Ratatouille Goes to the Country

The cooler weather we've been having the last few days means less pool time.  I've made sure the pump runs at least 12 hours a day, but haven't bothered to really vacuum or clean out the filters this week. 

Yesterday we reached 90 again and today it's supposed to be even warmer, so this morning I strolled out to make sure Jeff had turned on the pump and decided to empty the skimmer basket. This can sometimes be an adventure. I'm getting used to dumping dead frogs, crickets, locusts, etc., and even the occasional LIVE frog and the rare "little" snake.  But I was not prepared for the intruder I would find.

What the what?!?!  A very LARGE mouse...dare I say "rat" was sitting on the edge of my skimmer.  I ran inside the house--partly because I needed my camera, but mostly because I just had the urge to run. When I came back, the critter scooted out of camera range, but revealed a smaller dead mouse swirling in the basket.

I went around to the side of the pool to get a picture of the "mother" who I thought would be perched on the edge, but she was GONE.

Did you know mice could swim?

But then maybe this is not a mouse.  Of course RATS can swim...hence the term "sewer rats."

Does this look like a rat?

Swim for your life buddy, cause you are dead meat!

Well, maybe I'm all talk and no action, 'cause I didn't actually kill it...I mean, what am I gonna do, fish it out with my bare hands and wring it's neck? Instead I got my grass net and with one motion scooped it up and flung it far away over the fence.  Pleeeeeease Mrs. Rat, don't come back looking for your dead baby!