The lovable pest

I am plagued by mice.  In my previous establishment in the country I had mice.  This was to be expected, after all you don't live in the country and not expect the little blighters to run around alllllllll over your kitchen, leaving their little packets for you to find in the most unlikely and upsetting places.  It involves a great deal of disinfecting, shuddering and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

So I move to the city.  Expecting perhaps cockroaches in the very worst scenario - still unpleasant I grant you but the one in Wall.E was adorable and they will survive us all in the nuclear holocaust after all.  What do I find in my inner city abode?  Mice.  I almost think that they missed me and travelled over 150 miles to keep me company. 

I am not squeamish.  They can patter about in front of me and I won't scream, nor do I find their movements disturbing in any way although they can surprise you when they scamper out unexpectedly and run under your bed!!  eek!  So what to do, what to do??  It is a conundrum indeed.  I do not have anything against mice but when you have a pest problem you do look into their habits and become somewhat appalled with the likely diseases, gnawing issues and continual incontinence.

And so it is with a heavy heart that the traps and the peanut butter come out.  Wistfully thinking that the mouse won't reappear twice in the same night, I sat with confidence that tomorrow I could check for small holes and fill them with wire wool, sprinkle cayenne pepper in likely places, place a few bay leaves here and there and dab some peppermint oil around the doorway.  You have the evening to run amok elsewhere I thought, dear mouse. But alas, it was not the case.

The wee brown thing sat by the door, its little nose wrinkling as it sensed the peanut butter.  I looked and watched for a couple of minutes at the loveable pest torn between its adorableness and horrified at the trap that lay in wait.  Who am I to say that a mice cannot share my abode?  The mouse made up its mind and ran around the corner of the room.  It was not until 15-20 minutes later that the snap came and the loveable pest was gone.