The Aftermath

Hopefully the end of this horrendous saga.

5 dead mice.  Not 3 blind mice.  5 dead mice.

10 days of no droppings,  no mice pee, no sounds of traps snapping shut.

However, I am not letting up my guard, not for one second.

I felt close to the edge of a psychotic break.  My nerves are slowly settling down, or whatever it is nerves do, but just one little cumin seed poop could send me hurtling over the abyss.

I know now not to waste any money on promises of peppermint oil (snake oil in disguise?) sonic sounds, blue lights.  Lethal, certain, and swift death comes via deadly traps.  Merciless, that is me.

And, on a different note, qe have been blessed with a full week of sun - quite glorious. The air sparkles, freshly rinsed and clean.  Tulips in the garden, lilies, orange poppies dancing in the breeze, and the sounds of sneezes and bird song fill the space around.

Here is my haiku to spring


carpets of blossoms
warm rays feathery carress
first hints of a sneeze


My first home was a cottage in Rockridge. I decided on it because, amongst other things,  it reminded me of my room on the kibbutz. Right outside my bedroom window was an olive tree.  In the spring lovely yellow flowers appeared.  Also, in the spring, I began to sneeze and splutter and cough. My eyes watered. I went for allergy testing and discovered that I am allergic to the blossoms of olive trees!!! Who would have thunk.

Every single year since I arrived in California an article appears in The Chronicle in March.  Here is a synopsis:

This year allergy season is exceptionally bad in the Bay Area because of:

the drought
too many rains
the fires
the winds which trap the pollen inland
whatever it may be, every spring is AWAYS the worst it has ever been