Ratatouille

The weather here, like almost everywhere else, is miserable. We've gone from being 110 in the shade due to the humidity to only 95 or so because it is now so dry. (Sadly, the Da-Chi Terror, Scout, is insistent on a T-shirt now because he gets cold if it's less than 100 in the shade.) Because of the extreme dryness, we will likely not really have fall colors because the leaves have gone from green to brown and withered in a matter of a few days. Everything is searching for water... Everything includes the mice.

We live in the country therefore there are plenty of rodents. Typically, having cats and dogs about deters them mostly with only an occasional daring one trying to come inside. Not so right now. We are being invaded!!!

Tonight, I was preparing for bed and walked out of the bathroom only to see a mouse running across the kitchen counter. THE KITCHEN COUNTER!!

Of course, mother has to have canisters and such, the counter can't be clean. I grabbed the nearest weighty object and started hitting at the mouse who darted behind canisters and other miscellaneous items, easily avoiding my blows as I became more and more angry. I'm not afraid of mice but they do tend to startle one with their quickness and I WILL NOT stand for sharing my home with them, ESPECIALLY THE KITCHEN! Needless to say, it got away for all my attempts at killing it so now I'm on a rampage, cleaning off the counter and making plans for death traps. The mice must go!

It reminded me of the scene at the first of the movie Ratatouille where the old lady brings out the shotgun and blows her house to pieces trying to kill the mouse. Had there been a gun handy, we might be in the same predicament...

It also made me think about a subject I meant to post on months ago. Another thanks to Walt Disney, et al, so to speak. Ever wonder if those cartoons that we grew up with are one reason there are so many people unreasonably prejudiced against cats? Think about it, Sylvester, Tom, all the cats in The American Tail, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, etc. were all villains. The bird and the mice were the heroes and the poor oppressed underdog. And in Ratatouille, the mouse cooks IN THE KITCHEN! Hmmmmm..... Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Now, I must go round up some of the gang of cats and allow them in the kitchen tonight for a light snack. Here kitty, kitty, kitty.....