Saturday, September 20, 2008

We Don't Like Spiders and Snakes!

 
Last Friday evening, Sept. 12th, Pete and Hannah entered the little bunker in the hill at about 10:30 pm.  Bug was very excited and anxious to stay in the bunker.  So she rushed her daddy down there. 
 
I hung around in the comfort of the house a while longer with Bubba.  Drowsiness began to overtake me, and I decided that I too would join them.
 
Bubba wanted to watch a movie and said he'd cut everything off and come to safety then.  The winds were really whipping but not to the potential for any real damage. 
 
Sometime after midnight, Bubba come to join us in our small little bunker.  The door is on the left hand side, standing and looking at it.  There is about a 4' wide strip of space when you first enter.  Just enough to set up a couple of lawn chairs.  Behind the lawn chairs and against the back wall are two bunk beds.  Sitting in front of the beds and facing the door, there is shelving in the left hand corner.  There Pete had placed an older TV.  On the floor was a cooler with drinks, water, and sandwich material.  Above the cooler in the middle of the front wall Pete had cut a window in the metal, on steel hinges with a bolt action fastener on the inside.  Metal down....solid.  Metal raise up on the inside of the room and you had a window.  Just large enough we could squeeze through if need be.  Chain saw on the floor under the shelving, should any trees block the actual door which opened out. 
 
So there we are.  Relaxing.  Watching the continuous coverage on KFDM.  By now I am laying on the top bunk by a sleeping Bug.  Bubba dives under us to the bottom bunk.  He lays there a couple of minutes and then he says "Hey, there's a spider web under here!"  Well, Bubba HATES spiders.  Will act plumb silly over them.  So his Daddy hands him his lighter and tells him to burn it.  Then we hear Bubba say, "there's one in there!  I burnt it's legs.  Oh, no, it's a bad one!  Black with a red dot!"  Daddy hands him a screw driver and Bubba smashes the black widow spider.  Then he uses the light to check every nook and cranny for signs of any more.  Satisfied he goes off to sleep.
 
We hear the wind pick up.  We occasionally hear a tree break and fall down the hill in front of us.  But in our bunker, I felt snug as a bug in a rug!  Judging from how well the kids slept, they did also. 
 
We lost power about 3:30 am. With no TV on I drifted on off to sleep as well.  Sometime around dawn Pete crept out and turned on the radio coverage in my car at the top of the hill.  He and Bubba had wired a speaker to it earlier on Friday. 
 
I awaken to daylight and the sound of four-wheelers coming up.  It was two of Pete's nephews who had rode down to check on us from his brother's house.  The time was 8:30 am and still rather gusty, but not threatening. 
 
Once awake, none of us could stay in there.  We all came out and went about checking things out.  Later that afternoon I told Bug to come with me and let us get out the covers we had left in the shed.  Her and her little Blackie Dog ran on ahead of me.  We get down the hill and turn to go in the bunker and suddenly Bug jumps back and hollers, "Mama, isn't that a snake?!"  Yes, it was.  Dark and solid in color from where we stood.  Right in front of the door, facing it.  Like he was just about to knock and go in.  I didn't stick around to decide if it was a moccasin or a chicken snake. 
 
The guys went right down with their guns and searched all around outside and all through inside the bunker.  No sign of the snake.  They retrieved my covers.
 
Needless to say, I decided that we will have to do routine sweeps and exterminations in that thing if we are going to continue to use it when threatening weather approaches.
 
 

 

14 comments:

  1. Yikes on bugs and spiders. I am glad that none of you got bit by either one of them. Hugs, Helen

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  2. LOL...I am soooooooo claustophobic (spelling?) that there is really no way I would go into that place...specially if I saw a spider....and specially if I saw a snake and then didn't find it LOL...guess I would just take my chances with the wind!!!!  but happy you guys had the safe place to be and could get some sleep....and that no real bad damage happened...we are blessed...for sure...hugs from KY...Ora

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  3. I'm with you; I'm not fond of spiders or snakes either! I'm not sure I could have gone back in there with the sighting of the snake, but I know I would have if it was the safest place to weather the storm

    what a cute story to share in years to come with family and friends

    betty

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  4. Well, at least you can say you had some excitement!
    Traci

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  5.  I am not very excited about spiders either, especially black widow spiders, yikes.  Now snakes I like...from a distance.

                        Julie

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  6. OH creeping me out here, shivers down my spine about the black widow! I have never run into so many since we moved out to the country. They LOVE to make their homes in the extra chicken feeders I have lined up and turned upside down outside. I found one just the other day...oh creeping me out. Hate those things! You are fortunate to have a bunker like that. After that tornado came through here my Mama said we should dig one for ourselves. I agree, I would be setting off a bug bomb in there periodically to keep the bugs out. Good to hear that everyone is okay. :) Kelly

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  7. ICK!  I remember seeing a black widow in a trash bin when I lived out in Mineola!  I was lucky and saw it first though~  I don't blame Bubba for not liking spiders!  I hate those "banana"spiders- you know the big ones that go real fast?!  YUCK.  I imagine there were a lot of snakes crawling after that (and some swimming too)  we had a lot of moccasins after Charlie and Wilma.  SOunds like y'all had a good spot though in your bunker!  God Bless you Barbara!  Love Carolyn

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  8. Hi Barb,
    I figured that my last post would 'strike a cord' with most of the women readers-- but thank your for your comment.   I revised what I posted after I read it again so that it would make more sense and clarified things.   My wife admits that she is a redneck from Ohio and that she DOES have a problem with cleaning the house.   Oh well-- no all women are equal-- just like men.  I know that thee must be an amicable solution and I will not rest until I find it.   My dad worked me hard at home and I well know how to clean things--plus the Army taught us more in that area.   I am not looking for perfection-- just a modicum of meeting people half way.   If you read my post again--it will prob make more sense, and I don't even make HALF the mess in our house.

    Tom S
    Disabled Vietnam Vet.

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  9. BARBARA, I'M SURE YOU KNOW THOSE BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS ARE BAD STUFF. PLEASE CHECK ON THEM REGULARLY.
        SOUNDS LIKE YOUR CAVE IS A GOOD PROTECTION FROM STORMS.     sam

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  10. Hmmm I do not like spiders or snakes! I would have acted like Bug!! lol Glad that you are all safe. Blessings, Janie

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  11. I hate spiders too. I am totally terrified of them. Glad everyone is safe...hugs, Christine

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  12. Well the spiders and snakes heard about your bunker and they wanted to be safe too......
    we have lots of black widows here, kill at least one a day, luckily none in the house so far...... just lots of ants.....
    Glad you are safe with stories to tell of your hurricane adventure.....
    Linda :)

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  13. Ugh, that is enough to give me the willies, especially the spider!  Ugh!  Linda

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  14. wow what color was the snake?
    spiders too!
    i love how close you all are!:)
    love,nat

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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