Spring Tasks & Invisible Spiders

Celebrate Spring!

It’s that time of year: we get the sprinkler system set up, put the first round of weed killer on the lawn, and spray for bugs. Prep for gardening too, that’s a blast. Then you get really into it and do that ‘spring cleaning’ thing with the house while you can still throw open all the windows to let the fumes escape without either heating up the house to oven-like temperatures or jacking up the electric bill to pay the AC. It’s a narrow window for fresh air inside the house and still being comfortable.

Also, spring break. I don’t want to talk about that. Hold on, if the kids are home from school, that’s more time for them to garden and clean. Hmm. This idea has merit. Except The Girl is freaked out about spring cleaning because she saw a spider in the house the other day. One.

Hubby has foolishly labeled these indoor spiders ‘the ones that match the carpet’ so I’m waiting for the day that The Girl figures out that means they’re camouflaged. On one hand, I’m looking forward to watching her navigate the house without stepping on the floor. On the other hand, she’s already slightly neurotic and feeling surrounded by ‘invisible’ spiders is unlikely to help.

I have never seen one of these spiders on the floor. (It doesn’t mean they’re never on the floor, just that I’ve never caught them there.) I’m prepared to cite this as ‘proof’ that these particular spiders (just some harmless garden spider, they’re not even that big) prefer to be on walls. I’ve never seen them on the ceiling either – further evidence to support my theory. This should placate her budding arachnophobia when it rears its head. Maybe. As long as I can keep her logical little brother out of the fray, or her ‘helpful’ father.  

The Boy has his own issues. He’ll deal with his own spiders, thank you very much. He has a Y-chromosome and he’s willing to demonstrate its usefulness. The Boy’s issue is that he dislikes being outside. Seriously, the kid redefines ‘pasty’ as a description. His sister likes to tease him that he glows in the dark. This is part of the reason why he’ll willingly blow holes in my ‘spiders like the walls’ theory. Or he’ll trade her jobs and stick her with his share of gardening duties, then point out there are more spiders outside than inside.

No, we are not taking bets on this.