R-A-T-S

For a while now we have had problems with vermin of various kinds. There are the millions of little ants that find their way into every nook and cranny of our home, there are the little lizards in the backyard that Jack likes to catch (those we don't mind-we think they are cute), there are the spiders that form their webs in every single corner of our house, and then there are the RATS.

OK, we have been referring to them as mice for that last few months. We knew we had some in the garage. We caught and killed 4. And when I say we, I mean Josh. We blocked their entrance to the garage. (This was my contribution-I blocked their entrance). We thought we had them taken care of. Poop littered our garage floor, Josh swept it up. We thought we were good.

Josh's dad came to visit us for Christmas and one day we found him cleaning out our garage. Josh guiltily went out to help him and as they cleaned, the two of them soon found more and more evidence of the "mice." Mouse dropping were everywhere. Everywhere. We found a peanut butter container they had gnawed through, food they had ransacked, it was a mess.

Then, as Josh's mom and I stood watching, Josh and his dad pulled a water barrel out from the wall so they could sweep behind it and out ran a big, fat "mouse." It quickly ran to where we couldn't get to it. Moments later another one appeared from behind the water barrels. Josh cornered it and tried to kill it with a shovel but it escaped.

This is my favorite part although it certainly doesn't win me any daughter in law points. The "mouse" ran through that garage to the exact spot that my mother in law (who is no fan of any sort of small creature) was standing. He then proceeded to run around and through her feet while she yelped "It's a rat! It's a rat!!!!" I will tell the truth. I laughed. Like is said, no daughter in law points that day.

Anyway, over the course of the next few days we found one more RAT in the garage (these things are huge by the way) which Josh and his dad disposed of. All the poop has been swept up and the garage is clean.

So tonight when Nathan mentioned seeing a RAT in the backyard I didn't believe him-I thought he was just teasing me. But then there he was-a big fat rat. While I tried to BBQ our kabobs he hid under the grill. At least he isn't in our garage anymore.

(One thing I failed to mention-Josh's grandma was also in town. If Josh's mom doesn't like rats, Josh's grandma loathes even the very thought. I think she almost didn't come back to our house when she found out we had rats in the garage.)