Monday, December 24, 2012

The Gauntlet


Its been a very exciting few days.  My brother and mother came to visit before the weather got worse up here in the North Country.



I took them to the book launch of my 96 year old friends first book.

It was standing room only at the event and even an Elf came to purchase a book and have it signed!
 


 After the event my brother made fresh baked haddock.

I love ocean fish and never get any because Vermont is landlocked.

My dear brother drove the fish up directly from the ocean.

He also happens to be a great cook too.


After a luscious meal with rice, garden carrots, fish baked with butter and breadcrumbs, 4 different desserts and good refreshments, we started opening a few presents.

As I opened the present he gave me, I couldn't believe my eyes.  Everyone in the room started hooting and laughing.

It was a home made triple mouse trap named "The Gauntlet."



My brother told me he has mice that are so big that they take off with his traps.  He figured that since I live so rurally my mice would be even bigger, hence the 3 traps screwed to the heavy wood and strategically placed so that a mouse gets whacked.  

My mother was horrified that he would give me such a thing as a Christmas present, but I was really excited about the possibilities.



After our celebration they all had to head home, so I gave them fresh chicken and duck eggs, arranged in a pretty pattern plus venison steaks and chicken livers.




 Just before they left I set the traps and put The Gauntlet next to the big freezer out in the laundry room.

I checked it before I went to bed and it was empty.

8 hours later it was a different story.

Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was sturring, not even a mouse.
And now you know why!



3 mice in 3 traps.

I was smiling from ear to ear.

I had to take another photo outside before I emptied the traps.




I e mailed my ingenious brother and sent him a photo and then had to phone him and leave him a message.

He did build a better mouse trap!!   
He will be building these really effective contraptions on the weekends.
This might be the best present ever, if the pony doesn't show up...

Merry Christmas!
~

12 comments:

  1. My husband and I really enjoyed this one...and loved the Gauntlet!!!! Merry Christmas!

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  2. Whoa!! I want at least 2 of these!!! One for the house, one for the butchershop. Our poor cat has been working overtime here at the house since summer... And the butchershop, we won't go there...

    What a cool present your brother made!

    Merry Christmas!!

    P.S. We've lost 2 traps this year also, the first time this has ever happened...

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  3. He should market The Gauntlet. I think they are a fantastic idea and I'll take one should he decide to make and sell them.

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  4. We need one of those! Our cats kill loads of mice as we live rurally but they rarely leave them intact. However the Gauntlet would leave them intact and we could then feed them to our Birds of Prey :)

    Linda
    http://thetenaciousgardener.blogspot.co.uk/

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  5. Aha! Yes, please. This is going to be Thailand's MUST HAVE.
    Awesome!

    Happy New Year!

    Scudds

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  6. What a wonderful family visit. And, as far as the mouse trap. Go Bro! Go! I am not sure why, but the rodent population seems to be surging all over the country. I think maybe your brother needs to seriously think about advertising, using your photos as living (okay, maybe, deadly) proof it is very effective.
    And, PS I think that your friend at 96 writing a book is fantastic. what is the book about?

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  7. I am not pestered with mice and think its barbaric but if I was problem meld by mice I would have one I am a sentimental person but realistic

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  8. I loved this!

    I loved that you were going to a book signing for your 96 year old friend! That just made me smile!

    I think that mouse trap might make him rich!

    Thanks for sharing this great link for the letter "G".

    A+

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  9. LOVE the Gauntlet. Tell your brother nicely done. And thanks for the link here from my blog, reallying enjoying yours. Catching up now. :-)

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