As I pull on my skort in preparation for a walk with the dogs, I think to myself, this is it, the last day my legs will see the sun for the next seven months. It will be unseasonably warm today, 83 degrees. Tomorrow, it will be 75, then drop to the 60’s and the 50’s by midweek. It will rain most of the week. Fall has arrived.
The insects know it, they are wandering in, looking for protection from the chill. Today, I found no less than five bees, two stink bugs, a lady bug, and at least 20 spiders. At least there were no snakes. Last year we had a snake invasion in our basement laundry room. They made a nest and every day I was killing baby snakes with the back of a shovel.
I tolerate most of the bugs, I know they are all good for something. When I’m brave, I use a glass jar and piece of paper to extract them from the house and dump them outside. Last year, we had a spider that resided above our upstairs toilet for months. We named him George and dealt with the web and little pieces of fly carcasses he would drop onto the toilet seat. When it got too cold for the flies and mosquitos, George’s meals dried up and he disappeared, just like that, overnight.
The one spider I will not tolerate is what I call the Richard Nixon. It is not dainty like the Daddy Long Legs, it has a huge body and thick legs. When cornered it will put two of its front legs together, making him seem smaller, or as if he is making the peace sign. They can bite and jump. One day, the child came up from the laundry room with one on his head. He forgave me for swatting his head. I have found them in my bath towel and in my bed. They are a horrible thing and I will call the big guy everytime to dispose of them. I do not feel bad at all.
You may wonder why we have so many bugs in our house. Well, the Swiss are excellent at many things: fondue, pharmaceuticals, banking, funiculars to mention a few. What they are not good at is comfort. They are a practical folk, not an indulgent group. So swimming pools are not heated, air conditioning is pretty much nonexistent and there are no screens on windows. Coming from Southern California, I find all of the above horrifying but that being said, in the apocalypse, I will be one of the first to go with my inability to deal with discomfort. The Swiss on the other hand, will survive along with the cockroaches. A recent report says the average Swiss believes old age begins at 80, an age that many Americans already have one foot in the grave.
Come rain or shine, I will find my fellow countrymen outside with their backpacks and walking sticks getting exercise and fresh air. They do not seem to notice or even recognize rain or wind, all of the things that will keep me indoors for the next half a year.
But today, it is beautiful and I am soaking every last bit of sunshine. I am especially patient as the dogs want to leisurely walk, sniffing every leaf and wet patch along the way. People are smiling, walking and riding bikes. The leaves have not begun to fall yet and the geraniums are still in bloom. There is a breeze, not a wind and not a bit of the humidity that marked most of the summer. It is a perfect day, the best gift ever and I will appreciate every moment of it.
Ook in Holland is de herfst op komst !
I hate the Richard Nixon spiders too! They’re nasty- not like the daddy longlegs guys who hang out peacefully eating all the small flying things in our house. As for the change in weather, it’s hard in everyone, my friend. ❤️