Rat-a-Tat-Tat

I never dreamt I would ever have a post heading with the word ‘rat’ in it, even if it is safely cushioned by 'tat'. But yesterday there was an encounter. We’ve been working like warriors on our little farm that has become a jungle and which is now still a jungle but only from the ankles downwards as opposed to the neck upwards (weeds).

We spent the morning planning the whole renovation of the place – it is a cave-house with two bedrooms, kitchen, living room and enormous dining room and bathroom but in a total state of disrepair – tumbling walls, roofs and general mayhem. But it has loads of land and trees and vines – I now sure know where the title of that great book ‘Driving Over Lemons’ came from – only for us, it is ‘slipping’ and ‘rolling’ over lemons and being hit on the head by enormous lemons that cannot take being hung on a branch any longer. Have to learn to bake lemon pie, maybe.

The plans for the house are coming on really well – a sunken bath will be a ‘must’, down with concrete - up with glass and wood, a dining table, a little shed for my laptop and me, a hammock between two fig trees…our minds got so carried away that we did not notice Páidi and Dick (our dogs) going beserk trying to paw their way up a pole to get at a baby rat that was at the top of the pole, bent over itself and hanging on for dear life. I held the dogs back while Vladi got a sweeping brush to shoo the rat onto terra firma – the jump the rat made through the air was incredible, he seemed to land safely and then did a spin-around turn and legged it into the weeds... – it was a pity I was holding the dogs back or otherwise I would have really tried to photograph the whole scene. I did get the above photos of baby rat clutching the pole in fear. I mean, my heart did go out to the rat, can't believe I wanted it rescued as opposed to 'the other.' I remember when we were at primary school, each year there was always a 'mouse episode' in the comhrá gaeilige (Irish conversation) class - a mouse in the classroom and all the children squealing and on tables while the master saves the day or a mouse in 'teach (house in gaelic) Nuala agus Colm' and the mamaí on the chair and the dadaí getting shot of the mouse with the broom. The bravery of man versus vermin. Changed times, heh? ; )

Now, where was I …oh yes, a hammock between two fig trees – all very well and good…now the task is to convince some bank manager to lend us some money...