With the change of weather the insects seem to be seeking shelter in the chicken's nesting boxes so we're going to try some herbal insecticides. First up is rosemary.
I'm not sure if the farm cat, Marty is trying to help me sort out the mice in the roof space. It is just as likely that his aim is to capture and rehouse a mouse inside. He is unpredictable in his affections and he is cross eyed. Not the greatest hunter his hit and miss technique suggests that he might see multiple mice when in reality there is only one mouse. He also lacks the killer instinct having been completely spoilt by Natalya. I wouldn't be surprised if he invited the laundry cupboard mouse inside to play.
I was woken this morning when I heard a rustling noise in the ceiling cavity directly above my head.As I focused my super rodent detecting powers the sound of the rusting was amplified and the image of the mouse that I held in my mind grew and morphed into a rat, and then a possum. A huge possum with a twitchy nose and bionic tail, covered in fluff that would allow this hugely devious and dastardly creature to stalk and attack prey in a bid for world domination. It was sitting directly above my head, it’s eyes full of fire and hatred.
Adrenaline started to course around my body as I flew into action. I elbowed my sleeping husband and asked “did you hear that?” Given the lack of response he clearly had not. I huddled under the covers in a bid to find a happier place in my mind. Eventually the alarm went off and I decided to tackle the day.
After showering I went in search of underwear in the laundry cupboard. The laundry cupboard is my guilty secret and a dumping ground for all unclaimed washing. It is a disaster zone and as I lifted a washing basket that sat on top of another, half full basket I was horrified to find what was clearly a mouse house. All of the unmatched socks had been pushed to one side leaving an area that was littered with mouse droppings. I slammed the door shut and took several steps backwards, bracing myself on a wall while I came up with a plan.
I grabbed a block of rat bait from the garage and took deep, silent breaths as I crept back to the laundry cupboard. I gently turned the door handle, jerked the door open, threw the block of bait in and again slammed the door before running down the corridor. I stopped in the bed room and a shiver ran down my spine. I screamed, screamed again, jumped around like Rumpelstiltskin, stamped my feet and did my best jazz hands. “Aaaaaaaaaaah”.
It is now the middle of the morning and I am feeling jaded and tired. Tonight I will have to ask Colin to take bait up into the roof because, I have musophobia and I must clean up the laundry cupboard.
An over enthusiastic cleaner put Percy's food in the bin on Friday afternoon before we could collect it so she has had a diet of figs and feijoas all weekend. With the balmy weather and the change in diet she seems to think she is on holiday and has taken to making herself a mud lounger. She fluffed up the mud with her snout and then used her belly to create a perfect mould for it so that she can lie belly dug in, legs out sunbathing. She is as happy as a pig in mud.