Last week, I scrubbed the house from top to bottom in preparation for my business trip out of town. For whatever reason, I can live with a messy house day in and day out, but when I come home from traveling, I want it to be sparkling clean.
So, I had just finished the last load of laundry and was putting away some clothes in the closet when I noticed what appeared to be little gray nests coming out of the wall.
“What the heck?” I said as I moved in for a closer look.
That’s when I saw it — a lone termite flying out of a hole in the wall. Inside thousands and thousands of his buddies were eating away at the wood to the tune of 15 lbs. a day.
Now, normally I attempt to make my blogs humorous, or, at least, slightly so. Not to sound like a pest control commercial, but I soon learned there is not a darn thing funny about termites. Honestly, my husband and I have tried to make the best out of the fact that our entire bedroom from the floor to the ceiling had been chewed to bits. Today, as he knocked out sheetrock, he yelled out, “Good news! They didn’t eat into the family room!”
“Whoo hoo,” I yelled, less enthusiastically, perhaps, some might say, sarcastically.
My husband and I keep reminding ourselves that it could be worse. For example, no one is hurt; the house didn’t fall in; there wasn’t a fire; it’s a good opportunity to clean out the house (especially since we’ll have a dumpster out front for over a month while workmen do repairs).
BUT just when we start to feel a little better, we remember the bad news…no termite insurance and homeowner’s does not cover it. Somehow we let the termite insurance lapse four or five years ago. Sort of an out of sight, out of mind thing, a mistake we’ll never make again, not with termites, anyway.
I keep searching for the humor but haven’t found it yet. Maybe one day we’ll look back and laugh and say, “Remember the time termites ate the entire side of our house, and we spent all Mother’s Day moving furniture and clothes and tearing out sheetrock and crown molding and carpet?”
Maybe, but then again, perhaps some things, like little winged wood-eating insects, aren't meant to be funny--ever.
5 comments:
"Remember the time the termites ate the entire side of our house...."
I am so sorry and this really is awful, but I have a feeling that this IS one of those things you'll be laughing at...one day...not tomorrow.....not next month....probably not even next year....but one day.
Kind of like when our water heater sprung a leak at 11:30 PM and we almost got to go swimming in the kitchen.....I'm not laughing about that yet...but one day....after I'm sure there isn't any mold growing under the house....I'll be roflol.
Good Luck!
Thank you! I need and appreciate it very much!
That sounds horrible and I'm so sorry that you have to go through such an experience. I can't believe termites can eat 15 lbs of wood a day; the damage would happen so quickly.
Perhaps your story will help me to convince my husband to get our home inspected for termites.
Oh, I am soooo sorry to hear this! I've had family members who've had to deal with termite issues at their homes and it is no fun!
But since you're writing about it, does that make it a business expense? (Just trying to be helpful here!)
Angela--Thank you! As far as the business expense, we will have to check into that one!
parTea lady--Thank you. I feel like doing a public service announcement to everyone to have their homes checked. Our pest control guy (my new best friend) said none of this would have happened if we'd had it checked each year (as he pointed out more damage).
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