Who's a pest?

Do you remember the children's book "Who's a pest?: A Homer Story?"

It was 'An I can read book' by Crosby Newell Bonsall.

I loved to read as a child and would always make Mom angry by saying I was a pest! Even today when folks' joke and say 'Who's there?" I go, "It's just the pest!"

Those days have changed. Even being the English major, I never read and have pretty much forgotten everything I learned in high school and college.

I digress.

This week, I truly had cute (I think they were cute) little fuzzy pests up in the attic.

What an ordeal.

I think we've had them for a while by the ripped up paper bags and worn paper boxes. For all I know they could be nesting warmly in one of the hundreds of stacked boxes.

However, just within the last few weeks I heard what sounded as if it were an animal running on the roof. But the more I listened (usually early in the morning), the more it sounded as if it were just above me which was definitely NOT the roof.

I finally got a hold of a pest agency to come out and look around. The gentleman seemed very knowledgeable of his craft. He surveyed the house, never found an animal in the attic but saw 'signs' something had been there and saw ways he or she could have entered.

We're always leary at having strangers come inside, but I guess for certain tasks, you have to let them in and be trusting.

He gave me the rundown and what he wanted to do: trim the trees first and foremost so that animals did not even have access to the roof, fix the soffits, and as a last resort, put traps.

I'd never dive into this career, but I imagine being a pest control agent could be quite exciting. You never know what animal you are dealing with unless you catch it red handed.

You have to come back to the house every day around the same time to check the traps, the areas where they possibly enter, and see if they've returned.

My pest control guy said he hopes the tree trimming will do the trick, but it's always much more fun trapping the little buggers. Not sure if that's my definition of fun!

The first day he showed up was election day. Once he filled me in on his diagnosis, for the next 30 minutes we stood and spoke about election day, the United States, voting, the constitution and so much more. I was intrigued because he was sharing his beliefs and way of life, which honestly, I'd never heard of before.

At the end of the discussion, I surmised that he adhered to sovereignty. He said he had no debt, no bills, did not have to pay taxes or parking tickets or mortgage, or anything. He also said he was above the current law followed by the USA (which startled me a bit) and shared so much more that he was currently studying in law school.

I just stood there taking it all in trying to figure out how this pest control guy by day, law student by night would ever mix the two careers. He seemed to be in love with both?

I had to focus on the task at hand and hope that he would solve my pest problem.

After about a week of returning, trimming, checking and fixing, I hope he's rectified the situation. I am kind of afraid to return to the scene of the crime alone but one day will have to get the nerve to face my demon pest, who hopefully is in my past.

A week of closeness

After our uncle's death, we prepared ourselves for a very long week ahead.

I thank God that I knew exactly how to proceed to ease my aunt's burden just a little.

I sure hope I don't have to spring into action again too soon....after this loss. Please, a little reprieve.

Though we just had a death in the family, everyone remained upbeat and remembered the good times, the fun, the laughter, and my uncle's great jokes!

Normal drill: funeral home, Alesci's, flowers, plan the liturgy and pick the music, CD's for the funeral home, box of Puffs, water/pop for the family at the funeral home, get the pall bearers and readers, and decide where to eat after the service...among so many other things.

It was such a treat going through my aunt's old pictures in order to make picture displays at the funeral.

My niece, aunt and I went through boxes of pictures.

What a walk down memory lane.

I found the picture of me and my aunt 'going down Niagra Falls.'

A great memory for me!


My niece got a charge out of the old pictures, and how everyone looked so long ago.

I admit, she made fun of yours truly in a picture where I must have been about a year or so being held by my uncle --she said I looked like "Super Mario!" Very funny!


I felt like my niece was a private eye. She pulled out her new fangled phone and was taking pictures of all the pictures as if she was an investigator.


My aunt mustered up courage and was so strong all weekend long. She was cute telling everyone how she asked for courage and got it!

She was quite touched by the great turnout and how many people loved my uncle and love my aunt.


We were all holding it together until my aunt's little neighbor Rosa showed up after school and ran into my aunt's arms sobbing. Pulled out the Puffs and just let the faucets flow for a little...


My uncle looked wonderful. I must admit, there was more celebration and remembering rather than tears.

In between viewings, we went for the early bird special down the street and had a wonderful Italian dinner.

Funeral day--a mixture of laughter and tears. My uncle fed the birds and all of God's creatures. After the funeral mass, there was a little squirrel who did not want to vacate my uncle's hearse which made everyone burst into tears--we know he was there for our uncle.

And my sister was convinced that Uncle Bill took her earring, which she left on her night stand when she went to sleep but it was missing the next morning? Hmmm???

Proceeding from the funeral home to church, a man walking his dog made the sign of the cross as the hearse passed. Mom used to always do that too. A very touching moment, at least for me.

I thank my stars above that I was able to hold it together to sing my uncle's funeral Mass with the assistance of my friend and choir director, David.

Another wonderful bonding experience after mass at lunch with at least 40 of my aunt's dearest friends and relatives. A nice sign to her that she DOES have support and will forever.

And then on the way home, believe it or not, we buzzed through Lakeview Cemetery to view their Daffodil Hill. I was not sure how that would go over with my aunt who had just lost her husband but the vision so tremendous, it was well worth it.

Sunday: it's time to gamble and start living again. My aunt and uncle had not been able to go gambling in recent months so the family hopped in two cars and headed to Presque Isle to let it ride! Now, this was such a wonderful time for all involved. Logical way for my family to honor my uncle and spend quality time together! A day I will never ever forget and cherish forever.


It's true, tragedy pulls people together. I hope that once we get through this weekend, the closeness remains.