Mystery Monday

This is actually a mystery carried over from last year. We never did solve it. 

Some sort of animal droppings. They are too big to be mice. I hope it's not a rat! That really freaks me out! Plus that's a lot of droppings. Not only is it a mystery as to what it is, it's a mystery that the droppings are in the exact same location as last year! They are right in front of the garage. There is nothing around here. It's right outside my car door--which is why I even noticed it in the first place.

I just don't understand it. And I don't understand why all of a sudden, my text here won't line up right . No matter what I do, I can't fix it. And yes, I know where to go to align the text. It is just not working! It's like it's stuck on the center options! Just another mystery! 

Oh well.

Monday Mystery

You might remember this post from last year. It was a mystery---that now has been solved.

Here's the story:

All of a sudden, we see this again this year.

Some sort of droppings again! Exactly the same and in exactly the same location. 

It's too large to be mice. Like last year, I thought it could possibly be rats--which of course, really freaks me out. Then I thought maybe it's chipmunks. But why here in this exact same spot? 

Butch is much better than me at thinking outside the box. For some reason, he thought to look up. I never thought of that.

 

That's when it hit him--bats! We have bats in the belfry! Okay, we don't even have a belfry. I guess this is a vent since that's what it is. It's open to the outside. I had no idea about that. Butch said there's some sort of screen to keep anything from getting inside--except for bats!!

He went up to look in the attic. I couldn't do it--I was too afraid. Yep, bats. We have 4 attics in this house---all with vents. 

That lead to a contemplative conversation during happy hour on the front porch. How could so few bats cause so much poop. More importantly, since they hang upside down, how exactly does that work? (Sometimes our happy hour convos are a reach--after all, we're together 24/7!)

I called our exterminator who referred us to "Complete Animal Removal." Ours doesn't do bats.

They came out the very next day.

He checked all around the house and went into the attics. He told us that we have 4 bats and 6 vents. So far, the bats are only in this one vent. He also told us that he was at a house down the street last year that had hundreds of bats in their attic!! EEEK! That's probably why we got our bats for the first time--they came from that house! Luckily, ours are still outside. He told us that when the bats are expelled, they will come back somewhere else--like one of our other vents. So, we decided to have the newer screening put in all of the vents. It's an expensive proposition--nearly $2500--but I don't want to worry that the bats will just find another place to get in.

We also learned that we only have until May 1st to have the work done. Bats are protected in Tennessee. May through August--I think--is the breeding season.

I swear, it's always something. We've had a lot of animals around here in the 28 years since we moved in. A lot of the time, it's pretty exciting. We've had:

*deer

*turkeys--they were pretty cool, you could just about set your watch as to when they would come through morning and evening. They nested in the trees in our side yard--that's how we learned they can actually fly!

*groundhogs--who tore up the yard in a huge way.

*assorted small animals including chipmunks that dug up my planters on the porch.

*mice that have gotten in the house more than once.

*a cat that died under the house which we didn't even know about until a workman told us of the skeleton under there

*moles that we had to hire the "molinator" to remove

*skunks and opossums (they cohabitate) living under the house that the "Critter Ridder" took care of.

*squirrels who did damage by chewing some other kind of lead pipe vents on the house causing our roof to leak.

*assorted skinks or lizards.

*snakes

*birds, the woodpecker that pecked holes in our freshly painted columns, and who could forget the heron that ate our fish? 

*I loved the hawks we had last summer. I'm expecting them back because they tend to nest in the same area year after year. I'm thinking now that the only reason we saw them so much last summer is that the neighbor behind us took down all the trees in what was the wooded area behind us.

So there's a difference between the animals that are nuisances and the ones we love to observe. I love the wildlife around us. I just want them to behave!

Now that this mystery is solved, I wonder what will be next!

Monday Mystery

We are having a bit of a mouse problem lately. I need to restate that. We're having a terrible, horrible, huge mouse problem. Even if it's just one little mouse, that's a HUGE deal to me. I freak out. I become unhinged and unreasonable. I threaten Butch. I threaten to call the exterminators. I want someone to put a hundred traps under the house. I'm serious. A. Hundred.

Here's the mystery: how in the heck is this mouse avoiding the trap?

So here's how it all started. One evening, I opened the trash compactor and there was a mouse sitting there. I reacted like this: 1. I screamed really loud. 2. I slammed the compactor shut. 3. I compacted it. 4. Then I yelled at Butch---like he's the reason we have a mouse. Not fair at all, but that's how I roll. We wouldn't have this problem if there were a hundred traps under the house. I rest my case.

Now the fun begins. Butch puts peanut butter on the single trap he could find and put it under the sink. We think that's where they are getting in. I looked for droppings in the other cabinets and drawers. So far, they haven't gotten in there. I "bitched" to Butch that if they did, then HE was cleaning everything out. Because if we had a hund....you get the point.

The next day, the trap was sprung, but the mouse got away. Butch thought it was probably injured. We thought that was the end of it. That night, again, I saw a mouse in the compactor. I suggested he put the trap inside the compactor. The next morning, the peanut butter was gone, but the trap was not sprung. Somehow, that little bugger escaped. Butch put the trap back in that night. The next morning, the peanut butter wasn't touched. Butch said that instead they feasted on the brownies I had thrown away. Sheesh. This is taking way too long. I just want it/them gone!!

I talked to Butch last night and he said that once again, the mouse ate the peanut butter without setting off the trap. He's decided that there is too much "give" in the compactor. That hunt continues.

So, I met this girl at my scrapbook retreat. Let's call her Lisa (not her real name---okay, yes it's her real name but I didn't get her permission to post this---oh well). Anyway, as she was scrapbooking, she kept coming across cat food in her supplies. Yes, cat food. She decided that it had to be mice. Then, when she went in to a zippered pocket of her big scrapbook roller bag, she pulled out a zippered pocket binder type thing. It was full of cat food. Unbelievable. Those mice spent a lot of time moving cat food from the bowl, somehow get in the bag, inside a pocket and then inside of a zippered case. What??

I looked at it and could not see how it got in. There are no holes or chew marks.

 I wish I'd taken the picture before she dumped it. It was solid cat food along the spine.

Most of it has failed to the bottom of the trash.

Now I was really intrigued. I quizzed Lisa to get to the bottom of it. Her scrapbook stuff is stored in the basement. The cat food is in the basement. But here's the thing. The cat food is on the complete other side from where her scrapbook supplies are!!

It's a mystery for sure!

Day 3 on Drugs

I'm just starting my third day of my experimental drugs and already hating it. I don't know how old people keep up with all their meds. I have 3 different things I have to take daily, but at all different times and amounts. One pill I take 3 times a day, I take two pills once a day, and 1 pill twice a day. Seems like it should be easy to keep up with, but it's not. I've already "screwed up". I think I took the 1 pill twice a day both at the same time and the 2 pills once a day separately. It's not like you can use one of those pill things and know at the end of the day if there are pills in there, then you didn't take them for the day. Each time I'm ready for a dose, I have to use all of my concentration to focus on what I'm supposed to do and when (very difficult for someone with ADD---for example, last night, I went into the kitchen to take the pills, noticed that there was a message on my answering machine, listened to it, jotted down a note about it, carried the note to the steps so that I wouldn't forget tomorrow to return the call, noticed poinsettia "droppings", picked those up and put them in the trash compactor, noticed that the chili needed to be put away, put it in several containers, froze one which caused me to think of a great scrapbook page title, jotted down the title, put it on the stairs, then had to wash the chili pot because there wasn't room in the dishwasher, decided to make myself some iced tea, had to stop and go to the bathroom, settled back into my chair---30 minutes later---and then realized about 15 minutes after that, I had forgotten the d*** pills). Aggravating.

On to the side effects. Okay, I knew plain well going in that this was something totally experimental and since it isn't harmful in any way, decided to give it a try. Well, nothing has prepared me for the side effects. I'm obsessive enough that when I get medicine, I read every bit of the information that comes with it so that I know what to expect. Normally, I don't usually suffer any side effects from any medicine, nor am I allergic to anything. The side-effects are pretty much the normal things, dizziness (experienced with that--caused me to decide that my skiing days are over), nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach, and headache. Lucky me, I've got them all. Not fun, but I try to look on the bright side. I'm thinking, okay, it's only 3 weeks and maybe I'll lose some weight---which, depending on how much, could make it totally worthwhile. But the worse side effect of all--and it blindsided me because it wasn't listed in any of the information---is this god-awful taste in my mouth. Brushing and using mouthwash only helps for about 10 minutes. I can't imagine what my breath must smell like (ewww)! So now, because of the yukky taste, I'm constantly sucking on mints or chewing gum. I think that shoots the whole weight loss thing out the window. Now I stand to put on a few pounds---and I'm not even enjoying food or candy that I really like! Merry Christmas to me! All I've got to say is, this better work.

Monday Mystery Update

I've already reported about this mystery:

The animal droppings right outside the garage. Butch came up with a good idea that seems to be working. He moved the solar motion light from our pond (where the raccoons wrought so much havoc last year to the garage doors. That did the trick. Whatever it is has stopped. I have a strong suspicion that it's chipmunks! They have been tearing up my pots. But, the mystery still remains--what is it about this spot that attracts them? That we still don't know. There's just nothing there!

Oh well, I hope the light deters them. We'll find out when we get home tomorrow whether it worked or not. 

St. Louis is Not a Vacation Destination

Here's how it went down. I arrived yesterday afternoon. I was reminded that I had to get "stuff" out of the trunk in the garage. Well, last time I was here, mom "enticed" me with the knowledge that there was genealogical stuff I might like to have in there. I took one look at the trunk with stuff piled to the ceiling on top of it, completely boxed in around it, also piled high and decided that even if the Shroud of Turin was in there, I wasn't going for it.

Jeanne came over for dinner and went out with me to get to the trunk. Turns out, it wasn't so hard after all, because most of the boxes were empty! Seems like I inherited my box issues from my mother. We unburied the trunk and started hauling the stuff inside for mom to go through. Jeanne and I discovered what is going to be our family competition on Saturday. Mom had prom pictures for each one of us---and are they hilarious!!! Talk about hideous dresses---oh wait, that's a category for the competition (but Janice is going to win that one "hands down" for her floor length purply plaid floral number).

After Jeanne left, mom said, "yeah, I've been meaning to clean out my garage". Translated: "Barb, will you clean out my garage"? I learned a long time ago, my mother never asks for what she wants, just hints as in "I've been meaning to hang these pictures, move this stuff, inventory my safe deposit box---translated: "Barb will you, blah, blah, blah. Since I live away, I always take the hint as my sisters, Jeanne and Jennifer have to do everything else.

Fast forward to today. Bright and early this morning, I started on the garage. Mom was a little nervous about what I was going to do. She was hovering until I made her go inside. I promised that I wouldn't throw anything away (I lied about the boxes). I also promised that I would not look at the private papers she had stored in another box (okay, I took a peek---I really don't care about the make and model of the phones she has). Don't get me wrong, my mom is the queen of organization---always has been. She doesn't keep a lot of junk. It wasn't that hard of a job except that it was a garage. Thank goodness it was only a one car garage. Sweep, sneeze, drip (as in sweating), sweep, sneeze, drip, etc.---you get the picture. I also discovered little mouse droppings, but won't tell her that. When I finished, I had a pretty significant pile of crap and crud. Now what should I do with it---no dustpan. Even unbelievable to me, but I scooped up a bunch of it with my BARE hands. With the rest of it, I have a choice, sweep it into mom's grass, or the neighbor's grass. I chose the neighbor's. Not really. Okay, yes, really. What the heck, they were still sleeping. By the time they see it, the garage will be closed and they'll have no idea where it came from.

I've also been assigned lamp shopping as Jeanne has reached her frustration level with that and Jennifer has reached her---I'm going to jump off a cliff if I have to take mom shopping one more time---level. She had the unfortunate task of taking mom mattress shopping a while back and needed two stiff gin and tonics to survive the ordeal---with nary a mattress bought.

Okay, sure, I can get the lamp. Then Jeanne hits me with all the stipulations---can't cost more than $64.00, can't be made in China, has to be the correct shade of antiqued brass to match the other lamp and so on. I must say, I'm pumped for the assignment and I have an ace in the hole! Jennifer has some Made in the USA stickers to only be used as a last resort. We wouldn't want mom to catch on that all the stickers look alike!

I get along shopping with mom pretty well. I just treat her like a little kid. My last assignment was shoe shopping for my niece, Jessica's wedding. I took her to ONE shoe store (none of this driving all over tarnation for me). I found a place and told her to sit down. I asked her what size she wore and proceeded to find shoes---not too tall of a heel, no sling backs or open toes, no made in Taiwan, not too slippery, ivory---not beige, white or taupe, preferably cloth since they look more formal, etc. She found two pairs she liked and couldn't decide between the two. She asked if I was taking her somewhere else, I said "no" and made her buy both pairs. She returned the pair she didn't wear the following week.

I've also taken her bra shopping---should be pretty simple----doesn't need anything sexy, just utilitarian. Took me about 5 minutes. I just tell her what she has to buy. End of story. I predict the lamp shopping will be pretty much the same. Maybe she complains about how bossy I am, what do I care, I'm gone.

I Am So Freaked Out!

My mouse-hunter has failed me! I discovered today where the mouse/mice have been. We have set 5 traps tonight, so hopefully we'll get him/them. There are so many droppings, that it looks like more than one. But the fact that it has been on the loose for nearly 2 weeks now---could mean it's just one happy fellow.

Anyway, I am so freaked out because I have discovered that it has been all through my kitchen cabinets and drawers! Eeeewwww! I have to take the whole kitchen apart and clean EVERYTHING. I've only done one drawer so far. My OCD has really kicked in---I feel the need to get a new dishcloth with EACH item as I don't want to feel that I'm cleaning my utensils with a dirty cloth. This is going to take me forever. I'm so freaked.

Butch is going to help me tomorrow. Luckily he's retired.

I have several posts planned, but I'm too freaked to write them now. Just watch for them over the next couple days.

Did I mention that I'm totally freaked out? And everyone wonders why I don't like animals!

PS I have NEVER had a mouse because I've always had cats. I might have to break down and get another. I am soooo freaked out! The heck with the live traps, I want them dead!

Friday Frustrations!

1. So on Tuesday, I played bridge. It has become my job to collect money for Christmas gifts for the people who make our monthly game possible and enjoyable. 

I got an envelope and let everyone know what was expected. There were 20 people there and this is all I collected.

Considering I need to collect about $1200, this is pitiful! I collected $235. Two of us gave more. Everyone else gave exactly $25. and someone only gave $20. I'm hoping most people just didn't have any cash on them. But only 7 people contributed? Come on. We only have one more month to come up with the money. We'll see. So frustrating!

2. We have always had a problem with the squirrels and chipmunks getting to the bird feeders.

Butch came up with a brilliant solution. He sprayed a coke bottle and put it on the pole so the critters couldn't crawl up the pole. That worked for a couple years. All of a sudden, it stopped working. Turns out that they realized they could just jump over to the plant and up and over. So frustrating!

3. A couple weeks ago, when I was on my road trip through Missouri and Butch was in Montana, he came home to this.

Another double storm window "fell" off the house. That makes 3 times. We've determined that when the housepainters took them down, they did not properly affix them when they finished painting. So frustrating!

4. This was the disaster I discovered when I got home from my trip. I cannot imagine what made these marks on the carpet. I was going to use it as a Monday Mystery until Butch solved it.

Apparently while we were gone there was a big storm. The door in my office blew open. Butch discovered it when he got home--probably the same time he found the broken windows. Still, I do not know why caused this string of dirt spots. Butch said he's going to clean it, but I think he's forgotten. So frustrating!

5. I was not planning to decorate for Halloween this year. But, Butch has mentioned it. Now I feel pressured--especially since the whole family will be in town next weekend. So, I drug everything out only to discover this:

That is a lot of mouse droppings! This box was in the back hall closet--so in the house! Not in the attic or garage--the house. Inside! Yuk! It's so frustrating!

I just want to live my life--and do nothing but fun stuff. I don't want to work or clean stuff. I want to read, play games, watch tv, play on my computer, surf the net, scrapbook, a little gardening, visit with friends and go to lunch or just hang out, play bridge, have happy hours with Butch, spend time with family and just BE. No work, no grossness, nothing. It's so frustrating! (I know--wah, was! First world problems!)

Still, it's frustrating.