Rat’s nest. Yes, I said rat’s nest. Those of you who follow me know that I have been plagued by mice. My last sighting was in August 2023. I’ve been riding high, assuming I won the war. But no, the Mouse King sent his cousin, the rat, to harass me.
And frankly, the discovery was more terrifying than any mouse could be.
RAT’S NEST DISCOVERY WARNING SIGNS
I should have known a rat was lurking nearby. Several months ago, I went into my small shed to get bird feed. Something had chewed the hinge off one of the plastic containers and the mice bait cases had been gnawed.
At least, whoever it was, did not manage to make it into the sunflower seeds. I was forced, however, to buy a new receptacle.
No harm, no foul. Right? The seeds weren’t eaten, and the creature had consumed all the poison. Unconcerned, I went about my business.
BAD MOVE
RAT’S NEST DISCOVERY
Ah, a beautiful spring day. Company. Time to uncover my party porch couch. Pulling back the waterproof jacket, I discovered a f…king mess.
At this point, I had no idea what had invaded. After all, we have many raccoons and other creatures in the area. The couch cover and the plastic underneath were shredded. Voluminous amounts of seeds were mixed in with the material as well as pieces of dead cacti. Yes, you heard me right. The creature had brought in thorny dead pieces of my succulent, most likely to deter any other creatures as it has a plethora of thorns. (And those thorns got me as I cleaned.)
Furious, I began to eradicate the rat’s nest with the help of my nephew. Finally, we hauled the futon mattress off. (Sigh. I then had to purchase a new one.)
Then, as dusk arrived, my nephew saw movement, something darting between the deck and the stone skirting…. Hmm. Was it a rat? He did not get a positive ID.
Now we were on a mission to discover the identity of the dastardly devil. Setting up the deer camera near the last known viewing site was a bonanza. Success. A battle plan could be created.
RAT’S NEST OWNER REMOVED
On the second attempt, we nailed the bastard with our man-sized trap. The first time, I put too much peanut butter on the trigger, and the creature just licked it off. Then, wising up, a big lump in the rear did the trick. He could not resist.
I am proud to report: We have met the enemy and they are ours.
Now, I need to reset it in the event any other friends might be lurking nearby. Being ever vigilant is a require
ment for country living.
FINAL RAT’S NEST THOUGHTS
Americans have a fixation with the rat’s nest. In our jargon, it means something excessively, complicated, entangled, or disorderly. You’ll find a great explanation of the word here.
Some examples are:
- Your hair looks like a rat’s nest.
- The computer wires look like a rat’s nest.
- Your bedroom is a rat’s nest.
One thing is for sure, after my experience the origin of the argot is crystal clear.
I may be ahead now, but the vermin have jinxed me. Besides having to buy a new mattress, I am having difficulty finding somewhere to dispose of the old one. And don’t suggest burning it. The act is illegal in Texas.
In case you missed my run-ins with the frustrating mice, you’ll find the links below.
Mousecapades: Marginalized Voices
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