Country 105's Hot Rod Harriet's tale of woe http://www.country105.com/Blogs/MicsOff/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10009001 about a mouse in the house brought back memories of when a mouse got into my house. The first twenty-four hours I went into denial about what the droppings and noises were. I went another day hoping that with two cats, the problem would soon disappear. I'd forgotten that cats tend to like to play with their prey before they kill it. To Jude and Faith, the mouse was just a fun toy.
Big Lug definitely wasn't too helpful about the potential mouse problem. He went off on a rant about my laid back attitude towards housekeeping. When I said I wasn't that bad, he pointedly asked me when was the last time I swept the kitchen floor.
Matters finally came to a head on a Sunday morning. I had gotten up early to make some baking to bring to church. I had made a vow to sweep the kitchen floor more frequently and reached behind the microwave stand to grab the broom. That's when everything sort of went slow motion. I saw the mouse, I heard it's little feet scratching on the floor as it ran for cover behind the fridge and the cats SITTING by the fridge watching me. I guess I was probably fun to watch because I went total chick.
Big Lug's version of what happened is he woke up to a high pitched EEEEEEEEEE coming from the kitchen. He stumbled out of bed to see me standing on a chair. I pointed to the fridge and said Theresamousebehindthefridgegetridoftheeffingthingnow! When he asked me what the Hell was going on, I replied ItoldyouthereisamousebeingthefridgeIhatemicegetridofit. After the second time, it dawned on him the last time he saw me go Total Chick was when a friend's cat had caught a mouse. He told me to calm down and tell him exactly what was going on.
In Big Lug's defense, by no stretch of the imagination am I a girly girl. I am definitely 99 99/100th pure Tomboy. To see his wife who would nonchalantly catch a spider in the house and get rid of it, who preferred denim to lace and only owned three pairs of shoes to turn into a shrieking, up on the chair woman was hard for him wrap his brain around. Unfortunately my big, strong tough guy did me the double cross of expecting me to Tomboy up and help him get rid of the mouse. Even worse, I did know what to do and how to do it.
I gave Big Lug a metal bowl and told him to put it over the mouse if it made a break for it. I shut the cats in our bedroom and our three year old in his bedroom while Big Lug kept an eye on the fridge. Cats and Kidlet out of the way, next step was for Big Lug to pull out the fridge while I stood guard with the bowl. I'll spare you the details of his monologue about when was the last time I swept underneath the fridge. He took the back off the fridge and said "I can see the damn thing's eyes. Are you ready?" He got the mouse out and I was able to quickly put the small metal bowl over top of it. The next step was to slide a piece of card stock between the bowl and the floor to capture the mouse. Unfortunately I didn't make it clear to Big Lug he was the one who was supposed to pick it up. There are times when it's not worth it to argue, a woman has to do what a woman has to do. If you think mice are cute, it's time to stop reading and leave this blog.
The final step was to go to the bathroom and flush the mouse. There was no way I was going to do a catch and release. I wanted the mouse GONE!!!!!!!!!!!! Within 48 hours I threw out $80 worth of food, bought $100 worth of Tupperware to store food in and upgraded my housekeeping standards. We also bought $25 worth of traps in case anymore mice had the same bright idea of coming into our house. The last four years we have been mouse free.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Redneck Love
Big Lug took today off. As I type this, he's busy online checking out prices for Sirius Satellite receivers. I don't Dr. Phil or Oprah but this good ole girl sure could do NASCAR channel's Tradin' Paint no problem.
On Sunday we had to get a home unit for the receiver so we could at least listen to the race on NASCAR channel. We don't blame TSN for not bumping their CFL coverage for the weather delayed Richmond race. Canadian football is definitely as important as NASCAR races to Canadian Rednecks. We do however blame Shaw for not having Hot Pass coverage of the race. Big Lug jokingly said with how much fun I was having listening to the race on radio, I'd be asking for a second receiver. I snorted, rolled my eyes and let loose with a "Yeah right."
Thanks to Kidlet's diabolical plan to get a ride to school, I got to listen to one of the NASCAR channel's talk shows during our drive to Starbuck's. Big Lug's logic was that as long he was on the road so early, he might as well take his favourite gal to Starbucks. The smell of Big Lug's Venti Latte intermingled with the smell of my Tall Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino in our 1997 Blazer. To offset the Yuppiness of those fancy drinks was the Good Ole Boy hilarity of the Morning Drive. By the time we got back home, I was giggling and sheepishly asking Big Lug pointed questions about how much a second receiver cost.
Never mind jewellery, flowers or chocolates, redneck love is buying your wife a Sirius Satellite Receiver so she can listen to the NASCAR channel while she's at home. Don't worry Country 105, I'll still listen to the Odd Squad in the early morning. As for the Scott Phillips show and the Drive Home Show, that's why I prefer my 1987 AM/FM Walkman to a 2007 iPOD when I'm out of the house.
Proverbs 12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but she that brings shame is as rottenness in his bones.
On Sunday we had to get a home unit for the receiver so we could at least listen to the race on NASCAR channel. We don't blame TSN for not bumping their CFL coverage for the weather delayed Richmond race. Canadian football is definitely as important as NASCAR races to Canadian Rednecks. We do however blame Shaw for not having Hot Pass coverage of the race. Big Lug jokingly said with how much fun I was having listening to the race on radio, I'd be asking for a second receiver. I snorted, rolled my eyes and let loose with a "Yeah right."
Thanks to Kidlet's diabolical plan to get a ride to school, I got to listen to one of the NASCAR channel's talk shows during our drive to Starbuck's. Big Lug's logic was that as long he was on the road so early, he might as well take his favourite gal to Starbucks. The smell of Big Lug's Venti Latte intermingled with the smell of my Tall Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino in our 1997 Blazer. To offset the Yuppiness of those fancy drinks was the Good Ole Boy hilarity of the Morning Drive. By the time we got back home, I was giggling and sheepishly asking Big Lug pointed questions about how much a second receiver cost.
Never mind jewellery, flowers or chocolates, redneck love is buying your wife a Sirius Satellite Receiver so she can listen to the NASCAR channel while she's at home. Don't worry Country 105, I'll still listen to the Odd Squad in the early morning. As for the Scott Phillips show and the Drive Home Show, that's why I prefer my 1987 AM/FM Walkman to a 2007 iPOD when I'm out of the house.
Proverbs 12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but she that brings shame is as rottenness in his bones.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
When The World Stopped Turning
Tuesday, September 11, 2001 got off to an annoying start. Beyond a shadow of a doubt Big Lug was sick with the flu including being feverish, stuffed up, achy, nauseous, and tired. I was some what irritated because I knew he’d be sick like this for a solid week. I decided to break my self-imposed rule of not getting online and see if any of my stock car friends were having a miserable morning.
When I first saw a thread titled “Planes crashes into World Trade Centre” I innocently assumed it was a Cessna or something and didn’t pay any attention. When a similar one appeared, however, I did look. That’s how I found out life as I knew it would be turned upside down. As I read, I felt both sorrow and rage. Sorrow for my American friends and rage that someone would be doing this to America. I phoned the newsline of Country 105 to ask if they had received any information. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t any mention of what was going on. Since it hadn’t been received off the official news “ticker”, they had no way of knowing if it was official. I did, however, start to suspect something was up when 7:15 a.m. passed and Beat The Bomb didn’t happen. By this time I had the T.V. on and was trying not to scream out WHY GOD?!
During the 7:30 a.m. news, I heard the newscaster say in a disdainful voice “Who cares about the game, America is under attack” That’s when full reality hit me. This had to be an attack on America, not just something random. When Big Lug asked me why I was leaving for work so late I told him that a couple of jets had crashed into the World Trade Centre and it was burning down. In his feverish state, what I said didn’t register on him and his reply was “That’s no excuse for being late to work.” While I was on the bus, my cellphone rang. It was my husband calling asking me why the Hell didn’t I tell him what was going on. Suddenly he being sick with the flu wasn’t such an imposition. Big Lug would spend the upcoming week watching CNN, trying to make sense of what happened.
The first way I brought a ray of sunshine to the lives of my American friends was when I announced the stranded country musicians were going to have a charity concert to raise money for the Red Cross. On Thursday, September 13th, 2001 there were no cameras to broadcast the concert live to the world. There was just a bunch of Canadian country musicians singing songs of hope and inspiration for America, with donation boxes circulating for the audience to put money in. I shared about the memorial tribute the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders held for America, with the Star Spangled Banner being sung as well as O’ Canada and again the donation boxes being made available for the American Red Cross. There was also Alberta Rides For America, a group of ranchers who got together to ride their horses from Alberta to the Montana border, raising money along the way for their neighbours who were going through troubled times.
I remember the soul searing pain I felt that someone could attack America and hurt my friends. I remember the rage I felt at a 60 year old co-worker who said “It’s just an American thing, this will all blow over by the end of the month. The Americans are being dramatic. It’s not like this will change the world.” When Kidlet is old enough to ask why I know so precisely when he was conceived, I’ll tell him about the day that changed the world.
Proverbs 11:12 He that is void of wisdom despises his neighbour, but a man of understanding holds his peace.
When I first saw a thread titled “Planes crashes into World Trade Centre” I innocently assumed it was a Cessna or something and didn’t pay any attention. When a similar one appeared, however, I did look. That’s how I found out life as I knew it would be turned upside down. As I read, I felt both sorrow and rage. Sorrow for my American friends and rage that someone would be doing this to America. I phoned the newsline of Country 105 to ask if they had received any information. I couldn’t believe there wasn’t any mention of what was going on. Since it hadn’t been received off the official news “ticker”, they had no way of knowing if it was official. I did, however, start to suspect something was up when 7:15 a.m. passed and Beat The Bomb didn’t happen. By this time I had the T.V. on and was trying not to scream out WHY GOD?!
During the 7:30 a.m. news, I heard the newscaster say in a disdainful voice “Who cares about the game, America is under attack” That’s when full reality hit me. This had to be an attack on America, not just something random. When Big Lug asked me why I was leaving for work so late I told him that a couple of jets had crashed into the World Trade Centre and it was burning down. In his feverish state, what I said didn’t register on him and his reply was “That’s no excuse for being late to work.” While I was on the bus, my cellphone rang. It was my husband calling asking me why the Hell didn’t I tell him what was going on. Suddenly he being sick with the flu wasn’t such an imposition. Big Lug would spend the upcoming week watching CNN, trying to make sense of what happened.
The first way I brought a ray of sunshine to the lives of my American friends was when I announced the stranded country musicians were going to have a charity concert to raise money for the Red Cross. On Thursday, September 13th, 2001 there were no cameras to broadcast the concert live to the world. There was just a bunch of Canadian country musicians singing songs of hope and inspiration for America, with donation boxes circulating for the audience to put money in. I shared about the memorial tribute the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders held for America, with the Star Spangled Banner being sung as well as O’ Canada and again the donation boxes being made available for the American Red Cross. There was also Alberta Rides For America, a group of ranchers who got together to ride their horses from Alberta to the Montana border, raising money along the way for their neighbours who were going through troubled times.
I remember the soul searing pain I felt that someone could attack America and hurt my friends. I remember the rage I felt at a 60 year old co-worker who said “It’s just an American thing, this will all blow over by the end of the month. The Americans are being dramatic. It’s not like this will change the world.” When Kidlet is old enough to ask why I know so precisely when he was conceived, I’ll tell him about the day that changed the world.
Proverbs 11:12 He that is void of wisdom despises his neighbour, but a man of understanding holds his peace.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
An Innocent Day
Monday, September 10th, 2001 was a great day. I still remember the fun I had on the weekend. The Canadian Country Music Awards had a Fan Fest. I enjoyed listening to performances while waiting in the autograph line ups, talking with other fans about the singers and the crowning moment when Terri Clark gave a security guard a real nasty look and me a hug. Thanks again Terri for signing an extra item for me!
The weather that day was warm; Country 105’s the Odd Squad were in fine form, with Doug, Dan and Robyn discussing the weekend and who would win which award that night. The phone lines were busy with people calling to talk about their Fan Fest experiences or to lend their support in the “Who Would Win What Award” verbal bantering. There was also the excitement of the Beat the Bomb game, with one lucky caller at 7:15 a.m. attempting to win up to $5,000 while the sound of an active bomb was in the background. I was listening to Country 105 on my Walkman during the morning commute and using my cell phone to try to call in. It was a difficult morning to get through and it wasn’t until I got downtown that I was able to share my anecdote of how sweet Terri Clark had been signing her CD that had brought comfort to my husband after his dad had died in 2000.
That night my husband and I watched the CCMA’s together. I was a bit worried about him because as the show progressed, I could tell he was fighting a losing battle with the flu. He wasn’t trying to play our “Who’s going to win?” game like usual. The flu couldn’t have come at a worse time, because we were trying to conceive our first child. One of my last thoughts before going to bed was that I needed something major to throw my body’s schedule off by a week and we could try again at the end of the month. I remember feeling somewhat excited about the upcoming day and hearing the Odd Squad’s thoughts about the CCMA awards, while trying to be lucky caller ten to play Beat the Bomb.
The sequel to the story will be shared tomorrow.
Proverbs 10:25 As the whirlwind passes, so are the wicked no more, but the righteous are an everlasting foundation.
The weather that day was warm; Country 105’s the Odd Squad were in fine form, with Doug, Dan and Robyn discussing the weekend and who would win which award that night. The phone lines were busy with people calling to talk about their Fan Fest experiences or to lend their support in the “Who Would Win What Award” verbal bantering. There was also the excitement of the Beat the Bomb game, with one lucky caller at 7:15 a.m. attempting to win up to $5,000 while the sound of an active bomb was in the background. I was listening to Country 105 on my Walkman during the morning commute and using my cell phone to try to call in. It was a difficult morning to get through and it wasn’t until I got downtown that I was able to share my anecdote of how sweet Terri Clark had been signing her CD that had brought comfort to my husband after his dad had died in 2000.
That night my husband and I watched the CCMA’s together. I was a bit worried about him because as the show progressed, I could tell he was fighting a losing battle with the flu. He wasn’t trying to play our “Who’s going to win?” game like usual. The flu couldn’t have come at a worse time, because we were trying to conceive our first child. One of my last thoughts before going to bed was that I needed something major to throw my body’s schedule off by a week and we could try again at the end of the month. I remember feeling somewhat excited about the upcoming day and hearing the Odd Squad’s thoughts about the CCMA awards, while trying to be lucky caller ten to play Beat the Bomb.
The sequel to the story will be shared tomorrow.
Proverbs 10:25 As the whirlwind passes, so are the wicked no more, but the righteous are an everlasting foundation.
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