Endless Battle.

I'm waging war. My weapons of choice- long handled web brush , gloves and sturdy shoes - for stomping!
Now I'm all for live and let live and I will try to move a huntsman outside rather than squish it, but daddy long legs and their webs drive me nuts.
I blame my mother.
Mum wears glasses and for as long as I can remember, insists she's unable to see the webs trailing from corners. It became my job as a kid to dispatch the webs and spiders. Being the earnest type, I've taken that role with me into adulthood.
So with not one, but two of those web brush thingys (one for outside and the other for inside - I take this very seriously!) I stalk the house and swish, squish and stomp, fortnightly.
HOWEVER at the minute, I'm doing it daily. Excessive? I think not!
The spider population is staging an all out take-over bid. As fast as I knock them down, they're back. And breeding if you don't mind!
My husband dismisses my angst with 'Spray them.'
Fine, except I hate the chemicals in the house.
Anyway stomping and swishing and squishing is much more satisfying, particularly when I'm mulling over a story.
So armed and dangerous, I'm off to do the rounds.

Weapon of choice...

The enemy!

Ooops!

We have a crazy cavoodle called Milly. She's the cleverest dog we've owned and that includes the dogs we had as kids. Milly is sweet, adores my husband above all others and is prone to fits of neuroses.
My husband has trained Milly well - she fetches, plays dead, walks at your heel, rolls, high fives etc. He also taught her table etiquette - well dog etiquette. Milly must sit, then wait until given the command 'eat' before she can eat. The command is usually issued after the food has been put away.
Simple system. Except...
This morning, I fed Milly. Told her to sit, and took the food back inside. I had a Dory moment and saw a shiny thing and became preoccupied.
When I returned to the kitchen, about half an hour later, and looked out the window, there was Milly, still sitting, staring at her breakfast.
Ooops! I forgot to say eat!
Clever dog, huh? Not so clever owner.
She's been allowed inside while I write today!

Reviews!

Two new Black Dog Books publications are reviewed in today's Herald Sun and Saturday Age.
The gorgeous Melissa Keil's picture book Rabbit's Year is described at 'sweet' in the Herald Sun. Can't wait to read this one, it sure looks gorgeous.

 Violence 101, a young adult novel by Dennis Wright is also reviewed, but in The Age. Sounds like a ripping read and is another one to add to my bedside table asap!