Spiders

As fair warning this one is probably not going to be something that everyone will want to read (this next section particularly).  Odds are that the people most afraid of spiders skipped this week based on the title alone but if you were just brave enough to get this far and want a cute story about a spider then I suggest you skip the italicized paragraph.  

I have very limited experience with spiders but I like them.  They keep bugs under control and I love seeing the detail and variety in their webs.  I'm fine when I don't need to be near them but if there is even the slightest possibility that they could bite me I get away as quick as possible.

When I was in elementary school I was sitting in class and noticed that my hand was feeling like it was burning in one section and up my arm.  I looked down to find that my skin on the back of my hand was bubbling.  Yes it was as terrifying as it sounds. I got checked over at the doctor's and they found two bite marks on the same arm as my hand.   They diagnosed me as having an allergic reaction to spider bites that I would just have to wait till it went away.  Eventually it did fade but even with being more than 15 years ago the scars are still there.

The happiest story I have about a spider is from when I was working as a school photographer.  I was driving all around the province going for a day or a week to different towns and putting a lot of time in on the road.  I began to notice a spider web that was always in pristine condition on the passenger side rear view mirror of my car.  It was in the perfect position that the wind was broken by the mirror causing the web to sway just slightly in the draft rather than being ripped up.  I assumed that it was catching the odd bug but it never seemed dirty so  I left it in the interest of seeing what it would do over time.  I didn't really think about it all that much for the next couple of trips.

One day I was sitting in my parked car having my lunch and rather large spider came out from behind the side mirror and inspected the webbing.  It wandered about eating what it had caught on the drive down.  I was amused to have a lunch companion.  That evening on the way back to the city I could only assume it was back behind the mirror.  I was hopeful that it hadn't wandered away.  Nothing like stepping out for a walk and your home having driven off.  The next day a fresh new web was ready for the drive out of town.

This continued on for the whole summer. I would come out to find a new web or the spider sitting somewhere on the webbing.  As soon as I turned on my car that little arachnid was behind my mirror and ready to travel.  It was great having a little car companion for all those months and hours on the road.  I find that I actually miss him from time to time when I am driving around.

Friends and holiday cheer.

I'm being spoiled. My friends are just too awesome. I sometimes forget that people aren't as cool as them and don't really think about it. But then they go and do something that makes me love them all the more. There is nothing in the world like realizing how much someone understands you. It makes me want to do something amazing for them right back.

Boxing day this year was my christmas gift exchange with Sarah and Emily. We had a lot of fun. Sarah's parents this year had given us all Doctor Who Sonic Screwdrivers. And here is where the appreciations begin. We had fun with toys. While we are all going on to being full fledged adults we can still play and not deny enjoyment in the small pleasures of life. Too many people take themselves too seriously and loose the fun in the world. What is the point of living if you're not enjoying your life?

Sarah had made us personalized christmas crackers with all sorts of nerdy goodies. Mine had in it a tiny hand made K9 and T.A.R.D.I.S. pin, paper Sherlock Holmes and Watson based on BBC's new Sherlock, fun little mustache on a stick to go with an emergency Tea bag and sugar holder, and bubble blowing stuff that makes solid bubbles (so cool... I don't know how it works yet but it is just too cool).

And to top it all off a paper party hat that looked like an evil over lord's crown. I felt immensely pleased to be wearing it when I opened Emily's gift and found a book on "How to Be a Villain". In just the few minutes I spent reading it I can tell that it is going to be fantastic and hilarious!

We spent the evening goofing around, drinking tea, playing with our toys, watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special and making each other laugh.
Thanks for spoiling me and being big kids with me.