Tuesday 28 October 2014

They're back!

Nibblings and chewings, the sound of, ..... louder than what they have been intermittently through the previous months. Oh.....so....the rats are back, pushed indoors by the colder nights, their noise having given them away. Mice make much more delicate noises. Rats seen to have a habit of colliding with things. And so now I have to evacuate my temporary kitchen when it gets dark. I do have lights. They are switched on. But the temporary kitchen is on the side of the house which has still not had all the holes fixed. I can manage the thought of a mouse in the house at any time of the day. I can manage being in the temporary kitchen during the day when rats are about as well. But I can't manage being in there when it gets dark.

Not to worry though, soon we shall have the proper kitchen done, and that is over the side of the house which does have its holes fixed, well some of them anyway, at least the access ways into the kitchen have been thoroughly blocked up, at least that is rat proof. 

Living in an old house is a wonderful thing. Thick walls give a snug feeling, minimal windows increasing the feeling of being in a cosy cave. I love it. Our last house in the UK had loads of windows, big ones, and long runs of fully glazed patio doors, which were fine on sunny days but not so good when it rained or was wintry. We might have had central heating blazing away but looking out of those windows still made me feel cold. But here we are cosy, as if in a nest. Shame that other creatures want to nest with us. Shame that we had to purchase some rat poison yesterday. 

Good news though, that on the rat poison purchase trip we also purchased a proper ladder, the old one now being interred on the 'to go down to the tip at some point' pile, put there by myself after my other half broke yet another step on it, which nearly resulted in him making unto himself a mischief as he almost fell off. It was only a step ladder, but much used, the proper taller ladders at this moment residing on the beams in the Tall Barn. They are being used as shelves for hay. 

Anyway, I need to get onto the scaffolding thingy, but can't get through the trap door to get onto its first platform due to the bosom, and other things, being plump. Would not use the old step ladder, as could not even reach the second rung, the first rung having become broken. With the third rung now dodgy, onto the heap it went. The painting stopped. 

Ah but now we have a man coming in to do the floor. Need to get the painting done. Need to buy a ladder. We have. Gosh. Proper firm it is. Doesn't wobble, doesn't tremble, doesn't threaten to die at any moment. Might even take it out to the bramble hedge I am cutting back. Wouldn't take the other one for fear of taking a tumble into the thorns. It is a big hedge.

My bike has arrived, so I can now pedal my legs into well being. Bit of a difficulty at the moment though, as it would seem that the gap between saddle and handle bars are not designed for someone as rounded as myself so it is a bit of a squeeze to get on to the bike. Not to worry, I shall manage. My legs need me to manage, as does my heart. 

Just off for a quick pedal. Hope your day goes well. The sun is still warm so am off to tackle the brambles later on, might even have a climb on the new ladder. Wahooo. 

Vx

7 comments:

northsider said...

You need some cats, Vera. Not seen a single rat this year around the smallholding. Cat and terrier seem to be earning their keep. I send Fido crazy making rat "hissing" sounds and shouting "rats". Then she jumps into the barn looking for them. I always enjoy reading your blog.

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I just put out poison yesterday, I will set traps as well, peanut butter is good bait.

Vera said...

Northsider Dave, I would prefer a terrier type dog to a cat, so maybe when things are more sorted out here I might venture into the world of having one of those mutts! Glad you enjoy the blog. Thanks.

Sunnybrook Farm, sooo glad that you do poison as well. Might have a go at traps again, and will remember your peanut butter bait advice. Cheese just didn't seem to do it last time we tried traps!

northsider said...

Can you not borrow a cat for a few week, Vera? I hate poison because cats and dogs sometimes eat the rodents and you are always finding rotten carcases of rats under bales etc? Rats will eat anything organic and they come in from the fields during the winter. A cat or terrier is worth it's weight in gold. Good luck. I love your picture of your pigs!

Horst in Edmonton said...

Be very careful with poison as you may loose more than you want, like dogs and birds.

The Broad said...

Another good bait is jam. We often have feral cats in the small attic space of our French house -- when we do -- no mice, no rats...

Vera said...

Northsider Dave, we shall sort out a ratter eventually....I agree about the horribleness of finding carcasses hither and thither.

Horst, we know!

The Broad, we had feral cats here when we arrived, but they have all gone, although they can be seen in the woods sometimes.