This post is probably going all over the place. Sorry.
Cleaning up after the mice - again! Dishwasher installer sort of left a hole for the nasty things under the sink when he added another hose. Why? We have no clue, maybe his hose was shorter than the original and he had to jury rig it in. All I know is that the hole under the sink is like the doors to the grand ballroom of mousedom. They made tracks to get in and start families again - under the sink, in the buckets, under the stove, and in my lower cabinets. I won't be able to walk tomorrow from crawling around on the floor. I vacuumed up a sh--load of mouse turds and insulation, literally filling the vacuum cleaner!
So ... The dogs have fleas. DH gave Jill a bath today. Jack got his last night. He brought the vacuum in here to clean out Jill's corner after he sprayed her bed for fleas with Bengal. (Best I know of) Well, bless his heart, he didn't think to empty the bag and bleep near killed me with the stench! I screamed and got him out of here. Shortly after that, I heard the vacuum in the living room and immediately smelled the stench again.
DH was vacuuming the double recliner. I admit, I am a bit short fused when it comes to not paying attention ... I flew (as well as I could) in there and shut it off. Then I grabbed a new bag for the vacuum. He was all, "Wha ..." I opened the bag door, and thick wads of mouse stinking insulation 'fluff' began pouring out. I showed him how full it had gotten. He's like, "It was still sucking," and I just blew as I tried to pick up the mess oozing out of the hose. Then, yes, then, he blew the hose clear in my face! I simply must learn to have more patience ...
One of the local cousins is coming tomorrow to fix one of the outside faucets. DH can't get to it now with his knee problem. We need to run a hose to his little veggie garden and my blueberries. Carrying water is not an easy thing. My fingers are crossed - I would love to have all new plumbing put in under there, it needs it.
The whole day was exhausting. I must say that DH is not the village idiot. He is bored and was on a roll, thinking he was helping. I seriously am worried about how long I will last when he takes his retirement. I don't know how some of you retirees do it. He should be able to back to work the second week of July, sigh ...
Mice and fleas. Not a fun way to spend an afternoon. I know this from firsthand experience. Never heard of spraying Bengal for fleas. I'll bet it would work on detour mice, too. I know they don't like dryer sheets. Not sure I could stand the Bengal, though.
ReplyDeleteI use the Bengal for furniture and crevices. Yeah, the smell is pretty bad for a while, but the eggs die for sure.
DeleteWe had a terrible flea problem last summer with our Lucy and our grand dog Dre who was living here. They were both on frontline and we still had problems.This went on for months. Couldn't give them fleas baths since they were on Frontline but lathered them up with shampoo to drown the fleas on them and vacuumed everyday and sprayed the house with Adams flea spray every week. Someone suggested Seresto flea collars . They are a bit pricey, $50.00 but within a week the fleas were gone and didn't come back. The collars are good for 8 months. I'm using one on Lucy from now on.
ReplyDeleteFrontline is useless in a lot of cases, the fleas have become resistant to it. Try and find Capstar tablets, they begin to kill adult fleas within 15 minutes. bury one tablet in a small chunk of steak, let it sit a while so the tablet absorbs juice and flavour from the steak before giving it, that way pets are less likely to detect it. one tablet twice a year is what my Angel gets.
DeleteBought stuff from the vet last year, it worked pretty good for a while. Now? Nah. DH talking that collar, I would be worried. Jack is becoming more and more fragile in health. I looked it up. Anyone else use Capstar? That sounds pretty good if their stomachs could take. I think I would try half dose first and go from there. :-)
DeleteMice are in plague proportions here. They aren't in th house but they are in the walls and I can hear them and smell them. I have no idea how to get them. It's driving the cats and dogs mad DH was trying. But omg they just don't think do they. I told my hubby he is never allowed to retire. He can cut back to three days. And that's it lol I'm a mean wife
ReplyDeleteToo bad they don't make some kind of irresistible poison that would kill AND destroy the odor. No way to remove (safely) a wall plug and bait it with Decon or some such?
DeleteHow do some of us retirees do it? Well, I cheated and divorced him first,,then retired a few years later.
ReplyDeleteI hope all that vacuum dust didn't affect your breathing.
While the cousins are crawling around attaching hoses etc, get them to also crawl under the sink and plug up the mouse entry with something they can't chew through, like wads of steel wool, available from most hardware shops in large hunks.
You found the master solution, haha to retired husbands!
DeleteI hope the mouse dust in the face was ignored by my body.
Oh, I plugged up that hole when I found it, but the mice were already in!
My patience is all but exhausted and we've both been retired for years. (Him, fewer years than me.) Last night we had a dog-boarding crisis. We're going to a wedding next weekend, 8 hours away by car, and our usual dog boarders were already booked up. I'm in a panic, trying to figure out what to do and he's mooning over distant ancestors on Ancestry.com.
ReplyDeleteOh, please excuse me for laughing at your expense, but I have so been there done that in my own little way! I hope you can figure out a solution. Maybe leave him with the dog and take someone younger? ,-)
DeleteMy patience is all but exhausted and we've both been retired for years. (Him, fewer years than me.) Last night we had a dog-boarding crisis. We're going to a wedding next weekend, 8 hours away by car, and our usual dog boarders were already booked up. I'm in a panic, trying to figure out what to do and he's mooning over distant ancestors on Ancestry.com.
ReplyDeleteMy patience would be exhausted too.... I like to see mice in their own environment but NOT in mine. For the sake of your own sanity I hope you sort things out soon.
ReplyDeleteIt's all coming together ... Every once in a while things do seem hairier than usual though.
DeleteFirst, the Dishwasher installer's employer should be contacted. And you demand compensation, for a rottttten job done!!!!!! It is not right, that that "loon," should get away with that shodddddy work.
ReplyDeleteSecond, the older they get, men do take on a wee bit of the "village idiots" traits. No matter how super wonderful, they have been.... Age takes a tole. And I am sure, this age tole, starts at different times, for different men, and with different aspects.
Be warned! Bell him, if you can't stay on his tail. If you hear him puttering around, go see if he is doing his puttering, in a sensible way.
You have had your warning. Heed it.
And PATIENCE, will get you no where!!!!! LOL
You must learn to keep "ahead" of him. Just like you had a 3 year old, again.
Just sayin'..........
Courage!!!!
>,-)
You are so funny!
DeleteNope, not going to complain to his boss. Repair jobs are even worse and as long as I could fix it, I'm calling it "Good Enough."
You got me remembering an old cartoon show where the Cat? Always said, "I hate meeses to pieces!"
ReplyDeleteMen should not be allowed to use a vacuum cleaner, but I do change and or clean the bag...even if it is still sucking.
I do appreciate his help, honest. :/
DeleteWe had one of those holes too under the sink. Errol cemented it closed, so they found another way in. I strongly recommend Critter Out, which is a spray you can order online. They say you have to spray often, but I don't think so, it works relly well. I had a snake in my Jeep engine yesterday. I hope it's gone or it will fry in there today, it is soooo hot out.
ReplyDeleteWe have had various holes in the floor because of water lines to here and there, also cable and power cords. Ours was the house that Jack built and we bought it.
DeleteA snake in your Jeep? Bet he won't do that again! Ha Ha Ha.
Wow, wow, wow you have had a fun time at your house! Sometimes I miss having a husband but most of the time I am thankful to be alone doing things the "right" way lol. I had a trick I used to use in Missouri when I had mice...I would keep the big bird seed container and leave about an inch of seed in it and the mice would jump in for the seed but couldn't get out so then all I had to do was take them outside to the field and send them on their merry way...(I can't kill anything). I got used to handling the little buggers but I did get nipped a few times and they have razor sharp little teeth..ouch! There are herbs that you can put down that they don't like, I think mint, but Can't swear to it. BTW thanks so much for visiting my blog and the thoughtful comments. I wasn't sure after all this time if anyone would remember me!
ReplyDeleteTina xo
I did think about doing the low seed in the bucket thing, it did make sense. Thing is we store the seed in here for the birds. What I need is a bank of garbage cans for all the seed, dog food, and cat food. No room in here for that ... need to downsize our supply.
DeleteOnce, DH and I helped our landlord raise mice for the pet stores and I agree - those little brats can sure bite!
I'm happy to see you again, Tina!
I'm worn out just reading what you're doing - That tedious work is exhausting, and I hope you're not too sore today!
ReplyDeleteI also hope you get that flea thing sorted out. Don't bother getting expensive flea soap for the dogs - The "original blue dawn" dishwashing liquid works just as good and is much cheaper. I'm still in therapy from when our dogs had fleas 4-5 years ago. That was a lot of work too.
I believe we are in 'it' for the long haul. Will have to bomb the whole house and vacuum, vacuum, vacuum, and mop! Yep, I am stiff and sore.
DeleteWhat a ... thoughtful husband! I'm sure you will be glad when he's back at work!
ReplyDeleteYep! ;-)
DeletePlease excuse me for laughing as I know this is not funny when it's happening, but I can't tell you how many women I encounter who say they continue, or resumed working part time because their husband retired and was now around the house all day "helping".
ReplyDeleteI look back on this and I suppose it's funny. It just didn't seem like it at the time. :-)
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