Feeling Bugged

I am not a fan of bugs, insects, winged creatures, slithering entities, or anything else that makes my skin crawl.  I do not set spiders free; I kill them.  I shriek like a little girl when I see most bugs and have been known to jump up on the couch when avoiding them.

We have been officially in Muldrow now for just over 24 hours and I swear I have encountered more of these evil creatures during this time than the entire three years we lived in Kentucky!  This might be a slight exaggeration, but it is close.  My skin is crawling just thinking about it.

There are two BIG spiders right outside the front door that have already covered me in web once, and unless I wake up tomorrow morning and they have spelled something in their web by channeling Charlotte, they better pack their weblings or say their farewells.  Yesterday, apart from the devious beings I encountered in the house, a fly dive-bombed my ear while unpacking the cars, and a spider decided to hitch a ride on my arm to Sonic when I went to get dinner.  EEEWWWW!

This morning after feeling refreshed from a shower and eating a tasty chicken sandwich a sweet parishioner brought over, I went to look out the front door and was attacked by not one, not two, not even three, but four lime-green grasshoppers who had somehow snuck their way inside.  Screaming was involved!

After expelling them from the house, which I did humanely, this time, I went back to finish drying my hair.  I was actually starting to feel my pulse-rate return to normal, when all of a sudden I felt a pinch on my foot.  I’m not sure, but I think I might have had a mini-stroke as I jumped about a foot into the air.  I looked down to see what foul creature was hunting me this time, and I saw two, big, blue eyes looking up at me and one, toothy, ornery grin.

Aaron stood laughing uncontrollably in the door-frame and Micah pulled up my leg, standing with arm outstretched for me to pick him up.  I still couldn’t move at this point, so Aaron scooped him up and I planted a big kiss on Micah’s head.  It’s a good thing I jumped up instead of kicking out or stomping, which were two reactions I’m much more prone to.  Squished Micah is not much fun.

So add to the long list of things to get or fix in the house lots of bug spray, ant traps, wasp killer, and any other potion made to eliminate buggies.  Now, what do you get to trap a Micah?

Micah Playing in new room

What Would You Do Wednesdays

What would you do with unwanted tenants?

We had to evict some unwanted tenants the other day.  It was a little unnerving; it was four baby birds.  Their parents had made the unfortunate decision to take up residence in our dryer vent.  I suppose they thought it would be warm, safe, and, well, dry.  We don’t know how long they had been there, though I think I heard tweets early in the year, but I thought they were nesting in the attic.  The feathered squatters were discovered when I opened our dryer to remove freshly laundered clothes and instead I was nearly knocked over by the stench wafting out.  I first thought something had not dried and mildewed somehow, but the clothes were all dry, but they smelled anything but clean.  After making a quick phone call to a friend, Aaron checked the outside of the dryer vent and what did he hear?  Yes, the little chirps of baby birds.  Thus the dilemma.  Do we remove the unwanted trespassers?  It’s not their fault their parents didn’t locate more appropriate real estate.  What if they die because the parents won’t take care of them once removed?  We did not want one of our last acts at this house end in dead baby birds.  That is just sad.  Of course that means we turned to facebook and twitter for advice, and also animal control.  Verdict:  we had to remove the birds and nest if we wanted to use our dryer again.  Well, we need to use it with a 7 month old.  We don’t have the funds or time to spend at a laundrymat, nor do I want to lug Micah with me and hear him fuss the whole time.  So the birdies must come out.

Here is the adventure that ensued and we ended up sharing with some neighbors, one of which kindly removed the babies when my tender-hearted husband could not.  Thanks to Lionel for doing the dirty work.  Just so you are assured; No baby birds were harmed in the making of this film or their actual removal, and they are still alive.  We believe the parents are tending them, and they moved them from the box on our deck to under the deck by our foundation.

So, what would you do?