The gift

You may remember that we had a little trouble with

mice.

We caught two in humane traps

which I released in the park, car park.

Well after that we had to get a bit ruthless

as their calling cards (ahem) were everywhere

so we put down seven  

less humane traps,

and caught

absolutely 

nothing.

Since then there has been not a sign or squeak

out of any of them.

We were all very relieved.

But there is a postscript to this story.

I was getting out of the car

in my usual place in the park, car park today,

(the place that I chose as most suitable for mouse re-homing,)

when out of the corner of my eye

I saw something small and grey

on the tarmac.

I bent closer to examine it.

A broken mug handle

I thought,

with a tail,

I thought,

and a bright, beady eye,

looking up at me.

She has two broken ears.

 I had to bring her home.

I'm convinced I can see a smile on her face now.

With apologies to Miss Potter

Ours. Rather too often.

70% Green & Black's Chocolate, macadamia nuts, Turkish delight.

And so did I. But here is what happened.

Night after night the not-killing-trap was set,

just as I told you yesterday,

and each morning, the trap was closed -

but empty! Imagine my consternation.

It was all most perplexing.

 So we set the trap in a new and tempting place

with all manner of appetising morsels,

so convenient for a visiting mouse.

But the mice were too clever for us.

They had a plan.

And this is what it was.

They did creep into the trap

when everyone had gone to bed.

They ate up all the delicacies

and sure enough the trap shut.

But all they had to do was settle down for the night

with their full tummies

and wait 'til morning.

Then this was the very clever bit of the plan.

When they heard the noise of talking

they had to sit very tight at the other end of the trap

and when it was opened 

stay as quiet as a mouse

EVEN IF THE TRAP WAS SHAKEN AND TAPPED

quite hard on the ground.

And then they could tiptoe out later

when the trap was set open again

with some delicious new food.

And the plan was nearly perfect,

except that today,

the owner of the trap took it a long way away 

in her friend's car.

And then she tapped much harder than usual

because she was sure she had heard some scuffling and scratching

and the little mouse fell out.

I'm sorry to say somebody screamed when this happened.

 Even then, the little mouse

stayed very still just as she had been told,

and might have been believed to be dead

if she had waited just a little bit longer...

I don't know who jumped the highest,

the little mouse,

or,

well you can probably guess who.

...

With thanks to Beatrix Potter who illustrated mice so beautifully

in Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes

and The Tale of Two Bad Mice.

Tiddly, widdly*

I did a little tidying yesterday.

On the computer.

I really should have known better.

I seem to have tidied my photos beyond reach.

My son assures me that somewhere in the soft sandy passages,

amongst the roots of the hedges,

or in a distant storeroom,

my pictures are

quite likely

still extant.

*Mr. Jackson - Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse