I Smell A Rat

When I woke up this morning* I was motivated. Things to do. Admittedly 3M had placed a condition on me doing stuff in the byre, namely replace the broken rear brake bulb in Larry the Land Rover before I could start but that didn't put a damper on my enthusiasm. Merrily strolled over to the work shop part, opened the door and there it was. A large, glossy, healthy looking rat. It scuttled away and my shoulders slumped. I knew I had to deal with this first.

On one hand I don't really have an issue with rats. They're clever and resourceful and they have cute little hand-like claws. On the other hand, the diseases they carry, which outweighs anything else. So out came the poison pellets, threaded through wire and hung an inch or two off the floor. Tomorrow I'll find out.

What's made it doubly frustrating is that I believe that these have run away from my neighbours barn across the road. He said he had had an issue and laid poison and repellers and they had vanished. Not his fault, rats, like any animal, want to survive.

What's made it trebly frustrating is that all the wood in the picture will have to be burnt in the garden brazier. When I sorted out all the wood from the building work I decided on three types:

Wood that could be used again.
Wood that couldn't be used again but could be taken into the house for burning.
Wood I wouldn't let anywhere near the house.

All the wood above fitted the 2nd criteria and I had diligently cut it up to fit the stove. Now I can see rat droppings on the floor in front of it and evidence of rat urine on the wood there ain't no way that's coming in the house.

Where the wood is stacked is the stall where they used to keep the house cow. Obviously cows have to vacate their bladder like everyone else so at the end of the stall nearest the camera is a gully that leads to a drain. That's where the f-f-f-f-furry thing scampered to. Sigh.

Looks like I'll have a New Years bonfire (weather permitting). With roast rat.

*Although this could be the beginning of any blues song I was happy when I woke up. My baby ain't done gone left me, done me wrong or walked on down the road. Nor did I have the desire to Dust My Broom.