Of Mice and My Man...

I meant to write this entry last night, but after a hectic week for both of us, Nick and I got a baby-sitter and went out to a wonderful dinner at our local sushi restaurant with our good friend, Karen, and talked most of the night away... so by the time I got home, it was a little late to power up the computer. Saturday mornings, the clock radio alarm goes off at 7:10... which is a whole hour later than on the weekdays.. so that we can all get out the door and to Saint Pat’s Family Centre. By noon, the girls have each done an hour of gymnastics and one swimming lesson while I have either taught the circuit training class or had my own workout while Nick takes the class. I teach every second Saturday and fill in for the main instructor now and then if life happens.

Speaking of things happening, Nick had a bit to much excitement at his school yesterday! The large grass field behind Arnold H. McLeod school, where my husband is the Vice-Principal & Gym Teacher, used to be shared by the school and the City of Moncton so that it could be used as a ball field as well as a grassy area for track and field. When the City began to centralize everything, they stopped mowing the smaller fields and by school opening this fall, the grass had grown almost to Nick’s waist! (He’s 6’5 1/2” so that’s pretty high!)

On Friday, someone was finally sent to mow down the field while Nick was holding an outdoor gym class. He noticed that of his students kept staring down at the grass and went over to see what was holding the child’s attention. “Look at all the little mice, Mr. Smith!!” the boy yelled. Sure enough, all of the “critters” that had been living in the lush field over the summer were now fleeing the sharp blades of the mower in a scene that made him think of “The Secret of Nimh”. Unfortunately, the way the field was being mowed meant that the animals were being herded in the direction of the school and the kids playing outside.

Let’s just say that for Nick, rodents provoke a similar reaction in him that spiders do in me. The primal urge to flee, scream or find the nearest possible weapon and defend yourself is pretty strong, even though you keep reminding yourself that you are a rational adult which is MUCH bigger and smarter than said defenseless creature.

As the mower turned for the next pass, reducing the grassy strip that remained to less than about 4 feet, the was a sudden movement in the grass as dozens of mice and at least one large rat burst from the greenery and began to charge up the hill towards the playground. Nick assures me that from that distance, their teeth suddenly grew into large fangs and that their eyes gleamed red in the light of the sun... but I think that may have been those panic endorphins kicking in. Though they looked as if they would be upon him in seconds... the rodents never even got within 75 meters of the school.

Nick herded the children to safety in a very calm, but extremely quick manner and got everyone inside. After consulting with the Principal, they jointly decided to cancel the fire drill that was supposed to be held that day. Half of the school is supposed to rendezvous on the hill by the field as their “safety area” but with all the rodents running around in total panic at having been so recently evicted... the administration decided to wait until things calmed down a bit.... Smart Call.

P.S. After reading this blog entry, Nick asked me to put in that no children or rodents were harmed in any way during this adventure.