Packages, Support, and Dead Mice.

Occasionally I miss "things" from home. "Things" like cheetos, and hand written notes, and Candy Corn, and good coffee, and peanut butter, etc. But then those things show up at the Post Office!!!

Yep! Last week I received TWO packages. One from Wes and Stephanie Sullivan, and one from my family. The loot is (was) amazing, but I really think the best part of my packages is the walk home from the Post Office. I have a huge smile on my face the entire way, partly because I know something exciting is waiting to be opened, but mostly because I know I am so supported and loved. I'm two weeks shy of one year here in Ukraine and the emails, letters, FB posts, Skype calls (failed or not) and packages help me push through when the distance is felt the most. All I can say is I am so lucky and extremely blessed...Candy Corn, or not.

Whoa. My Fan Club is better than yours.

On a VERY different note, I killed a mouse today!!! (Don't look at the photos below if you don't want to see a dead mouse) With all the potato picking and cooler temperatures Fall has brought the field mice seem to be scurrying around looking for refuge. Well this sorry sucker chose Mr. Benjamin's apartment and boy is he sorry. While the Ukrainian version of a mousetrap is a cat, (seriously, I've had offers to borrow cats if the mice get too bad!) I chose to go the more unconventional route and make my own.

As you can see from the first photo, I made a ramp from my oven (top left corner) to the top of a box (WHAT UP PACKAGES!) and then a ramp up to the bucket fulled with soapy water. On the end of the top ramp, I put a makeshift "tube" and on the end I put a little piece of bread and THE SMALLEST amount of peanut butter (like I'd waste much of it). When he walked on the carefully balanced tube to get the treat, SPLASH! into the water he went.

Mouse-Be-Gone

 

Sorry little guy...back to the field you go.

I think he was the only one scurrying around my oven the past few days, but I have set the trap up again to make sure any of his friends and or relatives don't try any funny business. I have a feeling this won't be the only mice I catch this Fall, but rest assured it will be the only one I blog pictures of!