Thursday, April 11, 2019

THE FIRST PALMETTO OF THE YEAR

Gentle Readers . . . and Maxwell,

I walked out of the office and down the hall toward my bedroom, and it was there on the floor. Alive. Extra large. Not moving.

I stomped the hell out of it and somehow didn't kill it. It ran into my bedroom and underneath the dressing table.

Disappeared.

I Usain Bolted to grab the buy spray in the hope that I could flush it out. Squirt . . . squirt . . . squirt . . . under and behind the dressing table. Behind the wardrobe.

It didn't come out. I got a flashlight and lowered myself to my knees to look under the furniture.

Nothing but dust bunnies and dog hair.

Penelope came in to take a look. She's still looking. She must remember the time she killed a palmetto bug in the office.

Has Penelope become a great black-and-white palmetto hunter? I hope so.

May God be with you on your quest, Penelope.

I'll let you know if we find . . . it, or another of its ilk.


Infinities of love,

Janie Junebug

38 comments:

  1. What is a palmetto?
    It doesn't sound like something I would like

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A very large, flying cockroach. Around here we call them palmetto bugs. My nephew who is from Arizona calls them sewer roaches. Technically, they are American cockroaches.

      Delete
  2. Lovely to see a post from you. Much less lovely to read about the palmetto. I hope Penelope triumphs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She hasn't yet, but I know my little huntress won't give up.

      Delete
  3. I find them in the house once in a while, usually on their back wiggling their legs and I cover them with a coffee can and then pile books on top of it until hubby gets home, lol. I get freaked out when I see them on the walls or ceiling. I hate bugs so much!! I hope Penelope finds it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I can't stomp on them (I always have shoes or hard-soled slippers on my feet), the best way to get them is to suck them up in the vacuum cleaner. It has a bag that's thrown away when it's full of dust, dog hair, and dead bugs. If Willy Dunne Wooters is here, I scream, and he says, Jeeeeeezusss, Janie!

      Delete
    2. Really? Do you really wear shoes in the house? Because I thought I was the only one. lol

      Delete
    3. I don't wear shoes in the house very often, but I always wear some kind of slipper that allows me to stomp.

      Delete
  4. AWK!!! Sure sign of spring?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess so, but it's still so chilly at night that at least they aren't running around on the deck when I go out with the pups.

      Delete
  5. Out comes the Raid. I hope it's not a cockroach.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, it's a cockroach all right--one that's very large and can fly. The bug spray doesn't kill them but it can help flush them out. They're very good at disappearing.

      Delete
  6. I despise bugs, and those are top of the list!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would move.
    Then perhaps burn the place down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I don't get caught, then I can collect the insurance money and move away.

      Delete
  8. I would not mind them if they stayed outside where they belong. We are surrounded by pines and they seem to love the pine straw so why do they feel the need to occasionally come into my house. There is no pine straw in here!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When it's hot, they're all over my deck at night. I have a deal with the lizards that if they stay outside, then I won't kill them. Dealing with palmetto bugs is impossible. They don't listen to anything because they know they have the upper tentacle.

      Delete
  9. This is one of the lesser effects of global warming that I'm not looking forward to -- big bugs coming to Canada! lol

    But I won't be lol'ing when they get here . . . and I guess by that point I'll have worse things to worry about, like drowning . . . oh god how did I manage to turn this into a depressing comment . . .

    Good to see a post from you, Janie, and I hope you find THAT bug so you'll know it's not still in your house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Usually when they're in the house at night, if I can't kill them, I find them in the morning, nearly dead. Not this one. At least he wasn't in my bed last night.

      Delete
  10. Oh, gross! That's the trouble with spring. All the nasty bugs come back. Here's hoping you or Penelope find and destroy that ugly critter.
    It's nice to see you back on the blog, Janie. You've been missed!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Debbie. I'm still dealing with exhaustion so I don't accomplish much.

      Delete
    2. Sorry you're still dealing with that! :( Thyroid pills not helping? Maybe it's something else, like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? Here's hoping you feel better soon!

      Delete
    3. My thyroid is at the normal level now, but it turns out I also have a sleep disorder.

      Delete
  11. Penelope, hurrah! Destroy the evil bug.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She tries. Franklin ignores them. I guess he knows Penelope will do the work.

      Delete
  12. Yuck, yuck, yuck !
    It is scorpion and newly hatched rattlesnakes season. Mom is hungry but the babies are crazy and snap at anything. It is spring Yea me !

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
  13. ACK! I hope Penelope finds it. I'd sleep with one eye open!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was nervous last night when I went to bed. He hasn't turned up. I'm glad Penelope sleeps with me.

      Delete
  14. Oh! I remember the palmetto bug in Florida! That thing is huge! I would have Usain Bolted out of there! You are so funny.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Penelope's thoughts exactly. She's quite focused.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ugh. Cockroaches are the worst, although it sounds so much nicer to say palmetto bug. Either way, though, YUCK. I saw a documentary on roaches once and it talked about how the hairs on their bodies are so sensitive that they feel the vibrations from our walking in a room long before we usually see them. Not that this helps you in any possible way . . . um, sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh Penelope!!! I hope you are victorious against the Palmetto and are showered with treats!

    ReplyDelete
  18. OMG, I hate cockroaches! I hope Penelope took care of it!

    ReplyDelete

Got your panties in a bunch? Dig 'em out, get comfortable, and let's chat.