I hate to say I told you so...

A few weeks ago, I was lying in bed trying to convince myself that I really did need to get up. There's a tree just outside my window, and the birds were having their own version of American Idol. I thought, Wouldn't it be fun to put up a birdfeeder? This thought, like many that early in the morning, soon passed.

About a week later, a coworker began telling me about all the cool birds she's seen at her feeder recently. Once again, I thought it would be fun to put up a birdfeeder. I walked back to my office and told the other editor my plan.

"Oh, you don't want to do that. You'll just be feeding the rats."

I explained that this would be up high, where the rats couldn't get to it. She just gave me this "Fine, don't listen to me" look and we moved on.

The next weekend I went out and bought a birdfeeder. I put it up under the eaves of my house, close to the tree so the cute little birds would feel protected. I figured it wouldn't be long before they were swarming to my window.

I was wrong. Several weeks went by, and the level of seeds didn't change. I could hear the birds in the tree, but never saw any at my feeder.

Saturday morning, there was a huge commotion outside my window. Something was rustling around in the dead leaves. I thought it was the cat we've seen in our garage a few times.

I was wrong again.


Needless to say, the birdfeeder is no longer outside my window.

*I would like to point out the two mice in the background of this photo. There was a whole extended family out there. It was absolutely disgusting.