Due date part 2

It's 7:30 pm and I am realizing there is little chance this kid is going to be born on his due date. Oh well.

There was still drama today, although not the kind I might have hoped for.

The landlord came to fix the squirrel problem, as mentioned in my previous post. He decided that the best way to approach it was to first smoke out the squirrels, then patch the hole. In order to smoke out the squirrels, he used this: Revenge Rodent Smoke Bomb.


He put it in the ceiling between the second and third floors. However, it did not remain contained to the ceiling space.

Due to cabin fever, Donavon and I had gone to Starbucks for a snack and then did a couple of other errands around town. This was when the smoke bombing occurred. When we returned home, it smelled like sulfur on the first floor. When I asked the landlord about it, he said that he used something to smoke out the squirrel. When I mentioned my concern, he assured us that he had asked for something non-hazardous. Unfortunately, if you read the packaging, which we promptly asked for, it says cartridge emits "toxic gases" and that the fumes "may be harmful if inhaled". (How else would fumes be harmful, I wonder.) Not to mention that it is called "Revenge". How do you buy that and think, sure, that's not hazardous.

We put the cat outside, took the dog and sat in the car deciding what to do. Our neighbors were nice enough to let us hang out in their apartment while we calmed down but not before writing angry emails to the landlord's wife. The kicker was not just that he used this thing in our house. But he did it without warning or maybe just asking if it was OK, given that we are pregnant and have pets. I never occurred to him to just clear it with us - maybe ask if were going to be out of the house for the day so we wouldn't be disturbed by the sulfur smell. But no, not any warning or consideration that we might want to just KNOW about it. Forget the 'I didn't read the toxic gases' part on the packaging. After being annoyed and not wanting to be annoyed (I'd rather be calm and happy and waiting for a baby to come) we went to Home Depot and bought a second air filter to put on the second floor. The landlord agreed to pay for the filter.

Anyway, it was kinda stressful and upsetting and now it is almost 8 pm and the day is gone to squirrel fumigation. The good news is that he did close up the hole where the squirrels were entering. The original squirrel problem should be fixed at least.

I went straight to practicing hypnobirthing after we returned from Home Depot so I could just chill out. I had some raspberry leaf tea and now I feel better. The only other concern today is that I put Reno out to avoid the fumes and he hasn't come home. It is sleeting and gross and way past his dinner time, which has me unsettled. He is a tough cat and I know he can handle the weather just fine. But I would rather he be home and safe.

Now, time for some spicy food and walking.

P.S. At 8:15 Reno came home, soaking wet. Finally, everyone is back safe in the house. Now if that baby would just come and complete the family.