Keeping Score

I'm sipping my morning cup of caffeine, but not out on the patio.  There are too many creepy crawlies for that pastime.  After last night, I can feel them crawling on me all over.  The javis are nothing compared to having something crawling up your arm, or your leg.

It's not so bad when the sun is out, as most of the critters around here prefer the dark of night.  I have two big praying mantises outside my door, taking part in the nighttime buffet of bugs and moths.  They are just too cool.

They take on the color of whatever they are hanging on to.  In this case, the brown screen.  It's mating season, so occasionally you see a smaller male with it's head chopped off.  Yum!!  No really, she eats his head and he dies.  

Here's what I'm keeping score of .......

Scorpions:      0               Nancy:      3

I opened the sliding back door and this guy fell on my foot.  That was a tap dance I don't want to repeat.  Man I hate these guys!!!  I grabbed my heavy flashlight and smashed him twice.  Nothing.  He ran off into this corner.  I hit him a couple more times and only succeeded in squashing his tail.  At last I remembered my trusty TONGS!!  They work perfect!  I snatched him up, squished him good, dropped him on the concrete outside and SMASHED HIM AGAIN!!  

It gives me the creeps just LOOKING at this picture.  The problem is they are practically indestructible.  There's no chemical spray out there that will kill them.  Twenty minutes later I found ANOTHER one in the laundry room.  I don't know how they are getting in.  I've sealed every hole in the floor I can find, and checked under every door.  I hit that one so hard I dented the floor.  

The third one was in the garage ... so technically doesn't count, but he too went over the bridge!!

With my adrenaline flowing nicely, it was time to head back to Green Valley to the new quilt store.  Yes Patty and I stopped in there last week and met the very nice owner, her husband and their two big pups.  Boy does she have the talent of picking fabric.  

I got the fabric for this Beneath The Western Sky, but forgot to get backing.  If you don't get it NOW, it won't be there LATER.  

But first ... lets go look for some shirts that are not covered in holes.  Nothing ... they had nothing.  I know I'm an old lady, but I don't like old lady clothes.  So off I went to Popeyes for a chicken sandwich.  This made me completely forget all those scorpions!!  BEST chicken sandwich on the planet.

Oh look .... beignets!  CHOCOLATE beignets!  I decided to try them ... you know, so I could report on whether they were any good or not.  Well ... they aren't exactly puffy and I think they have chocolate chips inside ... but they did finally disappear by 7:00 last night.  Waste not, want not.

I purchased the fabric I needed and then some ... pictures later ... and got home in time to finish up this quilt.  I love this longhorn pattern, but it doesn't work on most quilts.  

A quick walk outside just before dark ... to be sure I could see any javelinas ... found my water station empty.  What?  I went back up to the house and turned on the water, filling the trough.  Twenty minutes later I looked out and couldn't see the water level.  That's not good!

Turns out the javies sharp little hooves have cut a hole in the bottom.  Why they have to STAND in it is beyond me.  It was completely empty.  So today I'm headed BACK to Green Valley to get another container.  Maybe I'll get two so I'll have a spare.  This ought to be a fun fix!!  I'll also put pavers in the bottom so it doesn't happen again.  

To finish out the day, I was sitting on the couch snuggling with Cooper when I felt something on my foot.  I froze!!  I'm not kidding, my worst fears came true.  I looked down to see something, but I couldn't tell if it was a big spider, a scorpion or something else.  CRAP!!!  

If I move or swipe at him, he'll sting me!!  I slowly lifted my foot within arms length and used the TV control to swipe him off.  Talk about an adrenaline rush!!!  He ran under the table, but I was finally able to step on him.  I grabbed the tongs again (which I now leave on the coffee table) and discovered it was one of those potato bugs.    A very DEAD bug now.

Arizona is a love-hate relationship!!!