So, here in Corfu, it's "mouse season"!
Not exactly just here in Corfu, of course. But currently it seems we are plagued with the little beasties.
Of course you generally only see one, but obviously you know there must be many. So far I have seen three. One surprised me by dashing across the cream colored floor in my study while I was typing an email to a friend a few days ago. As it was very early in the morning I didn't scream at the top of my lungs - only letting out a gentle "Gaa-ah!"
The next time was in the living room whilst T and I were watching CSI. I logically screetched "MOUSE" while T, looking bemused, said, "Really? Where?"
Of course he gallantly got up and searched all over the living room and couldn't find the mouse. I said with what I thought was appropriate sangfroid, "Well, we have cats, so that should take care of the problem. We'll keep them inside for a couple of days." (T agreed but set out traps)
The third time was Friday afternoon in the kitchen when I opened the under-sink cabinet to toss in some peelings (I have a nifty little garbage can with a lid that opens when I open the cabinet door.) Well imagine my surprise when a small mouse JUMPED out of the little garbage can and dived behind the dishwasher soap!!
That deserved an appropriate yell "EEEEK!!" which caused grandson to dash into the room shouting "What! What!" with T following more slowly and saying "ah, more traps..."
I still had faith in the cats, until this morning anyway. Both cats found a mouse--- whom, as noted on camera, they "communed" with this morning.
Rather than jumping on it and doing cat like things, they watched and played with it and treated it like a favored kitten. Including carrying it to another place closer to the bushes so it could ESCAPE!! It will no doubt return with hoards of its little friends, secure in the knowledge that our cats are wussies!
Patient Ballou watches and wonders why she has such dumb step-sisters. That or perhaps they're Buddhist cats... just my luck.
This does not bode well for vermin season.
I'm eeeking along with you. I'm quite phobic about mice - and bats - and rats - and trapped birds; goodness knows why - like most phobias it's illogical. A few years ago we had rats in our garden - they'd come up on to the terrace like they owned it and just look at me, wiggling their whiskers, while I quaked behind the window. We had our Bernese at the time - he took no interest at all. Eventually the Pest Control people got rid of them at the point where I was ready to move out! There are some species of snake in Corfu that feed on mice - (they won't harm people.) There used to be one wrapped around the pipes in your basement f Methavrio before it was converted - gave us quite a fright the first time we saw it!
ReplyDeleteOH GOD... and i've got a phobia about snakes! on the tumblr link, i have a picture of a snake that got into one of the swifts nests on the front entry way! my brave husband had to knock it down and kill it- it was a viper. (the birds were old enough to fly away before he got them, so they survived)... tho i must admit, i was thrown by the fact that snakes could climb up the wall!!
ReplyDeletefor sure now the downstairs is a guest apartment with no outside connections - including *tightly* screened in windows!! the only wildlife i've seen down there have been a once in a while gecko or two and they mostly eat the odd mosquito and spiders.
for sure i would NOT be happy with a snake living in the basement- no matter how many mice and rats he ate!
Alas, I have only just allowed myself to kill a fly.
ReplyDeleteAll mice/lizards/ shrews/rabbits are recued from cats and transported to the nearest field.
I operate on the "everything has a right to life" level, so even killing a fly makes me feel bad.
I really need to toughen up!
GG
No you sound really sweet and gentle.
ReplyDeleteWhen we first moved here I used to rescue things - ALL the time. EVEN
SNAKES... until the viper I rescued and took a few fields away
returned and bit one of my stupid cats and the vet bill was 175 euros.
Then there was the infestation of fruit rats that got into the attic
and destroyed the electrical wiring. My dearly beloved put his foot
down there. (He was the one stuck with being in the attic crawlspace
replacing the wiring) No more rats in the attic.
We have so much in the way of small "live stock" here in Greece.
Seriously, the fact that we have so many snakes and frogs (extremely
noisy regulars on the bathroom walls- spring and fall) and different
species of wasps and horseflies is probably really great for
bio-diversity, but it's hell on companionable living!
Actually, indoors, I'm pretty gracious to geckos and lizards as they
eat the flying things and the spiders. It does throw a few house
guests but so be it.)
It does sound like my "Buddhist" cats would be happy with you tho!