Seeing Red…

I walked outside this week, and there it was…my nemesis.

How could this be happening? It was only the second week of February! But there he was, nonetheless…a red wasp. I sighed, because I understood the battle was ready to begin and, because of a very mild winter, it will apparently be a long one.

It may surprise you to learn a red wasp has never stung me. So, why the hatred? I’ve seen them sting friends and family. They have stung my children (Marshall, in particular, seems to react badly to stings, which usually cause him to run fever and require antibiotics.) But mostly, my hatred toward them comes from my childhood. They caused me to get the worst spanking I ever remember.

My memory is of a hot summer day. My brother Ben and I were playing on the swing set in my grandmother’s backyard. There were some red wasps flying to and from a nest on Wowo’s house. At some point, Ben picked up a water hose to get a drink (yes, we did that back then), and I had the bright idea that the wasps would probably leave us alone and go away if he were to squirt them (all of them…on the nest) with the water hose. They didn’t appreciate that. I know…poor Ben.

I honestly didn’t know they would attack him. But I think, somewhere in the middle of Ben’s crying and wailing from the wasp stings, and my crying and wailing from the spanking Mom was giving me, I heard her say something about, “You’re old enough to know better.” Stupid wasps.

And that is why I hate red wasps. And that is why I do battle with them every year. I think whoever invented the wasp spray that will shoot 15-20 feet is brilliant. I’m surprised it wasn’t Ben who did it.

Enjoy the beautiful weather, and remember to thank an advertiser. I think I’ll start with the pest control company!

Until next time ~ Karen