Mice are Bad

I have been doing some spring cleaning. Serious spring cleaning.
Now, the inspiration for this crazy cleaning frenzy was....mice.
Can I tell you that is am so-beyond-over having mice in my house.
So-beyond-over it!

Our little cowgirl and her pony moved out months ago, and they took all of the alfalfa with them. I was so excited about that part because surely it meant an end to the mice. But no. They are still here.

This picture, of course, has nothing to do with spring cleaning.

Who wants to see a picture of that?!

So the Great Clean Out began. The first day, my guy came home from work completely unprepared for the tornado that comes with spring cleaning, (especially unexpected spring cleaning). He walked in the door and instead of the usual greeting I heard:
"Oh...my...gosh. What is going on?"
"There is a mouse in the pantry."
"Really."
"Yes, and it has got to go."
"I can see that."
"I am not kidding, Honey. It is the mouse or me. I can't take this anymore."
"OK. What do you want me to do?"
"Double down on the traps. I want traps everywhere!"
"Traps everywhere. OK. Is there going to be any dinner?"
"Maybe."

So, he doubled down on the traps and as of today he has caught......nothing. Not one thing. Can you believe it? I am starting to think that maybe our mouse problem was not as bad as it seemed. But still, there was that little mouse doo-doo right on my counter top. In plain sight. And one on the stove top! And that was just two too many and in all the wrong places.

So now, we have a really really clean house. And it is so very nice. It makes me happy. And we have lots and lots of mouse traps. That makes me happy too.

A clean pantry.

In closing, just let me share with you what I have learned about mice during my cleaning frenzy:

1- mice like croutons, blueberries, tortellini, and dried black beans

2- mice do not like brown rice pasta from trader joes, dried lentils or kidney beans
3- mice do not limit themselves to the kitchen
4- they also like to hang out in book closets, under the bathroom sink and in dresser drawers
5- when a mouse unexpectedly runs out of the pantry while you are cleaning it, you will scream and jump up onto a chair
6- mice will actually chew through the metal part of a votive candle to eat the wax

Yep. Who knew.