Tuesday, April 29, 2008

CHOCOLATE APPARENT CAUSE OF DEATH IN RECENT RODENT MURDER


I couldn't resist the urge to write a "headline" for this post. Okay, okay... chocolate wasn't the cause of death. Read on for "the rest of the story."

It all started one beautiful spring day. I was very tired (probably up too late doing a blog the night before?!) and so I headed to the pantry halfway through school for a picker-upper- AKA Dark Chocolate covered Espresso Beans. Mmmmm... Don't worry, baby loves them too. :)

Anyways, I noticed 2 beans laying on the shelf with all the chocolate nibbled off! The children sat around the table with angelic "I swear I didn't touch them" looks in spite of my toughest questions... well, actually Timothy cracked and admitted that maybe he ate them. But his breath passed the sniff test (no coffee or chocolate breath) and so he went off to play with knights.

OK- I'll speed this up a little. :) I noticed nibbles of espresso bean on the shelf- and then nibbles through the plastic. Hmm... I'm no "CSI" but I know fishy (oops- rodenty?) when I see it. The box was tossed and the pantry searched.

Over the next several days I found more evidences of an invader but couldn't locate the critter! She must have been pregnant or PMSing because she went for all the chocolate! She ate the chocolate off of a Twix bar (not the cookie or the caramel, thank you very much) and ate into TWO bags of my Ghirardhelli 60% Cocoa Chips! YIKES! This rodent was annoying AND expensive!

Chris put out a glue board with peanut butter (that's what the pest control people do!), which she crawled on AND off of. :( ICKY! The next night, he baited one with chocolate. Bingo! You see the pix... she was caught! But glue boards don't kill them- they just catch them! (Don't worry, this one was a kinder, gentler glue board with anesthetics!) How'd it die? Let's suffice it to say that Ben kindly put the rodent out of it's misery with his excellent aim.

I spent the next several days taking every single thing out of the pantry, disinfecting the shelves, walls, cans, etc... and tossing everything with critter marks. Ick. The jury is still out on whether it's a rat or a mouse. Do you know? I know one thing- GUILTY.

9 comments:

  1. eeeks! me doesn't like it, but I like you telling the story. :)

    and...may I ask: did you really & truly take a picture of the 'rat of the story' and post it?? I couldn't believe that there was actually a picture!

    ok...just let me know.

    Thanks for the smiles...now I best be off to bed.

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  2. Yes, that is the offender. This is a post humus (sp?) photo. Any clue whether it's a mouse or rat?

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  3. ummm...rat or mouse - they're all one and the same to me. (yucky) Sarah & I agree - it's GUILTY!

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  4. GROSS!! That is one NASTY picture!! Didn't realize we'd get an illustrated post! Yucko!! ::shudder:: Thanks for the post though, I couldn't believe I had forgotten to ask you at Sharon's. :) I'll ask Charles what he thinks it is. I know one thing though, the only good rat or mouse is probably like a snake, a dead one! ;)

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  5. Allie all I can say is YUCK!! I don't know what would make you think that my little Timbo would sneak food?? Like he would do that!!! I am glad that he passed the sniff test!! I can also say that I am glad (with his previous offenses) the Olsens still abide by innocent until proven guilty. I can always let you borrow Harley to help get rid of any other offenders!! Just let me know!
    Shawna

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  6. So how are the Cheery O's doing? Going to be up in our neck of the wood's any time soon? :)

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  7. Hi Allie this is Jennifer & Ross. Jenifer T gave me your blog info in an email. This was hilarious to read. :) I also enjoyed your other posts. Hope everything is still going good with Baby O :) talk to you soon :)

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  8. Well we all know you love the chocolate (dark, that is)! I guess the rat/mouse knew just what house to visit ;) Love the blog by the way!

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