What the hell is that......

So, at roughly 6am this morning I stumble into the kitchen with my lovely wife in tow, when I kick something across the floor. "That's strange," I thought. Being the waining hours of the morning it was still pretty dark, so I reached my foot out for an investigative poke.

It moved.

I quickly snapped out of my usual groggy morning haze, and wondered why something the size of an Oreo was crawling across the floor. "Mouse," I thought, "wonderful." Only, I flicked on a light to be greeted by this:


"WHAT IN THE HELL IS THAT?! IT'S FREAKING HUGE!" A mouse would have been just fine. I can do mice, furry critters don't really bother me. In fact, in a weird sort of way, I rather enjoy the ongoing battle between myself and them (see California Ground Squirrels). Bugs are another story. I hate all things creepy-crawly, and have more than four legs. Jessie, who was as grossed out as I was, hastily tossed me a steel-toed work boot from the hall closet. I smacked it....twice. It kind of sounded like someone dropping raw eggs on the floor. So much for my appetite for breakfast.

Well, it turns out that this was our first encounter with a Jerusalem Cricket, more commonly known as a Potato Bug. The West Coast has new surprises for us every day....they sure don't have anything like THAT in Ohio! It turns out that they are perfectly harmless, and I probably could have just picked him up and tossed him outside. Oh well. Sorry Mr. Potato Bug, perhaps your brother will have a little better luck.....