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18 September 2016

EXCITING TIMES, FOR SOME....

THURSDAY.

Charlie is endeavouring to rid the world of mice! Quite often I have to remove dead mice, some half eaten, some not. Fortunately I am not tickle-stomached. However, and I know this sounds daft, I am against having to chase after a live mouse. Not through fear, you understand, just that I can’t move as fast as a mouse. 

Early morning, just after waking up, I was obliged to investigate the ‘thing’ Charlie was playing with. Yes, it was a still-alive mouse. Fortunately my appearance caused Charlie to run and the mouse to freeze. Grabbing a paper tissue I managed to capture the mouse and, followed closely by Charlie, took the mouse into the garden. Of course, I tossed it onto the garden where the miniature animal raced off, chased by Charlie - in my direction. Luckily, I managed to capture the mouse again which made Charlie curious. Thinking cap on... where to throw the mouse out of Charlie’s way. Surreptitious moves on my part fooled Charlie into thinking the mouse was somewhere it wasn’t which gave me time to sweep the mouse out of sight.

Half an hour later I was still watching Charlie trying to find it.


SATURDAY.

Is it any wonder my back is killing me? I woke at around 6 o’clock. Charlie usually wakes me around 6.30. Apart from peeping at the clock I was reluctant to open my eyes. I mean, I don’t have to get up early. There are no commitments that require my attention at an unearthly hour but Charlie doesn’t believe in late rising. I can understand that, the poor animal needs feeding after all said and done.  Normally I wake in a sleepy daze but it felt different this morning. I felt alert but couldn’t think why. Only then did I realise that Charlie was running around. I could hear him slithering on the floor in an obvious hurry. Oh, I prayed, please don’t say he’s caught something.

I guessed right ... there was a A MOUSE in the house, a very much alive and kicking mouse. Usually they’re dead when I find them but not today. I didn’t stop to think, I shot out of bed to join in the chase.

Charlie and I chased the creature, what a sight that must have been with me still in nightie and bare-footed. No wonder the mouse ran and, boy, could that mouse move! He darted about in all rooms, at the back of radiator, successfully avoided my grasping hands, back to the rooms, then back into the hall and under the radiator cover which inconveniently has spaces for the mouse to go in and stay in. I got the walking stick and prodded but of course the mouse shifted to the other end. I tried to lift the cover away from the radiator but it wouldn’t budge - it needs two people to shift it.

I needed time to think about this so I ambled into the bedroom to get slippers and dressing gown but only got as far as picking up the slippers (actually, for slippers read sandals) when I heard another scurrying sound. Sandals in hand I hurried back to the mouse’s hidey-hole and started poking about with the walking stick, an instrument far too long for the job in hand. Looking round for something with which to hit the mouse, if I should ever get near it, I remembered that in the next room - just feet away - was a long handled shoe-horn, made from bone and purchased in a far off land, and perfect for the job in hand. Hurriedly I went to get it. Little did I know that the mouse had jumped into one of the sandals and I was carrying it around. I think it was the scream that made him jump out and head back to his shelter.

That was where he met his end. When he ventured out of the hole I was ready for him. The minute he tried to come out I hit him with the newly acquired weapon. Wham! Actually I don’t know if it stunned him or killed him. Gathering the inert body into a strip from the kitchen paper roll I took him into the garden and threw him into a patch of long grass and weeds – while Charlie was still searching the house!

SUNDAY.

I was sad to find a dead bird, a baby greenfinch. The chore that time was to sweep up the feathers and discard the body. So sad. LIFE IS NEVER DULL IN MY HOUSE. I have since barred Charlie from certain rooms. Of course, first on list is my bedroom! I thought barring him from some areas might save energy - mine!

18 comments:

  1. Life really isn't dull there, and full of animals it seems. Charlie is so adorable!

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  2. Mersad, yes he is adorable most times, but I fail to see that when I am scooping up dead creatures. Another one this morning - another desd mouse.

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  3. First, I love that photograph of Charlie sleeping on the couch...he's sooooo CUTE!

    " Little did I know that the mouse had jumped into one of the sandals and I was carrying it around. I think it was the scream that made him jump out and head back to his shelter."

    OMG...that made me that made me laugh but also JUMP because I could just picture you realizing that the mouse had gotten into slipper!

    Aren't cats funny with how they like to rise early in the morning? My cats were the same way. They would sit on my bed while I was still asleep and walk all over my head. They would also sometimes sit there on the bed, close to my face, and just stare at me until I woke up. HA!

    By the way, I too have a radiator (very similar to the one in your picture) in my apartment and I LOVE it! Most of the apartment buildings and homes in the city have been converted to electric heat, but I much prefer radiator heat.

    Hope you're having a lovely Sunday, my friend! Enjoying these posts about Charlie!

    X to you and Charlie

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  4. Hi, Ron. Yes it was a shock to look down and see the mouse looking at me. I refrained from screaming, though, which seems to be the normal reaction.
    I might be away for a while, computer has died and I can only use the ipad. Oooh so slow. I will try and keep with things.

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  5. Mice in the house creep me out. If i saw them I would definitely think about getting a cat.

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  6. We have had an unusual summer with many mice coming in to the house. Normally they wait until fall when the neighbor picks his corn and clears things out. I trap mine and they need to be dead for me to carry them outside. I have trapped more this summer than I have the past many years. We have no cats.

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  7. Hi folks, because of computer problems I may not be able to post for a while. I do have a computer expert coming to check out the problem so I am hopeful the glitch won't last long. I am writing this on the ipad but couldn't possibly deal with a long post this way. The type is sooooo tiny and the whole thing would take far too long. Hope to be back soon. In the meantime I will try and comment on your blogs.

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  8. Who was it that said pets were relaxing and calming to have as company? I say that sounds like a lot of work :)

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  9. Kden, other than the mouse chasing events all is quiet. Charlie sleeps during daylight hours.

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  10. I left a comment, did it get lost or did I say something bad?

    How old is Charlie? Cats do like to sleep all day and bedevil the house while you sleep. I think animals have their own inner clock and we had better stick to their time schedule! Royalty, they are.

    Our cat, Yoda, used to bring us gifts. She would bring them in and let them go: birds, snakes, bunnies - you name it.

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  11. SJQ. No your comment didn't get lost but I wish my computer had. It decided to pack up and only an expert could fix it, which has now been done. We need lots of patience where computers are concerned. All I can say is thank goodness for ipads.

    Charlie is 5, going on 6. His clock is certainly different to mine.

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  12. Larry, I prefer to carry dead mice, if at all, but the live one crept into my sandal without me knowing. Hope that doesn't happen again!

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  13. Our animals do keep our lives interesting, don't they? Loved the pictures.

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  14. Thank you, Linda.. Yes, there is never a dull moment.

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  15. Oh my goodness, you certainly get your exercise Valerie. I remember back in the day our cat used to bring us lots of 'presents'.

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  16. I must say I have no love of mice but tend to take the birds side in these life or death events...

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  17. Well, Charlie really knows how to keep you and itself "entertained". :-)

    Greetings from London.

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  18. Charlie is certainly not letting you get bored. He's also providing you excellent blogging material. Looking forward to hearing about the next adventures of Charlie. Take care Val.

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