This spring we read the unabridged story of The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo before seeing the greatly anticipated film (book was WAY better than the movie!), and we also enjoyed listening to the audio book narrated by Graeme Malcolm...who's voice and accent(s) was absolutely perfect to a 'T'!
If you have a chance, we HIGHLY recommend your listening to this audio book this summer! Get to know Despereaux, the Princess Pea, Chiaroscuro (cripes!), and Miggery Sow (“Gor, ain't it pretty? Gor, ain't it something?!”) as you will quickly get wrapped up in the sweet story filled with humor, sadness, hope, revenge, forgiveness...it's truly incredible!
"I will have no more mice babies! They are such the disappointment!" says Despereaux's mother!
"I will have no more mice babies! They are such the disappointment!" screamed ME!
If my ribs weren't sore enough already from two days of my "being sick as a dog," then they are plenty sore from my girly shrieks this evening!
After two days of my not feeling so great, this evening I thought it'd be nice to sit outside with sweet hubby and take in a few (albeit shallow...sore ribs!) breaths of fresh air! Ahhh! It was nice!
Then we turned to walk inside, and Ricci (being the gentleman that he is) opened the door for me to walk inside first, and my radar eyes saw Despereaux run across the kitchen floor! Now of course, I was two rooms away, but I saw him! With both hands clasped tightly over my mouth..."Shriek! A mouse!" And other evenings, my Wonder Woman supersonic ears have heard him as well! And each time I've awoken Ricci to "What's that sound!?!?" And he's sleepily rolled over and said, "I don't hear anything!"
"Aha! Now I have proof!"
"Well, I didn't see anything! It was probably just a roach!"
"It was tiny, but it was too fast and too big to be a roach! Please stand right there while I go and Google 'how...many...babies...mice'!"
"Whatcha not doin' at your post?!? You're looking over my shoulder!!! Then you can clearly see what I'm reading on UGA's Co-op Ext. Serv. for Agricultural and Environmental Sciences....
"They usually have about 8-12 babies in one litter, but can have as few as 1 and
as many as 20 babies at a time." "Rats and mice breed fast.""Mice can get through any hole that will admit the tip of your little finger. Seal small holes and cracks by stuffing them with stainless steel scouring pads, then caulk over them."
"Mice like peanut butter."
and my personal favorite...although I don't completely agree....
"Shooting is not generally effective for controlling rats and may be hazardous."
Tiny marital squabble...followed by "Yes, dear; I'll get dressed and go to the store at this late hour and buy some traps!"
***
Sweet fella returned home safely with four mouse traps...and more stories than I needed to hear of how the his fellow, late-night shoppers and grocery clerks have gotten rid of their mice and/or rats...dare we say that word out loud!
The dog and I greeted him at the door; I already had the suggested peanut butter waiting! So like a good, supportive wife, I helped him bait the traps. (Oh...who am I kidding...it was all for my pleasure! I wanted proof...once and for all...that Despereaux was indeed living in our home! And after I had returned him to the library!)
So 'we' baited one trap and set it gently to the side (not on the floor...we have children and a dog, ya know!); 'we' baited the second...it didn't work; (oops! I dropped a dab of peanut butter on the kitchen floor); 'we' baited the third and fourth. Sir-Barks-a-lot came in to see what we were doing; we praised him for cleaning up the peanut butter I had dropped; 'we' turned around to repair the final trap, and...
Click!
Clap!
Bam!
Snap!
Sir-Barks-a-lot thought he'd check out the rest of the peanut butter that we'd set out; after all, we had praised him for cleaning up the other! Poor thing was looking at us like..."WHAT THE HECK was all of that?!?!? I promise I will NEVER try to sneak food again that's not on the floor!"
Oh! The poor, terrified animal...thankfully was unhurt! Yes, if he were 'on guard' all of the time, we probably wouldn't be having this problem, but oh...my poor boy! His look was simply pathetic!
So after more of my screaming like a little girl and a few of Ricci's 'choice' words followed by our doubling over from so much laughter (again...sore ribs!), 'we' finished baiting the last mouse trap, and Ricci pulled the stove out...that's the only place where we can figure they're getting into this 'ole house! And I have to say that I'm not a morning person, but I will be wide awake to hear the results!
Thank you, Ricci, for being the most wonderful husband and father! I rest knowing that God gave me you and that you're protecting us!
5 comments:
Oh. my. goodness... Good luck! Your poor dog.. mine would have done the exact same thing! He is so goofy and not the brightest sweetie in the house. I can imagine the look of "well, whatcha do that for?"
Thanks, Nekey! So far...I think it's going well! Yes, the poor sweet thing was so pathetic, and I'm afraid that I may have babied (sp?) him after it happened! Thankfully, somehow he didn't get hurt!
Every family has to have a "mouse story" to remember the rest of their lives. Believe me, it gets funnier as the years go by.
Hello, just found you via your Amble Ramble post. I really enjoyed the mouse babies entry. Late spring I bought this same audiobook (though we haven't seen the movie yet) and we really enjoyed it. At times I really had to cringe though, as we had just overcome a mouse invasion (or so it seemed at the time). Last fall they came and like you I saw a really little one and it REALLY concerned me. It seemed that nothing really worked so this spring we adopted a cat from the shelter, our first pet in several years. Well, at least as far as I know we are mouse free! He also killed a small snake in basement this summer but we won't go there. :)
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/2moremade4/
Thanks, Kim, for stopping by! Oh...I'd love to have a cat living in the house with us...just for that reason! Our dog just looks at us like, "What are y'all looking at?!? What's goin' on?!?" And that book is so great; isn't it?
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