Ask Not For Whom the Bell Tolls...

...because is isn't tolling at all.

This morning, just as I was getting to the good part of the dream where the handsome, single, lonely Knight Errant was rescuing the fair maiden from fire breathing sheep...

I woke up.

Because my ears thought they heard the doorbell and wanted the rest of me up and running to answer the door, convinced that there would be a stranger with a winning lottery ticket just for me. Or something.

OK, not really, but there very well could have been someone from Terminix, and I can't afford to let them decide no one's home and they'll just reschedule for next year.

Last Friday, as I was bolting from the house, I noticed something - several somethings - several bazillion somethings, it look like - crawling up the wall. I know a termite hatch-out when I see one. I saw one.

We couldn't determine where they were coming from, except that it wasn't from up top of the wall...unless they're rare, magical, teleporting termites (and that would be my kind of luck) that don't need a hole to get through a wall. Down at the base of the wall was most likely, but there's a lot of...erm...stuff there, so we didn't check...it didn't really matter, because wherever they came from, they shouldn't be there.

We have a contract with Terminix to use those bait stations all around the house, so they have to come out and deal with the mess, and, should the little wood-munchers have done any sort of damage, Terminix is supposed to pay for the repairs. Yeah, hopefully there aren't any repairs to be made, but I won't be holding my breath that they'll actually honor that contract. Does anyone honor their contracts any more? My money is on "not bloody likely", but hope springs eternal.

So when I thought I heard the doorbell, I woke up...and wanted to go back to sleep, because up before eight? No, thank you, not when I wasn't in bed until after midnight and didn't sleep well at all. Then I remembered that Terminix is coming around, but not when they are coming around, and what if that was them and I didn't get up so they went away and then termites would eat my house up from the inside out and I'd wake up one day in a pile of wood dust and termite poo?? Eeek!

Of course, there was no one at the door. And of course, I wasn't going back to sleep. Sigh.

This isn't the first time I've woken to the sound of a ringing doorbell that hasn't rung, probab;y wno't be the last. Hurrah for auditory halucinations. I wonder why it happens...and I wish it would stop!

Stupid termites - I bet they did it so next time the bell rings I won't answer. It won't work, you little devils! Your days are numbered...soon, the bell will be tolling for you!