MICE AND THE “OD”

THE “OD” (OLD DUFFER) WAS, BY HEREDITY, A SWISS CHEESEMAKER. HIS FATHER IMMIGRATED FROM SWITZERLAND IN 1920’S AND SETTLED AROUND MONROE, WISCONSIN TO BE A SWISS CHEESE MAKER.

DESPITE HIS EFFORTS TO RUN AWAY FROM THE FAMILY BUSINESS AND JOIN THE NAVY AT VERY YOUNG AGE, IN THE END, THE “OD” BECAME AN ACCOMPLISHED SWISS CHEESE MAKER HIMSELF.

NOW WE’VE BEEN LUCKY AS RV’ERS KEEPING MICE OUT OF THE CAMPER, THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN TEN YEARS THAT THEY’VE COME INSIDE.

AS A CHEESEMAKER, THE “OD” OF COURSE, WAS WELL VERSED IN DOING COMBAT WITH THE MICE OF THE WORLD. AS A KID I WATCH HIS ATTACKS AND LEARNED MY LESSONS WELL.

HE USED THE OLD FASHION WOODEN MOUSE TRAPS. HE WOULD CAFEFULLY AND THOURLY RUB EACH TRAP DOWN WITH SUMMER SAUSAGE TO REMOVE THE SMELL OF HUMANS. HE THEN CUT THE PERFECT WEDGE OF SAUSAGE AND CHEESE WHICH HE TIED ON THE TRIGGER OF THE TRAP WITH THE SKILL OF A FLY FISHERMAN.

HE EVEN RUBBED THE STRING IN SUMMER SAUSAGE AND EMPLOYED HIS NAVY KNOTS TO SECURE THE BAIT. THE TRAPS WERE ALWAYS STRATICALLY PLACED ALONG THE WALL WHERE THE MICE WOULD TRAVEL. “ONE THING TO REMEMBER SON”, HE EXPLAINED, “IS THAT THERE IS NEVER ONE MOUSE IN THE HOUSE, THERE ARE ALWAYS TWO!”

FUNNY THE MEMORIES THAT POP UP FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD DURING A BONDING MOMENT WITH YOUR DAD.

SO LAST WEEK WHEN WE FOUND EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE, OUT CAME THE OLD WOODEN TRAPS FROM THE BATTLE TEN YEARS AGO.

FRESH OUT OF SUMMER SAUSAGE, BUT NEVER OUT OF SWISS CHEESE, I GRABBED A PIECE OF HAM AND CAFEFULLY FOLLOWED MY CHILDHOOD INSTUCTIONS ON THE FIRST TRAP. GEES… THIS IS A LOT WORK FOR A DAM MOUSE, AND REMEMBERED ONE OF MARY’S DAUGHTERS DISCUSSING THIS PROBLEM , AND SHE SAID THE PERFECT BAIT, THAT NEVER FAILS, IS PEANUT BUTTER. GOOD TIME TO TEST THE THEORY…..

AND MUCH EASIER TO BOOT!!!

I HAVE THREE TRAPS IN MY ARSENEL AND SET TWO WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND ONE WITH HAM AND CHEESE. I CARFULLY PLACED THE TRAPS ALONG THE WALL ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER.

WHEN WE CAME HOME FROM WORK, HA SUCCESS ……

AND THE LITTLE BASTARD WENT FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER.

“ONE THING TO REMEMBER SON”, HE EXPLAINED, “IS THAT THERE IS NEVER ONE MOUSE IN THE HOUSE, THERE ARE ALWAYS TWO!”

SO I LEFT THE TWO REMAINING TRAPS AND WENT OFF TO BED. IN THE MORNING, JUST AS “OD” SAID, THERE WAS THE SECOND MOUSE CAUGHT, AND AGAIN IT WAS THE PEANUT BUTTER.

(HOPE I DIDN’T RUIN YOUR BREAKFAST WITH A PICTURE OF A DEAD MOUSE.)

“SUNNY & 80”