Another One Bites the Dust...(or Tootsie Roll)

Well, when I first came to Haiti I was a bit squeamish about having an encounter with the foreign(er) creatures of nature. I was never fond of spiders and snakes and anything that moves quick, has too many legs, bites or is slimy.
My first run in was with a very large spider (as big as the palm of my hand) that found its way to rest on my arm while I was sleeping. I managed to jump to my feet from a horizontal position. Not an easy task since I have a pedestal bed. I also smashed him to smithereens for scaring me like that. It took another hour for my heart to calm down enough for me to get back to sleep.
My next surprise was accidentally stepping barefoot on a tiny tree frog that was in my shoe sending me across the room where I slammed my knee into my dresser. One day I came upon a large 4" grasshopper in my laundry basket that clung to my hand. I sent him flying into the next room (since we don't have ceilings yet) and traumatized a couple of the boys. Another time a large cricket jumped out of my backpack and onto my blouse. Well, it was only a cricket. I can handle those. After that, I became more cautious with my surroundings and suspicious of anything that resembled a creature.
Yesterday, as I was about to sit down to work on my computer, I just happen to notice something moving on the seat of my chair. A closer look revealed a very ugly looking walking stick!! Ewe! Where did that come from? He wasn't walking anymore. He didn't look much like a stick, either.
Now this brings me to my topic of the rodent situation. In my last posting I shared that we found one casualty. I rejoiced when I discovered a second one the next day. When a rodent dies, they have a very distinct odor. If you have ever had the experience, you know what I am talking about. Well, this odor caught my attention because it was in my room. I quickly found where he was resting (in peace?) and disposed of him. However, the odor continued to linger. Now, I was not sure if it was just lingering or actually another dead mouse. I looked several times in several places without success...until last night. OOOOHHHHHH!!!!!!! I finally found him! He was resting in pieces and had some other creatures that were enjoying the feast. It was not a pretty sight! I had to quickly remove the contents of the box while trying not to breathe and take it outside. After all the excitement died down, I returned to my room. Now, another full day has passed and the odor is still lingering. What that tells me is we have another situation. I know I need to find it immediately but I am not too thrilled about actually finding it. I'm still a bit queasy from last night.
I also know that we still have the Mama running lose because we keep finding her evidence in the living room. I already have a Tootsie Pop baited and waiting for nightfall. I just hope it does not end up in my room. I especially hope that it is only the odor and not actually a dead rat. I'm pretty sure it's not just an odor. Wwaahhh!! :( Stay tuned for the Saga of the Rodents....to be continued.