Texas. I now live in Texas! At first it didn't seem any different. There is a Lowe's, Best Buy, Starbucks and Target about a mile away from where I am living.
But, then it happened. It started innocently enough. First, a dead rat outside by the patio, a mud nest above the door (kind of bees), a few spiders on the kitchen floor. No big deal. I told myself I am sure this fairly new house was just shut up too long before I rented it. My folks were here helping me move in and they took care of the bugs – mom kinda likes to squish spiders. Dad and I just watched.
On with my day. I love getting mail … real mail … not just e-mail. But, cards take more effort in this day and age so I was so excited about getting my mail. I reached in and ouch! Ants! And they bite! And hurt! My mailbox was full of what I now know to be red ants. They made their home in there and had taken over. So, for a few days I used a pliers to get my mail out. I would shake it to make them all fall off before taking it inside the house.
My folks left … the ants stayed. More spiders showed up. Big ones…fuzzy ones. I got used to putting my contacts in so I could see them in the morning before I walked around. One day I was too tired to deal with it so I put a glass over it until I could scoop it up.
A fly in the house, no biggie right? But they are aggressive! The one that lives with me now – well, we have words! He flies right at my face, circles my head, goes in my ear, takes a dive in my eye! I am not kidding. I asked God to take his life and even tried to say die in Jesus name! (I'm a bit worked up here…sorry.)
A few june bugs started having a party in my kitchen this week. Fewer spiders now so maybe they are eating them. And I need the spiders to eat that fly.
Then as if an angel knocked. An exterminator showed up at my front door! I guess in Texas they come out every few months to spray for all kinds of stuff. Just in time too because yesterday, all of a sudden, I had little red spots all over my legs like mosquito bites. They don't itch. I asked my Texas friends and they said maybe chiggers, maybe fleas.