Redemptions

c..1340, "deliverance from sin," from L. redemptionem (nom. redemptio) "a buying back, releasing, ransoming," from redemptus, pp. of redimere "to redeem, buy back," from re-"back" + emere "to take, buy, gain, procure" (see exempt).

I like the literal translation of the Hebrew word for "sin" which is roughly, "that which does not work." Yeah. Stealing (for instance) really never works, does it? Nor does lying or killing - you know what I mean.

It was a sin to have to share my kitchen with Rat who brought nothing but chaos, destruction and filth along with him. No offense to him, I know he was just doing his thing, but it did not work to share space.

Now maybe I'm jumping the gun here, thinking (hoping) he might be gone. I no longer feel the presence, but I could be fooling myself. This was no dumb rodent who came to visit the chateau, nope. He was a bionic, genius robo bot Rat who I assume escaped from some lab at NIH, based on how smart he was. He outwitted all three of the traps I set. He was able to get to the bait on two of them without tripping the mechanisms. The third trap, called "The Jaw" (yikes) is still baited, sitting right where I left it. He checked it out but surmised it was too dangerous, left it alone. I base this assumption on the location of his hair and poo, right in front of the trap as if he stood there, contemplating the possibilities, perhaps scratching his head (hence the hair). This is the kind of test lab rats are subjected to all the time. Ya know?

That was a few days ago. Since then, I haven't seen hide nor hair of Rat. I'm starting to relax. I will remain vigilant and leave the trap for a few more days, just to make sure. When the people who own the chateau return from vacation, one of them is going to look for the points of entry and seal them tight.

Once that takes place, if I still don't see evidence of his presence, I will redeem the kitchen by cooking a big ole dinner, invite someone(s) I adore to share in the feast with me.

I hope and pray this is the last Rat update, because what I actually thought I was going to write about this morning is the nature of the redemptions that follow battles with the dragons and demons; the beautiful, clear calm that follows those storms.

Can't wait to proclaim that the rat-dragon has been slain or at least defeated. Then I'll be able to think of other, more interesting things. Onwards and upwards! May it be so.