Friday, October 30, 2020

A Surprise

Wednesday dinner--bbq chicken legs and rest of potato carrot soup

Thursday dinner--meatloaf and cole slaw

Another meal of chicken legs is in the freezer. A meal of meatloaf and coleslaw waits for Friday night along with broccoli. 

The wind was very fierce Thursday afternoon as we left for a trip to store. The storm is over here, but I still needed batteries. I had on a sleeveless blouse and almost regretted it because of the strong, cold wind. The cold front came through with a fury. 

I had a surprise call today. The office of my new gastroenterologist called me and said all the blood tests  were okay or something positive. The last gastro would let me go through two office visits without mentioning the test results. Even when I asked, somehow he never told me. The office people resented me calling and asking. 

Blood was drawn for two other doctors, so I will call for those results if I don't hear from them on Friday. I go to a lab with orders from several doctors so that I will reduce the times I have to go through having blood drawn. My veins are not so apparent and I have been told they roll away so a needle going in is almost impossible. 

We are going to order larger, stronger flashlights while I still have Amazon Prime. There are a few things I need that are impossible to find in stores. Hopefully, I can find original Dawn. 

Okay, two surprises. Bad surprise first.

Tommy gets up earlier than I do, so he had me come to the kitchen to show me something. In a corner of the kitchen counter was a pile of potatoes. He shown the light on them and they had been gnawed on and were very old. I tell you I cannot see for lack of light in there!!! Who could not see six very large potatoes? He figured there was a rat in the kitchen.

But, we doubted that since there was no evidence of droppings. ANYWHERE! I shoved the potatoes back, especially the one that was partway into a hole the size of a quarter. The other thing we went for on Thursday was rat poison. I put down a square of tp and put a dozen little pellets on it. Friday morning, the pellets were gone.

The pest control guy came in spraying and I had to yell at him to make him stop. He asked me why he was there, then, if I did not want him to spray. This man was filthy. He had on the nastiest mask that did not cover his nose. GAH!

 He concluded it was not rats, maybe squirrel or a chipmunk. He would put out bait around the kitchen and see if they got it and maybe they would die. He walked around the house to see if he could find where they are getting in. 

When he came in he said he could not help us because we had so much stuff down, and he gestured to the living room. He said he could not help us and left. We can put out bait. I think someone needs to find where they are coming in, but that is not happening. We still have another pest control scheduled for 4 pm. So, we will see. 

While the guy was looking around in the cabinets near the half-eaten potatoes, we could not see droppings. But, I did see something. A LARGE, LOVELY, RED COLANDER!!!

After he left I showed it to Tommy and asked him why he told me he did not have a colander. He said it was not his and he had never seen it. He thinks it belongs to his boarder who cooked and was allowed to store her cooking things in the cabinets. 

This is huge, red, heavy metal. There are not a lot of holes in it either! At least it is pretty while it drives me nuts not draining. I think it is the heaviest colander I have ever picked up. But, it is pretty and free.

She has not lived here for about 12 years. She needed a place to rent that was cheap. One of Tommy's friends asked him to rent to her. She became ill with liver disease, then finally had to be moved elsewhere by her children when she had liver cancer. Her boyfriend and her sons moved her things out while she was not able to come and help. 

That is how I got the heavy dresser, all wood, with dovetailed drawers. The heavy glass bowl Tommy gave to me was something she left with 12-yr-old potpourri. So, add a colander if he does not want it. 

Now, we are left to figure out what is coming in. 

12 comments:

  1. there are other things to do other than POISON, which will then poison a cat, or a hawk, or some other animal. Traps are better. and, filling holes of entry are best.

    Please do not use rat poison, it kills the predators that you WANT to keep down the populations of vermin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought ratx specifically because it kills nothing but rats and mice.

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  2. Good on you for finding the colander. Remember when I mentioned I had lost the cover to my 2 part colander. Well I didn't yet mention that I cleaned out that cupboard and rearranged things and lo and behold I found the cover. So I am happy about that. Nonetheless I have decided I am now going to buy a metal colander if I can find the colour I want at a reasonable price. I'm not in a rush. Who knows I might eventually find one second hand. I hope yo can find out what the pest is so it can be dealt with.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is amazing things in people's cabinets. I knew what was in mine, though. I don't mind a stainless steel and don't have to have a color. I actually might sell this one since there are not enough holes all over. We got up the potatoes that were eaten on today. Tonight, I put out a new potato and this pest killer that will only kill rats and mice. At least if I feed him, maybe he will not roam around other food.

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  3. I once had mice who were so bold they would run across the lounge room floor of an evening but I got rid of them and nothing since.
    A red colander would be just lovely, I have a stainless steel one which is utilitarian but I always enjoy it as it so much nicer than the yellow plastc one my mum had ....maybe she still does

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    Replies
    1. kylie,
      Some pests have nerve, I suppose. I hope these never come back. The red is very pretty and looks almost new. Holes are all that matter to me right now...lol.

      Delete
  4. Yesterday and today have been cold here, cold enough to wear a jacket if we do go out. I'm glad to hear your good news about your blood tests being ok. That's great. I hope you find out what is coming into the house. The colander sounds beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Belinda,
      I went out without a jacked on Friday, but today I will need one or freeze. I was pleasantly surprised about the blood tests. Last night, whatever it was did not come in. But, poison is out. Thanks.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Urs[p,
      They need to leave the food alone and stay outside! NOW!

      Delete
  6. I battle rats in our garage. A couple of years ago we had a plague of them come in & wreaked havoc nearly over night. I had several bottles of cooking oil stored on the 3rd shelf of a 4 shelf unit.. Those little jerks ate into the plastic bottles and oil flooded the lower shelves. It was one "mell of a hess" I fought them with traps and rat bait. I won that battle but this Summer we had a small infestation. I am again baiting & using Tom Cat traps. I have them tied to a wire so if it is not a clean kill they won't take off with my traps. I have not had any enter the house but occasionally I hear movement in our attic area.

    I can no longer get the pellet's I like to use out here in California. Instead they offer bait blocks. I tried them but no mouse or rat ever even took a nibble.

    We outlaw or restrict a lot of things out here. What I wouldn't give for some regular old light bulbs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janet,
      That sounds like a nightmare! I have fought rats before. And, it is not fun at all. I have never had liquid spilled, but they did gnaw into grains. "My rats" loved the bait blocks and they died. They will chew electrical wires, so you need to get them before they burn the place down. Do you want me to send you some?

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