I've been running through a few cute ways to say this, but when it comes down to it, it is not cute at all. We have some sort of rodent life forms residing directly above our heads (when we're lying in our bed, in the bedroom, at, say, 3 a.m.) in the attic.A few people who have heard this story have assured me that it's probably just 'wintering squirrels.' Just an innocent little fuzzy squirrel family, holing up against the bitter late-winter weather. Hunkering down in their wee nest made of whatever the families that went before left up there.
If only this lovely image wasn't accompanied by the skittering of little clawed feet along the ceiling. (did I mention, RIGHT ABOVE MY HEAD?!!) And visions of bits of plaster and rodents raining down on my face in the middle of the night.
Honestly. A demonic,* shape-shifting rodent terrorized my dreams last night. What little sleep I had after staying up 'til 2 a.m. to pound through another 100 pages of 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter.' A lovely book, but not entirely cheery.
Otherwise: Our fridge died -- again -- in the old house, and what with Matt's eternal proposal-working, we haven't had a chance to make any forward progress on the house itself; our car needs a thousand dollars of repair and new tires; and I haven't found a chance to exercise for a month. On the flip side, I'm going to Phoenix on Thursday. Boarding a plane. BY MYSELF. Bound for somewhere sunny and warm. To hang with a good friend for sizable chunks of time.
Maybe she'll take me for a brisk walk now and then. And maybe she'll offer respite from the tree rats a few feet from my head. And maybe I won't miss my daughter TOO desperately.
One can dream.
* by the way -- 'demon squirrel' yields A LOT of Google hits. I am not alone.
Ok, that sounds like torture. Nothing more horrible than a rodent keeping you from precious sleep. When I lived in Cairo I had a similar demonic rodent visit-- I was sound asleep and suddenly found myself sitting bolt upright in bed, gasping for breath and trying to put together what had happened. I realized that in my sleep I had heard the sound of scampering feet on my pillow. I wanted to live in denial that a rat had actually run across my pillow, but the critter kept messing around at night in my room and making all kinds of noises and leaving paw prints and poop all over the clothes in my drawer. I kept putting traps for him and he'd eat the food and then run away unscathed, but finally succumbed to a glue trap--the worst of which meant I had to meet him alive, face to face. So very sorry for your dilemma, but glad to hear you're going to "get away from it all" for awhile!
ReplyDeleteThat proposal is STILL going on? Sheesh! I wonder which will happen first: finishing the proposal or me finishing reading Paradise Lost.
ReplyDeleteI'm so, so, so, looking forward to your visit.
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ReplyDeleteWe had the exact same problem last year. We found the source of access and locked them out one day. The amount of noise is unbelievable. I'd feel like a cartoon character as I periodically hit the ceiling with a broomstick to scare them.
ReplyDeleteI'm very jealous of your trip. I've been plotting and scheming to see if I can make a trip out that way to see a-not-too-near-Phoenix client.
Snow? St. Bernards? Demonic squirrels? Eeek. I'll stay in Stockton, where the only things I have to worry about are the gunfire and the carjackings. Got Jesus?
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