Oh god, the rats. The first time we detected one was visiting us, the h installed a game camera in the kitchen - the next morning we looked at the footage. Well, he h did. I couldn't do it - which is so weird because I am a horror writer and I once wrote a reaaaallllly gross story called The Mischief Queen, and it was all about RATS. I guess since I had to do a lot of research, I came to really understand them which raised the gross out/ick factor to the nth degree. The h's voice was awestruck as he watched the game camera: "oh my god look at the SIZE of that thing! crawling right up the wall. Now it's...never mind, it's too upsetting." We trapped it in a live trap one day before the h's mom arrived for a visit, whew. We've killed about half a dozen, always loners. God they are *horrivel*!
Oh GOD! I got home from a weekend in Greece and was putting things away. I looked at a pair of shoes in my closet--one was chewed up. Then I look again: One shoe from three different pairs, including my brand new, not-yet-broken-in-actually-in-style boots were chewed. Like really? I own one thing that is in style WHILE it's in style. And then the saga began. Apparently I have a lot of pent up anger. LOL
I had no idea rats would chew SHOES. I do know that they are literally designed to chew anything, always - their teeth never stop growing, so if they don't chew them to "file them down" their teeth will actually grow into their brain and kill them. They can chew through brick, concrete, some kinds of metal - there is almost nothing they cannot chew. Nasty
little creatures.
Do you know what a rat king is? (this is a trick question)
It’s when baby rats get fused together from the sebum their tails secrete. In my story The Mischief Queen, a little girl wear one on her head like a crown :)
And THIS is why I don't read horror!! LOL. You are so brave to write about that! I was thinking we could probably contact other writers here and create an anthology of rat tales. (Tails?)
We had progress last night with Jake - took him for a walk at 10p, then woke him early. -5:45a, and took him out to pee...no 'accidents' though he was SO hard to wake up.
I am all in - just wait a minute till I arrange my megar funds.... I am stuck to your pages until I have to pull myself away for my own little life here in PT. Bryn Butler (DeuxCorgis on FB).
When I read that, my heart thumped a little, b/c we say it just like that, all the time, me and my posse of loved ones.
Everyone loves Jake!!! My first book, due out in a few months, "The Jake of Everything" is a celebration of his absolute lovableness. Thanks for loving him too.
Oh Sondi - I know I say it every time, but having been a guest at your beautiful property, at the point when your kitchen wasn’t yet ready and you were madly nurturing your remaining chicks among many other projects - I LOVE that I can see ALL of this in my head. The palacita, the out buildings, the inside of the apartment, the bathroom that used to have a window peering in from the kitchen, the floors, the new windows, the shutters,the walkway and cobblestone road to the apartment, your plants of all species, your precious, smart, beautiful Jake on his walks, the jacarandas, your chickens - ALL of it! So I’m thrilled to see your new kitchen! It’s lovely. And exciting!
I’m so happy you’ve documented what it was like to live there before you three moved into the apartment, and everything along the way. You make it sound so easy and comfort, but I now know how very not comfortable it must’ve been, and the enormous amount of work you’ve done to get to this place. Astonishing.
aw thanks - I do sometimes think I should maybe have complained a lot more in those early posts, cuz it was indeed dirty, difficult, and often disgusting!
Sweet story. Please share more pics of your kitchen! And for whatever it’s worth, many chefs would agree a smaller space is much easier to cook in, very efficient, and no extra walking, ha. Love your choice of quality materials and color.
Thank you!! I will post a full 360 when we have the final spit and polish done - just a bit of paint, a shelf, and some tile edging to the mirror where the old window used to be - stay tuned! And I totally agree, I love a small kitchen, I've never actually had a large one.
My favorite style is a galley kitchen. So efficient. Right now I'm dealing with the disaster of and open floor plan, kitchen on one wall, and no space to put an island.
omg - what looks nice in pictures is often not all that functional, I've found. My first kitchen ever was galley style, a house built in the 1930s. And though I've had some big houses in the past, the kitchens have all been on the small side, and I've learned the benefits - especially since i like entertaining and rarely cater, preferring to cook everything.
Sending love and blessings to Jakey and his loving carers. It is hard to see them age...
so, so hard....appreciate your kind words
Congrats on getting the kitchen in--it looks gorgeous. And yeah, I have a rat story, too. They don't tell you about THAT in the glossy magazines. ;-)
Oh god, the rats. The first time we detected one was visiting us, the h installed a game camera in the kitchen - the next morning we looked at the footage. Well, he h did. I couldn't do it - which is so weird because I am a horror writer and I once wrote a reaaaallllly gross story called The Mischief Queen, and it was all about RATS. I guess since I had to do a lot of research, I came to really understand them which raised the gross out/ick factor to the nth degree. The h's voice was awestruck as he watched the game camera: "oh my god look at the SIZE of that thing! crawling right up the wall. Now it's...never mind, it's too upsetting." We trapped it in a live trap one day before the h's mom arrived for a visit, whew. We've killed about half a dozen, always loners. God they are *horrivel*!
Oh GOD! I got home from a weekend in Greece and was putting things away. I looked at a pair of shoes in my closet--one was chewed up. Then I look again: One shoe from three different pairs, including my brand new, not-yet-broken-in-actually-in-style boots were chewed. Like really? I own one thing that is in style WHILE it's in style. And then the saga began. Apparently I have a lot of pent up anger. LOL
I had no idea rats would chew SHOES. I do know that they are literally designed to chew anything, always - their teeth never stop growing, so if they don't chew them to "file them down" their teeth will actually grow into their brain and kill them. They can chew through brick, concrete, some kinds of metal - there is almost nothing they cannot chew. Nasty
little creatures.
Do you know what a rat king is? (this is a trick question)
No, tell me!!
It’s when baby rats get fused together from the sebum their tails secrete. In my story The Mischief Queen, a little girl wear one on her head like a crown :)
And THIS is why I don't read horror!! LOL. You are so brave to write about that! I was thinking we could probably contact other writers here and create an anthology of rat tales. (Tails?)
I'm so sorry Jake has to endure the agonies of aging. It is so hard on us too.
You have done an amazing amount of work there!
We had progress last night with Jake - took him for a walk at 10p, then woke him early. -5:45a, and took him out to pee...no 'accidents' though he was SO hard to wake up.
I am all in - just wait a minute till I arrange my megar funds.... I am stuck to your pages until I have to pull myself away for my own little life here in PT. Bryn Butler (DeuxCorgis on FB).
Aw thanks so much!
Toast and tears! Oh my!! I love Jake!
When I read that, my heart thumped a little, b/c we say it just like that, all the time, me and my posse of loved ones.
Everyone loves Jake!!! My first book, due out in a few months, "The Jake of Everything" is a celebration of his absolute lovableness. Thanks for loving him too.
I shall be buying it!!
Now I love YOU ❤️
Oh Sondi - I know I say it every time, but having been a guest at your beautiful property, at the point when your kitchen wasn’t yet ready and you were madly nurturing your remaining chicks among many other projects - I LOVE that I can see ALL of this in my head. The palacita, the out buildings, the inside of the apartment, the bathroom that used to have a window peering in from the kitchen, the floors, the new windows, the shutters,the walkway and cobblestone road to the apartment, your plants of all species, your precious, smart, beautiful Jake on his walks, the jacarandas, your chickens - ALL of it! So I’m thrilled to see your new kitchen! It’s lovely. And exciting!
I’m so happy you’ve documented what it was like to live there before you three moved into the apartment, and everything along the way. You make it sound so easy and comfort, but I now know how very not comfortable it must’ve been, and the enormous amount of work you’ve done to get to this place. Astonishing.
Give Jake all the love for us.
Tricia
aw thanks - I do sometimes think I should maybe have complained a lot more in those early posts, cuz it was indeed dirty, difficult, and often disgusting!
Sweet story. Please share more pics of your kitchen! And for whatever it’s worth, many chefs would agree a smaller space is much easier to cook in, very efficient, and no extra walking, ha. Love your choice of quality materials and color.
Thank you!! I will post a full 360 when we have the final spit and polish done - just a bit of paint, a shelf, and some tile edging to the mirror where the old window used to be - stay tuned! And I totally agree, I love a small kitchen, I've never actually had a large one.
My favorite style is a galley kitchen. So efficient. Right now I'm dealing with the disaster of and open floor plan, kitchen on one wall, and no space to put an island.
omg - what looks nice in pictures is often not all that functional, I've found. My first kitchen ever was galley style, a house built in the 1930s. And though I've had some big houses in the past, the kitchens have all been on the small side, and I've learned the benefits - especially since i like entertaining and rarely cater, preferring to cook everything.