Liz’s rant: Of mice and mad

Remember when I had a little issue with a mouse in the house? Well, they’re back. And it’s not even late fall.

I likely wouldn’t have known had I not decided to fix muffins for breakfast (yet more proof that cooking is over-rated at best).

I heated up the oven and reached into the oven drawer to get the muffin tin, only to find nasty little black pellets in 11 of 12 muffin rounds.

Alas the muffin baking was promptly canceled and I was sick at my stomach. I yelled for my son and announced the dilemma, at which point he started making those creeped-out gestures. I told him we were in for another fight – that I’d need his help with this one (at which point, he asked to go out and play).

Fine. Go. I’ve been dealt worse. I’ll handle it myself, I thought, playing total martyr.

I’d have to now disinfect everything in the kitchen (which would lead to total disinfection of the HOUSE), drag out the stupid mouse traps (and I think we all know the only ones that really work are the neck-snappers) and declare war – again – on the mice.

Unfortunately, I feel more like Bill Murray’s character in Caddyshack. We all know the groundhog won out in the end.

So at the risk of sounding like I’m giving up, I must ask you, the readers, to provide a helpful hint or two for ridding the house of the ratty rodent(s) and disinfecting without going crazier than I already am.

Meanwhile, I’m headed to the health food store for a case of peppermint oil. Apparently if you douse a cotton ball with the oil and set them in “mice friendly” locales, it wards off the little varmints. (Another suggestion was to place snake poop in mousy places. I will sooooo not be going there…)

I figure bleach is the best disinfectant for the dishes. Not that I’ll ever want to eat out of them or cook with them again, anyway.

I will be waiting patiently for your responses. So HURRY UP!

-Liz

Enjoy your Coffee Break!

Want to submit your own story to be considered for the Guest Headline post to run on Fridays?  Just let us know at lizandkate@live.com.