Title: Washing and wasps.
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Blog Entry: Now that spring has sprung here in New York I spend as much time as possible outdoors. Although I do have workman do some of the work on my property, there are things I do myself. I like using the power washer. It's an adult reason to get grubby and wet on a warm day. As a bonus, the outdoor furniture and the brickwork get clean. That's how I planned to spend today. Mother nature had other plans. Everytime I got started, yellow jackets (wasps) would start buzzing around too close for comfort. I would duck, bob and weave, flail my arms like a windmill, shout childishly for Momma, and finally complete the 20 yard dash to the front door. It was not pretty. I would sneak back out, avoiding the yellow jacket radar and continue the task, within a few minutes I would have to repeat my newly acquired skills...bob, weave, windmill, call Mommy and dash. It was feeling a lot like a workout at the gym not to mention a ridiculous display for anyone passing by. I can hear everyone telling me that the yellow jackets are more afraid of me than I am of them. Ummm....nope. The other statement is if you don't bother them, they won't bother you. Once again, untrue. I've only been stung once, but I was at an outdoor service and had my hands folded in my lap when I was divebombed and stung on the back of my hand. I didn't get ill, but son of a gun that hurt like the devil for hours. My reaction is involuntary. I'm not entirely sure I can control my flight instinct and I'm not inclined to make the effort. I'm not generally a scaredy-cat. I can handle most insects, including spiders. I don't even kill them. I pick them up on a piece of paper and remove them to the outdoors. Yellow jackets are my achilles heel. I called the pest control company. The bug-boys will be here on Thursday. Since the yellow jackets are pollinators, I will have the nests removed. Yellow jacket home-wrecking is okay, but pesticides are not. In the meantime, I'm using this blogging time to avoid my tiny little nemeses but my cleaning job is only half done. I really have to go back outside and finish up, but I think I'll have a sandwich first, perhaps a cup of coffee, do a load of laundry, watch a game show, make dinner...who am I kidding? The yellow jackets win this round.
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