I was going to take a blogging break for a few days so that I could eradicate (the conflict I am having with) the-thing-that-is-not-a-rat-please in the ceiling. My conflict resolution strategies have entailed spending a small fortune today on various poisonous potions, one of which is a small sack of stuff that you throw into the ceiling cavity through the manhole/trapdoor thing. But, now that I am armed with this lethal weapon, I am too nervous to get the ladder and climb up to open that trapdoor in case the-thing-that-is-not-a-rat-please leaps onto my head. If that were to happen, you see, I would probably never, ever recover, especially if the-thing-that-is-not-a-rat-please actually IS a big, fat rat.
So I am not taking a blogging break after all because blogging is a much safer activity. I have now rung a local ghost-buster who has agreed to come over tomorrow and investigate the-thing-that-is-not-a-rat-please problem, so hopefully the conflict will soon be over. In the meantime I will just have to put up with the alarming noises in the ceiling. It sounds like it is playing tag with itself; that is unless there is actually more than one the-thing-that-is-not-a-rat-please.
Years ago, when Husband I were newly married, I went out to the back veranda one morning and saw something that will haunt me forever. It appeared to be basking in front of a heater that was off. Of course it wasn’t basking; it was dead, and I have never seen another one inside again. However, it did cause a bit of conflict.
Me: I can’t stay here. I want a divorce. Arghhhhhhh!
Husband: It’s a farm. I’ll get rid of it. Never seen one inside before – bloody hell.
Me: How can you be so calm?
Image: Melinda (chanmelmel)
I suppose the-thing-that-is-not-a-rat-please could be a possum? Possums are quite cute! I’m going out to feed the birds now; the game in the ceiling has developed into something that sounds like a Sunday School picnic.
Speaking of horror, Son accidentally walked into the bathroom this morning as I was emerging from the shower and ran out screaming “The horror, the horror!” Oh well, at least we now know he can run!
jmgoyder 
Poor you!
It’s just been suggested to me that it might be a skink (lizard) – I hope so!
Me too, for your sake!
I just hope it’s not one of those crocodile-sized lizards!
The potential anguish I am about to impose upon you is unfair Jules but………….what if it IS a cute little possum…….perhaps with cute little babies?
Brin
What? More pets? Ha!
Hysterical laughter!!!
oops! I accidentally pressed a key on my computer and this came up! Apt….. It’s a quote I’d recorded today, for one of my son’s coming- up- 50th- birthday, to put on the page of the scrapbook I’m assembling, next to his sawmill!
~”Every man’s work, whether it be literature, or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always a portrait of himself.”
Take this anyway you like, dear daughter! M.L.
Beautiful quote – thanks Mummykins!
I think it might be a Gremlin, Julie. Be careful!
Not helpful – hehe! Now I am really scared.
Oh Julie, how I do appreciate a good laugh in the morning… I’m just sorry it was at your expense! Glad you called the Ghost Buster, because you really never know what could be up there and how many friends it has brought with it to play. (Yeah, like you needed me to say that) ~ Lynda
PS: Where did you ever find such a perfectly horrible picture?
I see the caption as: “Mwuaaahahahahaaaaa!”
It is not funny, so stop laughing!
I googled ‘big rat’ – hehe!
The time thing is weird – your morning is my evening!
Oh, but I have had roof rats in California, and squirrels and voles here in Alabama… So, shouldn’t that count for laughing rights? 😉 And yes, the time thing is weird. I never know what time it is with friends on the internet. ~ L
I’m still not quite sure what a vole is!
The thing that could be a rat but which you hope is not a rat could also be a bird.
The question, though, is, How did something alive get into your attic? For the answer, you should look at all the attic vents to make sure that the screens are complete and in good condition.
Your attic vents could include soffit vents (along the underside of the roof eaves), static vents (they typically look like half moons on the roof but could also be flat like a shingle or tile), turbine vents (big things that whirl around), ridge vents (runs the distance from end to end at your roof ridge), and gable vents (will be on the sides of the house and are usually louvered).
The size of the vents that are damaged and letting the wildlife in could help you determine the size of the thing that could be a rat but which you hope is not a rat.
Thanks, Russel, for that great advice.
I actually think it might be one of those prehistoric-sized lizards we get here – not a bird.
I still think it would be much easier if you and your cat came over – hehe!
I’ll check all of the stuff you mention out tomorrow – thank you so much again!
Julie
Hi,
A much better idea to get someone else to look into it what is making all that noise. There is nothing worse that something taking up home in the ceiling. We had a possum a couple of years back in the ceiling and the noise was shocking, it was like peace on earth when the possum man got him out. 😀
I don’t really mind the noise – it’s not knowing what it is!!!