A Mouse in the House

We recently noticed odd scraping and chewing sounds in the attic above our bedroom. While we have had mice visiting our garage, never have we had them in the attic. Access to this space is through our bedroom closet ceiling. My husband, Dennis, set two traps and closed the access.

The next day, while I was preparing to hop in the shower so we could head out for the day to celebrate our anniversary, Dennis decided to check the traps. Up the ladder he went. Yes, indeed, we caught two mice! While he was preparing to take the traps out of the attic, all at once I hear, “Oh $#@!,” and seconds later, a mouse lands on his shoulder and leaps off taking flight in the closet. Standing at the doorway, I figured if there were any problems I would close the bi-fold door. I failed to mention that to Dennis prior to my slamming the door shut with him still in the closet.

As I previously disclosed, I was preparing to hop in the shower. So, half dressed, with a bleaching solution sitting on my upper lip for purposes I really don’t need to go into, I ran down the stairs, out to the garage, and grabbed a bucket. Back upstairs I went. When my dear husband saw the mouse run to the opposite end of the closet, I quickly opened the door, tossed the bucket to Dennis, and just as quickly slammed the door shut. Fortunately, the mouse was more upset about the goings on in the closet than we were. As soon as Dennis set the bucket upside down at a bit of a tilt, the little mouse decided it looked safe and ran underneath. Got ‘em!

Still half dressed with my lovely bleaching solution mustache, back downstairs I run on a mission to find cardboard to slide under said mouse and bucket. Dennis took care of the rest of the mouse activity at this point while I was having a wonderfully good laugh. All I kept picturing was that darn mouse flying off his shoulder.

I giggled off and on all day, while he just shook his head. I’m sure we will have more mouse tales in our future as we roll through the upcoming years together. While many anniversaries come and go, our thirty-sixth won’t soon be forgotten. It’s nice to have loving memories to share with each other, but seldom do you get a half dressed, lip-bleaching wife running up and down the stairs while the husband is closed up in a closet with an acrobatic mouse. Gotta love those memories that put a smile on your face!

OMG! photo courtesy of johnson d

Random Thoughts - Words

Every once in awhile, I hear a word or saying I haven’t heard in years that makes me smile. I always find myself thinking we should use the word or saying more often, if only to break the monotony of everyday words, or to make you or someone else smile. That being said, randomness in thought and conversation can be artfully used throughout ones day. Here are some of my favorites:

Humdinger                Shiver Me Timbers              Gadzooks                     Hoot                       Gobbledygook             lollygag         jabber                    Cockamamie
Lickety-split      Gee Whiz       Shape Up Or Ship Out           Holy Cow

Just for grins       Jiminie Cricket's        Persnickety    geez Louise 

                 jeepers creepers         Doesn't that just beat all

In an attempt to artfully randomize my word-speak: I will do my best to come up with a humdinger of a word once in a while as I jabber my way through my posts. That will be better than a cockamamie idea or a bunch of gobbledygook, don't you think?  It’ll be a hoot! Now don’t be persnickety, and see what you can do instead of just lollygagging around your word-speak.

Doesn't that just make you smile?

Words photo courtesy of Pierre Metivier

Breakfast With a Snake

When the early morning temperatures reach the upper forties, I grab a cup of coffee and head to my front porch to welcome in the day. Until the cooler, damp weather of October, my porch allows me to commune with nature and feel the sense of peace one can only find as the sun rises in the early morning. This time of year, there is a riot of chatter from numerous birds, rabbits bound around the yard as if they are late for a very important date and a garter snake slithers around in my front beds. Yesterday morning, as I sat enjoying the sun popping through the clouds, I noticed the movement of said garter snake. He, too, was enjoying the sun as it warmed him on the sidewalk below me. It is a rather colorful creature with bright green striping and orange dashes reminiscent of a garden hose.

I don’t know for sure, but I figure it must be the same snake that has shown up in this area the past few years. There have been times when I could swear it follows me around⎯seriously. When on my hands and knees in my garden beds, I shake the plants I am working near to let this snake know I am in the vicinity. While not venomous, if stepped on or grabbed, it may just strike out and bite me. Frankly, I wouldn’t blame it if it did. If someone stepped on or grabbed me I would react too, and I have, but that’s a story for another day.

As I drank my coffee and enjoyed my breakfast, the snake decided it was curious about me and placed its little head on the edge of the stair. I couldn't help but smile, but kept a wary eye on that forked tongue bugger. While I enjoy communing with nature, I really didn’t want this scaly reptile getting too friendly. By the time I finished my last sips of coffee, it was time for me to get on with my day. The snake seemed to feel the same way and slipped into my garden.

I love anything that can put a smile on my face, particularly first thing in the morning, because that smile is likely to follow me throughout my day⎯even if it comes from a limbless reptile with no eyelids. Just don’t step on or grab me! I guarantee there won't be a smile on my face then.

Garter Snake photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Creative Commons

Jell-O Goodness

Recently, I made up a box of Jell-O gelatin. It had been years since I even thought of making a bowl of the wiggly concoction. That said, I added water to the powder, because that's really all there is to it. After four hours in the refrigerator, I was able to enjoy every jiggly bite.

One could say Jell-O and I go back quite a ways. It all began with Grandma Noella. I never once saw her refrigerator without a bowl of Jell-O sitting inside just waiting for someone to dig into. Of course, if you were lucky enough to be visiting her home, you had to have “push” cream, as she called it, gracing the top. That would be whip cream in a can⎯for the uninitiated who may have no idea what I am talking about. She would say, “Anything with push cream is always better.” Before we went to bed at night, out came the Jell-O and push cream, because Grandma didn’t want to send us to bed hungry⎯like that would happen!

So began my years with Jell-O, and soon I was making my own. My mom had the inspiring 1960’s cookbook, The Joys of Jell-O, along with a variety of bright, shiny molds. As my reading skills improved, I began experimenting with all things Jell-O. I molded, layered and whipped, added ice cubes, ice cream and whipping cream, along with various shredded, sliced and diced cheeses, fruits and vegetables. I was a budding Jell-O chef. My goal was to try all the beautiful recipes in the Jell-O cookbook. “O” the hours I spent scrutinizing its pages. I never achieved the goal, but I enjoyed eating all of my trials and errors⎯yes, errors. While throwing the powder in a bowl and adding water is easy, creating jeweled masterpieces is certainly not.

Over time, I moved onto other things in the kitchen, and Jell-O was left behind. It wasn’t until I made this recent bowl that I thought about my Jell-O fascination of days gone by. Jell-O always conjures up thoughts of Grandma, push cream and plenty of smiles. When was the last time you had an inspiring bowl of jiggly goodness? Perhaps it’s time to feel like a kid again and create your own masterpiece, but whatever you do⎯don't forget the push cream!

Fire Cubes photo courtesy of Matt Reinbold

Bells of Hope

My snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, have poked their little heads up out of the damp soil and are just beginning to bloom. Like diminutive bells, these sweet bulbs are the first blooms in my garden each year. I eagerly await their show, even if it is in miniature, as the flower stalks are only about 4 inches tall. These tiny bulbs seem to withstand the tortures of wet and frozen soil year after year, and they will even poke their little heads above the snow if need be. Truly, they are to be considered stalwarts in anyone’s garden.

Like faithful friends, when they pop their petite heads up and bloom, they remind me spring is just around the corner. Even if that corner is weeks away. Moreover, these little guys signal hope for the new growing season ahead. In their simplicity, they make me smile. Anything that gives one hope and makes them smile is to be treasured.

Snowdrops remind me that hope comes in many sizes. It is up to us to take notice and be aware of the hope, which lingers around us, and may rest at our very feet.

Hanging Out photo courtesy of freebird4

Home is...

Where do you find home these days? Is it a physical location or someplace deep inside? If you haven't thought about it before, give yourself some time to consider this question with the intention of coming up with an answer. Knowing this answer will always make you smile whenever you might need an extra one.

I came across this video last year. It happens to be a favorite song of mine, Home, by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and makes me smile whenever I hear it. When you hear Jorge and Alexa cover the tune, you will fall in love with it too. Enjoy!

And to my Valentine, home is whenever I'm with you!

What Would Scooby Do?

About ten years ago I had an unexpected visit from my next-door neighbor boys. Brothers Taylor and Greg had overheard their parents talking about my husband’s cancer issues and decided to do something about it. They baked a one-layer cake, and not just any cake; it was one of those very special Hasbro Easy-Bake Oven cakes that are about five inches across and half and inch high. Smack dab right in the middle of the chocolate frosting sat a crazy eyed, three-inch bobble-head Scooby-Doo with a big smile on his face. Of course his head bobbed uncontrollably up and down as the boys handed me their gift.

For those who do not know Scooby-Doo, I shall try to enlighten you. Scooby is a talking Great Dane cartoon character that showed up on our televisions in 1969. As a matter of fact, he still has quite a following today. He was known for his goofiness, being afraid of most things and pronouncing more R's than even a dog has a right to.

Taylor and Greg had asked their mom if they could bake a cake and include their favorite little bobble head. I accepted this lopsided, funny looking cake with great surprise. It was such a sweet and loving thing for these children, ages 9 and 7, to do. They had no idea how much it touched my heart. After a few days, I asked their mom if I could give them their Scooby back. She explained the whole story to me and how important it was for them to give me something they really loved.

Nearly ten years later, I am still looking at that silly looking dog. He is always a part of my basket of special mementos and sometimes sits by the side of my bed if I need an extra Scooby smile to hit me first thing in the morning and last thing at night. While he nods yes to everything, he is a wise old dog. He knows how much a smile and a nod can mean and never ceases to please. When I am feeling a bit off with the world, I can always count on Scooby because I know just what he would do⎯nod his head, smile and remind me of two little boys and the love they shared with me that day.

Sometimes all we need is what we have. Look around⎯what gives you a good feeling you can hold onto? Is it time to share something you love with someone in need?

Scooby-Doo Licensed by Hanna-Barbara Productions
© Copyright 2011 Michelle Clark

Just What the Doctor Ordered...Giggles and Belly Laughs

The other day my husband, Dennis, replaced our broken toilet seat. Every time anyone lifted the lid on the new seat it squeaked. Neither of us had mentioned this fact to the other. After a week of squeaks, I decided I would fix it. I grabbed the WD-40 lubricant spray, hesitated slightly and sprayed away. When I lifted the seat to work the spray into the hinge the squeak was gone. It was now an even more irritating haunted house door opening kind of sound. I couldn’t believe it⎯so then I just started laughing. Each time I lifted or closed the seat I laughed that much more until the tears began streaming down my face and my belly hurt. With each lift of the seat the sound grew more irritating and I laughed even louder. I decided I would not say anything about it because sooner or later Dennis would know what was going on. Besides, I don’t think I could have said a thing without cracking up. You know the feeling when you try to tell someone something funny but can’t keep a straight face, and pretty soon the person can’t even figure out what you are saying because you are laughing so hard. So, I waited…

That night as we were heading to bed, I heard the loud screeching. Of course I am smiling and giggling but trying to not be heard. As Dennis was coming out of the bathroom he looked right at me and said, “You’ve had the WD-40 out again!” Yes, I have a previous history with WD. That is why I hesitated momentarily before I sprayed the seat hinge. I have two go-to things when it comes to repairs⎯WD-40 and duct tape. Since this wasn’t a duct tape kind of job, of course I’m going to grab the good old WD. You see we still have a door that will not stay open because I WD’d the hinge pin. Dennis just shook his head as he headed for the bed. By this time, I’m at full giggle mode and pretty soon a knowing smile spread across his face.

The next morning, as I lifted the screeching seat, I just started laughing all over again. Now, anytime I pass the bathroom I am compelled to see if the screech has improved, and yes, I start to get the giggles. Maybe we will just leave it as is for now.

Giggles and belly laughs are just plain good for you. I am sure Dennis and I will share this giggle as time passes like we have with many other moments of our lives. Even just recalling an occurrence when you are lost in giggles and belly laughs makes you smile. We need more of those moments so we may recall them when we are in a belly laugh deficit⎯and that I think is just what the doctor ordered.

© Copyright Michelle Clark 2010
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