It's after midnight...

...well, it was, at 12:35 this morning. I don't know what it is about this hour that has me waking so early when I try for an early night, but there I am. Awake. On with the story...

It's dark. It's cold (God bless A/C). It's a little creepy.

The mission, should I choose to accept it, is to rescue the DLL currently stuck in the tub.

(DLL ~ Daddy Long Legs, yes, that's a spider)

DLL made it's way into the room the day before, settling itself in the corner. Fine. There are bugs in the house that need eating. Unfortunately for DLL, it apparently developed a thirst and headed for the bathtub. As others before it, sliding in was easy, but escaping was proving impossible.

There are two options: Rescue the poor sucker or allow it to stay in the tub where it would make me scream later when I found it in the tub, and then I'd feel guilty for drowning it.

*Necessary background information: I kept house spiders in my window, for years, to keep the bugs out of my bedroom. Silly things even had babies from time to time. They didn't bother me, and I didn't bother them. However, I don't handle it well when they stray, like across my foot. I tend to flip out, and then there is a dead spider. So sad. And I feel guilty.

I accepted the mission. I hunted down a paper cup, the mouth being just big enough to catch my prey. Then I took a paper towel and folded it into quarters, the perfect fit for the top. And so the hunt began. It was short lived. After several attempts to elude the cup, I slipped it over the top of the wily creature, slithered the paper towel between the cup and the tub wall, and voila! Outside we went. I laid the cup in the flowers at the front of the house, and hoped for the best.

Imagine my father's confusion as I entered the house, at almost one in the morning, in my bathrobe. Somethings really do need to be explained, though with me, all was understood when I said, "Spider." Oh. Rescuing again. Yep. Can't seem to help myself.

Was God preparing me? You be the judge.

At four this afternoon, I saw a black blob on the kitchen floor move, while I was making pizza for my dinner. If it was a roach, it was dead; no questions asked. Too bad, so sad. Nasty, filthy bugs.

Nope, a cricket. They sing, at night.

*More necessary background information ~ I am terrified of hoppy things within the insect family, with good reason. My father and God have both been the source of unpleasant experiences with the miserable creatures.

Still, it was trying to move away from me. Another cup. This time, a piece of scrap paper (it's less likely to bend than a paper towel). Another successful capture. Sorry, the pity ended there. No careful release in the flower garden. That being said, I did not throw it out on the carport. I did take it all the way to the side yard, and then I tossed it from the cup. It did survive the drop.

Now, the question begs to be asked: What will I be asked to rescue next?