Lye Soap and a Nest 12/13/2011
Linda's arm was healing because it was itching like crazy! Mom would give her a plastic ruler to put down the side of the cast to scratch her arm. She was learning how to maneuver things pretty good with that left hand and arm now, even eat, especially if it was a bologna sandwich or something like that. She could just pick those up and eat em right up. This little house on Ruth Street was beginning to show some problems with mice and a rat or two. Every night after they would go to bed, the mice would start stirring around. They set mouse traps and put steel wool in places they thought the critters were getting in. Nothing seemed to work, except that afternoon after church when Helen had an idea. Speaking of church...Willie and Helen decided to move their membership from Kewanee Church to Emmanuel so they could feel a part of what was going on there. They had become friends with several folks and since Willie had been ordained as a deacon at Kewanee... they could really use him as a deacon there. He would be able to help the pastor visit people in the hospital and and in their homes. One Sunday when they returned home from church around noon their were signs of mice everywhere... Under the sink in the bathroom, behind the couch in the living room and in the kitchen cupboard. Trying to catch them one at a time was going to take forever. They seemed to multiply...they'd catch them in the traps and there would be another round of them. Their droppings were on the counters and in the cabinets...this was getting ridiculous. They had to find out where they were coming in from...how they were getting in the house. She and Willie went all around the house looking and discovered that there was a hole at the base of the front porch...that had to be it. That's the place where they were coming in the house.  Helen got out her big black iron kettle (dutch oven) and mixed up a batch of lye soap. If this is where the mice nest is...this lye soap solution should take care of them. (A nest is where the mice bear and raise their young) With Willie's help Helen carefully poured the lye soap into the opening in the porch. They went inside the house and made sure that all the places where the mice could get in had steel wool in them. Helen and Willie cleaned up all the signs of the mice and felt certain they had finally made headway with this problem they had been dealing with for a while. Willie decided right then and there that he would look around when he is on his insurance route in the next few days to find a another place to live. He knew when they moved to Sikeston from East Prairie, this house would be temporary until they could find something better. It was time!! Comments Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Leave a Reply |  Author
Paula Tollison Andrews Maupin I am married to Bobby and live in the Nashville, TN area, working as Executive Assistant to both the Director of Sales and General Manager of FOX17, MyTV30 & CW58 television I have 3 wonderful sons and daughters in
love (Brad & Holly Andrews, Bryan & Stacy Andrews and Brandon
& Ashley Andrews) from Tulsa, St. Louis & Springfield
respectively. They have given me 9 precious grandbabies. (Joseph,
Cooper, Margo, Sloan, Jonas, Nora, Everett, Lawson and Blythe & Gma
loves them so much) I also have 2 great stepsons and daughter in love
(Jonathan & Kathryn Maupin and William Maupin) from Lexington,
Kentucky.
As a lady who's lived through both good & bad circumstances in my life, I've learned and continue to learn a lot of "life lessons". Along the way I have been inspired to be a better me. God is faithful in ALL circumstances and His love covers all. My hope is that you will be inspired to be who you were meant to be. I have been writing this blog about my mom and dad since September of 2011. You can find their story from the beginning by going to the Stories link. Happy Reading!!!   ArchivesMarch 2012 |
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