I have gone dark for the past couple of months, and on reflection, I understand why. In the course of four months I have an anthology of writing ready to publish, I sold a house, emptied a house, was homeless, bought a house, filled up a house and have discovered families of mice!

The good news is that I have not seen evidence of the mouse families in the house or the garage. They seem to be filling up the patio and everywhere except in the house. I finally bought the family pack of mousetraps (cheaper by the dozen) and have the jar of Jiff ready on the counter. Today I caught two mice in one trap! It brought to mind the Grimm’s Fairy Tale about the little tailor who killed seven flies with one swat, and went on to do incredible feats of bravery and adventures because people assumed he had killed seven foes with one blow (which, of course, he had.)

In spite of the mice, I love my new home. On the outside it looks like a traditional Santa Fe pueblo dwelling. Inside feels like old-world Europe. It’s got these Venetian plaster walls that are glossy and textured underneath (I had never seen it before.) There are old, castle-like doors in every room–sometimes two or three of them in a room. And it’s got a secret garden patio that is so cute even the mice like lounging there.

I am getting used to two stories of living. The last couple places I’ve had have been one level and I had forgotten how convenient that is. I figure the exercise I get going up and down the stairs will extend my life five years, or it will kill me in one. I have created a Harry Potter kind of under-the-stairs office that I can close off with a pair of the castle doors, and there are four funky chandeliers in the hallways, kitchen and dining room.

The place has my name written all over it. It has the magical house number, 2363, which turned out to be “a sign” that it is mine.

But who is going to win the war of the mice? Will these be the mice that roared? Am I a man, or a mouse? Will this be a mouse house? Are my best laid plans of mice and men going to go awry? Will these mice please cross the road? Will I become as poor as a church mouse? If the cat’s away and the mice do play, do I need a cat (that I will name Mickey)?

I hate those meeces to pieces!