It has been really hot and sticky lately. This isn’t a hot summer memory but it is a sticky situation that happened a few years ago. I had traveled to the Barn to host my friend’s daughter’s 13th birthday party. I was bracing myself for an overnight adventure that would include giggles, whispers, shrieks and “drama”. It was December so there was much to do when we arrived- turn on the water, turn up the electric heat and start a fire. For whatever reason, I had opened one of the lower kitchen cabinets and noticed a caramel colored liquid. I assumed a can of soda had frozen and exploded so I quickly closed the cabinet and decided to deal with it later. “Let’s get the girls fed and then they can go in the hot tub.” The tacos my friend had made were a yummy success and the party goers decided to go in the hot tub. “Perfect” they can go in the hot tub while we clean up from dinner and then I can tackle the soda spill.
The table is cleared, dishwasher is loaded and leftovers are put in the refrigerator. Ok, time to empty the bottom cabinet and see how much “damage” the exploding soda did. SURPRISE!! There is a dead mouse stuck in the soda. I hate mice especially dead mice that are petrified in a caramel colored liquid. So the clean up begins. Bad news. There are no rubber gloves so plastic grocery bags will serve that purpose. I put the plastic bag over my right hand, reached into the cabinet without looking, closed my eyes and grab the mouse. But it was stuck, really stuck. It won’t move. Between my squeals of disbelieve and thoughts of dismay, my friend’s older daughter suggests pouring hot water on the sticky liquid. Did I mention the birthday girl and guests are outside and this situation needs to be resolved without their knowledge? Alas, the hot water works and I finally loosen the mouse, and throw it out. Upon further investigation I realize there is a second dead mouse. So the clean up continues, more plastic bags, a whole roll of paper towel and success. All cleaned up. The door to the deck opens and the birthday girl comes walking in and says “Mom, I have been yelling for you. What are you doing in here?” Oh if you only knew 🙂
But what happened here. And then I see it a giant warehouse size bottle of pancake syrup with a hole in the side. I guess one little mouse found a sweet treat and then invited a friend to join him and they both got stuck. There must be some life lesson in that.
