aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln....

Before you say "isn't he cute", let me tell you, we are not amused

"Why?" you ask

Because it's going to cost us a hefty sum to get these "cuties" out of our rafters.

Last weekend during the heavy wet snow storm we could hear scurrying in the ceiling. Since there has been a lot of construction going on in the back field, we suspected the local field mice had come looking for a nice dry home.

Then we saw several juvenile squirells sitting on the edge of the roof.

Enough! I called the local pest control guy.

Seems that even though the house is sided with vinyl, which they can not climb, they can climb brick, and the found a place right where the house and the garage meet to burrow under the roof shingle and chew their way in.

The pest control guy was here at 7:30 a.m. By 8:00 he had set the traps and left. He'll be back every day to check the traps. I don't even have to be here when he does.

It will take about 10 days of trap minding to make sure all of them are out. Then he'll repair the spot so they can't get back in --- there at least. He guarantees his work. He'd better, it's costing us $500!

On the up side, a major remodel inside if we don't get rid of them (not to mention the whole health issue) would be much more costly.

Guess we'll be eating a lot of chicken wings and beans this month.

And while this is upsetting, I'm brought straight to the fact that things could be a lot worse. Yesterday while I was reading one of the blogs I visit at least once a week, I learned that Kay of Mason Dixon Knitting lost her husband on Saturday. I'm stunned and saddened --- she has young children.

All this reminds me of something my grandmother had posted above her desk --- "I used to complain because I had no shoes, until I met a man that had no feet"

We're praying for Kay and her family.