I WAS BIT

by a Black Widow last week. It was way more excitement than I'm used to. I slipped on some shoes that were sitting by my front door and went outside to load the girls into the van. When I made it to the van I felt a sting on my foot. When I pulled my foot out there was a black smudge on my skin and a long skeleton looking black leg. Then I found the yucky carcass smashed inside my shoe. Trying not to panic, I call my Mom who remains calm and says to take some Benadryl if I have any symptoms. Tyler was of course out in the field that day and unavailable by phone. So, I call my friend Millie who is a nurse. She proceeds to make me panic and drive to the ER.

Long story short, always check your shoes. Go to the ER if you have symptoms (which luckily I did not). Typically symptoms start within an hour of being bit. Their is an anti-virus, but it makes you sicker than the bite so they will only give it to you when your symptoms are life threatening. The actual bite hurts for days.

My TO DO list:
1. Clean out behind flower pots near front door-CHECK (and found a huge black widow egg sack)
2. Clean out and spray near front door-CHECK
3. Replace old weather striping on front door-CHECK (there was plenty of space for the spider and his friends to walk right in.
4. Have entire house sprayed by a professional-Appointment on Tuesday.