Jiminy Cricket!

Apparently, we have camelback crickets in our basement. A and I have found and smushed about a half dozen of them over the last couple weeks. They are gross little things. As faithful readers of this blog know, I am much less squeamish about critters than I used to be, but these are pretty nasty. They've got super long antennae and these crazy hinged legs that let them hop far and fast.

They've grossed me out so much that I broke down and called the Orkin man today. Apparently, females can lay hundreds of eggs at one time and the thought of walking into the laundry room one night to be confronted by a roomful of these hateful creatures was too much for me.

We just got back from a long weekend in Grand Cayman--it was great, though I did worry that the crickets were multiplying in my basement while we were enjoying sand and surf. H and T both snorkeled, though T was not a huge fan--he likes to do it in the pool, but doesn't like putting his face in the sea water. H made it all the way out to the reef by the beach, but they both got to see some cool fish and underwater life. We also went out to Stingray City, where I once again proved my increased tolerance for critters. I carried both kids while they clung desperately to my neck, legs wrapped around my waist for fear that they might actually touch a stingray. I, on the other hand, let them flop all over me. I don't really consider myself a beach person, but this was a great beach vacation because there was a lot of stuff to do other than sit around on the beach and drink yummy pina coladas.

Random thought of the day: I've heard a lot of people using the phrase 800-pound gorilla in a way that I don't think is correct. I've always thought 800-pound gorilla refers to an industry leader that can throw its weight around--I've come across many of these in negotiating contracts (to wit: "We're Microsoft, and that's just the way we do it"). But recently I've heard it used in the following context, including in a commercial about retirement or something: "Can't ignore the 800-pound gorilla in the room." Is that a correct usage or a bastardization of the original usage? I get the concept, but I always thought it was something else, like maybe the elephant in the room? But not the white elephant, because then we're mixing metaphors again....