Where Are My Teeth?

My shop is full of wasps

I can only wish that were a line from a bad phrasebook.

This morning, when I went out to nip a few inches off either end of the board that will protect the bottom of the front door, there was a buzzing sound and a lone wasp zigzagging above me. As I looked for an extension cord to plug in the chopsaw there were two, then three, then four.

Probably the next thing I did was stupid: I got the bug spray and went out to the balcony outside my office, where I'd seen wasps gathering under the vinyl siding a few weeks back (maybe I should have sprayed then). I gave the area a few good shots, making sure to get up under the siding and trim. Then I went down to the shop, (quickly) dosed the wall and ceiling on the indoor side of the balcony, and left closing the door behind me.

Two or three hours later back out to the shop to cut that wood at last. Mistake. Wasps in the air, wasps on the electric heater hanging from the ceiling, wasps on the I-beam that holds up the office floor above. Wasps clinging to the light fixtures. All of them ill-disposed toward me.

More bug spray, more closed door. Maybe tomorrow morning it will be safe out there...

Posted by wallich at September 24, 2003 04:41 PM