Did I mention that I had a lodger? I saw him or her scuttling down the corridor when I came back from Seoul. It was dark so I’d no idea what it was. I don’t think it’s a lizard as it would have scarpered up the wall. It went into the spare bedroom so I shut the door on it.
I asked Vuth if I could borrow a mouse trap and I was surprised when it arrived. It’s quite large and looks like a travelling cage for a cat. It’s brightly coloured in yellow and green and has two rooms, like a mini bungalow. There are various chutes that send the creature further into the interior, where it stays. Vuth told me they’d caught seven mice in one evening and I presume they were all romping around the cage the next morning. I asked how I was supposed to dispose of anything I caught and I was told I had to take it downstairs and let it go free on the street.
The last time I was mouse-catching was in the house. I happened to see a mouse and when that happens I go nuts. I yelled at the lads living with me and I started to take all the items stored under the stairs. The mice had made lovely homes from the styrofoam boxes I had there, and they had countless babies, some of them so young they were blind and hairless. The lads ran around whacking the large ones with broom handles while I casually vacuumed up the babies. We also caught a rat in a live trap. Chan poked a broom handle through the mesh of the cage and swung it violently in the air. Then he opened the door and the rat staggered out, looking decidedly drunk. Whack! Down came the broom handle and that was the end of the rat. Unfortunately, the lads aren’t with me any more; they decided they wanted wifely company rather than an old bachelor, so I’ll have to deal with this one on my own.
This morning I checked the trap and to my dismay it was empty. The creature hadn’t come for my peanut butter. Then I realised I’d shut the poor thing in the spare bedroom and I presume it’s still there. So tonight’s the night.
I had a lovely, simple day with no phone calls inviting me for meals. I made a lentil, bean and vegetable soup for lunch and caught up on lots of letter writing. We now have confirmation that a dental group will come in January so now I’m beginning to fret over the paper work, logistics, food requirements, programme etc. Thornin tells me, “Relax and trust me”, but I often can’t.
In the evening Samnang came over - “What are you having for dinner?” I said I wouldn’t mind a vegetable curry so I found him a Gujarati recipe and he was kept busy cooking it for me. It was good too. Later I walked home with him and came back with Oudom who will spend the night. When I first had Samnang visiting it was hell on wheels as he was totally goofy and off the wall; now he’s 14 and acts in a more mature fashion. I enjoy his company, until he tries to chuck lots of salt in what he’s cooking
