Monday 18 October 2010

Z is lonely

I put off going to bed for as long as I reasonably could, and eventually huddled dismally in a nest of pillows sometime after 1 o'clock this morning.  Still couldn't sleep however, my feet were cold.  This morning, I was in no hurry to get up and lounged reading for a while.  I was feeling a bit sorry for myself because I developed a cold overnight - that is, it was coming on all day yesterday but I pretended it wasn't happening.

In the evening,  I was sitting here when I saw a movement across the floor.  Yes, it must be a mouse.  Less than a week without a dog and they are taking advantage.  Mind you, this is the sort of house where you can't always keep mice out and we have to set traps every so often.  Once, at about this time of year, when the days were getting colder but it was still possible to leave the door open, one scuttled in the open door and straight into the drawing room.  I chased it around the room and eventually managed to catch it under a large, soft cushion - then had to put my hand under and feel around to pick it up.  It's not the first time I've caught a live mouse, I did a similar thing once with a dear little mouse that had taken up residence in her conservatory.  I cornered it behind a geranium and grabbed.

In both cases, the mouse screwed up its little eyes tight shut and bit my finger, obviously expected to be about to breathe its last.  So I can tell you that tiny little mouse teeth don't draw blood.

This afternoon, I'm mostly doing laundry.  This is not a terribly hands-on job, of course - I have got a pile of hand-washable stuff to do at some time, but I'm not quite that bored.  But I've stripped the beds from when the family came to stay - I know that was about three weeks ago, but I hadn't done it - and changed towels and all that sort of stuff, so I'll have this evening free, once I'm back from dinner next door, to do the typing I haven't done during the day.

I forgot to give the chickens their bread this morning - they have half a large loaf, soaked, in the morning - and about 11 o'clock I heard insistent clucking outside the door.  My big brown hen and little pale one, both of which are friendly with me, were reminding me.  I got the bread ready and took it out to the lawn.  I counted up - there seem to be 25 of them, which is about right.  One died of old age a couple of weeks ago and, last month, we lost three of them to a neighbour's dog.

This should never happen of course, but does once in a while.  It is a Springer spaniel and normally the owners keep it on a lead until they're on the marshes and can let it go for a good run.  But the parents were out, the 13-year-old daughter took it for a walk and, pretty stupidly, let it off the lead on the road.  Which doesn't have a pavement, by the way.  It took off across our field and did what came naturally.  At least, being free range, the chickens can scatter, but they weren't all able to get away.  Springers are fine dogs if they are very well trained and given loads of exercise, but they can be quite unsuitable pets otherwise.

Just had an email from Weeza suggesting that she and Zerlina come over on Friday. That will be good, haven't seen them since last Monday.

13 comments:

Dave said...

Oooh. Neither have I. we are bricklaying on Friday, aren't we?

I can tell you that squirrel teeth do draw blood.

Blue Witch said...

I don't even want to think about how large the teeth of my 5" mouse were. No no no no no. I just hope it doesn't have any friends.

I hope the Springer's owner offered to pay the replacement value of the hens... poor things.

DILLIGAF said...

Awwww...don't be lonely. I'd give you a cuddle if the wifey said it was ok...;-)

I dated a muslim girl when I was 16 - Kaseera Mughol. Her brothers found out and beat her half to death - never came near me.

I'm staying at my own blog. Those Yanks are very nice but very touchy!!

It's good to be back!!!!

Eddie 2-Sox said...

Banger, darling?

Z said...

Yes, Dave, please. And I wouldn't go near enough to a squirrel to let it bite me.

I wouldn't even have mentioned it if I'd known, BW. 5" is a damn big mouse. The hens aren't worth anything in financial terms, poor little dears. The girl's parents came around to apologise. A couple of days later, the mother was walking the dog when I cycled past and she bent over to speak to the dog, too embarrassed to speak to me. She needn't have been and I was very sad about that too. They're a nice family. But our poor little bantams.

4D, everyone knows I'm harmless and yet extremely cuddly. I can be hugged with no danger.

Make it a big 'un, sizzling, Simon

Roses said...

Awww...honey.

Hope Sage is curled round you tonight. If not, sleep well my dear.

Anonymous said...

Afraid not, he's due home tomorrow afternoon. I'm having a doleful early night. Now in the bath with a facepack on listening to music, with four books and a warmed bed waiting.

CBAT sign in.

Z

Chairwoman of the bored said...

Big hugs, Z dear.

Look forward to a safe homecoming tomorrow :).

Anonymous said...

Re: the mice, so I needn't have bothered buying those motorcycle boots after all!

Keep warm and busy.

Ad

Commander Zaius said...

Yes, it must be a mouse.

We have similar visitors during the winter at my house here in South Carolina. Fun thing is we have a cat and he just plays with them.

Z said...

I did sound woebegone, didn't I? I was asleep long before 11pm and slept soundly. Still got a cold though, and am coughing wheezily.

Hi Beach Bum - we live in the countryside, there are a lot of mice about. Blue Witch says she won't have cats living in the house because of the live mice they'd bring in. At least dogs don't do that!

savannah said...

it dawned on me after reading this that i spend more time alone than i do with the MITM here! *sigh* i am glad, even with all the difficulties we've experienced recently, he's been home since march, but that is due to change soon. xoxoxo

Z said...

Nothing like a separation to make you appreciate him when he's home.

The Sage got back this afternoon, so all's well.