SPIDERS, IN A MICHAEL-JACKSON-"THRILLER"-VIDEO-SORT-OF-WAY

They are coming.

They are coming, and they are big, and creepy, and hairy, and FAST.

While I am thankful that our problem isn't quite as pronounced as the zombies in Michael's classic video, this comparison was the best I could do when trying to convey what's at stake here.

Last night Tim, Cassandra, Ray and I were sitting in the living room when our gaze was drawn to the dining room doorway...there lurked a large spider and he (she?) was heading our way. Ray immediately vetoed any policy I may have regarding catch-and-release by picking up Tim's shoe and smashing that poor spider to bits. Major yuck factor - the spider was so ginormous that the shoe required cleaning after the incident.

Earlier that same evening I was doing a bit of gardening and found a similar, but even larger (i.e., legspan wider than my hand) arachnid guarding the door to my shed. Nice thought, but I really needed to get to the rake! A quick grab in my part, under the wary gaze of the spider, gave me what I wanted. Fifteen minutes later a second quick thrust of my arm launched the rake back into the shed and I gently closed the door so as not to disturb or incur the wrath of my gatekeeper. Perhaps she (he?) would be so kind as to eat all the smaller spiders that seem intent on finding their way into the house?

I'm thinking the problem is going to get worse - we have fantastic wood flooring but there are large gaps between the planks and about eight inches of open space between the wood and the foundation of the house...in other words, a perfect haunt for creepy-crawlies. Add to this that Autumn is upon us and all manner of bugs are heading indoors to avoid the cooler temperatures, and I am starting to think that we may be facing a critter crisis of unforseen proportions. May be time to rethink my policies, especially as these spiders are too large to catch under a glass...I'd need to get a bigger bowl!

As for the spiders at work, they have been ushered outside by one of my (brave!) coworkers who had tired of going all the way to the other end of the building to use the bathroom. I still don't like going in that room though, because at least one of the spiders, the one big enough to be christened "Bubba", had been in posession of a spectacular web in a good location (read: lots of bug carcasses, and in a climate-controlled room, no less) and I somehow think she'll be back to reclaim her territory. So it continues...