M-I-C...K-E-Y...

It's official. Aside from finding the dead body (did I get your attention there?) the Mouse House has been returned to its "humans only" state. Mortimer (as he was dubbed by my friend, 'Tisha) has left the building.

After our early morning kitchen run-in, DM set up an enticing meal of peanut butter and cheese on a very very old snap trap. But Mortimer was a little too sneaky for that. He snapped that trap, stole my cheese and went back under the dishwasher. It was about that time that I noticed these little black specks in my bottom kitchen cabinets. A google investigation uncovered said black specks were, indeed, rat poop. (It's amazing what you find when you google "rat poop.") My pots and pans, tupperware and baking dishes were nothing but a playground for little Mortimer. So one by one, the pieces got run through the dishwasher and are still residing on my dining room table. I've got 2 mice of my own so I haven't had the time to get in there with the disenfecting cleaner. (note to self: stop blogging and do it now.)

My attitude towards Mortimer went back and forth, sometimes I felt sorry for the cute little guy and other times I was just hacked that the nasty rodent was invading my space. Late one night as I was sitting in the playroom, I saw him meander from the kitchen into the stairwell and presumably head down to the basement. With eyeballs as big as saucers, I ran back to tell sleeping DM and he just laughed. He also admitted he does not remember the exchange at all.

As Operation Put Cloth Diapers in Dryer had to be continued, battle tactics were launched:

1. Throw empty toilet paper roll (on it's way from the bathroom to the recycling bin) into the kitchen. Wait.

2. When nothing happens, set up child's chair, pick up e.t.p.r., stand on chair, flip on light and throw it into the stairwell.

3. When nothing happens, shake the door to see if enemy is hiding behind door or random box of junk that hasn't made its way downstairs.

4. When nothing happens, peer anxiously down stairwell.

5. When nothing happens, go back to kitchen to get load of laundry (find mouse droppings behind towel bin in pantry, BALLS!!!!!!), timidly walk down stairwell.

6. When nothing happens, flip on light and walk slowly down hall.

7. When nothing happens, flip on sitting room light.

8. When nothing happens, flip on kitchen light, peer anxiously around corner into kitchen.

9. When nothing happens, venture slowly into kitchen.

10. Almost wet pants as hear mouse scurry under unknown appliance.

11. With knowledge of enemy in hiding, continue OPCDID as normal.

12. Walk back upstairs and get mouse poison, take back to downstairs kitchen, place on floor and kick into corner.

13. Walk back upstairs and hear strange noises coming from upstairs kitchen, assume house is being taken over by rodents and plan to move in 2 1/2 months.

The following morning, DM and I went on a date (with our children) to Wal-mart to get the latest and greatest in mouse traps. DM reached for a snap trap the size of my keyboard, but my mood right then was "Mortimer is cute" so I opted for one of those live traps where you put a peanut butter cracker in it, mouse goes in trap, door closes, mouse is trapped and you can take him outside, alive and unharmed. I have a friend, Denise, who is a big animal fan and I kept picturing her crying as Mortimer got snapped up.

Next morning, no mouse. Left the house all day long, again no mouse- and this time I noticed a peanut butter smear on the side of the trap, shaped exactly like a mouse. (DM says it's where his finger smudged on the way out but I stand behind my observation.) I mentioned this fact to 2 of my friends, Marge and Shannon, and they both gently reminded me that rats breed like rabbits do and where there's one, there's usually a little mouse family. I so did not need to know that, so DM picked up a snap trap on his way home and I set up more D-Con under the cabinets. We left town for 24 hours and when we got home, both traps were empty. I have to admit I was a little disappointed. BUT, about 1/2 the D-Con was gone! Apparently, there was a mouse party and he (they?) all ODed.