The vermin poll.

[rivka]

[Poll #1243857]

What prompted this poll: we saw a mouse in our kitchen this weekend. Mice in our last house got a bit out of control, so we're being alert and taking immediate measures to try to get rid of this one. But although I know that mice can carry disease, I don't really freak out about them. They seem like a normal fact of household life to me. They're a pain, but they don't revolt me.

Then I remembered a post I saw once on mothering.com, which at the time I labeled one of the most unintentionally revealing posts I'd ever seen. It was someone posing a hypothetical situation in which Child Protective Services might make unfair negative judgments about a family: By the time the caseworker shows up Mom decides to be friendly because, of course, she has nothing to hide -- so she invites the worker in for a cup of tea. She pours the tea and they sit chatting ... a moment later the worker picks up her cup to see a roach floating in it.

Mom says, "I'm so sorry -- we've just treated for roaches, but you know how hard it is to get completely rid of them ..." The worker doesn't understand, she's always lived in newer homes: from her perspective, a roach is a sign of a filthy house ...

My first reaction to that post: My house is 168 years old, so I hardly think I'm biased. Serving someone tea in a cup that has a roach in it? Is, in fact, a sign of a filthy house. And if you think that's normal or understandable, there's something wrong with your housekeeping standards. My second reaction, though: Huh, probably there are people out there who would feel the same way about mouse droppings in the back of a kitchen cupboard, which to me is a sign of whoops-but-no-big-deal.

Your thoughts?

Comments

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Oh, headlice. I've had them many times. Some people seem to be unusually susceptible - every time they went through my classroom at school I would catch them, and others never did. The last time was in college - I think I picked them up from one of my campers at Girl Scout camp, and then they took forever to get rid of. But, for example, I don't think my brother ever had lice.

I am living in a fantasy dream world where Alex will never, ever get them. I can't imagine fine-combing her hair.

[ailbhe]

I grew up finecombing my superfine hair either wet or with sticky insecticide on it (she typed, scratching) and have found that the modern method of combing with conditioner in is both easier and more effective (scratch, scratch). It's not fun, like, but it's bearable.

Apparently some people are not allergic to louse-bites and so do not get itchy. I am not one of those people (scratch, scratch).

Also, I completely over-reacted to a giant spider today. My hands are small, but it was palm-sized. That's too big.