Update to Rodent Infestation in East Meadow Household

Those of you who read my "Dear East Meadow" column may be familiar with my previous article about my family's oh-so-gross encounters with mice last year. If not, please click here: .

Anyway, yesterday there was an incident that I felt warranted an update to this situation. I recently acquired a new laptop and was having trouble with the "copy and paste" features on the touchpad. A friend suggested I buy a cordless notebook mouse for more precise action. I mentioned this to my son, who said he thought he might have one that he never used. He never got around to looking for it. I was just about to head out to the store to buy one when I asked him again. He stopped shooting and killing imaginary things on his Xbox for a moment and actually found it. He even had the box and the documentation, and the little receiver that goes in the USB port was still attached. I thanked him and put it on my living room table.

Later that evening, my husband and I were sitting in the living room talking about the day's events. (Actually, I did most of the talking while he stared at a baseball game.) I spotted the box on the table and picked up the cute little pointing device. I started to slide the receiver out of the slot on the bottom and turned it over in my palm. It felt comfortable and I liked the positions of the scroll wheel and buttons. "You know what?" I said to my husband, holding it aloft. "Evan found a mouse today!"

Unfortunately hubby chose that moment to look at the Yankees on TV and missed the visual cue. I saw him go pale as the blood drained from his face. "Oh no! A mouse? Where?" "Here!" I showed him the black plastic mouse I was holding. I swear I wasn't being funny, I was sure he saw me toying with the mouse but hey, maybe you should look at your wife when she's speaking and not at men wearing knee socks, chasing a piece of leather? He was not amused but I sure was. Any way you look at it, "mouse" is not a good word to utter in my house.