random dilemmas from the third world

one of our nosy horses

-every morning at about 5am blackbirds land on our roof.  We have a zinc roof, which makes it loud and, apparently, slippery.  So every morning we are woken up by loud thuds, followed by scrabble scrabble sccrreeeeeeeech as the blackbirds desperately try not to fall off the roof.  It sounds like 50 people running their nails down the blackboard at the same time.  You would think the birds would learn, but no.  I want to install spikes, or an electric wire.

 

-we have fruit bats in our house.  Who the heck gets a fruit bat infestation???? And furthermore, how do you get rid of them?  They only come in at night, so it’s not like we can grab them while they are sleeping.  I wouldn’t care, except they make a mess scattering seeds all over…

-we don’t have a full length mirror. They are expensive here—the last one I saw in a store was $110.   When I lived here as a volunteer, we also did not have a big mirror, but I lived with a bunch of girls who would tell me  if something looked off.  A few days ago we walked by a store that has mirrored glass on the front, and I realized that part of my skirt had been stretched out and was flapping 4 inches or so below the hem like a tail.  I’m pretty sure the puppy pulled on it… anyways, this is my favorite skirt.  I wear it at least 2 times a week. I don’t even want to think about how long I’ve been walking around with a tail because I can’t see below my waist in our mirror.  I asked Daniel if he hadn’t noticed, or just didn’t think it was important to mention?  He changed the subject.  I am now on the hunt for a full length mirror. 

-our cat has taken to beating up a roll of toilet paper every night.  We come down stairs in the morning to find a shredded roll (always a new one!) lying on the floor.  Does she feel threatened by the toilet paper?  Is she taking out her feelings of aggression towards us on the toilet paper?  I’m thinking I’m going to have to relocate the toilet paper to a secure location.