Vacancy

With Toffee’s passing in July, apparently he left a vacancy not only in my heart, but in my home. Mouse moved in last week — at least I first noticed him last week. Perhaps he is a she, which would bring even more unwanted house guests in the near future. This mouse evades traps, and moves between my house and my neighbour’s. We live in a town house, and my neighbour is less inclined to clean his floor than I am. Toffee would look for any chance he had to break into Dr. M’s home because he knew he would find many treasurers (crumbs, vegetable peelings and other food) on the kitchen floor. I am convinced that Mouse also has made that discovery.

Two days after the initial sighting, which was also the morning after Mouse spent time watching the Voice with me, I opened my doors wide, and put cotton pads laced with tea tree oil in every corner of the house just hoping that Mouse would want to escape. A stray started to walk in the open door, until I convinced her to leave quietly. She followed me around the garden for a few minutes until a student startled her and she ran. I should have let her in to find Mouse!

I started to think about “vacancy” in my life and not just in my home. When something that once occupied my time and attention is no longer there, what do I find to fill that spot? Is it something worse, or do I search for an improvement? I had decided not to replace Toffee. Perhaps if I had replaced him with another desired pet I would not have allowed Mouse to move in and take over my life.

On a positive note…my floors have never been cleaner! I am making my house as uninviting for a mouse as possible. Tea tree oil has been replaced with peppermint oil (according to google, mice hate peppermint oil). Each day I am deep cleaning one more cupboard or closet.