Gross!

What is that one that thing that just grosses you out or gives you the heebie jeebies?  For some people it is bugs or snakes.  For me, it is mice!  As I walked through the prairie grass around our house tonight, I disturbed a couple of mice, they ran past me and hid under a plant.  I kept my cool and didn’t scream, but I did tell them they better stay away from me.   A grown women telling these little creatures to stay away from her, how silly does that sound?   

You are crazy if you thought I would include a picture of a mouse!

Mice and I have some history.  The first story that I can remember was back in high school.  We had a bag of bird seed in our house and one day I discovered a pile of it in one of my dresser drawers.  Thinking that my mom was trying to teach me a lesson about picking up my room, putting clothes away or something like that, I was convinced she had put the bird seed in my drawer.   It wasn’t until later when I discovered another stash in my desk drawer that I got extremely curious about what was going on.   Then one night it happened!  I had come home from work and was getting ready for bed, I had the lamp on and all of the sudden out of the corner of my eye I saw something come from under my door and go under my bed.   I jumped on my bed and as I sat there I could hear it, that stupid little mouse was under there.  After confirming by looking behind my head board, I did what any tough person would do, I went into my parent’s room and woke up my dad!  After getting me situated on the couch in the living room for the night, he went into my room and set a few traps.  It wasn’t but a few minutes later that I no longer had a mouse in my room.  That little mouse had been living somewhere and was stashing away bird seed in my drawers for later. 

Then in college I moved to an acreage, great place for someone who doesn’t like mice to live, right?  One day, we were feeding the horses and I reached in the grain barrel to grab the coffee can that we used to scoop the grain.  Little did I know, there was a mouse at the back of the coffee can.  It came running out at me, so, naturally, I threw the can down and went running out of the barn!  After I got my composure I went back into the barn to find my friend completely fascinated by this mouse who was in the process of having babies.  You know what is worse than a full size mouse, a teeny tiny baby mouse!

Everyone has that one thing that just grosses them out for no particular reason and normally the stories end up humorous for those you share them with.  Many people have found enjoyment over the years from my dislike for mice.  My defense is never about being the tough one, it is about trying to stay calm and get out of the situation as fast as possible!