African Wildlife

Even though we are not in a safari country, I have read that many animals abound in Senegal. Giraffes, impalas, rhinos, monkeys, hippos and the list goes on. What I did not expect was the abundance of wildlife that I would find in our own home. One of the night-shift guards saw a snake in our yard. Not good. The number of mosquitoes in our back yard resembles those one would find in a swamp; many get into the house. This makes me incredibly nervous since they could be potentially carrying malaria. There are also lots of flies; a nuisance but not worrisome. And finally, as of almost two weeks ago, a mouse or perhaps mice. Yes, our first encounter with the wild has been a very daring mouse (or mice) in our kitchen. I've called and written the folks who assigned us this house and they have said it is on their work order list. Uh huh. And in the meantime? The mouse seems to like the potatoes he found in one corner of the kitchen. Should I just set it out in the middle of the room for him while we wait for the exterminators? Or perhaps I should bring in the snake to rid myself of the mice problem. I might just get that safari experience in my own home after all.