Kevin on Safari

He be huntin' wasps!

Wouldn't you know that we finally get the roofers here yesterday to correct and finish a job they started in May and they no sooner get started when they discover a couple of wasp dens new this summer. Oh, joy! The strange thing is that neither Kevin or I have seen a single wasp all summer. Of course, no sooner were we informed of their existence when I got stung! Man, does that hurt!

Yesterday after work, after learning about the wasp dens ... one low under the siding where the siding meets the concrete at the front side of the house and the other above our front window ... I pulled the hose out to water the garden. I did the back first and when I pulled the hose to the front of the house, rattling some soffiting parked on the sidewalk alongside the house, I saw wasps come pouring out. I'd wakened the beasts! I stayed clear until they settled down a bit and then I thought I'd walk past to turn the water off at the side of the house. Not a good idea. I was immediately stung on my little finger prompting me to drop the hose and run ... chased by several wasps ... down the street. I walked around ... in barefeet ... to the back alley where I could get into the house without walking past the nasty little things.

For a little critter they pack a lot of pain. It really hurt. I Googled. I iced. I packed on a paste of baking soda and water. Then I used toothepaste. It sticks better. More ice. Frequent ice. While I believe all those things helped, the pain didn't really fade away until earlier today. It even woke me in the night. Of course, it would have helped if I'd taken a Tylenol or something like that but I'm loathe to take painkillers ever since I had a bad reaction to Advil. Bad in that Advil once caused me to swell up like a balloon starting at my feet and working it's way up my legs and even into my chest before I went to Emergency and Doctors determined that it was the Advil I had been advised to take for a badly sprained foot. No more Advil. No more painkillers for anything unless I really, REALLY need them. Unless it's morphine, of course. I've learned to love morphine which is why I don't let myself have that either.

Anyway ... where was I? Oh yeah, wasps! Of course, the roofers won't come back until the wasps are gone ... who can blame them ... and since they're prepared to come back on Thursday provided it's safe, tonight was Wasp Safari night. Good thing it cooled down a little or it wouldn't be wasp safari night.

At this point all we can do is hope Kevin got them all. Nasty creatures!

Kevin on Safari