Bug...OUT!

Last night, I had trouble falling asleep. This is definitely not normal for me. Usually, I fall asleep very easily while reading a book. But for some reason, my brain would just not shut down last night. I tossed and turned. Looked at the clock...12:17 am. Finally, I drifted off....

I was startled awake when I heard familiar scratching under our bedroom door. This is our dc (dear cat), Squeaky's, way of saying "I need to go outside...quick!" After seeing that it was only 12:34 am, I was a bit aggravated for two reasons: 1) I had just managed to fall asleep, and 2) When dd came to give kisses goodnight, I mentioned that the cat should be put out because he had been in for more than 24 hours without having a potty break! She assured me that dc was fine and would be sleeping with her. Yeah, right! [Note to Readers: Lest you fear that dc is mistreated having to 'hold it' for such a long time...this is strictly HIS decision. We do NOT have a litter box, but believe me, should he find it necessary to attend to ...ahem...necessities; he has no trouble letting us know about it!]

(Here is a picture of Squeaky snuggled with a buddy in dd's bed.)


Since I'm the only one in this household who seems bothered by this annoying scratching sound, I arise and let him out the front door. At this point, I was compelled --yes, compelled!--to go into dd's room, pull the cozy comforter away from her upper body and gently (yes, gently...sort of) awaken the sleeping beauty. I told her I just wanted to share the love and let her know that 'I' had just been rudely awakened by the dc whom I had sweetly suggested 'she' should put outside before retiring to her bed...thus, letting her dear mother sleep!

This new behavioral training just occurred to me. Sounds kind of like that saying "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" I think I'll continue this training in the future. (I'm sure it's scriptural!)

Okay. The dc is outside. I put myself back to bed, snuggling under the covers. After tossing and turning a bit more, I drift off to sleep...

Once again, I'm startled awake by a strange noise coming from our master bathroom. As usual, I look at my bedside clock...3:23 am. Ughhh! Then I hear it again. It sort of sounds like a huge drip...drip...drip. Now, I'm aware of the drip in the kitchen sink, but none of the faucets in our bath drip! I listen carefully. It hasn't rained, so the roof wouldn't be leaking...the dc is outside, so it's not him into something...it's not the dog on the back porch scratching while leaning against the back door...do we have another mouse? I elbow dh, but he just says...zzzzzzzzz..... After listening for several more minutes, I decide to get up and investigate. I'm certainly not going to be able to sleep through this! If it's a mouse, he'll stop chewing when I turn on the bathroom light...hopefully.

So I go in the bathroom, flip the light on and carefully look around. Nothing out of the ordinary (I would say nothing out of place...but that would be a lie!). After standing very still for a minute or two, the drip or maybe it's a clicking sound continues. Where is it coming from? I sit down on the throne, and decide to keep vigil until I figure it out--I surely can't sleep! There it is again...but where?

Then, looking straight ahead I see it! A BUG!!!! A huge bug! Seeing a bug in our country home is not really new or a big deal. But this one is eating my brand new shower curtain liner!!! Why would he be eating a new plastic liner...no really good bacteria, mold or mildew to spice it up? I can understand him climbing up this beautiful, sparkling clean liner...but, he's eating holes in it! That is the clicking sound I'm hearing. At first I was fascinated watching him poke the hole, then pull the plastic out. Then, I got mad. I spent at least $2 on this liner! How am I supposed to guard our budget if I have bugs eating my new liner? I also spent my valuable time cutting off the bottom so it wouldn't hold the moisture and mold! How dare he?

Now, I'm really miffed. I call out to my fearless protector hero guy...okay, maybe I screeched a little. He comes in the bathroom still half asleep, looks at the bug and says, "It's just a grasshopper. What's the big deal?"

"He's EATING our brand new shower curtain liner, that's the big deal!" I respond. You can see one little round hole in this picture.

"Where's the Bengal?" he asks. (We love Bengal Roach Spray...it kills every bug in it's path...it is wonderful!) I search and search. No Bengal. We love it so much, we've used it up...again. Now what are we going to do? My next thought...of course...is get the camera. We must get a picture of this bug for posterity (and my blog). He left 4 holes in my brand new shower curtain liner!

Not being able to use Bengal on him, my sweet dh grabbed a washcloth and captured him. My hero!




Ewwwww! What an ugly bug! If you feel led and can tell me this plastic eating bug's name...please do. Then I will be able to notify his next of kin that he won't be coming home!


(If you left click the picture to blow it up...look very carefully and you can see a piece of plastic still clutched in his mouth!)