Just a thought… Whoever said “Out of sight, out of mind” never had a spider disappear in their bedroom. [Author Unknown]

You can watch a video version of this journal on my Facebook page, or here on YouTube.

Welcome back – hope this week of big adjustments is going smoothly for you!

I have a story to tell you today which really needs a picture, but I’m not going to show it – for your benefit. You see, my friend Lisa, with whom I took a road trip in August, has truly opened my eyes to the outright terror some people feel about things, like, say…spiders. So don’t worry – I won’t share a picture, but I’ll tell you our story and make it as gentle as possible. Stay with me here.

We checked into the first of two of our hotel stays on the Monday. Since we were early, we had booked massages, which were, to quote Lisa, “the best she‘d ever had.” I’ll vouch for that! She went first, but when I stumbled to our room, I was jolted out of bliss by what looked like a police search happening. The rug was rolled out, the sofa pulled away from the wall, not one but two people were there with brooms and, for all I know, hunting rifles.

Then Lisa showed me a picture she captured of what we now know was a wolf spider that had been resting in the arm of her bathrobe (that is, until she went to put it on after her post-massage shower). She screamed bloody murder when she saw him, she tells me, then called front desk, which sent in the cavalry. But Wolfie, as we named him, was nowhere to be found.

So how do I describe this little guy without making your skin crawl? Okay, first of all, definitely not little: his body was the size of a toonie, his legs (even bent) would have reached the circumference of a coaster. So yeah, not at all your regular arachnid. Not to us, anyway.

William, one of the brave cavalry, ID’d him from Lisa’s photo, and said they’re harmless. I later Googled and found that a bite might sting, but wouldn’t kill me. Good to know?

‘Cause you see, here’s the thing: we never found Wolfie. So we surmised that he was hiding somewhere, possibly in the pull-out bed that was to be Lisa’s, in her plans. (She had placed our luggage while I was getting my treatment.)

Will and his co-worker put our room back together and left us to sit, Lisa with her feet up, purse on a table, taking every precaution to make sure that Wolfie didn’t find another hiding spot near or on her, while I sat with my feet up on the sofa. We pondered our situation and decided I would move to the downstairs room with the pull-out – which was always my plan – and just hope that Wolfie wasn’t a cuddler. (Eight Arms to Hold You: wasn’t that the working title for a Beatles movie?)

Lisa has had some really nasty run-ins with the eight-legged type and I’m not at liberty to share them. Trust me, like all anxieties, this one is not to be scoffed at. I respect her fear but I don’t have it. I could have shared her king-sized bed – that offer was made – but I really didn’t mind. Plus she’s a super early riser. This gal needs her beauty rest!

As I turned off the light that first night, and again the second, I said good-night to him and asked him not to visit. And perhaps I might have sung him a little lullaby. Do feel free to sing along, won’t you?

The giant honking spider went up poor Lisa‘s arm

Down came the staff to shield us all from harm

Up he went to run, and hide himself away

And we never again saw that Wolfie, not to this very day.

Now for a really nice sleep story, Google Drift with Erin Davis and download it for FREE wherever you get your podcasts. You may hear of dragons but no spiders! Just lavender and love that I hope will bring you the kind of rest you should get after a massage.

Enjoy your weekend and, if you’re up on Saturday morning at 7:30 EDT, I’m a guest on Zoomer radio in Toronto with Kathy Buckworth’s show “Go to Grandma,” talking Grandparents’ Day which is Sunday. Take care.