A Spider Sat Down Besider Her

Hubby, upon leaving the bathroom:  "Is there a reason your loofah is outside the shower and on the floor?"
Me, in my low and logical voice"  "I used it to save a spider."
Hubby, in his married 30 years, no explanations needed voice: "Oh."

I don't kill bugs.  My husband knows it, our kids know it, most of our family and friends know it.  In fact, I actually go out of my way to save bugs.  

Three days ago, before cleaning the bathtub, I chased a spider around with a tissue for five minutes just so I wouldn't accidentally swoosh it down the drain.  Normally, I try to get the little buggers to climb onto a piece of paper or folded towel, but this fella was having none of that.  I carefully caught him in a cup of tissue and then set him free to wander outside.

A little extreme you think?  Perhaps.  But do we get crushed by a giant ogre whenever we get lost?

Painting the fence last week was horrible.  Not because of the 90 degree heat or 85% humidity, but because little critters kept hopping into the paint tray!!  Suicide by whitewash!  Devastating to watch!  And I was complicit..........

I accidentally squished a Daddy Longlegs recently, moving some wood in the garden.  The guilt still lingers.

When my daughter was in fourth grade, part of her science grade was contingent upon submitting a bug collection.  (OMG)  Yes, I'm the wacky mother who wrote a note asking she be excused from the assignment because of my beliefs.  Her teacher was very understanding.  She requested my daughter do a one page report on ten different bugs.  I guarantee Stac learned more about bugs by doing those reports than if she had hunted the poor creatures down and skewered their bodies to cardboard.

Three years later, when my son had the same teacher and the same assignment came home, a note was clipped to it.  "I remember.  Kevin can do the reports." 

I don't know if my kids kill bugs now.  They're all adults with homes of their own.  They follow their own consciences.  I do know they are lovely and caring people.  I hope, hope that still extends to bugs.

PS:   Okay, in full disclosure, I do kill mosquitoes and I put flea & tick medicine on the cat and dog. There's an assault rational at work in those instances.