City:
I appreciate greatly the thoughts that are helping me sort out what I need to do. It is so easy to get bogged down in a situation and not be able to see a way out. With so much brain fog afflicting me as a result of environmental issues, I often just sink into just coping with what is.

I had firm talk with R last night about excluding rat. I was hoping there might be some action today but B never showed up. This means that not only did nothing get done on the house, I also did not get do any pottery because I expected him to be working up there. Unfortunately, my energy level drops by this time of day - if I had any - so I could get a couple hours work done now, but cannot. Maybe R will have time to do something tomorrow as B will not be back until Monday. For both R & B: "you can' pin them down, they're just like air." Who wrote that?.... HAH! A line from The Talking Atomic Blues circa 1948.

I did move the plants that needed to be protected from future work. And laundered the bedding, cooked a large pot of cranberries - for use with poultry and in porridge. I still need to do a bit of moving stuff in the backyard. Tomorrow?

We looked at the exterior area of a house for sale nearby. I told R , "It looks like heaven to me." Even if it is 100 feet from the RR tracks and a train went by while we were there. The interior pics look good. Nice yard and shed and PARKING! Another subject for serious consideration. I would LOVE to just move there - I think - and let this house get reno'd and sold for a big price. We need to look at possibilities. OR just dream?

Then I picked up a few more things at the Market - the famous Atwater Market.

In any case, y'all have strengthened my resolve to be rat free. I have never felt so lacking in autonomy. Not too many years ago, if the roof needed new shingles, I did it. If the chimney needed repairs, I tried it - and decided it was better to pay someone and spend my time making pots! But it was my home and my money. Now it is R's home and I don't have enough money for it. So I got bogged down, feeling powerless.

I think of this thread a great deal as I muddle through my days. I try to get things done, feel as though I will have something positive to report. MY trips to Ontario helped me feel better in a lot of ways but now I am here for the winter, mostly, and have to figure out how to deal with it. Without rats!