Those little buggers packed their bags and headed for a quieter neighborhood.
So far, pound on wood, ZERO mole activity and I haven't seen any vole activity either! I'm not so naive to think they won't be back but maybe I can get my yard in order before they return. ...in several years.
The squirrels, however, remain. All tree access to my roof has been eliminated so no more pitter patter echoing through the house on a quiet morning. That has been awesome, but they are still gnawing on the trashcans and plastic chairs. Hubby bought an electronic noise thing that buzzes and squawks like a hawk. It sat mere feet away from my trashcans where squirrels sat uninterrupted as they tried to chew the handles off. The box was more effective is annoying the humans than any squirrels. It's time to bring out the hot sauce spray again.
Then in March we brought down the trees. They fell so hard the house shook. I think that rattled a few cages below decks. For days we would roll, flip, and drop the heavy logs across the yard trying to get them into a reasonable pile. Then we rented a wood chipper and ran it for two days. I'm pretty sure that ended any attempts to expand Mole Nation across my yard. Those little buggers packed their bags and headed for a quieter neighborhood.
So far, pound on wood, ZERO mole activity and I haven't seen any vole activity either! I'm not so naive to think they won't be back but maybe I can get my yard in order before they return. ...in several years.
The squirrels, however, remain. All tree access to my roof has been eliminated so no more pitter patter echoing through the house on a quiet morning. That has been awesome, but they are still gnawing on the trashcans and plastic chairs. Hubby bought an electronic noise thing that buzzes and squawks like a hawk. It sat mere feet away from my trashcans where squirrels sat uninterrupted as they tried to chew the handles off. The box was more effective is annoying the humans than any squirrels. It's time to bring out the hot sauce spray again.
Monday, December 02, 2013
Vole Update 12/2/13
Pushing spiky balls from the sweet gum tree into the holes seems to have had some effect on my yard chomping voles. Or they went into hibernation.
My live traps aren't very effective traps. And what they trap don't tend to live very long. Something has figured out how to enter and exit, taking all of the yummy poisoned bait with them. So I keep loading them and until two weeks ago they would be empty. I'm pretty sure field mice are the culprits. I've caught two field mice and one vole in my traps. One mouse had his tail caught in the mechanism and the other got his foot tangled in something. The vole just baked in the hot sun. All of them have required a little manipulation to remove their carcasses... with a stick. What? I ain't touching those things!
Unfortunately, MOLES have crossed the street and hit my yard with a vengeance. Three neighbors expressed surprise that their vermin made the trek. For years the moles would move from their yards to the golf course and back again. Evidently they got word from the voles about the sweet pastures found on this side of the street. Chatty bastards. I now have mole poison that I drop into their tunnels. I'm going to have to wait until we have warm weather for a long streak before really attacking them. Hopefully I can eradicate them before spring.
My live traps aren't very effective traps. And what they trap don't tend to live very long. Something has figured out how to enter and exit, taking all of the yummy poisoned bait with them. So I keep loading them and until two weeks ago they would be empty. I'm pretty sure field mice are the culprits. I've caught two field mice and one vole in my traps. One mouse had his tail caught in the mechanism and the other got his foot tangled in something. The vole just baked in the hot sun. All of them have required a little manipulation to remove their carcasses... with a stick. What? I ain't touching those things!
Unfortunately, MOLES have crossed the street and hit my yard with a vengeance. Three neighbors expressed surprise that their vermin made the trek. For years the moles would move from their yards to the golf course and back again. Evidently they got word from the voles about the sweet pastures found on this side of the street. Chatty bastards. I now have mole poison that I drop into their tunnels. I'm going to have to wait until we have warm weather for a long streak before really attacking them. Hopefully I can eradicate them before spring.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Yellow Beady Eyes
This is what I sent to my friend this morning. (excuse the run-on sentences, names have been changed, swear words were modified to avoid spam filters)
SO
We bought solar lights to stick in the darkest part of the yard. I put them in the front to charge up and last night they were shining so I decided to put them in the backyard. In the meantime Hubby says he thought he heard a golfball hit the yard earlier so I figured I would take my quasi-flashlight and go search for it. Weeeeellll back by the compost bin where it is really super duper dark, two yellow eyes reflected in my light. I thought it was a cat.
I was wrong.
Good thing I didn't go up to it either. Pirana there was a mother forking possum in my yard, staring at me. Thank god I had some sort of shoes on but they were flip flops and I go running to the front yard like a grizzly bear is after me. I'm pretty sure the possum just sat there and watched me hobble away, still holding my solar light, feet "thuck thuck thucking" away.
It does explain why my vole traps (can I live any further into the wilderness or what???) but anyways it explains why my traps keep getting moved. It's not like the possum can open them to get out the birdseed and half-chewed juicy fruit gum, but I guess he's going to bat those traps around until something falls out.
SO
We bought solar lights to stick in the darkest part of the yard. I put them in the front to charge up and last night they were shining so I decided to put them in the backyard. In the meantime Hubby says he thought he heard a golfball hit the yard earlier so I figured I would take my quasi-flashlight and go search for it. Weeeeellll back by the compost bin where it is really super duper dark, two yellow eyes reflected in my light. I thought it was a cat.
I was wrong.
Good thing I didn't go up to it either. Pirana there was a mother forking possum in my yard, staring at me. Thank god I had some sort of shoes on but they were flip flops and I go running to the front yard like a grizzly bear is after me. I'm pretty sure the possum just sat there and watched me hobble away, still holding my solar light, feet "thuck thuck thucking" away.
It does explain why my vole traps (can I live any further into the wilderness or what???) but anyways it explains why my traps keep getting moved. It's not like the possum can open them to get out the birdseed and half-chewed juicy fruit gum, but I guess he's going to bat those traps around until something falls out.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Living With Voles - Day Two
Some gum was missing from the holes. Hmmm... I ought to count the holes because there really are a lot. The missing gum is probably false hope because most of it remains. Either it was pulled further into the hole or knocked out of the way. I have no reason to believe it was actually consumed.
A Facebook friend insists that JuicyFruit is the ticket. I will purchase that later today and see how it works, but Hubby has also been directed to pick up the mouse killer stuff. I need those critters GONE.
A Facebook friend insists that JuicyFruit is the ticket. I will purchase that later today and see how it works, but Hubby has also been directed to pick up the mouse killer stuff. I need those critters GONE.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
The Holes In My Yard
Shortly after we put in an offer on this house I discovered that the bigass yard had some issues going on with the lawn. Not all of it. The biggest portion is thick, lush, green grass. But this one section is mostly weeds.
At first I suspected moles but none of the identifying mounded tunnels ran through the yard. Maybe it was mole damage from the past? Then I wondered if it was a fungus of some sort? I had noticed spots on one of the trees and a couple of the rose bushes.
Over the weekend I discovered tons and tons of holes in my yard. These were something different than cicadas emerging from the ground. I accept those bastards like ant hills, just part of the natural outdoors that is easier to ignore than battle. In one hole there was an acorn. Oh okay, I thought, squirrels are ripping up my yard.
Yes, yes, I realize that is a rather passive attitude, however, squirrels are not hell-bent on devouring one's lawn or ripping it to shreds to gnaw on the beasties that live under the lawn. They make random holes, inadvertently planting future oak trees. This damage is minimal and I can live with it.
On Sunday I decided to mow the lawn (yes with my awesome new riding mower, vrroom vroom). I moved the boat shaped kid pool...
Moles form visible tunnels as they paddle just below the surface. Voles, on the other hand, basically plow the top of the land for their tunnels. This isn't quite as obvious in my yard. I just have lots of brown patches with dead grass. A lot of the green that has taken over are weeds.
I posted to Facebook my plight. The suggestions ranged from getting a cat (two prowl the neighborhood already), shoving cat poop into the holes, concocting a brew of human piss, dishsoap, and garlic juice to pour down the holes, to dropping handfuls of human hair into the holes. The last one would be easy considering how much I shed.
One of the easiest and least gross suggestions was to put pieces of partially chewed gum in the holes.
Guess what I had in my desk????
A "bat" filled with old gumballs.
At first I suspected moles but none of the identifying mounded tunnels ran through the yard. Maybe it was mole damage from the past? Then I wondered if it was a fungus of some sort? I had noticed spots on one of the trees and a couple of the rose bushes.
Over the weekend I discovered tons and tons of holes in my yard. These were something different than cicadas emerging from the ground. I accept those bastards like ant hills, just part of the natural outdoors that is easier to ignore than battle. In one hole there was an acorn. Oh okay, I thought, squirrels are ripping up my yard.
Yes, yes, I realize that is a rather passive attitude, however, squirrels are not hell-bent on devouring one's lawn or ripping it to shreds to gnaw on the beasties that live under the lawn. They make random holes, inadvertently planting future oak trees. This damage is minimal and I can live with it.
On Sunday I decided to mow the lawn (yes with my awesome new riding mower, vrroom vroom). I moved the boat shaped kid pool...
Notice the nasty lack o'grass?
Lo and behold, under the boat were TWO brown critters. They were longer than a mouse but not quite shaped like a mole. I totally forgot that moles have digging flippers or I would have instantly realized these were not moles. One darted off but the other just sat there staring at me, and me at it. Was it a mouse? It had mouse-like ears and a very mousy face but a shorter tail. I realize most people DETEST mice but really, they are cute, if you can get past the fact that they carry fleas and the plague and will devour your entire pantry. This guy was super duper cute. I resisted the urge to touch it and then it ran away.
Great. I have mice. At least they aren't in the house... yet. As I said it wasn't a type of mouse that looked familiar. The tail really was the wrong length. I broke down and googled it. Yes, it is a type of mouse, more commonly known as a vole.
I have since educated myself about voles. Voles are vegetarians and prefer grass. They LOVE golf courses. Oh yeah there is one just beyond the house across the street. Lucky me - golf balls and voles in my yard! (we are collecting the golf balls and so far have found five)
Voles burrow down to a colony. The exterior hole is the diameter of a broom handle. Yep!
Moles form visible tunnels as they paddle just below the surface. Voles, on the other hand, basically plow the top of the land for their tunnels. This isn't quite as obvious in my yard. I just have lots of brown patches with dead grass. A lot of the green that has taken over are weeds.
I posted to Facebook my plight. The suggestions ranged from getting a cat (two prowl the neighborhood already), shoving cat poop into the holes, concocting a brew of human piss, dishsoap, and garlic juice to pour down the holes, to dropping handfuls of human hair into the holes. The last one would be easy considering how much I shed.
One of the easiest and least gross suggestions was to put pieces of partially chewed gum in the holes.
Guess what I had in my desk????
A "bat" filled with old gumballs.
Seriously, shit like this only encourages my packrat tendencies. Of course I have old gum. And yes, I was willing to chew it.
Last night Doubting Teenager dispensed gumballs to his deranged mother who pranced from hole to hole depositing half chewed gum. After a while he sort of got into it and was helping me find more holes. Holy crap something has been very busy in my yard. Most disturbing are the fresh holes in my lush, pretty grass. This is all out war and it may mean forcing the menfolk of my house to urinate in coffee cans.
Fortunately this morning when I checked a few holes before heading off to work I noticed the gum was gone.
I will keep you apprised of my vole adventures.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Friday Fragments - June 29, 2012
Sunday begins the happiest season of the year - BIRTHDAY MONTH! No special celebrations are planned other than annoying the piss out of everyone around me :)
At work we are deep in the throes of a database rebuild. This is not for the faint of heart, it is quite frustrating. I liken it to building a house - it's slow and never goes as you wish. It would be easier if we were to leave town for nine months or longer and come back to it all completed. That, of course, would come with a whole different set of complications. There is a part of this ordeal that I actually enjoy - reviewing the new releases and giving feedback on functionality. The contractor, on the other hand, is more than a little sick of me trying to move the bathroom three days in a row.
At home I'm muddling my way through the long list of Oscar movies. Between TCM, OnDemand, and the local video store I'm knocking out a lot of titles. As I write this I'm watching Cabaret. A few days ago I saw A Star Is Born. It was totally accidental that I have watched Judy Garland and Liza Minelli movies back to back, but how interesting. Liza definitely has her mother's voice. I have officially seen 40% of movies nominated for best picture. I'm also tracking best actor, supporting actor, best actress, and supporting actress. It certainly provides for a wide variety of viewing options at my house.
The annual Slaughter Of Flies has begun. It's amazing how a house closed up for an entire day suddenly sprouts 900 flies and starts looking like Amityville Horror. I am rather deft at the swat and kill, frequently while they're in flight.
St. Louis is enjoying this heatwave. The point of conversation over the past few days is the lack of humidity. People are saying to each other "but it's a dry heat". Honestly it's not torturous to be outside - hot, not sweltering. The distinction is lost on my husband who would rather be in arctic temps year round.
At work we are deep in the throes of a database rebuild. This is not for the faint of heart, it is quite frustrating. I liken it to building a house - it's slow and never goes as you wish. It would be easier if we were to leave town for nine months or longer and come back to it all completed. That, of course, would come with a whole different set of complications. There is a part of this ordeal that I actually enjoy - reviewing the new releases and giving feedback on functionality. The contractor, on the other hand, is more than a little sick of me trying to move the bathroom three days in a row.
At home I'm muddling my way through the long list of Oscar movies. Between TCM, OnDemand, and the local video store I'm knocking out a lot of titles. As I write this I'm watching Cabaret. A few days ago I saw A Star Is Born. It was totally accidental that I have watched Judy Garland and Liza Minelli movies back to back, but how interesting. Liza definitely has her mother's voice. I have officially seen 40% of movies nominated for best picture. I'm also tracking best actor, supporting actor, best actress, and supporting actress. It certainly provides for a wide variety of viewing options at my house.
The annual Slaughter Of Flies has begun. It's amazing how a house closed up for an entire day suddenly sprouts 900 flies and starts looking like Amityville Horror. I am rather deft at the swat and kill, frequently while they're in flight.
St. Louis is enjoying this heatwave. The point of conversation over the past few days is the lack of humidity. People are saying to each other "but it's a dry heat". Honestly it's not torturous to be outside - hot, not sweltering. The distinction is lost on my husband who would rather be in arctic temps year round.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday Fragments - July 22, 2011
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!
Saturday was the baby shower. Winnie The Pooh is the nursery theme so the expecting couple (yes boys were at the shower!!!) received a lot of Pooh. Grandma here had to interject a little of her favorite character, TIGGER! He's so obnoxious, just like me.
On the way home I saw this guy:
Yes, he is driving with his foot dangling out of the window. Does anyone else hear their mother screaming that a big truck is going to come by and chop his foot off????
Monday I met up with one of my internet friends. She and her family were in town for a mini vacation, taking the kids to the zoo, Grants Farm, and the Magic House (a science museum for little kids, very interactive). I was hoping to take her to a local favorite Ted Drewes for frozen custard but there isn't any place for indoor dining. After spending the day at the zoo, my husband figured she probably would appreciate someplace with air conditioning. So we opted for dinner at Culvers. I still got some frozen custard, but best of all was sitting with a friend and catching up on life since we last saw each other. This is the second internet friend my husband has met and I think he's finally getting that this group of women may be crazy in their own right, but they aren't scary crazy.
We have three planters filled with six foot tall tomato plants. Last week we had twenty close-to-ripe tomatoes. One morning we got up and every damn tomato was GONE. My husband was CONVINCED a person had stolen our precious tomatoes, but I suspected raccoons. He argued there wasn't any half eaten fruit laying on the ground, it had to be a person. Closer inspection shows broken branches where a chubby beast balanced on the planter rims, holding onto the tomato cage to pluck his golden prizes. We have another twenty tomatoes, much smaller this time. I'm not sure what I can do to battle raccoons. I'm thinking bringing back the predators, AKA three big dogs, to my backyard might save the tomatoes. Otherwise I'm going to have to check into chicken wire, bells, a scarecrow and rigged spikes of death.
Not much else is going on in my little world. It's hot. The news talking about the heat isn't making it any less hot. I'm grateful to be stuck in an office with bone chilling cold at the moment. I remember too well when I worked for the school district, lugging computers through closed up buildings with the AC off for the summer. Sitting in the stifling rooms, reconfiguring the systems, chugging gallons of water, and my kneecaps sweating.
In six months I'll be bitching about the freezing temps. By the way, I can tolerate the heat much much better than the cold.
Saturday was the baby shower. Winnie The Pooh is the nursery theme so the expecting couple (yes boys were at the shower!!!) received a lot of Pooh. Grandma here had to interject a little of her favorite character, TIGGER! He's so obnoxious, just like me.
On the way home I saw this guy:
Monday I met up with one of my internet friends. She and her family were in town for a mini vacation, taking the kids to the zoo, Grants Farm, and the Magic House (a science museum for little kids, very interactive). I was hoping to take her to a local favorite Ted Drewes for frozen custard but there isn't any place for indoor dining. After spending the day at the zoo, my husband figured she probably would appreciate someplace with air conditioning. So we opted for dinner at Culvers. I still got some frozen custard, but best of all was sitting with a friend and catching up on life since we last saw each other. This is the second internet friend my husband has met and I think he's finally getting that this group of women may be crazy in their own right, but they aren't scary crazy.
We have three planters filled with six foot tall tomato plants. Last week we had twenty close-to-ripe tomatoes. One morning we got up and every damn tomato was GONE. My husband was CONVINCED a person had stolen our precious tomatoes, but I suspected raccoons. He argued there wasn't any half eaten fruit laying on the ground, it had to be a person. Closer inspection shows broken branches where a chubby beast balanced on the planter rims, holding onto the tomato cage to pluck his golden prizes. We have another twenty tomatoes, much smaller this time. I'm not sure what I can do to battle raccoons. I'm thinking bringing back the predators, AKA three big dogs, to my backyard might save the tomatoes. Otherwise I'm going to have to check into chicken wire, bells, a scarecrow and rigged spikes of death.
Not much else is going on in my little world. It's hot. The news talking about the heat isn't making it any less hot. I'm grateful to be stuck in an office with bone chilling cold at the moment. I remember too well when I worked for the school district, lugging computers through closed up buildings with the AC off for the summer. Sitting in the stifling rooms, reconfiguring the systems, chugging gallons of water, and my kneecaps sweating.
In six months I'll be bitching about the freezing temps. By the way, I can tolerate the heat much much better than the cold.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday Fragments - Apr 30, 2010
*I've been contemplating summer plans lately and it brings to mind vacations from the past so I've decided to post a few pictures and stories. Of course I haven't composed anything yet, but it's my plan to do that next week. Oh the anticipation.
*Today I posted the story of my last pregnancy on my parenting blog. Somebody is turning the THIRTEEN on Sunday. Today is the story of the pregnancy, tomorrow the birth, and Sunday a celebration. Check it out, he's a pretty awesome kid.
*Yesterday and today I took off work to help prepare for tomorrow's auction. It's exhausting work, not so much physically although I came home yesterday with a sore back, it's more the building of the emotions and the play of strong personalities. This isn't my first rodeo, so to say, and it's almost funny how all events go through the same stages of planning, screw ups, emotions, fears, anticipation, head-butting, and differing emotions.
*ANTS! Ugh time to drag out the battle gear and fight the ants. They've come into my kitchen and they are NOT WELCOME! I've been through this before, terra firma and all. We should be great friends by now, but the damn moochers spend all of their time scouring my counters for bits of food, but do they leave me anything in return? Do they wash the dishes or sweep the floor? Hell no.
*I forgot to tell you after my haircut last month that I finally broke down and bought a flat iron, after seeking my daughter's advice, of course. I'm follically challenged, not so much in my ability to sprout hair, oh no I'm quite adept in that department, it's more about my inability to anything visually pleasing with my hair beyond a ponytail. Unlike the curling iron, I haven't burned myself - YET - but I clearly have no technical ability with gadgets or goop on my hair. Pity me.
*Week whatever of starting a new business... holy crap is this thing EVER going to be ready???? Could y'all rub some chicken bones together or whatever means of praying you currently employ and please send some good juju our way? It would be greatly appreciated.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Vermin
Yesterday a coworker stepped on a mouse in our storage area. EEEK!!!! But it wasn't dead, just not moving. EEEEKKKK!!!
Okay, I'm not ooged out by mice so I grabbed a bag and scooped up the little guy. We came to the consensus that although he is cute as button, he needs to leave, NOW. So he got an escort to a green area across the street.
(isn't he adorable??? We tossed in a peanut for the journey)
It's sort of funny what things people have issues with. Some coworkers flat out refused to be anywhere near a mouse, even one stranded at the bottom of a bag. No way, no how, no matter how cute the rest of us insist he is.
They have my sympathies as I get ooged out by roaches and crunchy bugs. If I absolutely HAVE to squish a bug, I will, but overall I avoid it all costs. I remember one time sitting on the floor watching a movie with a friend when the hugest bug ever clomped across the floor in front of us. We screamed, it hid. There was not a chance in hell I was going to use MY shoe to squish it, well and I was barefoot too. So we each took a big black boot belonging to my spousal unit and chased the bug around the livingroom until it was pronounced dead and scraped onto the lawn.
Usually, however, boots and friends are not available to me. What's a girl to do???? I've resorted to using cups to trap the little sucker until someone ELSE can kill and dispose of it. I have been rather unsuccessful in getting my kids to do the deed so it's nothing to have a cup sitting in the middle of the floor for several days, everyone carefully walking around it, until we're sure it's deader than dead and I can usher its carcass onto a dustpan for transport to the big flush.
By the way, disposable cups are best, or you can have a designated "gross cup" because who wants to drink out of the cockroach torture chamber even after it's been cleaned???
Recently I heard that my daughter has taken to using my cup method of critter control. Hey, it works dammit.
Okay, I'm not ooged out by mice so I grabbed a bag and scooped up the little guy. We came to the consensus that although he is cute as button, he needs to leave, NOW. So he got an escort to a green area across the street.
(isn't he adorable??? We tossed in a peanut for the journey)It's sort of funny what things people have issues with. Some coworkers flat out refused to be anywhere near a mouse, even one stranded at the bottom of a bag. No way, no how, no matter how cute the rest of us insist he is.
They have my sympathies as I get ooged out by roaches and crunchy bugs. If I absolutely HAVE to squish a bug, I will, but overall I avoid it all costs. I remember one time sitting on the floor watching a movie with a friend when the hugest bug ever clomped across the floor in front of us. We screamed, it hid. There was not a chance in hell I was going to use MY shoe to squish it, well and I was barefoot too. So we each took a big black boot belonging to my spousal unit and chased the bug around the livingroom until it was pronounced dead and scraped onto the lawn.
Usually, however, boots and friends are not available to me. What's a girl to do???? I've resorted to using cups to trap the little sucker until someone ELSE can kill and dispose of it. I have been rather unsuccessful in getting my kids to do the deed so it's nothing to have a cup sitting in the middle of the floor for several days, everyone carefully walking around it, until we're sure it's deader than dead and I can usher its carcass onto a dustpan for transport to the big flush.
By the way, disposable cups are best, or you can have a designated "gross cup" because who wants to drink out of the cockroach torture chamber even after it's been cleaned???
Recently I heard that my daughter has taken to using my cup method of critter control. Hey, it works dammit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)