Barb's Weblog

First, the big and icky news, yes its true what the news said.
Whidbey Islands rat infestation finally made the big city news.

Yep its true, the little evil beasts are everywhere. It started for us last year, when they devoured the wiring harness in the van and cost us several hundred dollars in repairs and2 weeks in a loaner car.

Then they built an enormous house in my car's engine, an apartment style dwellling of sticks and leaves and twigs that stretched all the way to the bottom of the engine. We kept smelling something burning...Ralph opened the hood to find the pile of debris smouldering. Good thing we were home and not on the highway when it ignited! I began looking in there every day before dog-walkies, and found the second attempt to torch me was a bed of paper towels, who knows where the rats found those. Now I park over an electronic rat scare designed to emit a noise they don't like. So far, so good.

They have chewed up plumbing pipes in mom's house and caused terrific damage that way in 3 places, utterly ruining the floors in her spare bedroom, the kitchen and the hall and utility room. They chewed into the house repeatedly, tearing up her couches and chairs, her carpeting and her bedding. Its just awful. Its pretty awful to be sitting with her in the evenings and hear a noise, then see the curtains moving as a rat dashes thru! God! Its a terrible feeling! Willard! We keep patching the holes with sheet metal, and the little suckers are STILL getting in somehow. Now its traps and poison, which is hard cause we have the big Dog and all the cute squirells too.

Most weekends in the last couple months have had at least one day lost to crawling around under the houses (ICK!) doing repairs to hold us over til real spring and dry enough weather to fix things properly. They are in both houses walls, under the floors and its just awful.

Once last year I walked into the local Cenex to buy poison again, and couldn't find it. I went up to the counter and asked "Wheres the rat poison!?" and they said "Look down and follow the arrows." No foolin, its had become the number one most asked question in the store. Follow the arrows from the door to the poison display. Yeesh.

They are everywhere. Its news in our little papers every week, and basically everyone from the poorest houses(like us) to the richest homes have rats. The mechanics are making a killing on wiring repair, its several cars a week for each of them!

Now onto better subjects. The NWCA's Spring Best of the Northwest is coming up in a couple weeks, April 7, 8, 9. Its out at Magnusen Park's Hangar 27 again. This is the one to come to if you want a bit of a quieter experience, it is not generally as crowded or cold as the fall show. You should definitely come on down. The boat launch is also open and last time I was there the city was 'building a beach' in the same area, so it should be pleasant. Come early, parking is free but sometimes fills up really fast. The hours are above. You can print this image and use it as a dollar off coupon for admission,.

I will have a few more new things for you to see since the flower show. I sold all the turquois I had, so I made 3 new pieces out of the end of my supply and also made up my very last 4 pieces of holly blue agate. Earrings, pendant, and a ring. I hope to round out the production items I sold at the flower show, but I have a lot of stock so come see, its almost Mothers Day and I have these great new colorful pins for moms.

I have rejoined the Artists Cooperative Gallery in Langley after an absence of about 5-6 years. Not a full time member, but as a consignee. I still have too much to do with Mom and all, so for now I will just keep a few of my newest things there in my case. The new Co op location is on the corner of Anthes and Second street, in the cutest little building all covered with a headdress of thick ivy. Very quaint and sweet. You'll love it, make sure you stop in when you are visiting Langley, still the cutest seaside town in the state!

OK I have pearls to set and repairs to do, so thats all for now.
Happy Springtime!
Barb
ps, death to all rats!

12:25 PM — e-mail me your comments