Updates

A couple of updates...
**Thanks to everyone's suggestions I did get a new can opener a few months ago and am thrilled to pieces. Finally, one that works! Thank you for all the suggestions on this one.
This is a sure sign of growing old to me.I am thrilled about can openers.
I went with the Kuhn-Rikon suggestion because honestly, it was the least expensive one. But it is awesome and everything you'd want it to be. You know, opening a can without me having a meltdown or my husband throwing the can.

**Well apparently Rick was correct and he did hear noises in the ceiling and not bats in his belfry.  Here is what I did after that evening of Rick telling me he thought we had squirrels or worse mice. Okay, squirrels are just rats with a furry tail but to me, they are still different. The idea of either in my home still makes me ill.

I called 3 exterminators. The first one did not call me back. The 2nd one did his darndest to sell me all kinds of things and could not answer my questions about my issue.He sounded like he was in his car. What he could do for me though would be to sign me up for a year and service ant problems etc. I told him I didn't have ants, he said you probably do and just don't know it. He gave me a cost of $162 to come out there and some crazy price to come monthly. No thank you. He was trying to sell too much instead of listening to my needs so no way to this guy.

I called the 1st one back. They went into their spiel of doing this monthly for ants and signing a year long contract etc. Damn it, I just wanna know if you can come see if I have a rodent in my attic or not. So I told them no thank you.

The 3rd had stellar reviews on Yelp. All 5 star. But it took me awhile to find them for some reason. I read two pages of reviews and thought I'd give them a call. They had someone answer the phone. Imagine that, a business with someone who answers the phone. I told her the issue and began asking a boat load of questions. She told me it would be best to speak to Morgan who could answer all my questions and concerns. 
He told me his thoughts. He suggested only a 2 visit situation. Come look in the attic and all around our house at openings etc. If they see evidence of mice then traps will be set everywhere, same with a squirrel, and then they will come back to hopefully empty these traps etc. He said this is normally a 2 visit situation. The cost was the same as the first guy's 1 visit and a tad bit more due to being 2 visits. That all seemed very fair to me.

I asked him if the name of the company, Veteran XYZ was from the owner being a veteran or you are veterans at doing pest control. He laughed and told me that they were all veterans of our armed forces. The woman who answered the phone had most recently done a couple of tours of Iraq. He told me he was retired Air Force and on and on. 

The man on the phone with me asked what we heard. I said I heard nothing, my husband heard scratching type noises in the ceiling. He felt they were going to eat their way through. The man said most likely this is a mouse. When did he hear this? I said at night. He said that made sense because that is when they are active.  I shuddered. You have no idea how this makes me ill. 
He laughed at my shudder and when I told him that my husband doesn't hear me and yet he hears this noise over the television. I don't get it. He said it was male selective hearing, he's heard about it but hasn't experienced it himself. That made me laugh. When he began talking about traps I must have groaned or something so he paused. I realized he may think I wouldn't want these nice critters killed.
I asked, "Morgan do you kill them or are they punished and you let them go?"  Well, then he really started to laugh. I wasn't trying to be funny I just wanted to know. He hemmed and hawed and I said, "look I'm not with Peta on this, it's okay if they are killed,"  He said, "Okay then that is what happens, we do not punish them and let them go."  (he's still laughing at me)
The appointment was set up and we confirmed price and time.  

Adam arrived early but he called to ask if it was okay to be early. Nice points there!  He came in and told me where he was going to look. He started with the attic. They were mice droppings. When he told me this I was grossed out and yet I kept thinking, 'Here is a man who's skill set is in critter droppings.  How odd'

He went into the closet that houses our water heater and all the bedrooms and closets. He did the same thing on every floor. 
Lastly, he went to the 1st floor.
I thought if he finds something in the pantry I am gonna die. 
Thankfully he did not.
So traps were set outside the house and inside the house. 
Then Adam took the time to tell me that in townhomes he sees this a lot. They can get from one attic to another person's attic. 

Now we have lived here for 17 years and have never had a mouse. 
Adam went on to tell us that this past winter being so warm has made a boat load of mice issues as well as high grass against your home etc. 
We have no grass anywhere but our one neighbor does and he never mows, in fact, he did this past weekend only because the landlord came by and had a hissy fit. (rick hinted by asking if he needed to use our lawnmower since we don't need it - he did not take the hint)

So with those 2 things of going from attic to attic and high grass we have determined that we need to share with our neighbors on either side.
We didn't say anything about the grass issue. But we did say they could go from attic to attic so you may wish to have this checked.
They can decide if they wish to do anything. But if they have this issue we'll get it back.

It justs all makes me feel dirty. When I said that to Adam he said that wouldn't attract the mice as much as clutter. When he said that Rick laughed. I am always bugging Rick about clutter. I hate clutter. I could have kissed Adam for that. 
Adam also asked if Izzy would notice these sounds. Nope, only eagle ear Rick who hears critters and not his wife or any other human well.

The traps outside are closed traps. I like that I don't have to see anything dead so that made me happy. Also so Izzy doesn't get into it. 

So those are my exciting updates. Gee, my life is sure fun and envious isn't it?