Swamp creatures

My house has been plagued with swamp creatures. Ever since our basement has been under water - since the record-breaking rain at the end of March - we've had ants and crickets and spiders like never before and I think it's because they're comimg up from the inhospitable environs of the lower level, to our dryer, more comfortable main floor. Yuck!

Just this week I was in an upstairs bathroom cleaning when suddenly I came upon a humongous cricket, all speckled and brown and ugly as only crickets can be. I mean, what is up with those long spindly legs anyway? I really dislike those things. Anyway, as is usually the case, as soon as I tried to squash it the creature lept four feet to the left and totally evaded my efforts, never to be seen again. I know he's out there somewhere and every time I round a corner I expect to see him awaiting my next move. They are by for the most frustrating things to rid the house of and one needs extreme stealth and cunning to get one.

Ants have also been a problem but at least I can toss ant traps around and eventually they'll disappear. Of course in the time it takes for those to work I spend a good deal of my time stepping on, throwing at, or thumb squashing those invaders at an alarming rate. I refuse to touch them with my bare hands so spotting one means a race to grab a paper towel before it disappears into a crack in the woodwork. It's a constant battle between woman and beast these days and I'll be glad when the basement dries out and they can continue to live in peace down in the darkness.

Occasionally I think how nice it might be to live in a city where crawly creatures are not as apt to invade, but then I remember roaches. Eeewww~!