War of the Carpophages
Jul. 29th, 2002 08:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ebonlockI'm beginning to feel a bit like Pharoah only I'm not quite sure what the hell I'm being punished for. To the best of my knowledge I haven't inslaved any monotheistic desert wanderers for ages, killed no first born sons, nothing. Almost wish I had done something truly worthy of being sent plague after plague in the new house.
For those who aren't XFiles fans and don't get the subject line reference, apparently our house is also home to cockroaches.
How did I discover this, you might ask? Well, after a glorious day at Rakkasah where I showed near Herculean self restraint, I went over to Stately Wayne Manor to play with my favorite cat nephew, Toast. Fed and watered him and the plants, and then collapsed on the couch with him until about ten. I then dragged myself home and took a nice hot shower, then watched this bizarre Japanese soap opera about a psychiatric hospital. At about 12:30 a.m. I started to stumble to bed. Flipping on the hall light I looked down to notice a rather odd black shape on the carpet. "Ah, cricket." I thought, and prepared to capture and relocate it. On closer inspection I realized my error and backed quickly away. Grabbing a shoe I came back and gave it what I thought would be a quick death. No such luck, it continued to wiggle it's legs and stare at me accusingly.
I opened the garage door to grab the broom and dustpan and there was another one running across the floor. I gave a little aborted shriek, grabbed the broom and slammed the door. Scooped up my kill and relocated it to the trash, and shuddering with revulsion, practically ran to my room. I searched it thoroughly for any signs of the invaders and was mostly satisfied. Sleep came *very* slowly as I tried desperately not to think of more of them scuttling around the place.
So, first spiders in the tub, then slugs from hell, now cockroaches. What's next? Locusts?
Yesterday I procured some roach bait/poison and filled the garage and some hiding places in the kitchen and office. I then spoke with the housemate regarding our new anti-roach tactics which include keeping the place free of crumbs and other food particles for them to eat. I think the upper cabinets should be ok, as they're elevated and sealed and don't appear to have any holes in them. The drawers and lower cabinets, however, are not.
At this point it looks like I'll be calling the landlord again and seeing if we can get an exterminator in. I'm sure their response will be to fumigate the place, which means that we'll be out of our house for several days and everything we own will be impregnated with the chemicals. And lucky me, I'm highly sensitive to most pesticides, woo!
I'm beginning to think I'm cursed. Any time I care profoundly about anyone or anything I come to regret it. Perhaps I'm meant to become a Zen Buddhist and simply give up on all personal relationships and possessions. I'll consider that for retirement.
Sorry to start the week with a rant, and yes some wonderful things did happen this weekend too. Got to spend time with a good number of my friends and take pictures of my gorgeous housemate in her newly acquired belly dance costumes (insert wolf whistle here). Must get my desktop up and running to I can download them! And I heard that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
elo_sf was doing better and might not have to be hospitalized which made me profoundly happy and grateful. So not all was lost, but honestly, this house is going to be the death of me yet.
Crunches: 85
Plagues visited upon me by vengeful gods: 3
For those who aren't XFiles fans and don't get the subject line reference, apparently our house is also home to cockroaches.
How did I discover this, you might ask? Well, after a glorious day at Rakkasah where I showed near Herculean self restraint, I went over to Stately Wayne Manor to play with my favorite cat nephew, Toast. Fed and watered him and the plants, and then collapsed on the couch with him until about ten. I then dragged myself home and took a nice hot shower, then watched this bizarre Japanese soap opera about a psychiatric hospital. At about 12:30 a.m. I started to stumble to bed. Flipping on the hall light I looked down to notice a rather odd black shape on the carpet. "Ah, cricket." I thought, and prepared to capture and relocate it. On closer inspection I realized my error and backed quickly away. Grabbing a shoe I came back and gave it what I thought would be a quick death. No such luck, it continued to wiggle it's legs and stare at me accusingly.
I opened the garage door to grab the broom and dustpan and there was another one running across the floor. I gave a little aborted shriek, grabbed the broom and slammed the door. Scooped up my kill and relocated it to the trash, and shuddering with revulsion, practically ran to my room. I searched it thoroughly for any signs of the invaders and was mostly satisfied. Sleep came *very* slowly as I tried desperately not to think of more of them scuttling around the place.
So, first spiders in the tub, then slugs from hell, now cockroaches. What's next? Locusts?
Yesterday I procured some roach bait/poison and filled the garage and some hiding places in the kitchen and office. I then spoke with the housemate regarding our new anti-roach tactics which include keeping the place free of crumbs and other food particles for them to eat. I think the upper cabinets should be ok, as they're elevated and sealed and don't appear to have any holes in them. The drawers and lower cabinets, however, are not.
At this point it looks like I'll be calling the landlord again and seeing if we can get an exterminator in. I'm sure their response will be to fumigate the place, which means that we'll be out of our house for several days and everything we own will be impregnated with the chemicals. And lucky me, I'm highly sensitive to most pesticides, woo!
I'm beginning to think I'm cursed. Any time I care profoundly about anyone or anything I come to regret it. Perhaps I'm meant to become a Zen Buddhist and simply give up on all personal relationships and possessions. I'll consider that for retirement.
Sorry to start the week with a rant, and yes some wonderful things did happen this weekend too. Got to spend time with a good number of my friends and take pictures of my gorgeous housemate in her newly acquired belly dance costumes (insert wolf whistle here). Must get my desktop up and running to I can download them! And I heard that
elo_sf was doing better and might not have to be hospitalized which made me profoundly happy and grateful. So not all was lost, but honestly, this house is going to be the death of me yet.Crunches: 85
Plagues visited upon me by vengeful gods: 3
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 12:43 pm (UTC)It's the only way to be sure.
Re:
Date: 2002-07-29 01:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 02:46 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2002-07-29 02:49 pm (UTC)I am contemplating Praying Mantises, though. I love those critters and I'd adore having them gobble up all the offending roaches.
no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 03:52 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2002-07-29 04:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 04:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 09:22 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2002-07-30 07:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-07-30 10:56 am (UTC)it's very bright
Date: 2002-07-30 12:20 pm (UTC)And, uh, you can see it Sunday! Matching my costume and everything. I even found lipstick in about the same shade, though I'm not sure I'm quite crazed enough to use it.
Oh, and go ahead and use the Callisto yell--I think I'd appreciate seeing that, too. ^_~
no subject
Date: 2002-07-31 10:57 am (UTC)Don't worry, though, she's canonically the BHA regardless of the technicality of whatever color she's currently sporting.
no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 04:34 pm (UTC)If you won't unleash your inner Callisto in the home, then you and BHA shall have to come to NERO.
Re:
Date: 2002-07-29 04:38 pm (UTC)heh
Date: 2002-07-30 12:14 pm (UTC)I'm still not sure about this mosquitos thing, though.
no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 03:21 pm (UTC)Meep.
Re:
Date: 2002-07-29 03:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-07-29 09:24 pm (UTC)As a nit to pick--I think cockaroaches are coprophagi; Carpophage was the small black and chitinous Marx brother. He didn't get to be in many of the films.
Toast, Great Hunter of Roaches
Date: 2002-07-29 06:43 pm (UTC)I think that you can also get them with the anti-ant trick of soapy water. Soapy water in a spray bottle is a good and clean way of removing ants.
Cats aren't so good against the armored slugs in the backyard, though. Too bad that they require too much preparation for human escargot. At least the ducks would be happy (maybe you could borrow some of them, too... snail removal and fertilizer service all in one).
I was a chemist in a previous life, and now generally fear harsh chemicals. It's amazing how similar nerve gas is to common insecticides... in fact, some of the classic nerve gasses began as insecticides and were deemed too dangerous for the little buggers, so they used them on the bigger ones instead. THerefore, they're fine tihngs to avoid.
Re: Toast, Great Hunter of Roaches
Date: 2002-07-30 08:00 am (UTC)