The old mouse and the cheese routine!

Well, colder weather is here and the little baby field mice have found
their way into the house. How do I know? Because I left the butter uncovered on the counter and there were teeny, tiny toothprints in the butter.

That's it! Scrubbed everything down with Chlorox straight out of the
jug and I was really annoyed.

Tim set three traps, and the next day, no bait and no mice in the traps.

Let's try it again. Mice 3 Tim 0. So, I bought new mouse traps.
This morning, one down, two to go. Mice 2 Tim 1
I just now opened a cupboard door and something
moved. Just a little, not worth jumping back for. I peeked in under the cupboard and lo and hehold a little mouse was caught. Not the conventional way, but he was caught with just enough of his belly to not allow him to get away. Hmmmm, what to do. I looked that little critter right in the eye and said "I know it's cold, and I know it's the Holidays, but brother, you best skeedaddle out of here when I let you loose! There's plenty of food for you in the barn. The horses drop all kinds of grain and the grain cans always have some spillage around them, so let's understand one another okay? You stay out, and I'll make sure there's enough dropped grain this winter to keep you comfy. Okay?????"

Now, how to get the little bugger out of the cupboard and outside without one of us losing our cool. Ah Ha! The kitchen tongs! One pair of heavy winter gloves, one pair of tongs and we are in business. I reached under the cupboard, secured the trap with the tongs and brought the little rascal out from under the sink. Our eyes met. Ahhh, look how little and cute he is. Despereaux?

Damn it, now you've gone and done it. Okay, I slide the patio door open and set the trap down and that darn mouse took off like a shot, dragging the trap behind him. Oh shoot, back into the house to get another pair of tongs (one to hold the trap, and one to release the "clapper" and free the mouse. I couldn't leave him outside dragging a trap all over the yard, and becoming fair game for another varmint!

Well, as luck would have it, I found him under the sage bush in my herb garden. I skillfully picked up the trap with the "long" tongs and then after two tries, successfully pried the "clapper" open and let him "off the hook".

Well, what did you expect me to do?