I’m not easily creeped out by bugs or rodents. Cockroaches rarely give me the heebie-jeebies, and the willies generally avoid me unless the spider is especially large. Sightings of mice bring on nary a shiver — I think they’re cute. And bats? No big whoop. They’re little acrobats, furry and adorable, diving and swooping through our neighborhood each evening.
But somewhere in my house tonight there lurks a spider. It is black and hairy, and well over an inch long. I assure you I’m not exaggerating, because although I did not have the chance to kill the beast, somehow I managed to measure it. It so impressed me that I even pulled out my camera and snapped a few (very blurry) shots as it crawled across the vaulted ceiling of our family room, then described it in detail over the phone when my brother called. The moment I hung up I set about dealing with it, broom in hand to brush it off the ceiling, heavy shoes on my feet to stomp it lest it survive the banging bristles.
Only to find that it had crawled into a crevice I could not reach.
I decided to wait it out. I made breakfast, took a shower, surfed the internet. And then I looked up again, and this time it was gone.
Everywhere I go, I picture the giant creature crawling out between the cushions on which I sit, rappelling onto my neck from a corner of the ceiling, scuttling out from behind the flour when I reach into the pantry for dinner supplies. And judging by the crawling skin on my back at the very thought of the hairy monster lying in wait, I am apparently not immune to the jitters after all.
Update: Did a little research before bed. (Yeah, bad idea. I know. Google Images + Big, Hairy, Fugitive Spiders do not make for sweet dreams.) At any rate, I think it’s a wolf spider. Aren’t they lovely? Don’t you wish you had one hiding in your house right now, lying in wait for you to go to bed so that it can come out and do whatever wolf spiders do to their sleeping victims?
that is NOT a friendly-looking spider — or is that an oxymoron?
“Rappelling onto my neck”–what a creepy, creepy thought. (Love the line though!)
Good luck in your spider hunt! (Better you than me!)
I had one land on my leg while cleaning… I screamed so loud and long, I lost my voice for three days!
aaah. the wolf spider. I was once called to my girlfriends to deal with one that had so totally freaked her out. Even after donning spider-getting- gear which consisted of many layers of various clothing from her coat closet I couldn’t stuff my own heebie-jeebies and we had to call in her mother to help.
You are infinitely braver than I.
Since this was written last night, please sign in Caryn.
Slouching Mom, that’s why I had the willies. It looked like it wanted to eat someone–probably one of my cats, but I could have been its target, too.
Thanks, Barrie! Glad you liked it. That’s what creeped me out the most–the thought of it landing on me and me not even knowing. I kept thinking I felt it crawling across my skin.
LOL, Tink! I can see why–it wasn’t just the spider, I’m sure, but the surprise of its suddenly being their.
Sarah, after seeing that sucker I so can’t blame you! Her mother is bravest of all–assuming she killed the thing?
I’m here, Larramie! Thanks for checking. It made me smile. 🙂
I don’t like spiders, but big ones give me the willies.
So, did you find it?
Not yet, Dru! And I’m even sitting in a chair that’s almost directly under where the thing was last seen.
All I can say is “Ick Ick Icky Ick!!!”
Umm, and sweet dreams.
Spiders suck. We have tons of them in the beautiful PNW and I have no problem crunching them up. Thanks for stopping by my blog!