Chocolate in the tumble dryer?

I know it's an odd title for a post and no there wasn't a bar of uneaten chocolate (why would anyone have uneaten chocolate?!)  in anyones trouser pocket as it went into the wash.

We seem to have a mouse in this house.

I did a BIG shop recently at a local warehouse / cash 'n carry style shop nearby. I only pay them a visit  3-4 times a year and stock up on industrial size washing powder etc. This time I bought few treats to cover school and husband packed lunches for those days when I wake up all homemade goodies have been hoovered up while my back was turned.

I bought some cereal bars, in fact a box of 20 cereal bars. Number 2 son (aka sweetaholic) spotted them immediately and asked for 1 within minutes of me unpacking the car. He was told, as usual, no, they were emergency bars for the days we have no food for school. I hope I don't sound mean but there was a huge box full of homemade chocolate brownies nearby which he was welcome to.

Well yesterday I moved the bars along the shelf of the pantry...and some slid out! They'd been opened at the bottom and then placed back on the shelf so the box looked unopened. With my detective hat on I proceeded to question the family - daughter had none, number 1 son had eaten 2 but said I hadn't told him not to!! He's figured out that if he doesn't ask then he's not to know they're not to be eaten - therefore he's not in the wrong.

Number 2 son is the usual culprit and owned up to taking 2 bars.

So that all sounds fine and not really cause for too much concern.... except when I counted the bars left in the box there are only 12....so where did the others go??

So from now on all treat food is being kept inside the tumble dryer, no one will EVER look in there!!