Family - Marriage

A Mouse in the House

It is Friday and the #FMF community is writing and posting their thoughts on the prompt given by our gracious leader, Kate Motaung. Today’s prompt is: EXCUSE  You can visit the community and join in the fun by clicking here

The cold weather has arrived, and I have found evidence of a mouse on my KITCHEN COUNTER! I washed the counter and placed cotton balls with peppermint oil along the inside edge of the counter.   I  told  my husband that we had to get rid of the mice.

My husband dutifully brought out a mousetrap and set it with a piece of cheese for bait. And the next morning the cheese was gone . . . no mouse.

Dear husband set the trap again. This time he used caramel sauce for bait and set two traps. And the next morning the caramel sauce had been licked off both traps . . . no mouse.

I looked at the empty trap—I am a little skittish about handling a mousetrap. I took a metal knife and set the trap off and then picked it up. I was determined that we were going to catch the critter, no excuses.

I took a small chunk of cheese and worked it in my fingers to make a soft ball and then smashed it on the bait holder. Then I turned the trap this way and that as I figured out how to set the trigger. I set the trap on the floor.

That evening, while we were watching TV, we heard the trap go off. My husband went to look and he came back with surprise written across his face. “You caught one.”

So he took care of disposing of the mouse. I asked him if he was going to set the trap again. He looked at me and gave this excuse, “Well, you’re the one that knows how to set the trap.”

So I set the trap again. We have caught mouse number three. At first my husband’s pride was hurt, and then he realized he had a partner in catching mice. Sometimes we have these little difference to work out as husband and wife. I am glad that he takes the mouse out of the trap.

Carol is a follower of Jesus and a wife, mom & grandma. She worked for many years as a childbirth nurse and prenatal educator. She recently retired from clinical work. She has written articles for nursing journals and devotionals. Her novel, Aliisa's Letter, was published in 2010 and she is currently working on another project.

5 Comments on “A Mouse in the House

  1. Great story! Team work is the best. Each member of the team must play to their strengths. I wouldn’t want to handle the mouse either.
    I am the bug wrangle at my house. I don’t like to crunch them, but I can catch them in a bottle and let someone else decide what to do after that.

    1. Hi Karen! Thanks for visiting. It is a challenge to keep the house free of pests. Spiders really get to me–always want someone else to get them.

  2. Love that marriage is about the dance of partnership. How much richer our relationships are when we lean into this rather than fighting over random territorial lines! Great share.

    Also – love that you were a childbirth nurse! I’ve brought 7 babies into my arms and 2 from the comfort of my own home. Delivery nurses are the best!

    1. Rebecca, Thanks for visiting. I’m glad that you were able to birth 2 at home. During a 4 year time period I attended home birth, working for a group of doctors that practiced home birth. I learned so much about a woman’s ability to give birth with minimal interventions. Have a wonderful weekend!

Comments are closed.