How I spent my afternoon with (almost) no kids in the house

Can it really have been five days since I posted? I thought a day or two, perhaps, but not five!

All children except Eli were out of the house yesterday, and I had planned to write a post and work on an e-mail we send to our prayer/financial supporters ... but, alas, the Internet was down all afternoon. I was forced instead to clean out my scrapbooking/crafting desk, which has been an untouched wreck for six months at least. I'm itching to work on some projects, and organizing the materials was a necessary first step. (Let's be realistic, if I can't even see the top of the desk, how in the world am I going to use the top of the desk?)

Much to my dismay, I opened the drawers only to discover -- prepare yourself -- mouse poop in every drawer. Aaaacccchhhh! Eeeeeeekkkkk!

We noticed the little critter several weeks ago living under the desk. So Steven, being the humane hub that he is (and at the prodding at the tender-hearted scientific type, Aden) purchased a live trap, put some peanut butter in it, and nabbed the unwanted guest. The children were all amazed to look at the "cute" little mouse, and we put trap-and-all on the porch until Steven could get home and take it town to the woods by the lake to release it. Drove the cat absolutely CRAZY!

Ah, but I digress.

Never occurred to me that said mousling had been living not only under the desk, but in it as well! Not a welcome discovery. So I spent the afternoon taking everything out of every drawer, then vacuuming (and, needless to say, washing my hands about 10 times at various intervals because we were out of the gloves I buy for cleaning toilets).

Now, the desk is all clean and organized, but I did discover five clear letter stamps missing -- don't know if that's the result of some craft-loving rodent (you have read/seen The Borrowers haven't you) or, more likely, a craft-loving six-year-old (Isabella, of course). Probably the latter, don't you think?

Except for the loss of those stamps, I'm ready to go. I'm going to work on the aforementioned e-mail first, then allow myself the reward of working on a little craft project. Some certain friend -- she knows who she is -- ordered a decorated initial from me last November (I hate even admitting that), so today's craft time belongs to her. I'll be filling the order before the weekend is out!

Must get to the e-mail first, though. Pray for our support-raising activity, ok?