Tuesday, March 8, 2011

It comes with the territory.

This morning, I got up early and went to the gym. When I got home, Jason had already given the kids breakfast, and I got busy rounding up the kids' school uniforms and finishing up our whole morning thing.

Jason asked if I wanted to go shower first, since I'd worked out and I told him to go ahead. I was being lazy, and figured I'd get to it later.

Never have I been more thankful for my questionable hygiene. Cause look what Jason unwittingly took a shower with:
As he was finishing up his shower, he glanced up at the window, which runs the length of our tiny bathroom, and into the shower stall. And, hello Huntsman Spider. Now, if you click on that link, it'll tell you that Huntsman are found in many parts of the world, but are very common in this part of Australia. They are not considered dangerous to humans, but if they bite you it'll hurt. But they don't really bite unless provoked. So, always let them have the remote, laugh at their jokes, and never steal their parking space, I guess.

We haven't found a Huntsman in the house for a few years, but they sure get your attention when they decide to show up. But can I tell you that I would prefer this many, many times over a recurrence of The Rodent Invasion of 2010? I have still not fully recovered from The Pantry Incident. Let's change the subject.

Now, if it'd been me showering and finding the spider, I would've probably run shrieking and wet through the house--terrorizing the children and possibly our neighbors. Jason had the presence of mind to dry off and get dressed before coming downstairs and telling us that we needed to all come check the spider out. Which we did.



Look at Nate's face--he really wants to think this is cool. But he's just not too sure.

Most people prefer to catch Huntsman spiders and release them, cause they kill other bugs--cockroaches, especially. So, on their way to school, Jason and the kids stopped at the bottom of our driveway and let him go. But first I think they blindfolded him and spun him around a few times so he wouldn't find his way back to the house.

Now, all you true blue Aussie readers will tell me, I'm sure, how Huntsmen are no big deals, that you used to let them sit on your shoulder while you ate your toast and Vegemite. I know! I'm a Yankee wimp--we have established that. I embrace it as part of my identity.

I wish all spiders well, as long as they live their full, productive lives not crawling on my wall. Is that too much to ask? Probably.

15 comments:

  1. I say again, OMG HOLD ME PLZ!

    You know, I bet Jason was actually happy when he saw that spider.

    And does your reference to the Pantry Incident mean that you are able to go in there now?

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  2. WOW, that dude is HUGE!

    That spider would have been a shin banger or a head cracker for me. I would have seen it in the shower, run out of the shower like screaming like a little kid, slipped and banged my shins or cracked my head.

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  3. Eek, eek, eek! That is one BIG spider! All the hair on the back of my neck is standing on end. God bless Jason.

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  4. Oh wow! That is...huge..and gross..and slightly beautiful! I would have freaked out if it had been me. Thankfully we have our men in this world to deal with such experiences. I like your site!

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  5. Can I just say that I love your husband!! Really, is that ok to say? Cuz you know I don't mind if you say it about mine.. :)

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  6. And I'm with your sister..I can totally see Jason grinning from ear to ear when he saw that spider..I bet he even started hatching a plan to scare the you know what out of you..but then he too remembered the pantry incident. :)

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  7. We might live amongst the beasts but I never get used to big fat hairy spiders in my home...uuuggggh

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  8. Oh dear. As an Aussie I unkindly sniggered. Seriously. That poor thing is a baby. Up here we've had them the size of a bread & butter plate ~ but I grew up with funnel webs & they are something to seriously worry about!!! Meanwhile we have snakes in the house. They help keep the mice down. Did I mention we're semi~rural & we get plagues of the rotten things at times! Better the snakes than the cats. If the cats catch the mice I can't stand it & we have these inhouse shenanigans wherein I need to catch both cat & mouse so the mouse can be set free outside! I know. But they cry!

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  9. That's a cool spider!

    (...she said from thousands of miles away.)

    I think getting up early to go to the gym scares me more than big spiders. You're a hero as far as I'm concerned.

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  10. Oh my holy SPIDER. Honestly, I would sleep in a nest of rats if I never had to meet that spider in person.

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  11. We have just got to Kiama and mum has an equal sized one living between the flyscreen and her window by her bed - dont think she is too impressed!!!

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  12. Amy, I have an idea. "Act" like you're more afraid of the spider than the rat...this will totally throw Jason off and he'll have nothin on you anymore (our lil secret;).

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  13. Yep, that's a humdinger of a spider! Just think of all the floors/ceilings he had to cross to get to your shower . That's a creepy thought. Lucky for you Jason is there to catch it and set it free. I would have feared out.

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  14. Bleaaaagrggghghhrhghgh!
    My experiences with Huntsmens in Aus were thusly:

    One crawled on me while I was on a ladder picking oranges. I'm extremely thankful that I was not at the TOP of said ladder, because my instinct in dealing with spiders is to scream like a little girl and jump backwards.

    The (normally very nice) hostess we were staying with in Sydney called both my friend and myself up to the 2nd floor of the house without telling us why. Then she pointed out an enormous one on the wall. My reaction was, you guessed it, to scream like a little girl and jump backwards, knocking my friend down half a flight of stairs.

    It could be said that spiders and I don't get on.

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  15. You are never supposed to lead a post with a picture of a horrid spider. You need to WARN people so we can give it a pass. Now I've got the heebie jeebies.

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