More Rats
Posted: Monday, 12 February 2007 |
After reading a fellow's blog (Hermits Life on Sanday) it reminded me about the time we had a rat at Barebraes.
You would think that having 3 cats would at least deter the vermin on the island but in true Barebraes style the doon sooth cats are a bit mamby pamby when it comes to the wilds of Orkney.
It took them a few months to venture outside the boundary of the house and took even longer to get them accustomed to the wind. Billy on the other hand was an Orkney cat, but after a few months of being let into the house and a warm bed to sleep on he has turned from a lethal killer to a lap cat.
Our house has a small lobby where we hang our coats, there are 2 doors leading off to the lounge and the bedroom. We installed a catflap in the front door so the cats could get in and out.
One night after retiring to bed I was woken by a clunk of the cat flap opening and a strange baying noise and a shrill squeekin coming from outside the bedroom door, this was followed by another clunk and then all quiet.
There then followed some dialogue:
Mrs B "Did you hear that"?
Mr B "Hmmmm what" ?
Mrs B "I think there is something outside the door"?
Mrs B " Its was squeeking"
Mr B " What was"?
Mrs B " Go an have a look"
Now Mr B never wears pjs so in the buff he got out of bed and opened the bedroom door taking with him the torch.
Mr B "Oh my God" hastily slamming the bedroom door
Mrs B " What is it"?
Mr B "A Rat and its alive running round the lobby"
In sheer panic and in the dark apart from the torch ( why on earth we didn't turn on the light is beyond me) Mr B grabbed the air gun that he had purchased to ward off rabbits from the trees and looking like Elmer Fudd with torch and rifle he approached the door. Opened the door aiming torch and gun and shot. then quickly shut the door and ran for cover.
This process had to be repeated a few more times as the pesky rat wouldnt die quickly. It was squeeling and jumping everywhere and due to Mr Bs state of lack of dress I dont think that he wanted to be leapt at by a rat.
Eventually it bit the dust and from then on the cat flap was locked at night.
We have had a few more pressies left by the cats some live some dead but non so lively of as large as that rat
It was at least 10 inches long without its tail. ( and thats not a fishermans tale )
You would think that having 3 cats would at least deter the vermin on the island but in true Barebraes style the doon sooth cats are a bit mamby pamby when it comes to the wilds of Orkney.
It took them a few months to venture outside the boundary of the house and took even longer to get them accustomed to the wind. Billy on the other hand was an Orkney cat, but after a few months of being let into the house and a warm bed to sleep on he has turned from a lethal killer to a lap cat.
Our house has a small lobby where we hang our coats, there are 2 doors leading off to the lounge and the bedroom. We installed a catflap in the front door so the cats could get in and out.
One night after retiring to bed I was woken by a clunk of the cat flap opening and a strange baying noise and a shrill squeekin coming from outside the bedroom door, this was followed by another clunk and then all quiet.
There then followed some dialogue:
Mrs B "Did you hear that"?
Mr B "Hmmmm what" ?
Mrs B "I think there is something outside the door"?
Mrs B " Its was squeeking"
Mr B " What was"?
Mrs B " Go an have a look"
Now Mr B never wears pjs so in the buff he got out of bed and opened the bedroom door taking with him the torch.
Mr B "Oh my God" hastily slamming the bedroom door
Mrs B " What is it"?
Mr B "A Rat and its alive running round the lobby"
In sheer panic and in the dark apart from the torch ( why on earth we didn't turn on the light is beyond me) Mr B grabbed the air gun that he had purchased to ward off rabbits from the trees and looking like Elmer Fudd with torch and rifle he approached the door. Opened the door aiming torch and gun and shot. then quickly shut the door and ran for cover.
This process had to be repeated a few more times as the pesky rat wouldnt die quickly. It was squeeling and jumping everywhere and due to Mr Bs state of lack of dress I dont think that he wanted to be leapt at by a rat.
Eventually it bit the dust and from then on the cat flap was locked at night.
We have had a few more pressies left by the cats some live some dead but non so lively of as large as that rat
It was at least 10 inches long without its tail. ( and thats not a fishermans tale )
Comments
What a gripping yarn!! I would certainly hope Mr. B. wore at least his fireman's hat before shooting the rat. Did he drop the torch before shooting the rabbit? or did he do a one-hander? So you had to fill the rat up with lead before he would say goodbye? Has it been properly stuffed (no, not for eating Barebraes, but for display in the lynge!!)?
mjc from NM,USA
Dodgy Dave says that they taste just like chicken. I thought they tasted more like rabbit. What say you Mr B ??
Tws from Rat trap
please please take the photo away!!
scallowawife from on the highest chair...
that happened to us back in 1980 only never having a gun in the house hubby put on wellies got a broom and chased the rat out in the street to kill it-only thing was he was stark nacked and outside he was knee deep in snow only the neighbour's daughter chose that moment to go home it was 2 in the morning,so next day all the village knew that hubby never wore jammies
carol from france
Apologies for the gruesome pic scallowawife. And sorry to dissapoint tws but the Rat In the Kitchen just doesnt go in my book and none passed Mr Bs lips. The rat was stuffed for sure ( on the bonfire ) not on the mantlepiece or lynge
Barebares from Shapinsay
What a lovely picture!!!!!!! Thank you for making a young cat very happy.... roast it, boil it, friccass茅e it, anything, but please post it to me when you're done.
Flying Cat from Circular Pins
Carol your hubby was braver than Mr B. I have heard that rats have a bad habit of jumping at you if cornered
Barebraes from Shapinsay
sushi it, stir fry it, pickle it, curry it (we have to be multi-culti, says Mayor Livingstone) and, what the heck, export it (but not to the States, thank you!).
mjc from NM,USA
Why did you not tell the full story, Carol? That you went, similarly unattired, after hubby to give him a hand, and the pictures of both of you in flagrante delicto (yes, yes, TWS and Digi., you would have written flagrante delecto and claimed it was a typo!) were up at the post office the next day. Oh, la France!!!
mjc from NM,USA
you are lucky,barebraes that your cats catch rats-mine run like h""l in the opposite direction!!
carol. from france
It reminds me of the time, many years ago, when I had been ill for weeks wi bronchial pneumonia. When I felt better I went out for a very short walk to the byre - this was in our last house, and the byre was in an old croft house - so off I went and for the want of something to do had a chat with the old cow tied up in the byre. ( this brings me back to how boring a life I used to have...) anyway I turned to leave and in the narrow doorway was a rat - large and very much alive - but not moving. there was no other way out. I screamed - and screamed - and the rat did not move. I screamed again for good measure - no movement. It was alive but surely doped up on poison. I had to step over it and run (hysterically) for the hoose.No dog or cat or farmer to be seen of course. shudder. The funny thing was it had a beautiful shiny fur on it - making it like a cuddly toy - how strange - we reckoned it had come from the salmon farm nearby. about the same time, I went out to get the eggs - and the hen was sittin on a dead rat. SCREAM
scallowawife from shetland
rat, rabbit: same thing, half of one and a dozen of the other. No wonder I get them mixed up in my interjections (no TWS, not injunctions: injunctions are what you get to prevent Eton graduates from smoking ganja, whether they like reggae or not is irrelevant!). When is the Scottish executive, in deference to the wishes of the islanders, going to provide booties per tail (rat, cat, and so on) respectfully submitted?
mjc from NM,USA
is an interjection no what you get before you go on holiday? or to stop you getting ill? And why do you want a bootee per tail - is a bootee no what you pit on a baby's foot? And if you make a bootee to fit a tail - wid you no end up wi what TWS mentioned in another blog - a willie warmer? (smut rules apply here - its ok to ask a reasonable question, its not regarded as smut in this case)
scallowawife from off work, nowt better to do than correct mjc
Did I really say "booties"? I meant "bounties": clearly domestic bliss is getting to me. Or am I worrying about my dogs' feet in ice/snow/ and desert thorns?
mjc from NM,USA
I just started knitting again and discovered it was a typo mjc. Now I'll have to unravel this bootiful bootie....I'm in a fowl mood. (Twizzling thumbs, drumming paws...etc).
Flying Cat from flinging down the circular pins
Dodgy Daves got premature injunculation ( well at least I think that's what his wife said ), is that what you mean mjc?
Tws from Watchingmewatchingyou
No, TWS, you have better get yourself a better hearing aid: the background noise is taking over. Dodgy's long suffering wife called him an incubus (she read medieval history at St. whatever, if i remember). # I am told the only way you are going to get anything from FC is after the money has been wired, though she may accept Paypal.
mjc from NM,USA
sorry to disapoint you mjc,but i'm all done up in flannel jammies at nightand fc what fowl would you like to eat?
carol from france
"There were, Rats Rats as big as pussy cats/ In the Store, in the Store." And so on down to less reputable items of squaddies imagination.
Hyper-Borean from The Quartermaster's Store
It's as well Dodgy Dave's wife didn't call him a succubus, goodness knows what it would have lead to. *BIG SIGH* I. am. a. HE!!!!!!!! I'd quite like a look in Quatermass' Store.
Flying Cat from a high bookshelf
We moved here in September 05 and have met many good friends. What more could you want from life.
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