Saturday, August 17, 2013

Johnsons 7 - Mice 0

It may have been while we were in Michigan, but at some point recently, a few mice decided they would call the Johnson residence home. I saw the signs right after we got back as I was cleaning out a closet in the kitchen. That's when I found the condo they had built during our absence. I'm telling you, these mice must have graduated from Georgia Tech or MIT. Their home had a nice overhang and was decorated with beads out of our craft drawer. 

I have a difficult time killing any living, breathing thing, so with mixed feelings, we set out sticky traps (they're very inhumane by the way) and poison (also inhumane). We caught two, but my husband decided to use a broom to shoo another two out the door (very humane). Johnsons 2 - Mice 2.

Hmmmm. That was effective.

Flash forward: My new floor is in place, and my closets are pristine with new paint and flooring. 

More mice. More traps. One more mouse. Stuck. However, he managed to drag the trap under the closet door and into the middle of the floor. (Now that was a nice view first thing in the morning!) My husband placed him in a plastic bag, I guess hoping for a quicker death (we really, really hate this stuff), and left him outside. When he got home in the afternoon, the bag had been eaten through and Mighty Mouse had come unstuck and had escaped. Johnsons 2 - Mice 3.

By now, I'm imagining a pretty creepy infestation. (What are dogs for, by the way, if they can't scare a few tiny, big-eared house mice away?) Back to our bag of tricks. Sticky pads, those break-your-neck traps, and poison. We catch two more. Johnsons 4 - Mouse 1.

And then, the most amazing thing I've ever seen. (Yes, gross, but still amazing....) I walk into the kitchen one morning, and this tiny little mouse is swimming laps in my dogs' water bowl. Seriously! (It's a big, square bowl that does look a bit like a mouse-sized swimming pool.) No, I didn't get a picture or video. I was too freaked out by the whole thing to even go there. What I did was yell for my husband.

I've decided that the mice think our home is the Hilton. I'm expecting to find one lounging under a lamp one day as if she's sunning herself outdoors. 

Suffice it to say, at last count it's Johnsons 7 - Mice 0. This hotel is closed!



 They are cute. But they eat my food.
And poop. And tinkle.
(Photo from the Internet)
 

4 comments:

beth said...

will be back....google just ate my perfect comment.....arrghhh

beth said...

it was a long one and i 'll shorten with a laugh....careful johnson family....they might be writing up winter lease agreements as i type this.....

oh and if they look like this photo, you have field mince and darn it, they are so cute and hard to get rid off....

Roban said...

Beth, I may have picked up the wrong mouse photo on the Internet. Do house mice also have the big, cute ears? From my research, that's what I thought we had! They are very smart and resourceful whatever they are. I was thinking about getting Hannah's old Barbie car out to see if they would hit the road. Hopefully, I won't have to!

Unknown said...

Ohhhh I think we'd have to burn the house down if I saw one if those critters in my house!!! Do u hear them in your walls at night? Hopefully the Johnson's will win the battles and eventually the war!!