Because mouse traps don't upset me enough already

Earlier in the day of The Snake Wrangling Adventure, I had a horrifying mouse experience.

Let me set the stage for you:

Me, sitting in my living room, open laptop signed into Skype awaiting my first training chat (going to be a Doula Trainer for my certifying organization, Childbirth International!!). Still a bit sleepy at a few minutes to 9 am, in my jammies. Kids are playing upstairs. All seems normal.

The mournful meowing got my attention. My cat Morighan, who last summer was insistent on catching butterflies and bringing them to me (hello transformation!), comes out of the kitchen and into the living room. On to the floor she drops something out of her mouth and continues the weird meowing. Because what she dropped is obstructed my the table, I stand up to look at what's got her so emotional. And there in the middle of the floor is not only a mouse but a mouse with its head in a mouse trap. I thought it was alive because its paw moved and my heart broke.

I was more disturbed by this than anything with the snake.

My recurring 'oh my gods' brought the kids down from upstairs. Their appearance snapped me out of my panic and I ran to the kitchen to get paper towels because, you know, paper towels come in handy for just about anything.

Picking up the trap with the mouse hanging out of it, I headed out the front door with kids in tow. I realized the mouse was in fact deceased and for that I was grateful. Last thing I want to do is torture a creature.

We left it outside under a tree. Then Aidan started to cry, so we sat down in the living room and we asked the Goddess to take the mouse to heaven and help it come back as a baby mouse someplace far off in the woods, away from any people. He was comforted by that. I was too.

I had to laugh about Morighan later though. It was like she was claiming the kill. "I didn't kill it, but look! I carried it up the stairs and gifted you with this beautiful treasure! Don't you love me?"

Yes, Morighan, I do love you. But let's leave the dead rodents in the basement, 'k?