Under Attack

Some of y'all might know my ridiculous, um...fear?, or hate?...of clicker beetles. HATE. With a passion. And for some reason they know this. And they come for me. I remember I had never even heard of a clicker beetle before I had kids. Seriously. Before that, roaches were my biggest nemesis. (and they still are high up on the list, have no fear) But all of the sudden, the summer of 2005 (and I only remember the year b/c it was right after Brooke was born), they seemed to be EVERYWHERE! And they annoy you with this little clicking sound that sounds like someone tapping their fingernail occasionally on the tabletop. So you know they are there. They mess with your head. You know it. You hear them. But you can't see them. They freaked me out. And I would always hear one and beg Brad to find them and kill them! He got annoyed with me often. Told me I needed to be on Dr Phil show (that's another funny story for a later time) and rolled his eyes at me. I remember sitting in my chair nursing Brooke to sleep at night one time begging him to find the clicker beetle that I could hear clicking away. He did his normal eye roll and said, "what... its not like they fly or any......." and right then...before he could even finish his sentence, that stupid, attacking insect, flew from across the room straight at me and my innocent baby! He knew I was stranded! I was nursing the baby and couldn't move fast. I think I screamed. I think Brad laughed. It was not pretty. And ever since....me and clicker beetles have been at war.

Anyway, hate them so much...they disgust me. So much so, I was going to share a picture of one to go along with this post. But I couldn't bear to even look at an image of one! Yuk. So, do your own google search. I would relate it to a certain friend I have with a fear of geckos. Yea, G...I'm talking about you!

Ok. Back to today's story. The clicker beetles haven't been *too* bad the last few years. Not like that first summer I learned of them..that was the worst. But every once in a while, we still have them. So anyway, my dog - Bailey - ALWAYS finds them for me. I know, without a doubt in my mind, when he jumps up and starts sniffing around wildly, whining, and carrying on....there is a clicker beetle. I like to think he looks out for me. :P

I will share a sweet picture of my protector, Bailey...

However, my husband apparently does not know this. He still doubts our clicker beetle hunter. He rolls his eyes at Bailey when he 'finds' one about as much as he rolls his eyes at me when I demand he look for it.

So, last night, right when we laid down, Bailey goes at it. He is going crazy sniffing, carrying on..at the window right above our headboard. (which is where they always seem to find a way in at) I make Brad get up and look for it. 'Cause I KNOW its there. I know it. Bailey knows it. We just have to find it. Brad, however, only half-heartedly looks for it, as usual. If he doesn't find it on the first easy swoop of the window or surrounding areas, he tries to fake Bailey out. He grasps up air into his hand and pretends he has a bug cupped inside his hand. And then takes it to the door or window with Bailey following along all excitedly. He thinks that if he does that Bailey will give up, thinking its gone. Bailey, however, is not dumb. He is a poodle you know. ;)

I believe last night, Brad did something similar. And after the initial excitement, Bailey went back to the window and tried to alert us of an attack. Brad yelled at him, making him quit sniffing around and so Bailey hunkered down for the night. I gave up too, despite my better judgment....

Then this morning, as I wake peaceful and calm to the sounds of my beautiful children playing in their rooms with quiet voices.... I stretch. I yawn. I think about lying in bed a while longer. I feel the need to scratch my head just a bit.....

when ....

I feel it.....

... A FREAKING CLICKER BEETLE IN MY HAIR!!!!!

So much for my lazy waking up! I jump up frantically. I try to get it out with minimal touching of it...but, its trapped in my hair!!!....

I swear it takes me 5 minutes to get it out (ok...really, it was probably 10 seconds...but 10 very long, agonizing, panic-stricken seconds) and it gets tossed to the floor. Bailey is right there on top of it. But it crawls/flies away quickly under a DVD cabinet.

In the meantime, I am disgusted and go get in the shower right away. Ewwww! yuk. Can't take it. It was crawling on my scalp! Ok. Have to stop talking about it now..getting grossed out again.

Bailey stays in our bedroom the good part of the morning trying to get the thing back out of hiding to no avail. Brad comes home at lunch...and yea, he owes me. And Bailey. BIG TIME.

We have yet to find the evil thing. I'm thinking I might sleep in Brooke's bed tonight.....