Ben

Ben, you're always running here and there. 

You feel you're not wanted anywhere. 

If you ever look behind and don't like what you find, 

There's something you should know, you've got a place to go… 

I didn’t know being terrified of rodents had a name. I just thought it was one of those weird things that make me who I am. But I found out I have a specific phobia. I wonder if it’s different then a general phobia because I’m only afraid of rodents? I don’t know. But it’s called musophobia and it’s very common. It just means fear of mice and rats. But now I know I’m one of millions with the same affliction. Does it make me feel better? Not really.

“Eek! A mouse!” Yes, I actually said that. Years ago we lived in a yucky house. It was early in the morning and I was fixing Alan’s lunch while he got ready for work. I was slicing a tomato and had a big knife in my hand. Suddenly there was a streak across the counter right in front of me. I screamed and almost cut my fingers off! As Mr. Jinks, the cartoon cat would say, "I hate those meeces to pieces!"

Mr. Jinks, cat fiend to Pixie and Dixie.

Did you know Ben, in this song, is a rat? And he wasn’t a nice rat at that. I’m not sure there is such a thing as a nice rat. Rats, hamsters, mice…none of them are cute to me. I do not like them. Not at all! They are vermin, nasty creatures in my mind. Now if you do like rodents, that’s perfectly fine. But I don’t. They creep me out completely. We live in the country and have for about 20+ years, so occasionally we get a mouse in the house. Once I see signs of one, that’s it. I can no longer go in that particular room by myself. I’m not necessarily frozen in fear because I can still run pretty quickly! But I’m plenty scared.

Yuck.

At the same yucky house there was another mouse. My husband set the trap and went off to work. I was there with a three year old and a newborn. I was thinking about what we could have for lunch when suddenly there was a click and a mouse in the trap ran out from under the table. It circled around two or three times and stopped, right there in the middle of the floor. OMG!! What was I going to do!? I could not even look at it much less get close enough to try to sweep it up into a dust pan or something like that. I couldn’t do a thing. As I was wondering if having a three year old pick it up and throw it outside would constitute child abuse a friend dropped by. I asked her if she could take it away. She went over, picked up the trap with her bare hand, looked at me and threw it out the door. I was horrified and relieved, all at the same time.

I could tell you many more mouse stories. Some involve screaming, some running and some, even climbing! Just a couple of weeks ago I saw signs of an unwanted visitor. I Cloroxed the counter and my husband set out traps. I hoped I didn’t have to go in the kitchen at night. But I had a plan. If I needed something, I would turn the light on and off and make some noise. Then I’d tiptoe in and scan the traps. If all was clear I’d hurry to get what I needed and then rush out. Whew…safe!

A few days pass and there’s no sign of a mouse. I’m suspicious and just know it’s crouching in a drawer or cabinet waiting to jump on me when I open it up. I ask my husband and he said maybe it ran off. Sure, I think. It just ran out the door. I open the bottom drawer to get something and reach in. It’s sitting halfway in a plastic grocery bag. I pause because I see a dark spot in the bag. I look closer and it has ears. OMG again! It’s in the sack! But it’s not moving. I run out just as Alan is coming in and tell him I think I found the mouse. He looks, and sure enough I had. The poor thing must have suffocated. He took care of it as I cursed it for scaring me yet again.

I read somewhere once that a mouse is an animal which strews its path with fainting women. In my case that’s true. If I had touched that mouse in the drawer I most likely would have had a heart attack or at the least, passed out! Creepy, yucky, nasty creatures they are. For now I’m safe. But as long as there are mice I don’t think I can ever live alone. For sure not in the country! And I’ll never have a friend like Ben.

Ben, most people would turn you away, 

I don't listen to a word they say. 

They don't see you as I do I wish they would try to… 

I finished the fuzzy orange shawl. It’s not bad, and just the right size. I’ll have to watch because what I wear it with because it sheds. The label said the color was strawberry. Still looks orange to me!

I also decided to complete a UFO! I have a bad case of finishing the knitting but not weaving in the ends, sewing the seams, etc. So I picked one (of many unfortunately) and wove the ends in. It’s the Montego Bay scarf and I love it! I don’t think I was able to get the Sea Silk at the time but I got something yummy and soft. I just forgot what it was!

See other creative projects at http://ourcreativespaces.blogspot.com.

I finished another book. This one was one of Maggie Sefton’s knitting mysteries. It’s number 7 in the series and called Dropped Dead Stitch. I like her books but they are pretty predictable. I’d like to do a readability test on one sometime because I’m curious. Supposedly the average newspaper is written at a 9th grade level so maybe it’s right on target. Anyway Kelly and company are helping with the fiber part of a women’s retreat when they find the owner of the ranch is a man who attacked one of the gang. Of course he meets an untimely end and guess who they think did it. I do enjoy the stories, I guess because they are no brainers and quick to read.

Next up...something pink!

A work friend and I trade books so there’s no telling what I end up with except for the fact we like the same kind; simple, easy to read mysteries. It’s fun though, and I have read some I never would have looked at if I was buying.

New reads. See what else to read here!

Maybe that’s what I can do when I retire. I could author a series about a stinking mouse that gets in and torments knitters by messing up their yarn. He’ll always get away because he has to go on to scare the next unsuspecting woman. Yeah, that’s what I could do. Well, maybe not.

Ben, you're always running here and there. 

You feel you're not wanted anywhere…