We have been experiencing some rat issues at RMS. They began with a somewhat traumatic experience. Weeks ago when Ashley and I were rearranging the classroom we were removing books from a shelf when all of a sudden Ashley says, “oh no!” and backs away. There was a rat’s nest. I proceed to poke at it with a broom handle when a large rat jumps out at me. Both of us scream. I rush to shove the carpet under the door, but the little rascal beat me to it. Ashley got down from the table and we went to hunt it down. It had run behind the uninstalled black board leaning against the wall. Ashley stood on one end broom ready to shoo towards my end. Only I was feeling a bit apprehensive about my first rat kill. (I have disposed of many dead poised rats but I had yet to squish one’s furry body with a bat.) And again it ran right past me. We hunted a bit more but she was gone. How do I know it was a she you might be wondering? Well you can guess what I found dead on the floor from the long fall off the book shelf.
After this, almost every day we would find new evidence of our little pest(s). One night when one was trapped in our cabinet, after munching our precious white computer paper, Lilli’s foam handwriting mats, and various craft items, it went to town on the door. Many a book has been gnarled away on a corner. Strawberry Girl has had to be tossed completely... and yes even Jack’s homework was partially devoured. Jack and Julia the rat exterminators posted RATS BEWARE signs on the chalk boards and last week Mama Rat met her doom at the skilled hands of these two with broom handle and towel rod. The next day I was to have my first kills as Ashley and I found two more babies. I’ve decided broom handle is not my preferred implement. Just when we hoped we were rat free, all yesterday we kept getting little whiffs of something suspiciously like dead animal. After the kids left, there in our storage room was one smelly, grey, large, dead rat. With 4 down I am hoping we are at the end for a while. Ahh... the spice of life in Uganda. While rat hunts are not my favorite flavor, I love the adventure and new experiences that greet me each day.
What a woman! What you need is my cairne terrier Emmett. He loves that activity.
ReplyDeleteOh Anna, my big rat killing sister, this reminded me of the time in Niger when I found the mouse in my sock drawer and while I was off crying and being comforted you stayed in our room to watch the boys try to kill it. Glad to know your letting those rats know who's boss.
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