Fall Thoughts & A Dorm Fire
It’s hard to believe that the month of September will be here in a few days. The first official day of the fall season is September 22.
Grandson’s Dormitory Fire Scare:
I told you about my older grandson heading to college. Well, in the first week classes began, his dormitory caught fire.
I don’t know much about what happened. Just that the kids that lived there had to relocate elsewhere for a bit. I don’t know what damage was done yet.
Riley had just moved from Tulsa to Norman to attend the University Of Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago.
He was walking home from class and saw everyone gathered outside and was told there was a fire.
I’m sure I’ll hear more later. But what a way to begin your college years!
Fall Drives:
I had figured that by now I would be able to walk and drive my car. However, that hasn’t happened yet.
Every fall season I love to go to Woodward Park and Swan Lake and take photos of the trees turning colors. It’s so relaxing to just drive around and see the beauty of fall.
It’s not looking like I’ll be driving in September. Maybe October. I don’t want to miss the first fall breezes through my car window. That is always so refreshing after a hot and humid summer.
Mouse In The Storage Closet Outside:
Just after Steve next door told me that he saw a mouse, I saw one on my patio porch. He said he isn’t feeding the birds anymore because that’s likely what attracted them in the first place.
Many people feed the birds here, so you can be sure that they won’t go hungry.
Anyway, I saw the mouse about the same time Ivy did. She was poised at the living room patio door watching it through the glass patio door.
Ivy got pretty upset when the mouse came close to her on the other side of the door.
If the mouse noticed Ivy, a big hulking cat that would pounce if only glass didn’t separate them, it didn’t seem afraid.
Just now a squirrel was on the patio and Ivy raced from wherever she was to the door. The squirrels don’t seem afraid of her either, which I’m sure causes her a certain degree of consternation!
That’s an unfortunate start to college life, but at least everyone was safe. At least the mouse you saw was outside. Let’s hope it stays there! The one thing I never want to see inside is squirrels! Oh, the perils of living in the suburbs!
Oh, Brenda! I shall reserve all my mice stories for now; I do like what people have shared on preventative tips, and most likely shall come back to this post for that, as the weather here cools. As for what your poor grandson experienced – well, the whole thing is disturbing, when you look at the so-called ‘motive’ – and the pictures! https://thedailycougar.com/2022/08/16/lofts-fire-arson-uh/
I remember now I also have these plug-in things for mice that are supposed to make a noise or something in the wall behind the electrical outlet to scare them away. I used them once. Maybe I’ll look for them today. Just hope I don’t need them inside!
I hadn’t seen any mice but I know we must have one every once in awhile. We had a 11’ by 7’ rug rolled up on the top of a 6’ shelf for a few years. We brought it upstairs and when we rolled it out the very end which was tightly rolled up had about a foot of the green hard mouse block poison chewed up in flakes. My Aunt who lives alone had Hershey kisses in a bowl that kept disappearing. On day she moved the couch cushions and there were a bunch of them all lined up in a pretty row. We have all kinds of critters here. Once when my husband was going out of town for 2 weeks for work, I closed the front door after him and a skink came in. We live in a safe place so I always think I’d rather have critters than guns and violence. But where you live it is something.
I don’t think I’ve actually seen a skunk before that I know of.
It’s a skink a type of small lizard.
I’d definitely freak out if I saw mice in my house. Ugh!!! They are not welcome here. Yuck!
We’ve been fighting Sonoran Toads all summer – they are poisonous to dogs if the dogs lick them. They seem to show up primarily in the early evening and through the night. When I walk Cooper in the evening, I keep him on a very short leash.
I am done, done, done with the summer heat. It’s 108 degrees right now. It’s our ‘monsoon season’ so the humidity is high.
I hope you’ve had a wonderful day, Brenda!
I’ve never heard of those toads. I’ll Google them to see what they look like.
Thank God Riley is fine! It must of been sooo scary to see the fire truck and all those ppl standing outside! His life will be disrupted for awhile with having to move for awhile but it could of been way worse!
He was a lucky boy.
I heard if rodents eat oatmeal that their stomachs will blow up! I keep my dog food in containers bc that attracts them! Those things give me anxiety just thinking about it!
I would positively freak out if I saw a mouse inside. I keep everything in plastic boxes too, like Ivy’s food.
I am terrified of mice! We’ve had a few mice get into the house over the years. Brenda, you said you keep Ivy’s food in a plastic box. We kept the dog food in a plastic container and the mice ate a hole in the cover and got into the container!
We had a mouse
in the laundry room for awhile and I cleaned everything out and poured bleach all
over the floor and never to be seen again! I have seen one outside so I will try the instant potatoes. My daughter was feeding the birds but we cut back. Just lots of water for them. We are having a heat wave this week and not looking forward to it. Could you offer to buy Steve lunch in trade for a car ride?
I really don’t want a car ride. It’s too hard to get to the parking lot on my scooter. So I only go out for doctor’s appointments. I really don’t care to go out.
Mice! Years ago I was teaching kindergarten. There was a patio with a sandbox out side every classroom. It was a different time and we could keep the door open. A mouse ran into the classroom. I went to the office to tell the principal. I said a mouse just ran into my room. He asked it it was a mouse or a rat. I said I did not know the difference. He said a rat was bold enough to have its name printed in capital letters on its back. I do not like mice or rats.
I shudder at the thought.
Ok, so here’s my story on mice….Six cats here (6!) I’m storing papier mache projects in basement, naively unaware that mice would find a feast in the flour paste. I’d encourage the cats to go down there to hunt, but the only answer I got was, “naw! We like it up here on the couch in the sun better.” Mice ate through several large items, shredding them like confetti. It’s actually pretty impressive how well they can decimate something! Husband was put in charge of traps and doing the work of six lazy cats!
I don’t know that Ivy would even know what to do if she came face to face with one. She’s had a very sheltered life.
Your comment made me laugh out loud! Pampered Miss Ivy! I can so see that!
If you mix dry instant potatoes with a little bit of sugar and put it on a flat plate or plastic bowl or tub cover, stick it in your patio closet. If the mouse is small enough to get into the closet, it will snack on the mixture. When it drinks water the instant potatoes “blow up” inside the mouse’s stomach and it will die. It may take a couple of snacks. I had some mice hanging around my garage l2 years ago and I used that method I found on the internet. I don’t see mice around my yard or garage any longer. I checked daily and would add new mix to the flat plastic meat tub covers I used to hold the mix if it looked like it was being eaten. When the mixture on the plate didn’t look disturbed any longer and I didn’t see mice around, I knew it was working. If mice reappear, and they tend to around this time of year as autumn approaches, I’ll put the tub covers with the mix inside the garage again. I don’t keep the containers outside because of (1) wind blowing the mix around and (2) I don’t want the squirrels or the chipmunks eating the mix.
Thanks! I didn’t know this.
I’ve heard rice does that to birds. That’s why people don’t throw rice at weddings anymore. Most people have switched to bird seed, or sparklers, or bubbles, to keep the birds safe. I’ve never heard of your method for mice, but it makes sense!
Sorry for all the college kids having to face the inconvenience of a fire. Hope no one was hurt. Can someone take your car for a spin every once in a while to stir up the oil and take you for a ride? Don’t be afraid to ask that person might be the next one you can help. I don’t even want to say return the favor. It is not a one for one. Yes, bird seed can draw mice. Yesterday we had a small snake in our path of parking in our garage. Then I had to get the clothes off the line. I kept a keen eye out. That is one thing I don’t miss taking the dog out at night. Too many critters. Like most of us I am also waiting for the cooler weather. It is nice to open the windows with a cool breeze. Take care Brenda. I know I am not walking in your shoes, any “advice” I give is only a friendly suggestion. Wishing you well.
I’ve asked Steve from next door to drive my car here and there. He says it runs fine.
I, too, am looking forward to the cooler Fall temperatures. This summer has been long and hot. That is so scary to hear about your grandson’s dorm fire! Thank God he was not there when it happened and wasn’t hurt! Hopefully noone was hurt! Stuff can be replaced, but not a precious life! As for the mouse, I would be most unhappy to see one at my house. I know it was outside, but still…! I’m sure it kept Ivy amused though. I’m pretty sure you’ll never have to worry about a mouse IN your house. She’d be on top of that for you!
I’d better not see a mouse in my house!