Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Just what I need, another excuse

I am afraid of my laundry room.
And it’s not just because of the pile of stinky socks, underwear and towels waiting to be fluffed and folded.
Now the room has taken on an even more ominous turn … it buzzes.
I have found and killed two wasps in the laundry room in the last week, and my son killed one yesterday.
The first one didn’t alarm me much. I noticed it curled on the floor when I went in to turn off the light after my children had been in foraging for socks before school.
But yesterday I got the hebie gebies when I walked in and heard an angry buzz. I was unable to locate the sound, and with it being a laundry room there was plenty of places for a wasp to hide.
Later, when I went in to unload the dryer I spotted the creepy-crawly perched on the edge of my son’s laundry basket. I whacked it with a bottle of pre treatment, and it fell inside the basket of clothes.
After a few minutes of panic I was able to fish it out of the clothing without getting stung in the process.
Last year my DH was stung by a wasp while he was trying to get it out of the laundry room, but we thought we had solved the problem by getting a cat door for Katie. We figured the wasps were flying through the screen less window we left open so she could come and go as she pleased.
But it has taken Katie about a month to figure out the door, and the cat ~ dumb though she may be ~ is smarter than your average wasp. So the nasty little buggers must be getting in somewhere else.
I have tried very hard not to think of the possibility that there is a nest somewhere in the laundry room. I am considering just walling off the room and going and buying new clothing for everyone. But as the cost may be prohibitive, I still, reluctantly, venture in to do a load now and then.
Here we see instructions from DS-11 on my activities for the day. It seems he fears (not without some cause, I must confess) that his absent-minded mother will let him get on the bus hungry and fail to attend his big concert.

6 comments:

horseygal said...

OMG!! I would have a heart attack, I HATE those things! There has been one haging out by the back door lately and so everyone gets the frantic CLOSE THE DOOR! all day long!

Anonymous said...

I would check the dryer exaust. We seem to be having more wasps around also. We had a nest of wasps above our kitchen window. There are wasp killing foamers out there. Being stung isn't all that bad, it goes away after a week or so.

Susan said...

we have to be careful of bees, wasps, yellowjackets and hornets because DH is highly allergic to them. We're waiting for the day when Montana gets stung to see if she's picked up that trait.

I, on the other hand, have never been stung. Amazing how I've gone 43 years and never been stung.

Now, I'll probably step outside my door and get stung on the nose.

Lana said...

I don't blame you!! I hate bees bugs or ANYthing little the creeps or stings! :)

Anonymous said...

Rather specific instructions, I see a future general in the making. As for the wasp nest, yes! you are right close up and seal the laundry room and never go there again! Take a box of chocolates and go to bed.

Anonymous said...

Y hate Wasps, bees, hornets and yellowjackets. They creep me out. I can't look off the laundry room It is my entry door to the house!