I Smell a RAT!!!

On the Hunt

I am not a fan of rodents.  As a teen in Minnesota, I have squeamish filled memories of sleeping at my Grandfather's house.  I would wake up at night with little rodents in my hair . . . dancing on my pillows . . . and leaving little mouse-like gifts (poop) behind.  They ran across the clothing bar and dropped "gifts" on my clothes.  I REALLY didn't like those creatures!!!

But that was in Minnesota!!!  These are NOT issues in California . . . until 4:00 this morning.  

BANG!    CLUNK, CLUNK, squeek!!     BANG!     THUD!!

What the heck is going on?  I reach over and turn on the light.  Our extremely vocal Siamese is toying with the largest mouse I have seen in California.  SIDE NOTE:  Mice and Deer breed much smaller, here, than in Minnesota.

I yell at the cat to get that THING out of here!  He drops the mouse and it scurries under the dresser.  I leap from my bed . . . CRAP!  I'm clothes-free due to the hives I was experiencing last night!!!  UGH!  My PJs are on the floor with the furry things!!!  I lunge towards the closet and grab my housecoat . . . while the mouse races to hide under my feet!  I scream (not one of my finer moments)!!! NOBODY comes to see what is happening . . . my other family members are heavy sleepers, le sigh.  

I dive back onto the bed.  I yell at the CAT several more times to get the mouse.  But this is no stupid mouse.  She scurries under the bed.

I jump back down and grab my shoes for toe protection.  Then I remove the drawers from under the bed while yelling for the cat to come back . . . apparently, he's over it.  He left the room.  

I grab a broom, dust pan, and flashlight.  Under the bed . . . a nest of baby mice . . . EEP!!!  I'm having rodent flashbacks!!!

The mouse is hiding by the wall and I can't reach her.  SO, I go after the cat!  He hisses as I drag his kitty butt back to my bedroom.  I toss him in and shut the door.  Mrs. Mouse is nowhere to be found.

I move all the under-bed drawers, the night stands and the clothes hamper.  I see a blur . . . CRAP!  She entered the bottom of the clothes hamper!  I attempt to move it out of the room but it's laundry day so it's FULL UP!

It is now 5am and I have been chasing this mouse for an hour while the cat keeps looking in the last place he saw it and NOT where it is now.  For a predator, he dropped a few notches in my book.  STUPID CAT!!!

I leave the room with the cat locked inside and go the the guest room.  My brain is going 100 miles an hour and I can't sleep.  As I ponder my next move, I hear a THUMP!  

With a sigh of frustration; and after an aggravated text to the OUT OF TOWN hubby, I head back in.  The cat and I corner the mouse and I scoop it up with a dust pan.  As I head out the bedroom door, SUPER NINJA MOUSE leaps off the dustpan and lands IN MY DRAWER of clothes.  I scream again . . . but the dead still slumber.

I dig through my clothes . . . yep, there is going to be extra laundry on the agenda this weekend.  As I turn to grab the dust bin the mouse leaps again.  It figures . . . I am blessed with some kind of ENERGIZER RODENT.  The cat sees it and corners it again.  I scoop up the mouse, and run for the back door.  

She's doing a lot of squeaking as I have her squished between the dustpan and broom.  I lob her over the fence and give a big shiver.  Now to tend to those babies. . . 

One Photo at a Time

How LuLaRoe is Changing my Life - One Photo at a Time

   There was a time in my life when getting out of bed was a challenge.  I wasn't embracing my new, older body; and I was definitely not thrilled with all this white hair.  Sure, I could dye it - and I tried, but the three day migraines from the chemicals just wasn't worth it!
  My 'go to' outfit each day consisted of yoga pants, t-shirt and hooded sweatshirt.  Who did I need to look pretty for?  It's not like I had a job.  Being a house wife was great when I had kids, but they all grew up and there was no longer any daily adventures.
   What changed?


   Six months ago, I was introduced to these fantastic clothes - they were comfortable, stretchy, flexible, casual, dressy,  . . .  and I loved them!!!  Within two weeks, I was no longer in those yoga pants and t-shirts.  I was wearing dresses with leggings and perfect strangers at the stores were coming up to me and complimenting my outfits.
   With my new confidence, I ran back to my supplier and signed up to sell this stuff too.  LuLaRoe . . . simply comfortable.  It was their tag line, but it was one I could get behind.  And I started my six weeks of training as part of a fantastic group of supportive and positive women.  Who know they were even out there?

   I became a LuLaRoe Consultant, and in eight weeks, I completed every challenge my trainers and coaches put out there. The biggest one was to get in the clothes and post pictures on Instagram and Facebook.  Yikes!!!  I'm not a model and I sure ain't skinny anymore.  But, I was all-in!!!
   What I learned?  Picking a new outfit to post everyday became a challenge in style.  I learned what items looked best together and I learned to pattern mix like a pro.  Sure, I had some flop outfits but they are few and far between these days.
   I learned that I look great in just about every style LuLaRoe has to offer.  It's all about the pairing and whether I tuck it in or leave it out.
   I learned that my white hair looks great in the sunlight!  And it doesn't bother me anymore because my Instagram followers have left me enough compliments that I feel GREAT!!!
   So now my pictures are more than me standing in the corner and smiling.  I am finding playful ways to show the clothes.  Yes, I come off as a tad quirky . . . but that's OK!!! I am quirky and I am sharing that with my customers - connecting with them one photo at a time!!!