Well now that we are half way into the next week, I am finally ready and able to tell you all about the rest of our weekend. Saturday, Adam was well enough to go to his b-ball game. Then he and I and Ben went to the Ward Christmas party. We performed our duet for the talent show. It was a lot of fun. That kid just doesn't seem to get nervous! Greg and the girls stayed home because they weren't feeling well.
Sunday morning, Liz still seemed out of it, so she and Greg, who also wasn't feeling well, stayed home. It was really hard for me to leave her, and she cried. So I was already feeling rotten as I started the drive to church. While I was driving I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, but didn't really think much of it. Well a few minutes later, I definitely noticed something. There was a mouse inside our car right on the floorboards on the passenger side just sitting there looking at me. I FLIPPED OUT!! I started to scream at the top of my lungs. AHHHHHHHH!! AHHHHHHH!! AHHHHHHHHH!! This was enough to get panicked cries from the kids in the back. I just kept screaming. THERE'S A MOUSE IN THE CAR! THERE'S A MOUSE IN THE CAR! My driving was not at its best either. It was all I could do to keep the car on the road and make the 1/4 mile or so to the next turn out. Of course my screaming scared the mouse to death (along with the kids) so he was no where to be seen, which is probably worse than knowing where he is at. As soon as I stopped the car, I jumped out as quickly as I could and got the kids out swiftly as well (by now they were pretty freaked out. Ben and Anna were even crying). I opened all the doors and the trunk. Now what? I know I'll call Greg on the cell phone. Wait, I don't have a cell phone. None of the businesses around were open either. "Adam, do you want to be brave and poke around with the umbrella?" (Can you tell I really don't like mice?). "No thanks." So I go to the back of the car and get the umbrella. Fortunately it is a long golf umbrella. I duck my head down and look gingerly under all the seats from the view in the trunk. I can't see anything. So, I start poking around. Nothing. No sign of the critter. After about 15 minutes, I decide we have to get back in the car and go the 5 minutes or so back home. Adam was great and got back in and promptly put his feet up. Ben was crying, but not unmanageable. Anna did NOT want to get back in (can you blame her?) Finally, through her tears, she got back in. I convinced her it was the only thing we could do. I brought the umbrella up front with me and laid it on the passenger seat for easy access. I tucked my dress up under me and began talking to myself, telling myself I could do this. I told the kids to make lots of noise, so they and I were tapping the seats and stomping our feet. I was literally talking to myself out loud (remind me again why I am sharing this). I know I was not the best, most careful driver, but we made it home safely.
Greg, of course, comes running out to the garage with a bewildered look on his face as he heard the garage door open. I give him the very short version, "There is a mouse in the car." He thinks it's pretty funny, but I still don't. When he sees how shaken up I am, he is much more compassionate. It's good to be home. I need to calm down and relax a little bit. I wouldn't be driving the van that day. No way. No how.
We've known we had a mouse in our garage (thank goodness not the house yet). I had bought those humane mouse traps so you can catch and release them, but we hadn't had much luck with those, so I just had bougt some of the regular kind. Greg got one and set it in the van and one just outside the van. After I had collected myself, at least a little bit, I took the kids to church in Greg's little Toyota. I hoped there were no mice in there.
Well, I will spare you too many of the rest of the details (are you still with me?). Suffice it to say I drove the car for 3 days. Greg has caught one mouse in the van (it was actually running around in there, with the trap stuck on its leg, he got it in a box and brought it to the park to let it go), and two outside the van. This totally creeps me out. Greg came with me the first time I drove the van. Anna was scared to death. She said, "I don't want mom to drive crazy again." As you can imagine it has been the talk around our house for the last several days. I still feel queasy and nervous when I am driving the van, but hopeful that little event will never repeat itself. I asked Greg to keep a trap in there for a while anyhow. Pretty crazy, huh? The crazy thing is, I just vacuumed the van on Friday, so there weren't tons of crumbs and stuff to eat like there often is. Anyway, who knew this could even happen. I have never heard of it.... until now.
10 comments:
Holy smokes that was awesome! Why does your life always sound like a sitcom?
Wow. I would've been just as freaked out as you were! I hate mice! Just the thought of it is gross. I really hope that none ever make it to your house. How did he get in the van?? Sick. I'm sorry you dealt with that.
Wow! You lead an eventful life, Tammy! We had a mouse one time in our apartment in connecticut, and we just saw it run through a couple of times and hide out in a closet. Although I'm not afraid of them or anything, I know that they can cause a lot of damage and spread gross things, and I DON'T welcome stuff like that into my home. They brough in an exterminator to set traps, etc. and took care of it. I think I probably would have bugged out a little bit if I saw one in my car too - I've done so with spiders that have suddenly appeared right next to my head or in front of my face on the window. We can all get along if everyone just stays in their own space...they just need to learn that.
I hope all the mice have been taken care of now in your garage/car and that you don't ever have to experience that again. I guess this means your kids aren't going to ask you to buy them a gerbil or some such pet, eh?
I loved the story, Tammy! You painted such a great mental picture that I burst out laughing - and I was at work, trying to be professional with lots of people in the room. Oh well. Thanks for sharing.
When I was about six, a baby mouse fell through our ceiling and landed on my head...not a good experience. I've pretty much reacted the same way you did ever since.
I'm with Grandma Cherie, I laughed out loud! Is that too much lack of compassion? When we first moved in this house we had lots of mice. It was gross! We finally put poison under the cabinets and it seemed to clear up the problem. We got one in the kitchen a year or so ago but we got it out pretty quickly. Our house is so poorly made that they probably have tons of places to get in. Our cat used to watch under the dishwasher, that is how I knew we had a problem. At least I didn't see it first.
That is definitely a funny story Tammy. Who knew a mouse could be such a traumatic experience. On my mission, among other creatures we would find in our apartments, one time there was a mouse, so I grabbed a big cup and chased it around to try to catch it. I finally managed to dive and get it in the cup, but I guess I gave it a pretty good bump on the noggin in doing so, so my attempts to be humane about it were in vain. So then we just threw it outside for lizards or birds to get it.
That's pretty funny. I don't like mice, but I don't usually freak out. We used to have a cat, and she loved to bring us home dead mice and birds, or at least the body parts! Now that freaked me out!
I like the new look!
I'm with Greg, it"s hilarious- Dad
How could I have missed this post? You told me about this when you were here, Tammy, and I'm finally going back to find it and read about it, and STILL cracking up - in total sympathy, of course. You responded exactly as I would have. YIKES!!!!
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