Roaches on Steroids

We certainly have our fair share of roaches in Mississippi but this week I have been thinking of my best friend Bess who HATES roaches.  The roaches here are pretty good size, most of then 2 - 3 inches.  Steven always says they are on steroids because once a week a man comes by the house and sprays bug killer in all of the drains.  Steven's theory is that the roaches here eat that stuff and it just makes them stronger. I must tell you one thing I will not miss in the Philippines is the roaches and the ants!

Anyway Bess, last week I went into the kitchen to get something and as I turned on the light there was a huge, I mean BIG roach, right on top of my kitchen counter - disgusting! My precious husband will come and kill them for me but he was laying down and I didn't want to disturb him and besides the roach might have gotten away.  Well, he saw me and crawled onto the front of my drawer which yes, was open a bit.  I tried to kill him with my foot, but missed. The roach dived into the drawer that has some knives in a silverware tray.  I jerked open the drawer and that roach was trying his best to crawl under the knives which was impossible! Hum, got him - think quick.  He was just crawling, his legs digging, trying to get through that plastic tray.  So, I picked up the scissors and yep - I cut that sucker right in half!  And I just left the drawer open cause I didn't want to clean it out that night - dead halved roach and all.  Well, when I got up the next morning only the bigger half was still in the drawer.  My friends the ants finally helped in a worth while way by getting rid of the smaller portion which contained the legs. 

Then, I was cleaning out the cabinets in the kitchen.  I was up on a stool and picked up a tall wine bottle that I hung my angel food cakes on upside down to cool.  Yep, Bess, right inside that wine bottle was another Grandaddy!!  And he was trying to dig his way out of that glass bottle.  They might be able to see well but they are just plum stupid!  Gallant Steven came to the rescue and drowned that fellow - they can't swim either!

Last week I decided that the mattress on our bed was aiding to my back pain.  We had sold the bed and so were going to have to move to the floor this week anyway to get rid of the bed.  So, we made us a pallet on the floor with some firm pieces of foam - quite comfy and much better on my back.  Well, Bess, the very first night Steven and I are laying there reading and he jumps up quickly (which was quite a feat off of the floor) and swats the wall.  "What was that, I ask?"  Yep, a roach, the Grandmother! Now listen, I haven't seen roach one in our bedroom until we moved our bed onto the floor.  Thank the good Lord that I was tired that night and so went right off to sleep.

But the next night, I came into the dining room to cover my cake which was cooling.  As I was coming down the hall another Grandaddy entered from the kitchen into the dining room and he saw me.  He ran under the table and I was yanking chairs, trying to get to him. All I could think about was that guy might make it into my bedroom tonight!  I missed him as I think he climbed in between some wood pieces on the floor that hold up the table.  Oh no, he can get under my door! Feeling somewhat defenseless, I resorted to prayer as I asked God to keep the roaches out of my room!

And then this is the icing on the cake!  Yesterday I'm sitting at the table doing something on my computer.  There is a stack of napkins with the plastic still on them but the top open.  I looked up and could not believe my eyes! There crawling inside the plastic on top of the first napkin was a baby roach!!  I looked at Steven and said, "this is it, I can not believe this"!  And once again my knight in shining armor took care of that baby roach for me.  But what about all of those napkins?  And where is that Grandaddy that was under my table?  This is definitely a different kind of dependence upon the Lord than I am accustomed to,  but because I remember swiping a roach off of my head while sleeping last term, I'll keep praying for God to keep the roaches out of my room for the rest of the week!! Bess, I just know you are dying to come visit!!