Mouse - The Ongoing Saga
Dec. 8th, 2003 09:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tinhuvielThe following is a true and accurate account of yesterday's dramatic events.
The time was 2 PM. We'd all just had leftover pizza for lunch and Aunt Tudi, who doesn't usually eat the crust, put her crust-filled plate on the counter in front of the microwave to dash off and answer the phone. It was the father figure. She spoke with him for approximately 15 minutes. Afterward, I brought mine and Llew's plates in as we prepared to do the dishes.
It was then I heard some wee scratching. Upon closer inspection, I saw a piece of crust at the back corner of the microwave, and it was seemingly moving on its own. I grabbed hold of it and engaged in a minor bout of tug-o'war with what turned out to be our houseguest. I leaned over, accidently dipping my hair in the dishwater, and peered behind the microwave. Peering back at me, pizza crumbs shaking in his whiskers, was Nathan (named for Nathan Lane in 'Mouse Hunt'). As David Bromberg said, in so many words, in "Bull Frog Blues," I cocked an eye at him, he cocked an eye at me...we stood there cockeyed for 30 minutes. By this time, Aunt Tudi was having a coniption all around the dining area, grabbing our stored cottage cheese cups, in which to trap Nathan, and stuffing pot holders underneath the microwave so he couldn't escape via an alternate route.
Once all avenues of escape were closed, Aunt Tudi and I positioned our cups and began to poke at Nathan to encourage him in one direction or another. It took about 15 minutes, but he finally skittered in Aunt Tudi's direction, zipping straight into her cup. She was all a-dither. "I've got him, I've got him! I"m holding him in by his tail! Help! Help!" The way Nathan was positioned, there was no way to move the cup from against the wall without letting him escape, so I placed my finger in his tail and attempted to scoop him further into the cup while, at the same time, position a covering for the cup so he wouldn't get out.
We were so close...but Nathan was thrashing about and attempting to bite whatever it was that had his tail (ME). His tail slid out from under my finger and he leapt, quite gracefully I have to admit, behind our cabinet and disappeared. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth was coming from Aunt Tudi's vicinity. How quickly victory can turn into defeat!
So...I've reset the traps, this time with pizza crust imbedded in peanut butter, and we wait for Nathan to succumb to hunger and be brave enough to return to the scene of the crime. I have two days to capture the wily rodent with my havaharts, then it's Aunt Tudi's turn to do her dirty deeds with the more traditional snap traps. Please, Nathan! Please just take your ratty ass into my havahart so I can set you free!
The time was 2 PM. We'd all just had leftover pizza for lunch and Aunt Tudi, who doesn't usually eat the crust, put her crust-filled plate on the counter in front of the microwave to dash off and answer the phone. It was the father figure. She spoke with him for approximately 15 minutes. Afterward, I brought mine and Llew's plates in as we prepared to do the dishes.
It was then I heard some wee scratching. Upon closer inspection, I saw a piece of crust at the back corner of the microwave, and it was seemingly moving on its own. I grabbed hold of it and engaged in a minor bout of tug-o'war with what turned out to be our houseguest. I leaned over, accidently dipping my hair in the dishwater, and peered behind the microwave. Peering back at me, pizza crumbs shaking in his whiskers, was Nathan (named for Nathan Lane in 'Mouse Hunt'). As David Bromberg said, in so many words, in "Bull Frog Blues," I cocked an eye at him, he cocked an eye at me...we stood there cockeyed for 30 minutes. By this time, Aunt Tudi was having a coniption all around the dining area, grabbing our stored cottage cheese cups, in which to trap Nathan, and stuffing pot holders underneath the microwave so he couldn't escape via an alternate route.
Once all avenues of escape were closed, Aunt Tudi and I positioned our cups and began to poke at Nathan to encourage him in one direction or another. It took about 15 minutes, but he finally skittered in Aunt Tudi's direction, zipping straight into her cup. She was all a-dither. "I've got him, I've got him! I"m holding him in by his tail! Help! Help!" The way Nathan was positioned, there was no way to move the cup from against the wall without letting him escape, so I placed my finger in his tail and attempted to scoop him further into the cup while, at the same time, position a covering for the cup so he wouldn't get out.
We were so close...but Nathan was thrashing about and attempting to bite whatever it was that had his tail (ME). His tail slid out from under my finger and he leapt, quite gracefully I have to admit, behind our cabinet and disappeared. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth was coming from Aunt Tudi's vicinity. How quickly victory can turn into defeat!
So...I've reset the traps, this time with pizza crust imbedded in peanut butter, and we wait for Nathan to succumb to hunger and be brave enough to return to the scene of the crime. I have two days to capture the wily rodent with my havaharts, then it's Aunt Tudi's turn to do her dirty deeds with the more traditional snap traps. Please, Nathan! Please just take your ratty ass into my havahart so I can set you free!
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Date: 2003-12-08 08:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-08 12:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-08 10:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-08 12:48 pm (UTC)