There’s a hallway lined with collages of pictures at the lake house. This is a place where I have spent the last 31 years making memories with my family and friends. You can’t imagine the amount of photos in those frames. When my parents purchased the cabin, we were pregnant with our first kiddo. Each time I go up there, I spend so much time just staring at the walls in that hall. The past several times, I have found myself standing there just “happy” crying. Pace Point is such a great place to relax and find peace. Our family lake house - this amazing cabin is our time capsule!
However, this last visit wasn’t a simple weekend of relaxation. WE HAD BEEN INVADED! Something had gotten into our peaceful refuge and decided to “take over” and make it their own. We were not going to stand for this and it was time to fight back!
Side note…. Since our dad passed away, the “big guys” (rodents) at the lake house had probably not been properly sprayed for the way he did all those many years - therefore, we let the guard down and opened the door, one might say, for the invader… who knows? Honestly, the cabin IS IN THE WOODS, and there’s a bunch to do to keep it up and we simply let that one slide.
To make a very long story a bit shorter…. A squirrel for sure and most likely a rat had started to co-inhabit Pace Point. Luckily, before too much damage occurred, the pesky tree critter was found deceased in the house. Can you imagine the shock walking into that? Unfortunately for our daughter and her family, they were the ones who found the squatters. It quickly changed their weekend plans with their babies and friends.
My sister came in for stage 1 cleaning as mom and I came in shortly behind her for stage 2. Floors and surfaces were disinfected, comforters, pillows, sheets, mattress pads - we weren’t taking chances - were all replaced. It was ok - we decided it was time for a new update anyway and we were looking on the bright side! We found a hole in the laundry room where the little critter came in and sealed it up and cleaned up the screened in porch where apparently the BIG party was thrown - UGH!!!!
As I was walking around on the back side of the cabin, I saw a little movement and I looked up near the porch. A BIG RAT was running full speed on a railroad tie straight towards me!!!! OH HOLY MOLY!!!!!!! I jumped and squealed a little probably and then he disappeared. I named him Raul. I was not a fan.
I stood there for a minute catching my breath. I was done with some varmints messing up our world! Then I got mad! That little sucker was going to pay for all of this! Raul and all his buddies were going down!
The next morning was “Rodent Repellent” morning! We had spray! We had traps! We had bait! We were ready!!!!! I set out and sprayed the entire place inside and out and then I headed to the screened in porch. I decided to use the spray I had left to spray down in the slats on the floor. About in the middle of the porch floor, I heard some noise. Then all of the sudden I saw the BIG GRANDDADDY OF ALL RATS - size of a guinea pig - It was Raul’s Granddad! He darted from under the porch to the fire pit! There was no jumping and screaming with fear from this girl now - I WAS ON A MISSION!!!!!! I busted through that screen door with my spray screaming things I will not write in this little story!!!! I ran after him this time! I sprayed so much of that repellent in the hole he ran into that he had to have drowned! I felt so accomplished and happy! I ran in and told mom what I did - she just laughed at me!
We put out rat traps and bait and all the things my sister bought for us to put out (in case I didn’t drown Raul’s grandpa). The real professional exterminator comes soon and will probably laugh at our overkill of work… but hey, we girls gotta do what we gotta do, right? Hopefully, this will at least keep the creatures and critters away until the plan is made and installed with the guy who really knows what to do!
As I look back on this craziness, I think about how sometimes we forget to take care of the good things in our lives or just let things sit idle too long. However, by being neglectful, we can let the negative or the “rats” get in. This will destroy what we have built up ... what is good..what amazing things we have created. I think by being lazy and apathetic sometimes we forget how great something is that we worked for! Then people can get in a rut. I totally believe people need breaks and need to rest. However, if we take too long of a break, we forget how great it feels to work hard for something and succeed! Great things take work! It could be anything really - a hobby, a job, a relationship/friendship…. I know it has happened to me….. It’s time to put my rat traps out and get moving again! Move over Raul…..Here I come!
Keli’s Korner Challenge: What about you? Is it time to set out some rat traps and get moving again? You can start where you left off or start over if you need to! Just start!