Of Mice and Jana
So I spent three days and two nights with my folks this weekend. Why? Well, there was a mouse in my house, of course. Or mice. As it turns out there were two. Or, at least that's how many wandered onto the traps I'd set. I no likie the little rodents (deathly phobic about them, actually) so I got the hell out of Dodge.
And you know, since I'm deathly phobic about them, I worried and prayed and near about made myself sick thinking about it. The fact that I'd been cohabitating with one of the three things I just can NOT stand to think about cohabitating with (snakes and whiney men being the other two) nearly drove me crazy. Still does, to a point. Especially after last night when I finally made myself go home and cleaned up the place. My dad had been by Saturday to check the traps and he's the one who had the honor of removing them from my home. But I had to clean up the aftermath.
You know, mice aren't discriminate about where they defecate or urinate. Ugh!!
Anyway, after all the worrying, praying and making myself sick I had an epiphany this morning on the way to work. There are bigger things--WORSE things--than cohabitating with rodents.
One of my BIL's friends died in a plane crash Saturday. He and two others were going to fly back to AL from GA early (on a small non-commercial plane. I think one of the two men owned it. Not sure. I know one of them was piloting it, though.) and it crashed shortly after take-off. All three men died. One of them had a wife and kids. The other two were about my age. Such a terrible tragedy. Emmy and BIL are both taking it hard as one of the men, a young man named Ryan, was their RC Field buddy. He flew model airplains with both Emmy and BIL and they spent a lot of time with him.
In the face of such tragedy, cohabitation with mice is small potatoes.
On a slightly brighter note, though, I am considering the possiblility of moving. I'm checking a couple of places that I might be able to afford. I'd have to really tighten the belt on my budget but I think I could do it. I keep weighing the pros and cons of paying a higher rent and giving up such luxuries as new books and clothes against all the things I hate about my current home. (mold issues, yard upkeep that's overrunning me, faulty heating and air conditioning, rodents, roaches and other pesky nuissances.)
I hate the thought of giving up the few luxuries I have, though. Books, especially. But on the flip side, I'm tired of living in a space that each year gets more and more run-down, makes me miserable and to be quite honest, I'm ashamed to invite anyone to. I guess I always thought that by the time I was pushing 30 I'd be in a better place. Better place in my life, better living space and better lifestyle. I mean, I know I'm never going to be rich--especially since I'll likely never marry into any money as my sisters did. But I don't know. I thought my life would be a tad less depressing.
But I've got some serious thinking to do and I need to do it quickly because my lease is technically up in July (though I'm sure after 7 years of occupancy my landlord would let me out a couple months early or go a couple months over) and all the good spaces are coming available as students graduate and move. So it's now or wait another year, yanno? And as much as I love to read, I think a better living space would greatly improve my quality of life. Definitely reduce my stress. And no, this isn't just about this weekend's misadventure with mice. It's about finally wanting something better for myself and considering making sacrifices in order to achieve it.
Sort of like Sis2 and Goofus did. He gave up the home he built with his late father some four years ago, moved away from his mother and the only place he'd ever lived because he finally discovered that he is worth more than the crap he was putting up with in his old job. Sure, things have been a little less than ideal for the past month with them trying to find an affordable place to live while they await the sale of their house not to mention the enormous expense of moving and starting fresh in a new town (especially when your truck chooses that same time to need costly repairs!). But he knew in the long run that this change would be the best thing he could do for himself as well as his family.
And that's what I've got to decide to. Libby and I deserve something better than what we've settled for the past several years.
Speaking of Goofus and Sis2, they got moved into their new apartment this weekend. It's definitley a downgrade from the house they left but it's temporary and to me (coming from a hovel) it's heavenly. It's a duplex instead of a regular apartment complex. Quiet, clean and with just enough yard to enjoy but not be overwhelmed by. In fact, it's this same area that I'm going to check into. Well, one of the places. I've got a couple other prospects in mind. But anyway, they got their bed and recliners and junk moved in. Got Lyssa's nursery set up. We weren't invited to help them actually move in--Goofus wanted to do it without us. A quirk he has about this move, so Mama and I will probably go see the place this afternoon. We've got some junk we have to drop off for them anyway.
Anyway, I've chattered long enough. Time to work. *sigh*
And you know, since I'm deathly phobic about them, I worried and prayed and near about made myself sick thinking about it. The fact that I'd been cohabitating with one of the three things I just can NOT stand to think about cohabitating with (snakes and whiney men being the other two) nearly drove me crazy. Still does, to a point. Especially after last night when I finally made myself go home and cleaned up the place. My dad had been by Saturday to check the traps and he's the one who had the honor of removing them from my home. But I had to clean up the aftermath.
You know, mice aren't discriminate about where they defecate or urinate. Ugh!!
Anyway, after all the worrying, praying and making myself sick I had an epiphany this morning on the way to work. There are bigger things--WORSE things--than cohabitating with rodents.
One of my BIL's friends died in a plane crash Saturday. He and two others were going to fly back to AL from GA early (on a small non-commercial plane. I think one of the two men owned it. Not sure. I know one of them was piloting it, though.) and it crashed shortly after take-off. All three men died. One of them had a wife and kids. The other two were about my age. Such a terrible tragedy. Emmy and BIL are both taking it hard as one of the men, a young man named Ryan, was their RC Field buddy. He flew model airplains with both Emmy and BIL and they spent a lot of time with him.
In the face of such tragedy, cohabitation with mice is small potatoes.
On a slightly brighter note, though, I am considering the possiblility of moving. I'm checking a couple of places that I might be able to afford. I'd have to really tighten the belt on my budget but I think I could do it. I keep weighing the pros and cons of paying a higher rent and giving up such luxuries as new books and clothes against all the things I hate about my current home. (mold issues, yard upkeep that's overrunning me, faulty heating and air conditioning, rodents, roaches and other pesky nuissances.)
I hate the thought of giving up the few luxuries I have, though. Books, especially. But on the flip side, I'm tired of living in a space that each year gets more and more run-down, makes me miserable and to be quite honest, I'm ashamed to invite anyone to. I guess I always thought that by the time I was pushing 30 I'd be in a better place. Better place in my life, better living space and better lifestyle. I mean, I know I'm never going to be rich--especially since I'll likely never marry into any money as my sisters did. But I don't know. I thought my life would be a tad less depressing.
But I've got some serious thinking to do and I need to do it quickly because my lease is technically up in July (though I'm sure after 7 years of occupancy my landlord would let me out a couple months early or go a couple months over) and all the good spaces are coming available as students graduate and move. So it's now or wait another year, yanno? And as much as I love to read, I think a better living space would greatly improve my quality of life. Definitely reduce my stress. And no, this isn't just about this weekend's misadventure with mice. It's about finally wanting something better for myself and considering making sacrifices in order to achieve it.
Sort of like Sis2 and Goofus did. He gave up the home he built with his late father some four years ago, moved away from his mother and the only place he'd ever lived because he finally discovered that he is worth more than the crap he was putting up with in his old job. Sure, things have been a little less than ideal for the past month with them trying to find an affordable place to live while they await the sale of their house not to mention the enormous expense of moving and starting fresh in a new town (especially when your truck chooses that same time to need costly repairs!). But he knew in the long run that this change would be the best thing he could do for himself as well as his family.
And that's what I've got to decide to. Libby and I deserve something better than what we've settled for the past several years.
Speaking of Goofus and Sis2, they got moved into their new apartment this weekend. It's definitley a downgrade from the house they left but it's temporary and to me (coming from a hovel) it's heavenly. It's a duplex instead of a regular apartment complex. Quiet, clean and with just enough yard to enjoy but not be overwhelmed by. In fact, it's this same area that I'm going to check into. Well, one of the places. I've got a couple other prospects in mind. But anyway, they got their bed and recliners and junk moved in. Got Lyssa's nursery set up. We weren't invited to help them actually move in--Goofus wanted to do it without us. A quirk he has about this move, so Mama and I will probably go see the place this afternoon. We've got some junk we have to drop off for them anyway.
Anyway, I've chattered long enough. Time to work. *sigh*
Comments
I have a very personal relationship with my library. In town, we have 5 library branches and when I want a book, I go online to find where one is available, then I go at lunch and pick up a few books. Quite enjoyable. Not a big deal. You can even re-check out for re-reads. Or buy when you know it's money-worthy. Being happy where you're at makes a big difference.
Heather~I know you know how I feel. Have you had any luck with your search yet? I've got two or three prospects that I'm going to call about today. They're duplexes which isn't exactly what I wanted but I think I could handle sharing just one wall, yanno? lol There is one house that sounds perfect but it's in another town, same county. But the rent is cheap and it has a big fenced back yard which would be PERFECT. My mother isn't all that thrilled with the idea but I might call about it anyway. It might not be worth looking at but you never know unless you find out. ;)
Best of luck in your search!