Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Insect Insomnia

So when you can't sleep you are supposed to write lists and dismiss worrying thoughts from your head. You are supposed to do something mundane and repetitive. You are supposed to make sure the room is free of extraneous noise... like wasps making nests in the roof space above the ceiling.

The thing is only I could hear them. At first I thought it was a moth caught in the room frantically searching for the window in the dark. But there was no moth. Then I thought it sounded a little like softly dripping water. But the rain had stopped. Then I thought the house was settling. This was a little worrying. Then I realised - insects.

Now, at last, Hodmandod Senior can hear them too (but only when he listens). I can hear them all the time: an almost continual shifting and scurrying. It is in exactly the same place as they were a few years ago. Last night I climbed into the loft to investigate. Below the scattered remnants of the old nest another grows. It is beautiful in its own way but it will have to go. Last time the wasp nest eradicator told us they settled down at night. But I have to report they do not. They are as restless in their sleep as I am in mine. Perhaps they have their own insect worries. For a couple of hours I have endured ear plugs and now I have given up and write this. I am hoping it will be an exorcism. But outside the dawn has come.

8 Comments:

Blogger Kirsty said...

Someone came to my blog the other day wondering about the activities of crows at 4am. I forgot to see what time they visited, I suspect it was near the time you wrote this post.

Why can't wasps (and crows) be like dogs in their sleep patterns? Shhh.

Tue Jun 19, 07:57:00 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clare,

This is the beginning of a story.

No doubt you knew that.

Tue Jun 19, 06:47:00 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kirsty: Yes, I agree - there's quite a long list of inconsiderate early risers.

Marly - I hadn't! But yes, I suppose it could...

Tue Jun 19, 09:59:00 pm  
Blogger Unknown said...

Marly's right!

I was just thinking "eeuuugghhuuuggh" and then I read Marly's comment. The way it has been written here - it really could be a foreshadowing of some clever psychological thriller of some kind.

Tue Jun 19, 10:35:00 pm  
Blogger Jan said...

Bzz! Bzz!
Just me Being Silly!

Tue Jun 19, 11:18:00 pm  
Blogger Susanna said...

I hate that, especially when you get real pensive and have super powers of the senses. We had trouble with field mice and I would lay awake at night and hear them rattling around. It made me crazy till I was killing them one by one.

One day me and hubby was watching Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and a mouse ran out from where I was sitting and I picked up his shoe and threw it like a spear and killed it. It was the first mammal I ever killed and I sat around and bereaved it the whole next week.

Just a few weeks ago I was up in the early am hours and I thought I heard something in the laundry room so I went back and flipped the light on and it was a cricket hoping. I thought wow, I am good. I killed it though. 1 cricket in the house is unacceptable where a 1000 crickets outside is fine.

I dont mind squirrels rolling nuts around in the "loft" either. I picture it like a cartoon comedy.

Wed Jun 20, 01:42:00 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's time to turn up the music! I'd be inclined to put some nice restful piano pieces on 'repeat' and consider the incident both an opportunity and an excuse.

Wed Jun 20, 04:55:00 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks Cailleach - if only I could write a clever psychological thriller...!

Jan. They've buzzed their last now!

Susangalique: marvellous stuff! I love the way you write about this - spearing the mouse with the shoe and grieving for a week. It's funny and moving at the same time. I love it.

Susan: yes I agree. Putting on something else to drown out what is bothering you is something I do all the time. And not just with noise. My thoughts too.

Wed Jun 20, 04:45:00 pm  

Post a Comment

Comments are subject to moderation.

<< Home