04 January 2008

Holy Jumping Jehosephat Batman!

Last night we had a 1am unsettled period that unfortunately included screaming from our nearly 19-month old (see post to follow in the next day or two). This was potentially caused by a visit from a cricket. We’d watched a bit of Pan’s Labyrinth (which involves a cricket), then strangely we heard a loud chirp around bed time – it must have been just outside our open window. Then it poured with rain for a bit, and it must have decided to come inside (damn Sydney and it’s lack of flyscreens!). At 1am, when I got up to E-chan, I heard a rather loud chirp coming from our kitchen. Poor Little E-chan’s arms tightened around my neck in fear. We turned on the light and sure enough, there was a massive (7cm long) cricket on out kitchen ceiling.

As C-chan reminded me as he went about resettling E-chan, I did a science degree, so why on earth was I afraid of the thing? (this of course was just to cover up his own fear!) I managed to muster the thing down the wall and into the paper recycling bag we have slung over the door handle using a cunning switch of different household lights. I didn’t want any of the following to happen: a) insecticide use (how can we be sure E-chan wouldn’t absorb the chemicals?); b) to have a faster than lightening large insect flitting around our lounge room causing a flap as our difficult-to-settle son was nearly asleep in the next room; c) to have a squashed cricket on our wall; d) to have to touch the damn thing as it was making my half-asleep hair stand on end.

In then end it seemed to settle in our recycling bag, and was carried out this morning we assume, as we haven’t seen it since. Such a cowardly and anticlimactic end to my story - lacking in bravery or even university-educated rationality. But at 2am this giant bug was frightening, I assure you!!

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