Yuck! The "Tail" of a Mouse...

I don’t think I have blogged about a mouse in a long time. You want to know why? Because we haven’t had one! It has been SOOOOO nice. 

I figured once we moved into the new house, it was only a matter of time. I knew there were holes, or rather gaps between wall and roof. Not many Mozambicans would care, but anyone who doesn’t want mice in their house... they care. I definitely fall into the “caring” category.

When we first moved in, I could tell a few major problem areas. Our house is built out of cement blocks, then a 2x6 is placed at the top of each wall (along the wall), roof beams then run perpendicular and the tin roof is placed on top. If you aren’t careful then there is a space between the 2x6’s and the roof. If you really aren’t careful, there are spaces along the walls that lead right outside.

Before we moved in, I saw one of these very spaces between our bedroom and bathroom. I asked the Cement worker to fix this three times. Each time he added cement, but I think he thought I was asking for the sake of looks. In fact it’s quite the opposite, I don’t care if it looks strange, just keep what’s outside... outside.

So on his last day, when he wasn’t looking I went and scooped up some cement on the top of a bucket lid and hid it in the house and I waited for him to leave so I could fix the hole myself. I didn’t have any tools, so I used my hand and a spoon... and finally I couldn’t see daylight through the hole.

I also noticed that none of the spaces above the 2x6’s were filled, unless it was part of an outside wall. Our Kitchen wall is shared with a bedroom of another house (that is currently unfinished). One day Nunu was in there talking and he might as well have been right next to me. Sure I was concerned about the sound and lack of privacy, but I was also concerned about mice! So we got the Cement guy to come back and he and Nunu fix this up.

This is Nunu filling in the gap above the 2x6. 

The longer we lived in the house, the more I noticed the holes. I would see sunlight in a dark room, or I would just realize how things were built. But the problem now was that the problem areas are probably 12 feet from the ground... and we don’t have a ladder. We were supposed to buy one but because of problems with the truck, we haven’t yet. So anyways, I took note and just prayed that because the hole weren’t near the Kitchen that maybe we wouldn’t get any mice.

Over a month in the house and we had no mice.

Then Nunu left for Maputo and it happened. One night unable to sleep, I walked out to the Kitchen to get a snack. As I turned on the light, I saw a mouse run along one of the beams to the wall and then and was gone. I went to get my Ernesto (our friend who also lives at the Center). I told him of my problem and he came in and told me that we needed to ball up wet newspaper and shove it in the hole. He also thought there might be a hole at the other end of the house in our bathroom so he literally climbed our cement wall, hung from one of the wooden beam with one hand and shoved newspaper with the other! I’m glad to have people so willing to go above and beyond to help me out. I also got Black (our mulit-purpose guard dog) to hang with me a little.

The next day, I mixed up some cement and filled the 3 outside corners of our house that I could reach (by standing on tables, chairs and counter tops). Our house is “L” shaped, but the corner of the “L” and another one are to high. But I slept better.

A week after Nunu got home, it was a Sunday and I was sitting in our room in our bug hut (tent we sleep in). I first heard something hit the roof, probably a stick... it’s really common and we hear it all because it’s a metal roof. Then I heard something hit the floor. Oddly enough this isn’t uncommon either. We have lots of lizards who live with us, but when they fall, they make a smacking noise and I think it’s more of a shock to them as they just sit for 30 seconds to take it all in. This was a little thump and by the time I looked down, I just saw a dark colored blur. I went out to get Black and also got of the kids, Calmo, because Nunu wasn’t home. They both came in moved some buckets around and looked but found nothing. I kept Black in the room and zipped up my tent until Nunu came home. Sigh.

Maybe it was a grey lizard. Maybe your just seeing things. That’s what they said.

On Tuesday, I was laying in our bug hut on the computer. The power was out. Again I heard something hit the roof. But then I heard what sounded like nails on metal followed by a loud thump. My eyes go huge and I turn my flash light on but I can’t find anything. I send Nunu a frantic text message and just lay in my bed, but I hear nothing!

I can’t remember the order, but basically the lights come on and Nunu comes home. This time I’m not as easily swayed. I picture the guy from Ratatouie (because it’s more fun to think of him running around my house). I see him crossing the wooden beam, and being startled by the noise. He starts falling and in a last ditch effort, he reaches out to grab the beam but instead his little paw just swipes the metal.

Nunu brings in Adjuante and Engracado come to assist. But they find nothing. Nunu tells me it was probably a lizard and I’m torn. I so badly want to believe him, for my own sanity. But it’s like I have this 6^th sense... I just know it’s a mouse. I can’t deny the nails on the metal. And I’m on alert.

A few days later. Guess where I am? Yep sitting in our bug hut. It’s really more like my office by day. We don’t have a couch, we don’t have a desk and this room has A/C... can you blame me? Anyways, there I was on the bed. I think I was even watching a movie on a laptop. Out of the corner of my eye I think I see something. But it was like a trail of smoke near the ground moving from left to right. I glanced up a few times not sure if my mind is just creating things and that is when it happened. A mouse ran from right to left!

I jumped up and went running out the door, calling Nunu. He comes in with his “Assistants” I send them into the room armed with buckets (for trapping) and flip-flops (for slapping). Hands shaking, I proceed to make dinner... I need a distraction!

I hear furniture more and the wack of a flip flop on a tile floor. But Nunu comes to the door and asks did I see it go under the door. No.

Sigh.

Nunu says “I beat him once, but he got away.” Happy my husband is going to bat for me, but those were not what I was hoping for.

I become hyper sensitive. A.K.A. my shadow makes me jump. Nunu is awesome though while he can’t relate to my fear he makes sure he is last to go to bed so he can turn out the light and one night even wakes to switch them on so I can go to the bathroom. He more than puts up with me.

I see signs of the mouse in our Kitchen, but it’s been hard to keep all the dishes clean as a good day brings some water but not always enough for dishes. I set out sticky traps, but apparently they have lost their stick as I see foot prints left behind but not mouse.

It’s so strange. Time and time again, I tell people here there is a mouse in my room/house. They don’t believe me (or they try to convince me other wise) but it’s like I have this strange 6^th sense. I know when they are hear, I know when they leave. I can’t believe I’m about to write this but I know the difference between lizard poop and mouse poop.

I’m not really sure what to do other than be proactive and bait traps. I guess more than anything prayers would be much appreciated. That the mouse would leave. That we would be able to fill in the gaps of our walls soon. That we would be able to get full nights of sleep.

That’s it for now, I hope my mouse adventure is as amusing to you as it is to the kids who live with us!!