Odds & ends

• The Great Raymondo, magician, to Lisa on Sunday night's episode of The Simpsons, looking at a photograph of his wife/assistant: "The only magic we couldn't make together was a child." Sniffle.
• It's baaaacckkkk.... I'm talking about That Sunday in May that strikes dread in the hearts of infertiles and loss moms everywhere. The cards & ads are everywhere, already, & only sure to increase once Easter is over.
• Among the MDay paraphernalia I noticed this week: a mug inscribed "Great moms get promoted to be GRANDMA." I thought of how hurtful that was -- not just for women like me, who never got to be a mom at all (at least in the eyes of the world), let alone a grandma, but for moms like mine -- wonderful moms, who never got to be a grandma, through no fault of their own. And how sad and guilty that makes me feel.

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We had an unexpected (& unwelcome) visitor last night. And I only WISH I was talking about Aunt Flo. We were watching TV just before 10 & all of a sudden dh said, "There's a MOUSE!" He said it went running along the living room wall (across from where we were sitting) & into the entryway/kitchen. I didn't see it. (I didn't WANT to see it. ) EWW EWW EWW!! :p

Unfortunately, this was not our first encounter with a mouse in the house -- we had one about five years ago -- saw it in the morning, bought & set some traps immediately before heading to work, returned home that night & the problem was resolved. It was weeks before I took down the other traps, though (or had a sound night's sleep). We eventually figured out it had come in through the dryer vent -- found a hole in the dryer venting hose.

So I got out the traps again (the plastic snap trap kind), we baited them with peanut butter & went upstairs to bed. Well, we got IN bed, but left all the lights on. I didn't even put on my PJs, just crawled under the cover in my clothes & socks. It was HOT & between that & just sheer nerves, I don't think either of us slept a wink. (I thought about going to a local motel... but then I'd be worrying about bedbugs...!)

Finally about 2:45 a.m., we heard a SNAP from downstairs. Waited a few minutes & then dh went downstairs, & yes, we caught the little bugger, in one of the traps we set in the kitchen. He scooped it up inside a couple of plastic bags, trap & all, walked over to the main road & dumped it in a public trash bin there. My hero!! ; )

I STILL couldn't sleep afterwards. Dh finally drifted off around 5, I think. I did eventually doze off but I'm betting I only got 2-3 hours sleep, max. We got up around 9. Fortunately (?), we are on vacation this week. On the one hand, it totally sucks to have something like this happen on our nice little staycation. :p But on the other hand, I'm REALLY glad we didn't have to go to work today!

We are still trying to figure out how it got in. Checked the dryer hose & it was fine. Dh had been out & got home around 8. I'm thinking it may have somehow scurried inside undetected then, because it wasn't long after that that he saw it. We've kept the other traps up, just in case he/she brought company -- but so far, so good. Here's hoping...! (And yes, it's times like these when I am very, very grateful that I don't have children in the house...!)