Spider's Demise

Went to clean my teeth last night and IT had reappeared and was waiting behind the door for me. Brushing my teeth is becoming much too hazardous. Thought right, I can deal with this, got a bucket of water and a broom. The plan was knock spider into bucket, throw bucket outside and collect empty bucket next day. Well as soon as I touched spider with broom he ran up the handle very fast and I dropped broom before he reached my hand.

Spider ended up on edge of basin. Next plan: time for the vacum cleaner. Charlotte does not like the vacum and wondered why I was getting it out at 9.30pm. With Charlotte safely in the wardrobe (Emily looked slightly annoyed but stayed on the bed) I tried to suck the spider up. BUT he was too big, outran the vacum and ran up the wall.

Here he is, you can just see a glimpse of legs behind the Charle's and Diana towel displayed on the wall.

I gave up, went to bed exhausted and Charlotte came out of the wardrobe.

This was sight that greeted me this morning. Double spiders, not a good photo but he was posed next to the mirror to multiply my trauma.

But he underestimated me, this morning I was braver and smarter and had a 2 pronged plan of attack.

First the vacum at the ready (and Charlotte back in the wardrobe) then a couple of squirts of insect spray and while he was disabled and legs folded THEN the vacum cleaner and he is no more. A bit sad to see such a perfect speciman go but we couldn't live together.

There will be no more spider posts now I have such a perfect plan, they will be gone too soon. I just need a bit more courage to bring the vacum back inside, but the good news is the bathroom then got a good clean and I washed all the towels.

As if I wasn't traumatised enough last night, I was almost asleep when there was a terrific crash in the house. This is a large pure silk wall hanging from Liberty's London to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee. I bought it from a market already professionally mounted on stiff cardboard and I stuck it on the wall up near the ceiling with those sticky things that are advertised 'holds strongly, comes off cleanly'. Well it has been so humid here I think the board buckled, the sticky things didn't hold and it simply fell off. I was very lucky nothing was broken as it came down.

I am hoping for a more peaceful night tonight, I have some good books to read and Charlotte and Emily like me to remain calm.

Another spider ordeal

Can't believe it's happened again. Same place. Was cleaning my teeth and thinking about the library book on my bedside table and happened to glance in the mirror and there it was and still is. A huge and perfect specimen that I will have to deal with. The weather has been so hot and very humid all day so all these nasties come out, and don't even mention cockroaches (O.K I won't). This spider is about 4inches across, too big to be sucked up the vacum cleaner and I think I would need a couple of cans of spray to finish him off. At the moment I am keeping vigil and dreaming of moving somewhere like Alaska-too cold for spiders I think. Or maybe having the bathroom door bricked up and sealing this spider inside.

Charlotte's reaction when told of my terror.

Emily refuses to come out and look and I want to crawl in that nest with her. By the way Emily that sheet was put over the Diana Quilt for you to lay on, not climb underneath.

The library book I had hoped to start and have now gone off. The suspense of waiting for the spider's next move is more than enough to keep me awake. Wonder if it is too late to order a load of bricks and a tradesman.

spider remembered

I remembered I had a very nice marcasite spider brooch and as I was going to a barbecue lunch at a friends house I wore the brooch in memory of my brave spider who met such a sad end in the bathtub. The vintage brooch was bought at a garage sale a couple of years ago for $1 and when I cleaned it up found it is hallmarked silver and is one of my best ever sale finds.

spider's end

The spider has gone, won't go into detail about his sorry end but since the last sighting on Thursday night he had travelled across the house to the second bathroom and climbed into the spa bath. He looked worn out and it must have been hard going on only 7 legs so has been put out of his misery and Not by the cats, they have never heard of such a thing.