Small Game Hunter

As a father  of small children it is my responsibility to protect my family from hazards around the house, and beyond too.  That's why when there is a threat, however minor, of harm to my wife or kids it is my duty to deal with it, promptly.

The latest threat started in the form of a wasp who wanted to sample our dinner as Mrs. LIAYF, Lukas, Annabelle, and I were enjoying a meal on our deck.  Thankfully, I came up with a neat way to remove the threat.  Tupperware.  When he landed, I used my superior hand eye coordination to box him up tightly.

However, as I was reveling in the victory after having amazed Lukas with my wasp catching skill, another came along.  So, I caught him too.

Then, apparently not realizing the fate of their compadres, a few more arrived.  So, I just kept catching them.

Needless to say, this is high quality dinner entertainment when you have a 6 year old sitting next to you. "Wow, Dad!" Lukas exclaimed with a giddy laugh after I had caught the final one.

We actually haven't had that much of a problem with the wasps this Summer.  But, on Saturday when I was preparing to move the kids playhouse to a new location by climbing in an using my shoulders to lift the giant plastic house, I thankfully looked up first.

What I saw there was enough to give me pause.  It was a wasp nest.  Yes, in case you were wondering, that really IS the last thing one would want to shove their shoulder straight up into whilst in a  4X4 square, mostly enclosed chamber.

However, I was able to turn the house over though leaving the nest exposed to the sky, without getting the residents too upset.   Not wanting to use anything toxic to get rid of the wasps, after a quick internet search of an appropriate way to take out the hive, I was soon standing over the overturned house with a potful of boiling water.

The idea was to pour and run.  I could envision this going seriously wrong.  However, it didn't.  I was able to douse the hive with the water and run back to the safety of the house with only a lone angry wasp on my tail.  Wheeew!  Don't try this at home folks.  I'm sure I just got lucky.

I carefully checked the playhouse out a couple hours later and was amazed at the level of efficiency of my carnage as there were quite a few lifeless wasps floating there.  And the hive was loose and easily removed. But apparently I didn't get them all, and some of the homeless wasps were looking for a free meal at tonight's dinner.

Okay, so it's not exactly protecting the family from a serious threat.

But it does make for a good story, and me a hero in the eyes of one important 6 year old boy.