Mice

Because I have such a tiny kitchen with just two base units and the sink unit and no top cupboards, I keep some small appliances which are not in every day use in their boxes, on a shelf in my back room [which leads off from the kitchen]. Things like my food processor, pressure cooker, small halogen oven, and my rice cooker etc.

This morning I got my rice cooker down as I wanted to cook some mixed whole grains for Pereg and when I lifted it out of the box I saw that the shaped polystyrene tray thing it sits in had been well chewed - and then noticed a small hole had been chewed in one corner of the box.

The rice cooker is fine - as clean as it was when put away after the last time I used it, probably about a week ago, and the electrical cord is fine as it is removable and kept in a polybag inside the cooker when not in use, but not all cords are removable so I had to get everything down to check and thankfully they are all fine.

It is still a darn nuisance as that expanded polystyrene stuff sticks to everything when it is in bits - especially when well chombled by those darn mice.

On the other hand...

...I guess I am lucky that I did not find a nest of baby mice in the box!

MALKA you are so calm

No point in being otherwise Eileen - I live on an agricultural Moshav and have gotten used to the little horrors! But that is why I do not leave any food out - even potatoes and onions have to be kept in the fridge, and no food is prepared directly on any work surface - I have boards which are stacked upright and just take out whichever one I need.

All dried and packaged stuff that is in the "larder" cupboard in the back room is kept in lidded polythene containers [like Tupperware stuff] even though the cupboard is a tall Keter thick plastic one.

Hopefully the meecicles will never be able to chew through that...

Last year when we were doing our first camping trip of the year, I went to the van to give it a tidy and once over.. opened up 1 of the cupboards where the saucepans were and it was FULL of insulation... the mice had made a wonderful nest with lots of tunnels etc running through it...

Needless to say, Mr M had to empty the cupboard, everything was put through the dishwasher and the cupboard was thoroughly bleached through.. and the hole plugged up!!! darn things, but I guess they were just keeping warm for the winter.

I grew up on a farm, so meeces don't bother me!

There be a little dust track left behind from me running..methinks

*thinks - maybe I should not tell Eileen what I found once in one of the pockets after putting on a dressing gown once...

*or what was in an oven glove...

OH,No way,seriously? couldn't handle it

You could shoot them with your nail gun

Eileen dear...

It is not uncommon to go into the kitchen in the mornings and find a Gecko in my sink but...

...the other morning there was also a meecicle in it...