Small visitors..

How do you judge when the weather is getting colder? How come I have the distinct feeling that our cats are merely mooching off of us for food? Quite simply, because we have some extra, small, uninvited visitors in our house. I use the plural sense but I am sincerely hoping it should be singular. Found some "evidence" in the back hallway yesterday of some potential invaders, and Brad set out two traps to see if we were right in the assumption. Yep, sure enough, this morning a small little mouse (or so I was told) was in one of the traps. Small little fella, which makes me think he has (unfortunately) some relatives around. So, in typical homeschooling fashion, we had to use the catch as a learning opportunity. (No, we didn't dissect it!)

First, a lesson on male/female roles in society - or at least OUR society: "Boys, men are the ones who take mice out of mousetraps and throw them in the garbage."

Then, on to problem solving: "I don't want you to touch it, so figure out a way to get it into the outside garbage bin without touching it. Here's a bag."

By golly, they found a way. More importantly, I didn't see it, touch it, or have it permanently ingrained into my long term memory.

Obviously our outdoor cats are NOT earning their keep, but then again, I'm not sure they ever did. :) We're good for feeding them, petting them, and providing a nice warm bed in the winter. They're good for, hmmm....I'm not sure. Certainly not pest control.

But, life would be different if Angel and Beauty weren't around. I'll take the stance that if they weren't around, we'd have even MORE mice. And, certainly, we have plenty the way it is now. ONE is way too many in my book.

Off to reset the traps...oh, who am I kidding. Off to show the boys how to reset the traps...