mouse in the house

Yup.

He's small and furry and comes out to say hello most evenings around 9.

so...what to do.

I've had some mouse issues in the past, as most urban dwellers have. In my early 20s, Brooklyn version of the 'Money Pit,' four roommates, a guy on the couch and I had a rotating cast of critters.

The role of the grim reaper was allotted to one of the dudes. We tried all sorts of traps - the glue ones where their little feet get stuck until they starve to death in your kitchen, homemade bucket ones, even the good old fashioned cheese on sling trap. Ultimately the mouse murdering roommate was stuck having to drown the little guys in a bucket of water killing the rodent and a little bit of his soul as well.

So here we are. Many years later, new apartment, one more mouse one less mouse murdering roommate. But R is willing to step in! But I'm having second thoughts. I mean it's fairly harmless, not that I'll walk on the ground when it comes out. And it leaves these lovely little not-so-chocolate-nibs on the counter (that we EAT on).

Ugh and gross. I'd like it to just be the little dude from Ratatouille but even I can see that's not going to happen. I've always wanted a cooking companion...that carried disease and filth.

So I looked into some humane ways to get rid of mice. This very helpful woman on about.com pointed me toward peppermint - apparently the smell is too overwhelming for their little noses.



So I'm supposed to plop those peppermint coated cotten balls in the places that the mouse likes to hang.



Can you spot the pepp?



Night one with the peppermint balls: here's hoping little mouse doesn't find another entrance leading to more intimate places. (shiver)

xoxoL