Before we moved here in February of 2005 we had closed on the house in December of 2004. The house had been vacated and on the market for about 7-9 months previous. That is a long time for bugs and spiders to take up residence. Two weeks before we moved in the realtor let the “bug man” in to spray.

We are on a first name relationship with the bug man. It is Marty, respectively. Marty is a nice, early 30's, gentleman with a young family……….getting off subject here…..and Marty KNOWS bugs!Every 3 months Marty comes and sprays the inside of the house, garage, and the outer perimeter of both.

It is a good thing that we have an ongoing contract with him. Have you seen those Madagascar cock roaches? We get some that are just a bit smaller than those! When we first moved her there were roaches EVERYWHERE…in the closets, bathrooms, kitchen, downstairs, It was just gross! I am thinking it is about time to call Marty again, because this week I have seen 2 roaches and a spider in the house.

Speaking of spiders……………. Last year in March I had been out late at a FamilyLife women's meeting. I was coming down the driveway, opened the garage door and saw some leaves on the floor. I didn't think much about it until I saw one of those leaves crawl. It was not a leaf…I pulled the van a little closer so the headlights would hit it. My worst fear had come to pass!!!! It was the largest spider I had ever seen outside of an aquarium/cage!!!! I knew it had to be a tarantula. At 10:30 in the night I am laying on the horn so Mike will come out….. He comes outside looking at me like I am crazy and when I tell him, he kinds of shrugs me off like I would make up how large this spider was. He took one look at that spider and his eyes got as big as golf balls! He squished it and I could hear it from inside the van. It was disgusting. We found out it was a Missouri Wolf spider. My question was why was it in Arkansas?!?!

I was told that there are alligators in the rivers in southern Arkansas. I will take extra precaution and keep this God-fearing body out of any water other than my shower or swimming pool!

Before we moved here we were told about the scorpions, tarantulas, black widows, and brown recluses. Oh, did I mention the copperheads, rattlesnakes, and cottonmouths?? Speaking of copperheads…….

One of the first people I met here has become a dear friend. Her youngest daughter was playing in their backyard. She went around the fence to get something and when she did she came back saying she had hit a thorn with her toe. That thorn turned out to be a Copperhead snake with fang marks an inch apart. What is creepy is that they did not even see the snake. It apparently struck her and got away quickly. When they took Meredith to the ER she was given IV antibiotics and the Dr. said it looked like a “classic” copperhead bite. This happened on Saturday. As of yesterday she was having swelling in her leg and her leg was blue about half way up.

Lovely, as if the spiders and scorpions aren't enough to gross and creep you out, now we have to be concerned about the little ones getting bit on the toe by a “thorn.”

There is much to be said about flowers and trees in this state. Today is the first time I have had my windows opened this week. Already, there is a yellow layer of pollen on the window ledges and dressers near the window. A black truck across the street temporarily has a yellow hood. It is pretty but disgusting as the pollen has caused me to be itchy, sneezing, coughing, and have itchy eyes, not to mention the headaches and upset stomach, and dizziness. (thank goodness for Claritin D, and Nasocort!)

…………and I thought Indiana was bad……………………]]>