“The RoseBouquet”

I knew this little house had mice before I moved in, and I cleaned up a lot of their waste and tried to block off all holes where they might come in. My neighbours tell me there have been mice coming from under my back porch to sample their dogs’ dishes, but so far I had seen none inside my house, so I thought I had succeeded in keeping them out.

However, on Sunday evening, sitting in my recliner for a quick read, I suddenly saw a movement from the kitchen doorway and glanced over in time to see a little dark mouse creeping under my pink chair. Like a flash I jumped and started hollering at that mouse that it was NOT welcome here! I stomped my feet and commanded it to leave.

Nothing. No obedience, no movement.

Then I realized how it must have come in. I had the back door open during the afternoon to let the bright sunshine in from the back porch windows. I know there are some gaps in the outer door frame big enough for a mouse to sneak through. It must have got as far as the kitchn in the afternoon from outside - under my porch.

Well, I think of myself as a pacifist, but I became very active and alert as I inspected where all it could go. Mainly I think it is camping under my desks and filing cabinets. I haven’t seen it leave, but then I haven’t been keeping my eyes on the floor at all times. So it could be anywhere by now. I went downstairs and brought up a box of fabric softener sheets. I had already stuck strips of this in all the cracks in the basement walls, and foundation. Now I laid some under every gap beneath my desks too, around my bed, (horrors - if it should cuddle up close to my face in the night!)

I also called Penny next door, and left a message for her to come over with her cat once they got home in case her cat was a mouser.

She did, but Buddy is NOT a mouser. He prowled and sniffed and just knew there was something under my desk, but he shivered with fear.

Other friends gave me a couple of new mouse traps some weeks ago, but when I tried to set one, I only caught my own finger in it. What a strong spring! So those are handy if anyone comes over and is able to set them. Since yesterday was a holiday (because Remembrance Day fell on Sunday) I had to wait until today to go shopping for mouse poison. That’s on my to-do list right after finishing this RoseBouquet.

I wasn’t too keen on finding desiccated mice all over the house, but now I’m desperate enough and am declaring a fresh, intensive offensive in this war! I will be rid of all mice in this house - and under the back porch too!