Rats

or maybe it should say...

RATS!!!!!!

I was told on the evening of my arrival that they were keeping everything in the fridge because of the rats. I didn't think much of it because when I lived on the island, I kept everything in the fridge too.  Mostly for ants, giant roaches, the extreme heat melt factor, and the mold factor.

During the first night, I did hear some strange noises. Of course, that is nothing new for me. I like to believe that all the noises I hear on a regular basis are indeed real sounds and not just the voices in my head. (Of course, those who know me very well, know that I tend to invent earthquakes that only I can feel, so who really knows about the noises?)  I dismissed the sounds of being just the palm leaves outside my window and not rats scurrying at my bed.

Then there was the second night.  The high school girls from the church were over for a sleepover/retreat.  I was showing them a movie I had seen before, so I thought I'd sneak into my room and grab my iPad.  As I neared the place I left my handy dandy contraption, there was a rat (right above the iPad) in the window running in circles. Of course, as I came near it leaped out from the window (think flying squirrel) and was heading straight for me.  I gave a very quiet shriek and jumped on my bed.   Sadly, the rat run under my bed, so I wasn't exactly sure where to go.  And the more I thought about it, the rat could easily climb on to the bed. So, I jumped off the bed like it was no big deal and went to finish the movie with the girls.

Of course, then it was bed time. How does one sleep when she realizes that at any moment a rat could jump on her?  I have had ghekos fall on me (there's a great story about a ghecko and a bathtub, but maybe another night).  I have had roaches fall on me.  But not a rat.  This is not the island experience I am hoping to go home with.

So tonight is my third night sleeping with rats.  The people staying at this house have come clean and shared all the other places they have seen rats in the last few days.  This may be a long week.  And it may provide some quality blogging stories very soon.