Spring Cleaning Giveaway - Part 1

Ok, I know it is almost summer and that in a large portion of the country it already feels like summer... but I am just now getting to my "spring" cleaning. I'm a graduate student, don't judge. And so, in the thorough cleaning of each room in the house that has now commenced, I will periodically post lists and photos of items that I wish to part with. (note that I said that "I" want to part with... sorry, Noah.) In other words, ya'll can have any of this stuff you want!

In this photo, starting in the back from left to right, we have:

- a wooden bathroom wall shelf/towel rod (used, but in great condition)

- two portable CD/DVD cases (used, in excellent condition)

- complete set of the Twilight books (again, please don't judge!)

front row:

- pink, 15" incase brand laptop sleeve (used for only a few months before getting a new, smaller computer - this is worth much more than the price of $0.00 that it is offered at!) *wink*

- glow in the dark marker board (this thing is cool! you write on it in highlighter, turn on the build in black light, and everything glows. I really like this thing, but it no longer has a place in my house).

- 4 piece set of ivory suede place mats, gray-ish brown cloth napkins, and wood napkin rings (also slightly used, but mostly just for decoration - in very good shape)

- set of four metallic gray/brown striped decorative accents

If you're interested in claiming any of these objects as yours - sent me an email/facebook message and it's yours! :-)

Next cleaning adventure: our closets. Stay tuned - who knows what is going to come out of those hiding places!

MOUSE WARS - EPISODE II

The battle has now ended.

After discovering yet another destructive reminder that I had a little friend in my house, things took a turn for the worst.  I had no option left, than to set death traps.  We found ones that look like a little cave... where the mouse crawls in, eats the bait and gets whacked - hidden from outsiders view.  The real question, however, was what to use as bait.

Peanut butter: failed.

Cheese: failed.

Chocolate: SUCCESS.

We caught our guy, red handed, going for the sweet stuff.  I thought we had reined victorious!  But no.... there was another mouse. We had MICE! AAHHHH!!!!!

After catching mouse #2, we have yet to find another one.  It was a tandem team assault - two against two.  And we managed to regain control of our house.  The Jedi Hocks have suppressed evil Darth Mouse!!!  VICTORY!!

p.s. - if any other mouses out there happen to stubble upon this post..... please stay away from my house!  I don't want to kill you... but I will if I am provoked!  Bwahahaha!!!

MOUSE WARS

I can remember as a kid, living on the farm, every now and then a tiny furry four legged creature with a long tail would find its way into the house and munch loudly on things (normally paper) in the middle of the night.  We would set a trap, and within a day or two said mouse would meet its end.  That was the way it went.

Well.... apparently not in this house.  And not with this mouse!

I have a fearless mouse in my house. Before the holidays this mouse first made his mark by eating ALL the chocolate in my candy jar... and leaving only the wrappers behind.  But he didn't leave the wrappers IN the jar... he hoarded the chocolate away in little hiding places and I periodically discover empty candy wrappers where he has gone back and eaten the hidden candy!

Then one night, as I was sitting on the couch with my computer checking emails, I see something scurrying in the corner of my eye.  I look up - nothing there.  Go back to the computer.  In a few more seconds I see something again - and this time, I find out what.  This mouse - this big earred, twinkle eyed field mouse - is sitting beside me on the couch.  Just looking at me. NOT SCARED!  He stares at me... I stare at him.  Like he's studying me, trying to figure out who I am, what I'm thinking, why I exist.... ugh.  He looked like a smart mouse.  So I decided to find out who he thinks he is... I said, "Hi. Who are you?"  And he twitches his little nose and runs off the couch.  I couldn't find him.

Needless to say... the mouse traps go out. (The nice kind though - that doesn't kill them!)  And this smart little mouse, doesn't take the bait!  I don't catch him.  Days go by, and I hear and see nothing of this little mouse.  I was beginning to think that maybe I had scared him away!

I proceed to go visit family for the holidays and return home... to a mess.  This little mouse found a packet of Orbit gum in a jar on my desk... and he proceeded to pull it out onto the desk, eat the WHOLE thing, and apparently suffered from horrible diarrhea in the process, judging by the amount of mouse poo he left behind. Yuck.  So... he's back - and it's now officially war.

The safe traps go out again... and with the same result as before.  But now, I've gone another step beyond that.  Anything containing sugar, that I think could even POSSIBLY smell appetizing to a little mouse, went into the cupboards or solid jars with lids or other indestructible contains.  But mousey is still here, and still hungry... so he starts eating my soy candles! SOY CANDLES!!! REALLY?!!!  I'm at wits end now... this mouse has to go. GAME ON!!

Mousey may be winning the battles, but I WILL win this war.....