DEAR HARRIETTE: I live in the city but near an empty lot. Whenever the weather changes, mice come into my apartment. It is so annoying. I do not leave food out. My house is clean, but like clockwork, they get in somehow. I feel confident that they will be coming again soon, as the seasons have already begun to change. My kids have invited friends to sleep over, and I'm worried that a mouse might show itself in the night. Should I cancel the play date? -- MOUSE HOUSE
DEAR MOUSE HOUSE: You may want to hire an exterminator to come in, assess your rodent problem and help you set up a system for catching them. Do that first, so that you can get a handle on how to catch the mice. These animals are smart and do adapt to the situation, so having professional help is a wise way to rid yourself of them.
As far as the sleepover goes, go ahead and make the arrangements. Be sure that no poison or traps are accessible to the children. Make sure they do not leave any food out. If a mouse appears, it will run away immediately, so they cannot be hurt by it. Just be sure that the children are nowhere near poison.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)