"RAPATOUILLE"

As you know we live on a ranch of sorts... Life is always in bloom at the Gonzales Ranch. This doesn't come without tragedy. The Nakai's can attest to this.

Every time the Nakai's come to visit the grim reaper pays a visit too (or some other horrifying event occurs).

This is not to say that the Nakai's are the cause of the series of unfortunate events, it just seems to coincide with their visits.

The first visit was accompanied by the death of two of the baby chicks.



The second time three of the young hens were torn from limb to limb by the Huskies. Right before our very eyes. Jennifer was mortified.







July 4th, both the Nakai's and Payne's were visiting and the Black and White Huskey was hit and killed on Central.

Shortly thereafter two Payne children were bitten by Sparky (the guard dog).

Jennifer vows that she wil n-e-v-e-r have pets because every time she comes to visit we have some type of trama/drama with an animal or two (pets or not).

As some of you know the Nakai's have come to visit us again this weekend. Friday was quiet and uneventful. Saturday was busy and relativly uneventful. Although Jennifer didn't appreciate that "Captain" our pet oppossum was playing "possum" in the garage. She said it was creepy (I tend to agree).

We all had a wonderful time at church this morning...

Jennifer and I were sitting on the couch relaxing; Victor and Andy disappeard (again); and the kids were outside playing with the baby Rabbit, Carmel.

Allisa came in running and shouting: "Mom! Mom! there is a cute brown mouse in the planter!" Jennifer said: "Don't touch it!" I was ready to dismiss the whole thing until...

Until the kids started yelling that they had caught it. Jennifer about had a cow level heart attack (that's for you Diablo fans). Both Jennifer and I had pictured a cute brown mouse about 2 inches long infested with fleas and carrying some type of lethal virus. We could only be so lucky...

Within seconds, Evan comes in with a critter carrier that was filled to capacity with a large brown hybrid rat with orange teeth. We were not pleased to say the least. Jennifer is screaming: "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! That's not a mouse. That's a RAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! Get it out of here."

I of course, am accustomed to such visitors (living in the middle of strawberry fields) and I said to Asilyn: "Just shake it up a bit; let it go; and tell it to not come back."

Aislyn shook the critter carrier. I told her to stop (I was just kidding).

The kids were going to release the little beast into the street and we stated most firmly: "I don't think so." The moms were certain that it would come back immediately.

We gave instruction to Aislyn and Evan to take the nasty vermin to the drainage ditch at the end of the street. Of course, sure enough, kids being kids, they played show and tell with the neighbors. I yelled at them.

Evan and Aislyn eventually completed their task; returned; and reported: "We opened the box but it wouldn't come out. So, we closed it. Got closer to the hole in the ditch; re-opened the box and chucked it into the hole." I am quite certain that it died. Jennifer can only hope.

Two hours after this episode, Jennifer still has the heebie jeebies. (AKA Jibblies).

Now, "why?" may you ask, do we have the rat at the top of this blog?

Well, when the dads finally came home, Ethan was telling the story to the dads. He said: "Dad, Evan caught a rat. It looked like "Rapatouille" Yes he said "RAP" not a typo.

We asked him if the rat could cook and Ethan said: "No. The rat wasn't blue."

Good thing. I would much rather have Victor cook the Chile Verde than the rat. Jennifer wouldn't have eaten or stayed around long enough for it to even try cooking.

So, now Jennifer and I have been sitting on the couch trying to recouperate from the ordeal and writing you this story. Mom says you feel better about a horrible experience after you tell eleven people. I guess Jennifer is going to have to start her own blog. I feel better already. :)