Do mice survive frigid temperatures?

I'm thinking the answer to that is...only bionic mice do. Thank goodness for that kind!



The story begins way back when the weather first started to get nippy. We knew that surviving a winter in the mouse house would be something of a miracle, but, alas, we have been forced...ummm....I mean decided to make a valiant attempt. At the first sign of an impending freeze, we decided it was time to turn on the heater; so, ON we flipped it, but ON it did not go. Well, now, that's fun, isn't it? A call was made to the landlords, who sent someone over...the next morning. More fun!!! The heater was fixed...sort of...the next day. The heater, now affectionately known as Hotty-Bo-Body is like the little heater that could. We have come to appreciate any effort our little Hotty makes. Hotty seemed to be doing a pretty decent job, until the Mother Nature sent our newest enemy. WIND...Oh, Wind, how I do love you on a warm day when you bring some cold air flowing in my direction bringing a refreshing sensation that only you can provide. Oh, Wind, how I do NOT love you on a bitterly cold, 7 degree day (windchill -14) when you beat your way through my less than par windows (installed in 1896) to cause something of a windstorm in my poorly insulated mouse house. Literally, when the wind blows, we can see our curtains blowing. MORE FUN!!! So, needless to say, we have started to acclimate to colder temperature in our beloved mouse house, which is why, the other day, I didn't really notice just HOW cold it was getting. I was freezing, but I'm always freezing, so I just kept adding more clothes. By the time I looked like an igloo myself, I decided it would be worth it to try to turn up the heat a little. I turned it up a little, but quickly noticed it wasn't doing anything. Ummm...pilot light, anyone? It was so windy, the pilot kept blowing out. The house was something like 54 degrees. LOTS MORE FUN!!! We finally got the pilot to stay lit, and it wasn't long until Hotty had us up and running at 64 again....just like the Florida sun, huh?


I also recently had decided to buy some plastic to cover the windows. I don't know if my dear husband was just not in the mood at the time or simply didn't think it would help at all...given that you can feel the cold through the walls, not just the windows, but he didn't want to help. So...anyway...picture this...I (one who fears heights) am standing on the high kitchen chair, holding plastic, double sided duct tape, and scissors. OK...now...has anyone ever used double sided duct tape???? OK...this stuff is nuts! After only about 30 minutes, I was able to peel the plastic backing off to get started. I pulled off a little strip; it got stuck to my finger nail. I tried to pull it off, but it got stuck to the tape still on the roll. I tried to get them apart, and it got stuck to a different finger nail. Now, I am practically doubly duct taped to the chair as I begin to realize how high off the ground I am. It was so not cool. I felt like someone may as well be shooting darts at my feet as I dance around on hot coals. Hey, then at least my feet would be warm!!! Needless to say, I gave up on the plastic...maybe some day soon when I'm feeling a little more sane. Anyone think that day will really come??? ANYONE???


So, last weekend we went for the "R" family Christmas extravaganza. We stayed in a hotel while we were gone... a free hotel, thank you very much to Beth!!! I had told Dave before we got there that I was excited about 2 things: 1) being able to turn up the heat as much as I wanted, and 2)taking a hot shower with never ending hot water where I could effectively shave my legs. We encountered a bit of a problem. The room we were in was nice enough...and free!, BUT...there were giant windows covering 75% of 2 of the walls....AND...some genius put the thermostat directly below the heating the vent, so the heater would kick on for about 3 seconds, and then shut off. It was a bitterly cold night, and when we woke up in the morning, there was ice on the INSIDE of the windows. So, dream number 1 = SHOT DOWN! I got up in the morning with high hopes for a hot shower, which I did have. I even shaved my legs...nice...BUT, when I got out of the hot shower, and my smooth legs were met with the "ice-on-the-inside-of-the-window-cold" temperatures...well, let's just say, they were no longer smooth. Dream number 2 = partially shot down.


When we returned home, we were met with a wonderful surprise. It was as though the kitchen sink did not want me to have to do dishes! That is nice, huh? I walked into the kitchen, put the plug in the drain of the sink, turned on the water, started squirting a little Dawn in the water....oh wait??? Where is the water? Hmm....that's right, folks. Frozen pipes. More fun yet!!! And you thought the fun was over! So, no dishes. We had cold water in the kitchen, but no hot water. Instead, I decided I would give Aila a bath. In the bathroom, was another discovery...we had no cold water. The water in the tub was scalding hot! Dave and I wondered where this hot water has been the whole time we've lived in this place.

I guess, to sum things up:
1. Do not opt to live in a mouse house.
2. Do not opt to live in a mouse house.
3. Do not opt to live in a mouse house.
4. If you know of anyone looking for a home to purchase, please have them contact us!!! We would sell our lovely home at a greatly discounted rate so we could move on from the nasty rental mouse house!