Saturday, March 12, 2011

Happiness is...

Feeling overwhelmed? Stop doing so much!

That's my "lesson learned" this week. I had plenty of opportunities to take on yet more obligations but resisted the urge. And in the meantime, I've calmed down quite a bit. Which really is great. I highly recommend it.

Today I even had one of those glorious days when you get a million things done that you've had on your to-do list forever. I spent the day with my step-dad sealing up the house from those damned rats. I pulled out my dishwasher and garbage can from under my sink and sanitized everything with bleach. Then I even anchored the dishwasher back, which I failed to do last time making the cabinet next to it virtually impossible to open.

I've also made a special hot-pepper concoction that I put into a spray bottle and sprayed at all the openings in my under-sink-area where the rats are coming in - and in the garbage can - to make it very unattractive to forage for food in there. At least for now I'm clean and protected. The theory goes that now they'll get stressed and go for the traps. We'll see.

Besides that, my step-dad and I put together a couple of loft beds for my girls. We live in a pretty small house and the bedrooms are tiny. Getting them up in the air makes the rooms look so much bigger! And you just gotta love IKEA for the puzzle-like quality of putting together furniture. It gives me joy. When I'm not swearing, that is.

Wine. Girl Scout Cookies. The only thing missing is the man I love, who doesn't happen to be here right now. I'll settle for a good book and the knowledge that I'm getting a new violin on Monday. You do not know a happier woman right now. I guarantee.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

In theory the hot sauce might work against the rats - but what happens if these are Mexican rats...you could literally be inviting trouble....but look on the bright side if the hot pepper concoction doesn't drive off your rats I'm sure your violin playing will.... :)

Anonymous said...

In all seriousness, have you tried shoring up the little holes where the varmints are ingressing/egressing (obligatory military term) into your kitchen with ALUMINUM FOIL. They try to chew on it to get in and like humans who chew foil it hurts and thus they move on. Because let's face it the hot-pepper sauce will dry up and be non-effective but aluminum foil has a half century shelf life (I just made that up but you get the idea - it lasts a long time). Just my two cents...(or the 80 cents worth of aluminum foil you'd use).

ckh said...

I do not know how the rats like my violin playing. I know my dog does not. He always wants to leave. Perhaps I could do some sort of reverse Pied Piper thing with my playing.

I have also heard that steel wool will do what you say the aluminum foil will do. I think that's probably next. Although, I kind of like the salsa-like smell that masks the garbage area now. And if these are indeed Mexican rats who have preference for the peppers, I just don't know what to say to that one!

Anonymous said...

Well, if you hear one of them saying "Ándale! Ándale! Arriba! Arriba!" he'd just be too fast for you or your traps to catch anyway.

ckh said...

I believe Speedy Gonzales was a mouse. Speedy Gozimas, on the other hand...was probably also a mouse.

Anonymous said...

Very good, you spelled Gonzales with a "s" and not a "z" - I see you too were a connoisseur of racist cartoons from the 1950's..gotta love Max Freleng and the boys.

Anonymous said...

Have you thought about sprinkling "Tiger Blood" to keep the rats out?

Mr. Anonymous

ckh said...

I do not know this "tiger blood." Please explain.

Anonymous said...

Tiger Blood - Google Charlie Sheenisms.