Saturday, February 28, 2009

Bad news. I just saw a mouse in the living room. It looks like we need to step up the fight, which we had actually abandoned once we came home from the trip and were left with SEVEN unsnapped, yet completely peanut butter-free traps. I have never seen any evidence of mice - no mouse poop, no chewed open food packages - in the house (except for the actual mouse I saw) so I sort of didn't worry about who ate all the peanut butter off the traps and let myself believe the mice were gone. So much for that.

Since Emma started school and is slowly becoming a little more worldly, there have been a few times when I've been unsure of what is the right thing to do in a certain situation. Today she went to a party that was actually a birthday party for her friend's little sister. Her friend wanted to invite Emma so she'd be able to play with someone her own age. The plan was for me to drop her off at Tunnel Voyage, then later go pick her up at her friend's grandparents' house, where they were going afterward for dinner and cake. The friend's parents didn't get a birthday party package at Tunnel Voyage, but they were going to pay Emma's way in. So, when I dropped her off, I couldn't decide if I should send her in with any money. I felt like by sending her in with no money, I was just counting on the other parents to pay for anything she might need, which I didn't want to do. On the other hand, all I had was a ten dollar bill, and sending a (barely) five year old in alone with ten dollars seemed like a mistake as well. I can just see her at the snack bar, ordering a huge soda and every piece of candy she can possibly purchase with ten dollars. I thought about giving the other parents the money, but they likely wouldn't have accepted it. In the end, I didn't give her the money. Was that the right decision?Last thing - I have a tip for anyone who might be reading this. If you've never purchased a pineapple, you really need to. You won't be sorry. I love fresh pineapple, but I've never bought one before because they always looked sort of intimidating. A couple weeks ago, Emma convinced me to buy one, and it turns out they are really no trouble to cut up and SO delicious. The kids and I have been devouring almost a pineapple a day lately. So yeah, if you see some weirdo at Costco buying five pineapples, that's me. Ahem.

6 comments:

Mary Beth said...

Oh, I'm sorry about the mouse thing. Try a different type of trap, I guess. Believe me, you don't want to start finding mouse poop . . .

We love fresh pineapple, too. Just cut one up today, in fact!

Amy Scott said...

If your daughter was invited to the party, she doesn't have to pay. Also, IMO, if you're in a situation where you think she should be paying, offering the money to the adult seems like the way to go. If they don't accept it, that is not your responsibility. You made the effort.

Anonymous said...

There is NOTHING like fresh pineapple. Yum. Tip: Pineapple actually keeps better once cut, so be sure to cut them up if they start looking soft.
You have some super smart mice there, too. wow!

Anonymous said...

We just discovered we have some mice again -- scurrying inside the walls. We set up traps and have already caught two with peanut butter. I tell you, those round traps are the best!

I doubt Emma needed the money, but I think it would be good to give her a little bit sometime, just so she gets used to a little responsibility. I think this time $10 might have been a little much to handle though. :)

Anonymous said...

I was reading through your last few entries and I just realized I instinctively put my bare feet up while doing so - keeping them safe from any potential creatures that I'm pretty sure we don't have lurking. :) Good luck with that. I'd totally die of dehydration too before I'd put myself in close proximity to a mouse!!! :) I saw a piece of fuzz once and was horrified to get closer, thinking it could be mouse poop. But it wasn't. Just a piece of fuzz. Whew.

Hamons said...

Mmmm, love fresh pineapple! I, however, find them very difficult to cut and feel like I waste too much that gets left on the rind, so I'm the one at Costco purchasing the precut ones. In my mind, it works out to about the same price as the uncut ones. And if I'm wrong, don't tell me!