We’ve got mice in the house. We thought two, maybe a few more. I found their nest in the laundry room. It was in a bin of rags. I figured, eh, leave them alone. They look comfortable, and they aren’t really bothering anything. A few nights ago I couldn’t sleep and came downstairs to lay on the couch. The mice, who like to hang out in one of the spare bedrooms were squealing like monkeys. I’m not kidding. If I didn’t know better, I might have thought there were some very large animals in there. Then they ventured out into the living room and I can only deduce from the sound, dragged a pizza box with a few crusts left in it, across the room.

Yesterday while we were watching TV two mice ran out into the living room squeaking and frolicking. Yes, frolicking is the appropriate term. Andy and I looked at each other, laughed and started to think that leaving the mice to their own mouse devices, might not be the best course of action. Our thoughts were confirmed after a talk with his sister who had a similar mouse problem. She let them be and they ended up eating through important house wiring. She tried to capture and release them but, released them too close to the house and they would just come back in. I didn’t get the whole story but there was something in there about eventually trying to mark them before release with a marker to really see if they were the same guys sneaking back in.

We got two live traps yesterday. So far, we caught five (six, we just got one more). They’re living in a aquarium for awhile until we take them down the street to the nature preserve and let them go. I think it’s far enough.

Hopefully Mousegate 2010 will end well for all those involved.