Rat Killing

This summer will be remembered by many ... as the hottest ever... with weeks and weeks of no rainfall ... the drought of 2012.

For me, though, it will always be the summer of the rat killing.

Figuratively ... and literally.

My dad used to tell us that he'd been ... tending to his rat killing ... I always liked the sound of that.

There was something romantic and heroic about it.  And it is one of my favorite ways to say I am taking care of some unpleasant business ... that can't be put off any longer.

After my battle with ... the rat king ... and his gang ... I will never use the phrase casually ...
or lightly ... ever again.

Mice have always wandered in from time to time.  Easy to spot ... easy to trap ... just one of the challenges of rural life.  Rats, on the other hand, are something entirely different.

The rats showed up ... as soon as I started leaving food out for Macy ... the invisible cat.  Not sure where Macy got off to ... she was never actually seen after the day of her arrival .. she meowed her way through the night a few times ... than she was gone.

Maybe she was raptured ... and we were all ... left behind.

Hopeful that she would come out from her hiding place, we filled her bowl with food each night ... and each morning it was empty.

It didn't take long before there were scurrying noises in the walls and evidence of pilfering in the pantry.  And then the sightings began.

One would be spotted dashing along the baseboard ... or ducking behind the washing machine.  Flip a light on late at night ... in the kitchen or pantry ... and it was literally ... a rat race ... for cover.

Funny.  I've had my scare-rat on the stove for years.  It's a rubber rat that came home with us one year from a dirty Santa gift exchange.  Much like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, it obviously didn't scare much of anything!

Rats are bigger than mice.  And it is unsettling and disturbing to have them in your home.

In the old days, I think they used guns and dogs ... for rat killing.  I can only imagine what a field day Pete would have had ... ridding the house of the rats.

I called the professionals ... to find out what needed to be done. 

Poison was one option.  Not really a good one, though.  If the rats crawled back into the walls before dying ... then removal was going to be an ordeal ... and a mess.  All that  I spoke with advised against poison.

Trapping ... killing ... dumping the bodies ... was touted as the most effective method to rid the house of the rat infestation. For a price, I could let the ... professionals ... set traps and empty them.  Or I could man up ... and do it myself. 

So I went out and purchased a bunch of rat traps ... and let the rat killing begin!

Rats are highly adaptable and expert survivalists. According to legend & lore, rat "medicine" will teach you to be resourceful in the midst of  change. And the rat will give you strength and trust in the process.

That explained it. Why the rats were in my house.  The changes I have been pursuing ... simultaneous to the rat killing ... have demanded more courage and faith than
I could ever imagine.

And my rat research raised some interesting questions.

Have you accumulated too much emotional baggage?  
 Rat "medicine" will help you examine what is no longer needed and allow truth to come forth in the midst of worldly illusions.

Is it time to let go of thoughts, ideals, perceptions, people or places? 
Rat "medicine" will instill self assurance and transform fear into abundance.

There is much wisdom associated with rats in many cultures.
Watch and listen ... as the rat moves.  That was the advice found in the messages.

On one post, the question was raised ...  
"What does it mean when rats move into your house?"

And one responder wrote ...  
"Rats are clean, social, fertile and highly intelligent.  Like attracts like ... "

That made me smile. Somehow all of my rat research made me feel better
about the whole situation.

All in all ... there were 37 rats trapped ... that's a killing ... no doubt.
It has been an epic adventure.

When I finally brought down the King Rat ... I felt every bit the conquering hero.  He was the biggest rodent ... I have ever seen ... up close and personal.

Of course, there have been repercussions ... discovered after the fact ... of the rat invasion.

In the midst of the string of days ... topping 100 degrees ... there came the air conditioner leak ... from the upstairs unit ... through the ceiling into the downstairs bedroom.

Plaster fell ... the bed was soaked ... and if the new floor had been installed .. it would most likely have been ruined as well.

After three trips ... and two different heat & air guys ... it appeared that the problem in the drain had been fixed.  No more leak.  Than three days later ... part of the ceiling just fell out ... on the other side of the room.

Turns out the rats had eaten all of the insulation off the pipes running across the room ... above the ceiling.  So that required, yet another, visit from the heat & air guy ... and then a handy man to repair the hole in the ceiling.

Apparently the heat  ... along with a steady supply of food & water ... is what drew them into the house.  Once I quit putting their bowls down each night ... they became more creative.  Not only did they uncover the a/c pipes to get to the condensation ... for water ... but they also chewed a trough out of the dishwasher drain hose.

For the longest time, I thought the brand new dishwasher was just leaking ...
for no apparent reason.

Dealing with the home warranty company about the ceiling repair ... was almost as frustrating as the rat killing itself. The contractor selected to do the repair didn't seem to be motivated to get over here and do the job.  It took several calls ... and over a week ... for him to show up.

When he did ... he was ... well, he was delightful.

He shuffled in ... reminded me a bit of Fred Sanford ... full of self-deprecating stories and jokes.

As he entered the front room ... his eyes lit up ... when he saw the baby grand.   
"Wow! That's beautiful," he said.  "I was a music major in college."

Alrighty then.

He went on into the bedroom and got right to work.  Not only did he good-naturedly patch the hole in the ceiling ... that was covered by the home warranty ... but he cheerfully took care of the area where the original leak had caused some of the popcorn to fall ... that wasn't.

On his way out ... he stopped in front of the piano.  In awe, he reached to touch the rosewood lid covering the keyboard.

"May I?" he reverently asked.

I explained to him that the piano hadn't been played in ages ... was out of tune ... and had at least one broken string.  None of which I intended to remedy until the new floors were down ... and the piano moving was done.

Gently he touched the keys ... and instinctively began to play.  It was a jazzy melody ... then softly he began to sing ... it went something like ...

when you're down .. in times of trouble

keep on trying and you will discover a kind heart

no matter who you are

I was mesmerized.  It was as if he was singing ... straight to my discouraged spirit.
It touched me deeply.

He was lost in the song and the music.  Then suddenly he stopped.  And apologized.  You know, how truly humble people do.  It reminded me of all of the times Jessi would say ...  
"I'm not in trouble, am I?"

I told him that it was beautiful.  He was overwhelmed.  He asked me urgently if I really thought so.

Moved by him ... and his song ... I assured him that indeed I did ... think so.

He told me he wrote the song.  And that he had written many more.  He played bits and pieces of a couple of others.  You see, he was having a hard time remembering them ... exactly.  It had been over 15 years since he'd had a chance to play one.

I asked him if he'd ever done anything with the songs. "Oh yes, I've had them copyrighted," was his reply.

But no one's ever seen them ... or heard them ... because no one ever encouraged him ... or believed in him. 

Time stopped.  There in my front room.  As this humble, hard-working man ... who had shuffled in to do the most basic ceiling repair ... unwittingly revealed his heart's desire ... to me ...
a total stranger ...

It was a gift of the highest order.  And there he stood ... eyes averted ... waiting to see if I would receive it.  Or maybe it was the other way around ... because to ask is to open the door ...
to receive ...

"Let me talk to some people I know," I said.  
"I am positive they will want to hear your songs."

The transformation was immediate.  He stood a little taller.  His eyes were glowing.  In an instant, hope had been released into the mundane that was his life.

"Thank you so much, Ms. MaryJane,"  he said as he closed the lid on the piano.
"Did I tell you that I was a music major in college?"

Not only did he fix my ceiling but he lifted my spirits ... he restored my faith as well.

He's called several times.  It's taken me a little while to get it all lined up.  When I called to tell him that he'd be hearing from some folks next week who wanted to hear his songs, he told me that he'd pretty much given up on me.

I laughed ... because he doesn't know me well enough to know that ..
I always do what I say I will do.

It's hard to know whether the rats moved in ... to give me strength to face the giants.  Or whether it was the only way for Levi to show up & receive a little bit of hope ... a little bit of encouragement ...

Either way ... I reckon it doesn't really matter.

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com
(c)  september 2012

Wheels A-Turning

Wait and see how I fix this ....

I have been struggling with how to come out of the tailspin of the week ... caused by the daily unfolding of the saga of my wheels ... and this is the response I have been given.  

Somehow I have managed ... each day ... to not let the fresh challenge get the best of me.  And I have determined to not let the money worry get the best of me ... either.

 ... and I managed to get to Friday morning before a little bit of panic set in.

Cupped tires had been making noise for sometime.  Two had already been replaced and the second two were due.  Last week the left rear tire started making a new noise ... that involved an irregular thumping and at times a rattle.

So I called to see if I could bring it in for those other two tires last Friday.  It was a stock tire but on that particular day there weren't any handy.  So my auto guy said he'd have them there on Monday.  

Still, I was very worried about the new noise.  It just didn't feel or sound right. Figured it would be a good idea to switch it for the spare over the weekend. Those of you who have known me for a while may remember that my tires have a "key" ... I discovered that a couple of years back when I had my Flat Tire adventure.

Based on that experience, I figured I might need a little muscle ... to get that tire changed.  So I texted a good friend ... "I need a gosh-darnit-I-don't-have-a-man-in-my-life favor!" 

Of course, he said he'd be there for me.  First thing Saturday morning. And he was.

Thirty minutes in ... and absolutely no budge on the final lug nut ... the one requiring the key ... he defeatedly suggested we call around and see if there was any place open with a power tool socket thingy that would let us come over to loosen it.

As we drove the few blocks ... he heard all of the noises ... and agreed that it was a good thing I was getting that tire off .. pronto!

Took two attempts ... with the power tool ... for the guy at the garage to loosen the bolt.  He assured us that there was no shame or lack of masculinity ... in not getting the dagburn thing .. to turn!

Whew!  My friend's hero status was still in tact!

After that .. it was a cinch!  Tire off .. spare on ... and the noise was gone as we drove back to the house.  Except for an occasional troublesome rattle.

On Monday, I arrived for my scheduled tire appointment.  The shop was in chaos ... cars parked every where ... waiting for their turn ... and a service guy ... was pretty much running the office.

It was obvious that he was having a .... MONDAY!

"I have good news ... and bad news."  That was his opening gambit.  The good news was that my tires were there  ... he would get them on ... that day ... eventually.  But not right then.  Apparently there was an issue with the air compressor.

Everything was backed up.

Refusing to be fazed by the setback .. I smiled and said ... "No problem ... I put the spare on over the weekend ... would it be better for you if I came back tomorrow?

He looked so relieved.  And he promised if I came back at the same time Tuesday he would get me in and out promptly.

In a way that was a blessing.  Because  the money that I was going to use to pay for those tires ... didn't materialize as expected on Monday.  It was now going to be Tuesday.

I had to smile ... God had it all under control ... after all.

Bright and early ... Tuesday ... I went for my walk around the neighborhood.  It was dark when I left my house and the sun was barely showing as I was making the return lap.  I was a couple of streets over from my house ... and a man came quickly to the edge of his driveway ... and called out ... "You wouldn't happen to know anyone in the neighborhood who has an air compressor, would you?"

Hot and sweaty ...  I think the humidity was like 900% ... I stopped to speak to him.  It seems that he was heading out to work and the tire on his truck was flat.  So he quickly & efficiently switched it for the spare .. thinking he would drop it off on his way in and have it checked out or replaced ... only to find that the spare was flat, too.

He said he'd lived there a couple of years ... but really didn't know his neighbors.  I can relate to that.

I told him I was sorry that I really couldn't help him ... that I didn't know many people in the neighborhood ... or anyone with an air compressor.  I continued my walk ... leaving him there facing his problem ... alone.

As I walked the rest of the way to the house, I pondered on the disconnect of neighbors.  And how people become so busy ... living out the routines of their lives ... so guarded and protected ... never letting anyone close enough to be a neighbor .... much less a friend ...

Then one day there you are ... facing a situation ... AT HOME ... and you realize you have no one to call ... that you can count on to help you out ... or maybe ... there are people you could call ... but  somehow you don't feel like you do ...

Yeah.  Been there a time or two myself.

So I opened my trunk ... and dug out my mini air compressor ... the one that plugs into the cigarette lighter of the car ... that I use to put air into my tiny little lawn mower tires.  And on random other occasions ... has managed to push enough air into a car tire to get to a service station for REAL air.

It's one of the best $9.99 purchases I have ever made!

Feeling silly, I hopped in the car and headed back around the corner.  I had very little confidence that the little-air-compressor-that-could would be able to make an impact on that big ole truck tire ... but it was all I had to offer ... and it was worth a shot.

My neighbor was totally stunned when I showed back up.  And he looked with total skepticism at my solution.  Maybe it would somehow generate enough air to get him the few blocks to the service station ... just maybe.

So he hooked it up ... and let it whir.

He told me his name ... I told him mine.  He never got it.  I told him three times that it was "MaryJane" .... and each time he responded by calling me "Mary".

Time has taught me that somehow that's part of the disconnect ... people only half listening ... for fear of giving anything away.  When they don't hear the "MaryJane" ... I know they are pretty locked up ... afraid of being real and genuine.

He shared bits and pieces of his story.  Divorced several years ago ... two grown children ... moved here because it puts him mid-way between work and his aging mother.  I shared a little bit of mine as well.

The whirring continued .... and it seemed that a little bit of air was getting into the tire.

Somewhere in the conversation ... he thanked me for coming back ... for trying to help him.
He said, "I will be glad to pay you."

"For what?" I asked.  "For taking the time ... for caring," he replied.

It was obvious he was lonely.  He told me he hadn't really made any friends since he had moved into the neighborhood.  He knew the first name of his next door neighbor and that was about it.  He said that he had visited a couple of different churches ... but that neither had seemed to fit him just right ... he hadn't found one that gave him that sense of belonging ... yet.  I invited him to mine.

"It's non-denominational, isn't it?"  "Well, yes, it is." "Oh....."

I shared a little bit more ... about a place called Grace ... but I think it was kind of like me telling him my name was MaryJane ... he'd already stopped listening before I got to the third syllable.

By this time it was obvious that the little air compressor would have to work all day to even begin to inflate the extremely flat tire ... to add enough air to even wobble down the street.
So we discussed his options.

Enough time had passed that it was likely that someone was going to be at the tire place he was planning to go to all along.  So it was decided that he would give them a call and explain his situation.  Hopefully, they would send someone out with a BIG compressor to put enough air in the spare to drive on over ... for some new tires.

The sun was completely up and I needed to get on with my day.  I gave him my card ... it said
 "MaryJane Sawyer" ... and told him I would be working from home until about noon ... and to give me a call if he needed a ride anywhere.

"That's really nice of you, Mary.  And thanks again for trying to help."  That's what he said.  I guess it was really the best he could do.

Later in the day, I took my car back for my tires.  And things at my car place were still a little hectic but not as bad as the day before.  The shop guy was still running the office ... because the office guy was still out ...

On the drive home I was relieved that there was no longer any tire noise ... or the thump noise that had caused me so much angst.

All in all it was good day ... even though ... the money thing hadn't sorted itself out on Tuesday either.

Wednesday was a full day ... with a bit of highway driving.  That's not unusual.  I have to drive a distance to most anywhere I am going.  By Thursday afternoon, the occasional rattle ... had turned into a consistent, persistent racket.

And I was thinking this was probably not a good thing!

Stopped back by my auto place ... and things seemed to be back to normal.  Office guy was in the office ... and service guy was back running the bays.

"There's this really bad rattle," I said.  "On that wheel where the tire was replaced.

The office guy didn't look happy.  He said they'd take a look. Quickly my car was pulled in and put up on the rack.  And he returned with a somber look on his face. 

"It's not good."  That's all he said as he motioned me out into the bay.  There he showed me the rear strut ... dangling ... totally disconnected from the strut plate ... and the frame.

I had no idea what those things were until that moment.  But even I could see that it didn't look good.

After much discussion, he told me that there was no way he was going to let me drive the car ... anywhere.  It was simply too dangerous.  So he ordered parts .... expensive parts ... to be delivered that afternoon.  He dispatched a driver to take me home ... and told me he would call me the next day when it was ready ... and he would send someone back to pick me up.

So there I was ... deposited at my house ... forced to cancel a full day of productive appointments on Friday ... and facing an unexpected expense ... that wasn't going to be met easily ...

even if I opted for plan c. 

"Live in the moment.  Focus on today.  Trust me."  That's what my best friend, God,

Creator of the Universe had been telling me ... for weeks and weeks.

And I have been focusing on the daily choice of gratitude .... determined to only focus on the good things ... things for which I am grateful .. each day for the next 90 days.  And each day ... of this week .. I have somehow managed to be grateful for the setbacks ... and unexpected tribulations.

Friday morning I was up bright and early.  And I took my walk.  I was struggling with the gratitude thing ... the pressure of paying bills ... and now these "extras" ... creeping in ... I am ashamed to admit that I ranted ... just a little bit ... and that's when the whisper came ... 

"Wait and see ... how I fix this ..." 

I ruefully laughed.  As I walked.  I heard it loud and clear ... twice.  I could feel the truth in the words ... that were intended to soothe my jangled nerves ... to give me confidence to face the day.

I wanted to believe ... still there was an undercurrent of doubt ... as I told myself that I was going to focus on today ... as it unfolded ... and wait to see .. what was revealed.

Not long after I got home from my walk, the phone rang.  "Are you ready for me to come get you?"

I was stunned.  I had anticipated mid-morning at the earliest ... and here it was barely time for most businesses to be open ... and my car was ready.  It seems that they stayed into the evening on Thursday in order to have me back on the road ... first thing Friday.

What was wrong with my car ... wasn't their fault.  They showed the part to me ... out there on the floor of the garage.

Somehow .. over time ... the bolt that held the strut to the frame had become loose.  Over time it had rubbed and flopped ... causing the hole it was run through on the plate ... to wear ... growing in diameter due to the stress ... until the bolt WITH the nut attached ... simply fell through when the car had been put up on the rack.

Apparently ... the only thing holding it in place for .... who knows how long ... had been the weight of the car's body.

It was an accident just waiting to happen ...

Still, they felt a tremendous amount of responsibility for not noticing anything was amiss ... when they had it up on the rack ... on Tuesday ... replacing & rotating the tires.

I thanked them for caring about me as a customer ... and a person.  And both the office guy AND the service guy said, "No problem, MaryJane, you are important to us." What was really significant is that they got my name right ... this time ... after having called me "Miss Mary" all week.

That's how I knew it was real and genuine.

Sure there is still a pretty expensive bill ... but somehow I will get it covered ...

As the day unfolded ... some other unexpected, unplanned things happened.  Some were nice things ... others were, well, let's just say ... not good.

I have faced the weekend with a little bit of hope ... a little bit of faith ... because of the promise that came before the day had even gotten underway ...

It's amazing what God can do ... if we bring just a little hope .. just a little faith.  That's what Del said this morning.  And we sang that song that says ... all things work together for my good.

And at some point, He nudged me ... "You just keep showing up, MJ ... with your mini-air compressor ... what you're offering may not seem like much to you ... but to someone else ... just knowing that you care ... means everything in the world."

Tomorrow ... it's Monday ... again.  And I am  ...full of encouragement and anticipation ... you see, His promise ... on Friday ... it isn't just about my tires ... it's about a lot of wheels a-turning ... so I will face the weeks ahead ...

... waiting to see ... how He ... fixes ALL of this! 

www.lifelessons-mj.blogspot.com

(c)September 2012