By Mary Alice Murphy

Yes, I intended a double entendre of the critter rats and of my feelings about them.

I recently took my car in for a regular checkup. The mechanics notified me of the presence of a rat's nest under the hood. Rats!

Checked it out and have put D-Con blocks in the three vehicles we use, two more often, and one when needed.

I don't like killing critters, but rats are rats, and not among my favorite mammals, especially when their destruction costs us money.

This particular individual, or maybe pair, has carved a blank spot in the firewall on the passenger side inside the engine compartment. They used the black firewall material and helped themselves to the inside cushy insulation.

Can anyone tell me whether a firewall can be patched or repaired, without costing an arm and a leg?

I guess I have to check under the hood every day, which for my busy schedule is not something I want to have to do regularly when I'm rushing out the door, almost late to an event. Rats!

My husband has already dealt in the past with rat damage'they chewed right through the battery cable, and that's really thick. Rats!

They've left his vehicle alone since then. But just in case they come back to visit we tried to put D-Con blocks where they were less likely to fall out.

Has anyone had luck with any other deterrents to the critters? Is there anything natural out there'that works? I tried a pine-smelling device one time. It helped, but didn't prevent their chewing.

Rats!

Email me with ideas at justcallmemam@grantcountybeat.com.

May your musings bring you beauty! And NO RATS!