desert living

I've lived in Fountain Hills since I was 9. Before that, we spent every Christmas and summer here too. So I learned at an early age how to watch out for snakes, gila monsters, scorpions, cacti etc.

So far, I've never been stung/bit by anything. My poor Dad has gotten his share of scorpion stings though.

Living in the city, I tend to get used to not having to worry about those things.

Last night my Dad called out to me as I headed to my bedroom "Check the sheets for scorpions, they're bad this season."

I should have thought of that, especially after my Mom told me that my Dad was stung twice by a scorpion that had crawled into his jeans pocket that he left on a dresser. (Scorpions tend to get my Dad in the rear for some reason.)

Yet I didn't think to check my room. So I pulled the comforter off, nothing flew or moved. Same with the fitted sheet. Then I check the closet, bathroom, and rest of the room. Then finally I confront the one place where I had my scorpion close encounter - under the bed.

Pulled up the bedskirt, and think I see something, but it's not moving whatever it is. Thinking it's a dead scorpion, I grab a flashlight. Yup, dried up scorpion in an inaccessible place unless I care to move the nightstand and crawl under the bed.

No thanks. Maybe the dead scorpion will scare off any scorpion wishing to go bed hopping with me.