A Bug Or A Pumpkin Seed?
Saturday was quite an eventful day, as I discovered a bug that looks like a pumpkin seed. Or, could it be a pumpkin seed that looks like a bug?
Yesterday I cajoled my 18-year-old grandson to drive to McDonald’s to fetch a caramel iced coffee to bring to me. Boy, did it taste good! It took my attention away from the pumpkin seed problem for a while too.
But the poor boy had to drive 8 miles from Kendra’s to do this out of the kindness of his heart and wouldn’t even let me pay for it.
Grandma Is Going Dotty:
But he understood that Grandma is going dotty in here and an iced coffee just might take the edge off.
I was pretty excited when he appeared at my patio door holding my iced coffee. He also changed Ivy’s water for me. I guess it’s kind of pitiful when an iced coffee can make you feel so happy.
And I also found little black ants in my bathroom. I can’t figure out for the life of me where they’re coming in. But when I do, I’m taking the powdered cinnamon in there and preparing for battle.
So far it’s just one ant here and there.
When I go into the bathroom and see one crawling across the tile, I stomp it with my good foot.
And somehow that makes me feel better. More in control of my life.
A Bug Or A Pumpkin Seed:
I keep thinking that I’m seeing all sorts of bugs. There is now the problem of: “I-think-it’s-a-bug-but-Steve-the-biologist-says-it’s-a-pumpkin-seed.”
How many green pumpkin seeds could there possibly be dropping out of my little lunch snack sacks? It’s not like I steer my knee scooter all over the apartment one-handed while I eat a pack of nuts and raisins.
And even more frightening, I found one on the floor of the guest bath. I never go into the guest bath. So how did a pumpkin seed magically find its way in there?
I called Steve and asked that he come over, pick one up, and give it a look-see. After all, he is a trained biologist and they study humans, plants, and animals.
He informed me that it was a pumpkin seed and not some kind of floor critter.
Still, I pick them up and turn them over and look for tiny legs. But I haven’t found any yet. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
Maybe they’re some type of bug that has the ability to hide their legs.
Perhaps it’s a situation sort of like when an airplane takes off. The wheels pull up into the plane when it’s flying.
Maybe there’s a bug that can do that.
It just doesn’t make sense that I could strew pumpkin seeds from one end of this apartment to the other when I don’t carry those packets around when I eat them.
Is Ivy Responsible?
Steve seems to think that Ivy is to blame. He thinks I’m dropping pumpkin seeds and Ivy is picking them up and trailing them around.
If they are in fact pumpkin seeds and not bugs, then I’d have to say I’m going kind of “nutty”, wouldn’t I? I’m just not ready to go there yet.
Since the invasion of the roly-polies last week, I tend to sit here in my chair and scan the floor for the little black crawlers. Or ants, pumpkin-seed-looking bugs, or even some other type of bug.
It is even more distressing due to the fact that I have a cast on my leg and can’t do a whole lot about it. It’s getting kind of “buggy” in here already.
The Drone Of The Upstairs Neighbor’s TV:
Over the noise of my water feature here in the living room, and over the sound machine I ratchet up to high, I can still hear the drone of the TV upstairs.
Many times I have tried to envision what I’d do if I could climb those two sets of stairs to my upstairs neighbor’s door. How I would then explain just how much his TV noise bothers me.
I’ve already complained to the manager about this problem twice and left him a note on his mailbox outside my door.
I know that decibels measure sound intensity, and sound is energy that travels in waves.
I started Googling and found out…
When you hear your upstairs neighbors, the sound waves they create are traveling through their floorboards. These sound waves echo in the hollow space between their floor and your ceiling and in any connecting pipes. It then “leaks” into your apartment.
This of course is from the experts that hover over the ever-powerful Google machine like a drone and answer stupid questions.
So now I have bugs that look like innocent pumpkin seeds and noise leaking from above. Who wouldn’t go batty in these circumstances?
This then led me to put in some time looking up information about drones. (Don’t ask me why. The drone of the TV? I don’t know).
And then out of nowhere “what if I shoot down a drone” appeared on my computer screen.
I learned that unmanned aircraft of any size are protected by both federal and local law.
See how much trouble you can conjure up from being indoors too long?
Or could it be due to the pain medication?
Thanks for putting a smile on my face with this post! Oh, the places we’ll go in our mind when we’re going just a bit stir crazy! PS – glad it was a pumpkin seed, and not a bug!
On my gosh, this post was soooo funny. You have the best sense of humor, lol. I laughed at one particular comment… dead bugs don’t move either! Hee hee! Your grandson is simply the best! What a sweetheart. ❤
I don’t know if you intended this to be funny or not but it surely made me laugh. I’m having replacement knee surgery next month and I can imagine myself feeling exactly the same way. Praying you recover quickly — and keep your good sense of humor.
I couldn’t help myself but to put in my two cents about the neighbor. I’m fortunate that I live in a big house on a big lot so I don’t bother anyone. One of my tv’s are on almost all the time because I have tinnitus!
Let me tell you there are very few things as difficult to manage as the ringing in my ears. It is loud and CONSTANT and there are days that even with the tv noise doesn’t totally cut it. The tv is the only thing that helps and makes it possible for me to stand it.
I hope your neighbor doesn’t have it but if he does that might be why the tv is on more than you like. I would definitely take your ankle problems over this RINGING…relentless, loud ringing….because there is nothing to be done. I just have to live with it.
The absolute best thing I’ve discovered for ants, and I’ve tried a lot of things, is Mrs. Meyers’s cleaning sprays, ESPECIALLY the ones with clove oil in them. I stock up in the autumn when they have cinnamon scented sprays and that’s all I use for insects year round in the house (the occasional ant or earwig). Kills on contact, deters them very well, and doesn’t harm the cats.
I love iced coffee in the summer (plain, not flavored). I buy the jug of refrigerated Califia unsweetened medium roast. It’s delicious. I add a little organic half and half and organic stevia. If any of your neighbor-friends are going to the grocery store, maybe they could get you this coffee to try, if you’re interested.
Could Steve go talk to the upstairs neighbor for you? Maybe the guy would be more compassionate if he knew you just had surgery? Or, would that be too much to ask of Steve. Just a thought.
That’s pretty funny! For your readers, anyway. I hope you are feeling better.
Hahaha 😆 ,,,,
Loved your fabulous post Brenda! So fun.
Everyone else did marvelously with their replies!!!
Safe 4th people. 🇺🇸
Enjoy 😉 the holiday!
Happy 4th!
Gabapentin can cause you to have falls, too. My sister and I are prescribed with Gabapentin every time we go to a new doctor. Neither she nor I can find any thing that it improves for us. I was given its “stronger cousin”. I could not take that at all.
Taking your pain medicine with relax you. You will heal faster.
Yes yes. Exactly the same for me. It does not work on any pain at all. Some type of “pretend” (green) capsules in my view.
When I was prescribed, took for 2-3 days ,,,,, along with Motrin. Only the Motrin helped.
The pills did strange things to my brain. My senses. I felt like I was going backwards in time. Very very weird sensations.
NEVER took them again. Was too frightened to.
Why doctors give them to us ,,,,,, is perplexing. Just a camouflage of sorts.
There are no medications available any longer for us to take. If we have to endure long periods of ( after surgery, etc) severe pain, “they” doctors, will not be helpful to us any more.
Reasons ,,,,,, addiction.
People easily become highly dependent on ultra strong pain killers that really really do the job for us.
So, I gave up.
Just never asked any of my doctors for any additional pain relief.
Depend only on Motrins.
Thankfully they are available without prescription.
In the olden days, it was necessary to have them prescribed for us.
Very happy about it.
Motrins keep the edge off.
I just took a generic Tylenol Arthritis. Not much pain going on.
My husband eats those pumpkin seeds all the time and I find them around the house, too, thinking they’re bugs!! He must inadvertently drop one or two, here and there, they get caught on our socks or get kicked about and make their way to other rooms. SO funny that it happens to you, too. And your grandson sounds sweet!!
Ivy must be having a good time with them. But then, everything that hits the floor belongs to Ivy.
I’m sure “the bug” is a pumpkin seed! Ivy is playing with them and managed to get it into the guest bathroom!
Oh, that cat, that cat!
Glad to see you have your sense of humor. Ivy is probably the culprit with the pumpkin seed. Dogs and cats really keep us on our toes. Sounds like you are feeling better day by day, good to hear. Hope you have a quiet 4th like we are planning.
Yeah, I feel a little stronger every day.
Brenda, I’m absolutely not making light of your situation, but whether you know it or not, you are maintaining your sense of humor. In some of my worst days, my sister used to write and tell me how entertained she was with my letters. She meant no lack of sympathy. You really are a trooper. In my last house that I rented we were inundated with bugs (earwigs, stink bugs, fleas, ants by the millions. And when my grandkids came to stay a week we discovered head lice and scabies). Now my daughter is so paranoid about bugs she drives me crazy. Hang in there and enjoy your iced coffee from time to time, enjoy your grandson and other family members. Thank you so much for sharing your trials and victories with us. I tell people, “I have a friend in Oklahoma who…………..” Take care friend. Sandra
The pumpkin seed/bug is still where I put it last night.
Ack! New information that is taking up space in your brain. You might be good at trivia!
Hope all is going well (other than insects and drones).
Ann
My kids call it my factoids that I collect.
Your grandson loves u and wants to help any way he can and kids just like to drive anywhere and everywhere!
Pumpkin seed looking like a bug! Lol
I had hornets and bees trying to get in my screen door! So I took a cotton ball and put a few drops of peppermint oil on it and put it between the screen. It solved the problem. I put it on my other door too and every few days I put a few drops on both cotton balls.
I think if u put some cotton balls in your bathroom where Ivy can’t see them that it would work bc bugs among other pests hate the smell of peppermint! It’s worth a try anyway!
I hope u have a great 4th of July Brenda and all your friends too!
I’ve got a line of cinnamon along a wall of the bathroom. I don’t think I’m seeing things in there. If they’re fake, then they sure do crawl.
This was a delightful post today despite the invasion of the famous Pumpkin Seed Bug!! I’m glad it isn’t a real bug. And I suspect it is Miss Ivy spreading them about.
I wonder if the upstairs noise is more obvious now because you are restricted and just everything is magnified?
Great grandson you have there. I’m sure he didn’t mind going to McD’s for you! Be good❣️
No, I don’t think so. Kendra says it’s too loud.
Your blog made me smile today. Funny story of the pumpkin seed bug. I would think it is quite natural to go a little “buggy” when you are cooped up inside for so long. Good that you have Ivy for company, and of course your grandson coming to visit with your coffee. Having a cup of iced coffee, is a happy moment. It does sound like a yummy flavor.
Day by day, Brenda…this too will pass. I know, easy for me to say way over here, but… You are a trooper!!!!!! Hugs from Sunny WI.
I don’t think the pumpkin seed/bug has left the kitchen countertop since I put it there last night. Which either means it’s dead or not a bug.
Ah neighbors…tis a bother having someone living upstairs here too…and the weekends when the monster kids are there?? A misery. Just thankful we have to mostly only hear the floors creaking under his stomping the rest of the time…and fortunately he seems to prefer sitting…no not old…unfortunately we do not live in a 55+ place…I WISH…however we did have a horrid stomper in that last place that was a 55+ too. Actually I think a 62+ place might be better. We too value some quiet. I am glad that your other measures, like the water fountain etc have helped.
At least there are no kids too.
So many of those little snack packs have seeds in there I can’t even hang onto. I guess a spoon would help me.
Your grandson sounds like a dear one. Isn’t he going onto med school? If so, he will make a compassionate doctor as he knows to take care of others. Not many would think to change water bowls for pets. He’s a fine young man and Kendra should be proud.
Yes, he’s headed to college in the fall and says he wants to be a doctor.
I’m sorry but I was snickering and giggling as I was reading. Thank goodness your wonderful grandson brought a caramel iced coffee for you to enjoy; maybe things will improve. LOL He’s probably told all his friends that his grandma is going “dotty”. LOL
Enjoy your day even though you’re seeing pumpkin seeds with legs on them.
Last night I found one on the floor. I picked it up and put it on the kitchen counter. I told myself if it had not crawled away by morning, then it was a pumpkin seed. It’s still there.
LOL. You’re cracking me up! (And goodness knows I don’t have far to go either!)
Hugs from Texas! Get a calendar & scratch off the days until you are free of that cast.
I’m counting down days until fall. I started at 99 & now there’s only 85 🙂
Food for thought: a dead bug won’t crawl either. You could taste it to see if it
is a pumpkin seed…
Your post has me cracking up! Have a good 4th!
God Bless, Brenda i just read the last week of blog posts and was laughing and crying for you! Perhaps the pain meds are leaving you a little ‘loopy’ I know when I had very strong pain meds after surgery I got a little buzzed and thought i ‘saw’ things…Seems like you’re not eating much. Could you be running a little on ‘E’ calorie-wise? Really wish you had a home health aide around a couple hours a day. Wishing you the best.
Well, if that’s the case, the good news is that I’m rarely taking them now. Only when the Tylenol won’t work.
My thoghts exactly…crazy drugs
You will look back on these posts one day, and be shocked how you sound,,,it makes me laugh,,,ITS THE DRUGS!
LOL about the bug/seed. Ivy probably is trailing them around the house if they are appearing in strange places. Take care and enjoy the 4th.
But I wonder why she’d do that?
My guess is she is batting them around and playing with them for the same reason…she thinks they are bugs. I doubt she is carrying them in her mouth.
This was a delightfully funny post Brenda! I agree with the others that Ivy is having great fun batting them around your apartment. Who knows, maybe they’ll replace the curtain tie back as her favorite toy?
Is Gabapentin the med that you’re only taking as needed? From everything I’ve discovered about it from hubby taking it to manage chronic back pain, it’s not meant to be taken only occasionally as needed. Regardless, Gabapentin definitely may be the cause of your feeling a bit odd. Hubby felt that way when he first began taking it in a regular basis until his body adjusted. He couldn’t concentrate and felt edgy. Be sure to let us know if the bug/pumpkin seed on the counter disappears!! 🙂
Three little words. She’s a cat. Cats must entertain themselves with everything they can lol.
Here in Connecticut we have to be wary of ticks, some resemble pumpkin seeds…..but they have legs toward the tapered end…If yours aren’t moving at all I would assume pumpkin seed
Because she can! Or maybe she thinks they’re bugs too and is playing with them
😋