I can't believe it's two weeks since I signed on to my blog...but looking at the dates, it has been. In that two weeks...we had Pittsburgh guests...Karen, Bela, Isabel and Aunt RoseMary. That would be over MLK day as K didn't have to work that day. Naturally, we were requested to leave the Christmas tree up and we "did it again"...Christmas, that is. So, we had a birthday party for Isabel and then we did Christmas for the rest of us. Everyone made a good haul. We, of course, in our tradition gave money for Isabel's birthday and also for her college fund. Joan went nuts as usual...she didn't want Isabel to get cheated because her birthday is so close to Christmas. No worry on that score.
Well, the Yankees came, having experienced stomach virus the week previously. Aunt Rose hadn't been ill at home. In the midst of the visit...ME, who never gets sick, got stomach virus. Nothing to do, but to let it run its course. So, for me, that meant two days of diaharaa and one complete day in bed. On the third day, I thought I was better, but not so...another day of many visits to the BR. In the midst of my bout, Al got the bug. Only difference was...he was going from both ends. (I can honestly say...I don't know where all that stuff was coming from as we didn't eat for two days..but apparently our bodies didn't know that.) Karen, the experienced mother that she is told us that the pediatrican told her to keep hydrated as all the junk had to get out of the system before you would feel better.
So, on the fourth day of my travails and the second day of Al's...RoseMary got the bug. She was very sick on Friday...bed all day...nothing but tea and toast. By this time, I was 90 percent better so I kept going into her room asking her if she was still alive. This was no joke as if she felt as bad I did...I know she was thinking that death would be a blessing. She recovered some and the visitors went home on Saturday.
At this point a week later I'm better..Al doesn't have any energy but is better. You know he's sick when he doesn't go for his walk in the a.m. RoseMary reports she's feeling almost like her old self. So, that's the medical report...from Nashville.
As to the SNOW..another chapter in Nashville weather history. Boys would have loved this weather. About four inches of snow fell from Friday morning at 9 a.m. until this morning. That doesn't seem like much, but during the night ice came and covered the snow and temps were down in the single digits for two nights. We aren't used to this weather. So, fortunately...schools were all closed on Friday and road crews were out all weekend trying to at least clear the innerstates. I predict that schools will be out at least tomorrow and maybe Tuesday, too.
Maura is happy with the snow. Went out three times yesterday and went sledding. We got a report when she came in each time....45 minutes out and then in for an hour or so and then another 45 minutes, etc. etc.
For us, this is the second weekend in a row when we didn't go to church. That's something of a record for us. Church going people always make it. Last weekend the bug had us and this weekend the roads made us decide that "discretion was the better part of valor."
Predictions are that this stuff won't melt till the end of the week. The kids (and big folks, too) are sled riding all over town and the emergency rooms are being inundated with sleding accidents, as well as car accidents. Al says he's feeling like he's in prison, but I'm just going with the flo....I think I'll make vegetable soup today.
Till next time. Ta ta.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Free at last
Mouse free that is.... The following morning we awoke to find the mighty mouse hunters had caught not one, but two...yes...two mice. They left them in the family room for Isabel to discover. Luckily, I saw them before she had a chance to play with them. The body count rises. We have been mouse free for the past 2 days.
On another note, I found a home for the bunny rabbit. He left last night.
On another note, I found a home for the bunny rabbit. He left last night.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Score Two for Team Pater
Well, as I was re-reading the posting, what do I hear from the kitchen, but the sound of the snapping of the trap!!! Hallelujah, Team Pater just scored another point. I sense, however, that the other mouse is still on the loose!!!
The Great Mousecapades of 2010
Many months have passed since our trip to Europe, and readers, I promise to update you soon on the rest of our trip... briefly, we didn't have access to the internet the majority of the trip, and just got busy with life upon our return. The fall semester is a busy, fast paced 15 weeks of fun for us at the Pater Household.... so needless to say, I haven't had "time" to post. One of my new year's resolutions (that hopefully I can keep) is to try to keep everyone more informed of the happenings of the household and the most recent occurrences are too hilarious not to share....
As the title of the today's entry might give away a bit too much, we have been in our new house now for over one and half years, and in that time, we have come to find that we share the home with an extended family of mice. Of our two Siamese that share our lives, Gretl (the smaller, more petite, tinier sibling - separated from Hansl by one litter) is the great mouse catcher. Several months ago, we were awakened at 3am by fast paced energy running across our bed. Upon rising we found that Gretl had caught a mouse, and at this point she was bringing her "prize" to share with her people. Without sharing too much detail, I was responsible for disposing of the tiny little carcass.
Needless to say, this was the beginning of the Mousecapades. In recent weeks, it has come to our attention that the Mice were back in full force. Whether it be the frigid cold driving the little rodents inside, or the fact that the mice like cheese - we decided to purchase a few "mice friendly" traps. If you have never seen these, they are actually quite neat - they trap the mouse inside without causing loss of life or limb, allowing you to let it go in the wild, if that be your preference. The cats have had quite good luck actually setting off the traps on their own, by merely knocking the traps over...up until this morning, we have not caught any mice in the traps.
Last week, a stomach virus visited our family. It started with Isabel, followed by myself, and finally Daddy... On the first night of the virus, I decided to stay up with Isabel in the family room.... about 1am, our great mouse catcher, Gretl, came running into the room with her most recent prized possession in her mouth. I thought to myself "oh, well.. I will get it later" as I didn't want to leave Isabel's side. Shortly thereafter, I hear Daddy paddling down the hall. Gretl had taken her prize to him. At this point, we were able to get the little "prize" from our great hunter and dispose of it. Two more traps were set.
Fast forward 4 days (to this morning)... Our traditionally lazy feline, not inclined in the least to hunt, Hansl is found on top of the counter in the kitchen poking at the mouse trap (which is hidden inside a drawer). Being early in the morning, and not quite being awake, I made an assumption (falsely, as I was soon to discover), that the trap had been sprung accidentally. I reset the trap, and out ran a mouse - Hansl quickly ran into action, but unfortunately, he didn't catch the little rodent. The mouse quickly leapt from the drawer and was on the move in the kitchen, running for the family room. Score one for Team Mouse.
We all went about our day as you would expect - Isabel to the babysitter, me to work, and Daddy to class. When we came home tonight, we found that the trap in the drawer had been sprung again.. this time, the culprit was inside. Score one for Team Pater. Shortly thereafter, we find Gretl intensely monitoring the corner chifferobe (and by the way, did you know there are 2 other ways to spell this word?). Daddy retrieves the flashlight to inspect, and low and behold, the morning mouse is still in the family room.... After what seemed like hours (and lots of screaming and laughing), Gretl finally caught the mouse. Sadly, we didn't wait long enough to get it from her, and it escaped. Where is Hansl? Sleeping like a lazy louse on the bed upstairs. I quickly scoop him up and wake him from his slumber, so that he may help in the great chase.
If I hadn't witnessed what happened next with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.... Hansl caught the mouse!!!!! But in his excitement, he ran from room to room looking for a "safe place" to put the little guy. He ran upstairs, let the mouse go in our room, and the chase began again. Unfortunately, our great mice catchers now are "retired" under the bed resting. Score Two for Team Mouse.
The chase is to be continued..........
As the title of the today's entry might give away a bit too much, we have been in our new house now for over one and half years, and in that time, we have come to find that we share the home with an extended family of mice. Of our two Siamese that share our lives, Gretl (the smaller, more petite, tinier sibling - separated from Hansl by one litter) is the great mouse catcher. Several months ago, we were awakened at 3am by fast paced energy running across our bed. Upon rising we found that Gretl had caught a mouse, and at this point she was bringing her "prize" to share with her people. Without sharing too much detail, I was responsible for disposing of the tiny little carcass.
Needless to say, this was the beginning of the Mousecapades. In recent weeks, it has come to our attention that the Mice were back in full force. Whether it be the frigid cold driving the little rodents inside, or the fact that the mice like cheese - we decided to purchase a few "mice friendly" traps. If you have never seen these, they are actually quite neat - they trap the mouse inside without causing loss of life or limb, allowing you to let it go in the wild, if that be your preference. The cats have had quite good luck actually setting off the traps on their own, by merely knocking the traps over...up until this morning, we have not caught any mice in the traps.
Last week, a stomach virus visited our family. It started with Isabel, followed by myself, and finally Daddy... On the first night of the virus, I decided to stay up with Isabel in the family room.... about 1am, our great mouse catcher, Gretl, came running into the room with her most recent prized possession in her mouth. I thought to myself "oh, well.. I will get it later" as I didn't want to leave Isabel's side. Shortly thereafter, I hear Daddy paddling down the hall. Gretl had taken her prize to him. At this point, we were able to get the little "prize" from our great hunter and dispose of it. Two more traps were set.
Fast forward 4 days (to this morning)... Our traditionally lazy feline, not inclined in the least to hunt, Hansl is found on top of the counter in the kitchen poking at the mouse trap (which is hidden inside a drawer). Being early in the morning, and not quite being awake, I made an assumption (falsely, as I was soon to discover), that the trap had been sprung accidentally. I reset the trap, and out ran a mouse - Hansl quickly ran into action, but unfortunately, he didn't catch the little rodent. The mouse quickly leapt from the drawer and was on the move in the kitchen, running for the family room. Score one for Team Mouse.
We all went about our day as you would expect - Isabel to the babysitter, me to work, and Daddy to class. When we came home tonight, we found that the trap in the drawer had been sprung again.. this time, the culprit was inside. Score one for Team Pater. Shortly thereafter, we find Gretl intensely monitoring the corner chifferobe (and by the way, did you know there are 2 other ways to spell this word?). Daddy retrieves the flashlight to inspect, and low and behold, the morning mouse is still in the family room.... After what seemed like hours (and lots of screaming and laughing), Gretl finally caught the mouse. Sadly, we didn't wait long enough to get it from her, and it escaped. Where is Hansl? Sleeping like a lazy louse on the bed upstairs. I quickly scoop him up and wake him from his slumber, so that he may help in the great chase.
If I hadn't witnessed what happened next with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.... Hansl caught the mouse!!!!! But in his excitement, he ran from room to room looking for a "safe place" to put the little guy. He ran upstairs, let the mouse go in our room, and the chase began again. Unfortunately, our great mice catchers now are "retired" under the bed resting. Score Two for Team Mouse.
The chase is to be continued..........
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