Week's Scariest

I've drafted a couple political posts in response to the recnt election, but they're on my laptop at home (I am at work for another 24 hour shift), so those will have to wait until the weekend.

I would tell you all about my fabulous life as of late, but I try not to do the brag thing (plus my life has involved a lot of school work mixed in with some house work).

Instead, I will tell you about the scariest moment of my week.

I have not adjusted well to the colder weather over these past few weeks, and as a result. I am always cold.

Well, that mixed with the fact that we only turned the heat on in our house last Wednesday... Our house had gotten to an incredibly uncomfortable temp of 12 degrees... yep, it was the same temp as outside.

I really tried to avoid turing the heat on until November. It seems rediculous for us to pay to heat such a huge house when there are only two people living there. But on days that I was home doing school, I had to bundle up in my down vest, uggs and wrap myself up in a blanket, and even then, I still got cold because I was hadley moving.

Made me think about the people who are living on our streets, who also have to endure the wet. Horrible.

I resort to hot baths to warm my blood during the winter months, so on Wednesday afternoon I headed upstairs with some school reading to go over while I soaked.

I pushed bak the shower cutain only to find a long-legged spider scrambling trying to get out.


My cats are my salvation when it comes to spiders. I guess it invokes the "mouser" in them. The challenge is for me to stay calm enough to call them to my aid in an appealing voice. I usually throw whiska's cat treats beside the spiders to bring them to my cats' attention. Hanzel (he's so hot right now) is my real hero. He has the love of food, and he sees spiders as treats with legs.

On Wednesday I caught my big 18 lb Hanzel in the living room and quickly carried him into my bathroom. As I started to lower him into the tub, he got a wild look in his eyes. I think he thought I was trying to drown him (even though there was no water in the tub... I didn't say Hanzel was smart). I swallowed my fear of the eight-legs below and sang a little lullaby to him as I lowered him down into the tub.

As soon as his feet hit the yellow ceramic (yep... we got sweet 70's tub/toilet/sink combos in 2 of our bathrooms) that nasty thing ran straight for him, trying to climb up his leg.

I had to move back against the sink to stop from screaming, but I couldn't leave the room because I had to make sure that Hanzel took care of it.

There was some shuffling for a few minutes, then Hanzel hopped up on the edge of the tub. I moved closer to make sure it was gone.

I let my guard down.

As I crouched over the tub, Hanzel inches from my face, I noticed some thing black and leggy squirming from his mouth.

The damn thing was still alive!

Hanzel was just carrying it out of the tub.

I shot back, using all my inner strength to stay calm because I knew that if I starled my cat, he'd drop the spider and run.

He hopped onto the floor and dropped the thing near my feet. It proceeded to narrow the gap between us.

I shot up on my counter as Hanzel played with it. I'm not ashamed to say that I quietly whimpered.

After what seemed like forever, he finally ate it and left.

I stayed couched in my bathroom sink for a few extra minutes- I had survived another terrifying moment...

...barely.


(and Ashley, the time was 2:41)