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meldy_nva

Idle thoughts while vacuuming: vacations, cobwebs

meldy_nva
11 years ago

Sometimes vacations just aren't, and sometimes they are a bit too much. This year was a change, we went to the beach in August ~ not my choice of times since I really, really don't like the beach when it's hot, hot, hot. Huh. Temps were in the very low 80's, close to twenty degrees cooler than home. DD made all the arrangements for the house: close to beach (it was), on a quiet side street (it was), minimal stairs. The realtor blew it on the last: a 3-story townhouse which was not good news for my bad knee but it didn't go out. SIL's mother also came, she's a really nice lady and it was a pleasure to have time to visit with her. During the week we were there, a wild thunderstorm blew in and stayed all evening and most of the night. Remember that widely-published photo of a thundercloud with multiple lightening strikes shooting downwards all at the same time? That's what this storm was like; I sat on the balcony as it approached and there were literally too many simultaneous flashes to count; a dozen or more flashes at once. Over and over again.

A couple days later, we were on our way home ~ guess who was stuck in the traffic while the Bay Bridge was closed for inspection?! The TV showed some footage that evening: DH yells and says "I think that's our car beside that white tractor-trailer." I'm glad the bridge officials take safety seriously, but it seems that someone should have given more thought to the warnings (signs only that there was a delay on the bridge, and that two of the preceding exits were closed (reality was four or five exits were blocked by police cars); the "traffic conditions radio station" was silent). For almost two hours we idled along the last mile-and-half (after several miles of stop-and-go) before being able to exit for lunch. Well, I guess that got us back into the rhythm of NVa's local traffic.

And about the cobwebs? That's what I was vacuuming. While we were gone, there must have been a contest among the spiders to see who could build the biggest web. Where did they all come from? I vacuumed thoroughly the day before we left, ceilings walls and under the furniture, too. Sorry, spidies; no prizes for you.

The electronic rain gauge showed .51 inches fell during that week ~ just remember that it will add in moisture even a hundredth-inch at a time, which doesn't do much for the plants, especially when the temp is in the high nineties. The gardens are dead. DH arranged for a neighbor to fill the birdfeeders daily, but forgot to mention watering the tomatoes and the flower beds in front. We've had less than eight inches of rain since March, most of it in tenth-inch dribbles. Those storms wandering through area right now? .03 inch.

Comments (7)

  • don_socal
    11 years ago

    I was training those spiders. Glad you could get away for a bit even if it was a bit bumpy.

  • west_gardener
    11 years ago

    Don, train the spiders to stay at your house because they don't have a chance inside my house.
    meldy, glad you had a chance to go on a vacation, but next time watch out for Don............lol

  • lilosophie
    11 years ago

    I don't train the spiders, they just show up under the theme "occupy everything". I still believe best would be to spray the webs with some sticky substance and toss glitter at them and call it "latest interior decor". Trouble is so many times they are invisible unless the light hits them just right, and at that moment I usually have something else I gotta do and when I return with the spider-duster (no use hauling out the vacuum) I don't find them any more.
    Did you know that Daddy Long Legs (the usual weaver) has the most deadly venom? and that her (always a she)mouth-parts are so small she can't bite and do damage to humans or anything bigger than a small fly?
    My big book-case is bolted to the wall because of earthquake safety and I am sure there are Black Widows living under or behind it, but they don't want to meet me any more than I want to meet them.

  • don_socal
    11 years ago

    WG join my class...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Halloween

  • west_gardener
    11 years ago

    Just awesome work, Don and it looks like you and Missy have a great time during Halloween. Make sure you keep your spiders home.
    We have had a rash of Daddy Long Legs around here lately, I let them stay as long as they stay outdoors, but one got into the house and it is dust.
    Actually, we have had some masterpiece webs in our garden and we leave them alone and admire their work.
    A suspected Black Widow Spider in the house? No way.

  • anneliese_32
    11 years ago

    Well, one of Don's trained spiders showed up here.
    For once I turned on the front light going out at 5 AM to get the newspaper and as soon as I opened the door I was eye to eye with an enormous orb-spider and a net which covered the whole door. I took a hasty retreat and went out the back door.
    I watched here for a while later on, she caught a large moth and wrapped her up in a neat bundle. Tried to move her to a place in the hedge when it got daylight, but could not find her anymore. Most likely sits under the eaves and waits for the night to spin again.

  • west_gardener
    11 years ago

    There was a golden orb spider that spun a web between our orange and lemon trees. The web was about 3' in diameter and she sat about 6" from the center. It must have been a good spot because she was there for about 6 months. Then, one morning both the web and the spider was gone. I have no idea what happened.

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