I’m going to answer that question and tell you about a rather strange door.
This incident happened soon after we’d moved into an old, stone house. There was an open fire in the kitchen which smoked badly if the kitchen door was closed. After they’d had to open all the windows to let the smoke out a couple of times, my bipeds decided to leave the door ajar when the fire was lit.
That’s the first answer to the question in the title – when it’s ajar (sounds like a jar)! There’s a better answer later!
It looked as though someone had tried to solve the problem of the smoking fire by making a hole in the door to allow air to flow through. They had covered the hole in the door with a metal grille on each side. It didn’t stop the fire smoking when the door was closed, but it did make the door very ugly!
Pippin
One morning the cats were showing a lot of interest in this hole in the door. Pippin was sitting on one side of the door with his nose pressed against the grille and Mulberry was on the other side of the door in the same position. Even when the female biped mentioned breakfast, they didn’t move a muscle. She got down on her knees and peered at the door, but she couldn’t see anything. The cats stayed where they were.
Mulberry
The male biped appeared and asked what the cats were doing. The female biped told him they wouldn’t move but that she couldn’t see anything. He got down on his knees and peered into the grille, but he couldn’t see anything either. The cats still didn’t budge. The bipeds decided to have their breakfast.
They had almost finished when the male biped exclaimed, “There’s a mouse!”
A mouse!
He then explained that he’d seen a mouse briefly appear and poke its nose through the grille to see if it was safe to come out. The mouse had decided it was safer to stay inside the door.
If only the bipeds had used their noses, they would have known there was a mouse there much sooner!
Here’s the second answer to the question: When is a door not a door? When it’s a mouse’s house!
The female biped was not enthusiastic about the idea of a mouse on the loose in the kitchen, but the bipeds hadn’t finished unpacking and couldn’t remember where they’d packed the mousetraps. It was a Sunday so the local shops wouldn’t be open to buy new ones. The male biped said he had an idea.
Pippin doesn’t think I should tell you the rest of the tale, he says he may never speak to me again if I do. That was a worrying reaction so I had a chat with Mulberry and asked him what he thought. He said that he (Mulberry) was concerned when I told the tale of his scary encounter with a chair, but everyone was sympathetic to his plight and he needn’t have worried at all. He said he was sure that Pippin would enjoy being the focus of attention.
So I’ll tell you about the male biped’s cunning plan and the part that Pippin played in it another time!
See you next Wednesday!
Oh, you are a tease Clowie!
Just a little bit!
There’s a moose loose aboot this hoose 😀
Ha, yes! Bipeds don’t like that!
No, a lot of them don’t 🙂 A lot of them don’t like whopping great spiders in the house either 😉
That is true, my biped has a special tube for catching spiders so that she doesn’t have to get too close to them. I think it’s mean to put them back out in the cold!
Are you like my cats and eat them then?
When I get the chance, but the cats usually get there first!
Oh no now we are on the edge of our basket waiting. You must tell us the rest. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Best wishes Molly
I’m negotiating with Pippin! Have a great day!
OMGoodness, Clowie! This is a suspenseful story. I’ve never met a mouse, but to hear Mom tell it, I wouldn’t want to. And neither would she!! Cats are better about mice than humans (or doggies). Unless they’re not……
Love and licks, and GAH – it’s hard to wait!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Bipeds don’t seem to like the idea of mice in the house! I hope you enjoy the rest of the story when I tell it.
Gosh I have a feeling Pippin is a hero in this story!!!!
Hugs, Sammy
Well, as you would say, Sammy – you’ll have to wait and see!
You’re going to make me wait??
They always tell me that patience is a virtue!
yeah, I know :0( but could you like just whisper it to me or something so I don’t have to wait??
I’ll think about it!
Oh Clowie! you know how to tickle our curiosity!
I knew I’d have your attention as soon as I mentioned a mouse!
I know this problem door vs. fireplace… my smart dad sawed down a part of the door and it didn’t work. now we have an insert instead of an open fireplace and it’s drafty in the kitchen :o( It’s supercheeky (or utter madness?) that this mouse picked a house with a dog and two cats… I can’t wait to hear more :o)
It’s tricky – warm and smokey, or cold and able to breathe!
It does seem rather strange for a mouse to choose a house with cats!
I need to know!! I think Pam is right, Pippin is going to be a hero in this story.. 🙂
I promise to tell you soon!
What a tease you are Clowie!!
xxxx
That can be fun sometimes!
Is it wrong that I wanted the story to end… and so we turned the door into a little mouse home.
No, that isn’t wrong. If we find another one we’ll send it to you for your kitchen door!
woo hoo and then I’d have someone to live with!!
I’ll keep my eyes open for you!
You’re a pal!!
A mouse? EEK!
I cannot wait to hear how this all went down!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
I hope it’s worth the wait!
Arrrrgh…. a cliff hanger!
Waiting can be difficult!
Where’d it go? Where’d it go? Where’d it go! What happens! we’re left wagging on the edge of our dog bed, BOL. Max, Bella, Lady 🙂
I can’t tell you yet! Have a fun weekend!
Ah, there’s nothing wrong with mice, Clowie! They’re our cousins and they’re not all bad, hehehe.
The Pigs xx
You’re right, but bipeds don’t seem to like them loose in the house – especially the kitchen!
Most humans have no clue about how much we know because of our noses! Wonder if Mr. Mouse became a cat toy???
Just because they can hardly smell a thing, it doesn’t occur to them that we learn a lot that way! That part I can’t tell you – yet!
Did Mr Mousie become someone’s dinner??
You’ll have to wait to see!
We’ve had some mouse adventures around here too, so we can’t wait to find out what Pippin did (or didn’t do) about that mouse!
They can get in through such tiny spaces!
Oh, you cliffhanger queen! Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story!
That’s me! I hope you enjoy the rest of the tale – when I tell it!
Argh, please don’t make us wait too long for the tale! Isn’t it funny how something so small can give humans such a bad case of the willies?
I’ll try not to keep you waiting too long! It is strange how humans react. I have actually seen someone (not my biped) climb on a chair because there was a mouse in the room – mice climb really well!
First I am confused as to why the fireplace doesn’t vent out the chimney! Can’t wait for “the rest of the story”! Have a great rest of the week Clowie!
Marty
That confused my bipeds, but we learnt quite a bit about open fires while we lived there! For the smoke to go up the chimney, some air has to come in. Most fireplaces have some sort of ventilation near the base to allow air in, but this one was really old and not very well designed so it needed air coming into the room via the door or windows – not very helpful when you’ve lit the fire to keep warm!
Oh, ok! Thanks for explaining 🙂
Have a good weekend! 🙂
Our door is usually “ajar” this time of year. If its sunny and nice, I’m usually out there soaking in the sun why Mica and Aspen check on me occasionally and the head back for A/C 🙂
That sounds like a good arrangement. I always stay in the cool and check on my bipeds now and then.
Oh Clowie! A cliff hanger! Not fair lol not fair at all 😉
Ooh, the suspense!!
Oh, oh… I have a feeling the mouse was soon no more!
The mouse was in a tricky position!
A real cliff hanger sweet Clowie. We think those little mice are cute but they sure do make messes. We will be anxiously awaiting to hear the end of this story. Hugs and nose kisses
It is surprising how much mess and noise something so small can make!