Stirring up trouble

M1

This is a good example of what my days are like.  We have bats roosting in our wooden rafters, and carpenter bees boring holes in those same rafters.  The bats (I'm talking a lot of them, this is living in the woods) are pooping on the driveway and urinating on the windows.  There's absolutely nothing to do about it unless you closed up all the rafters, which is a nonstarter.  A month ago I finally got my partner to agree to get a window washer scheduled, a good one I had used before, but we can't get them out here until September.  So my partner decides today she's going to call the window washer to ask them if they have any suggestions regarding the bats.  I don't know why she thought they would, but that's just another argument.   We had to go through all the details of my having set up the appointment, the estimate, etc. which she had forgotten all about (t was a month ago).  So she calls the receptionist, has a nice talk with her, but forgets to ask about the bats (which is why she called in the first place).  So a pointless call.  Then she wants me to look up phone numbers for a critter ridder (for the bats) and an exterminator (for the bees), which I do (she can't use a phone book or a computer any more).  She refuses all help when I say I'll be glad to take care of it.  So she calls and leaves a message with the critter ridder about the carpenter bees, completely forgetting about the bats again.  They call back and say they don't do bugs.  Which I knew.  Sigh.  I would love it if she would get past this stage, half competent is almost worse than not competent at all.  Would be easier if I could just do it myself.  Have to backtrack and explain to all these people what we're really about.

Sorry, just a vent.  Downsizing would be sooooo attractive.

Stuck in the middle

You know what bats eat, don't you?  Lose the bats, gain a million mosquitoes.  

I was at the garden center yesterday and they had bat houses next to the bird houses, for people who want to encourage bats to live nearby.  I'll bet if you put some bat houses on the walls of the barn and wherever, the bats would roost there and not over your windows.  Worth a try anyway.  At least your partner will think something is being done about the problem.

I can't help it, I have to say something about how "batty" our lives are . . .

M1

Oh indeed.  There are too many for bat houses to make much difference Stuck...we have four-foot deep rafters all the way around the house (kind of a Texas style) and I think the bats would laugh at a few bat houses, unfortunately.  I was awake at dawn today and it looks like Carlsbad Caverns out there, there are thousands.  So yes, they eat the mosquitoes, but it's quite a tradeoff.  I'm for leaving them alone, washing the windows and pressure washing the driveway.  I hope she'll just forget all about it shortly.  Batty and buggy, that's us, in more ways than one.

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Buggsroo

My life is batty to the nth degree. The husband wants to put the heat on because he is worried about the cats are cold. It is 80 degrees in the house, I explain the cats are covered in fur and they probably are hot like me. It is exhausting, I lose my temper, he loses his temper, it just is one frigging horror show. I do all the work, he makes a crack about what a lazy bitch I am. 

It is discouraging, I am developing a thicker skin, I fantasize about leaving, I know I can’t but this life is taking its toll on me. I am really sad, thank heavens for this forum, rant over.

jane8851

Boy can I relate! My husband used to be a carpenter. Last month he stripped the shingled roof off our shed. There was nothing wrong with the roof. He said someone told him it was a bad roof but can't tell me who that someone was. Of course it wasn't anyone. Now he can't figure out how to reshingle it. This is a man who built us two houses and shingled many roofs. I put a tarp over it until I can hire someone to fix it or until he remembers how to do a roof. Could be worse, at least he can't get on a ladder to mess with the house roof.

Mint

It’s my mother, but I can definitely relate.

abc123

I feel your pain! I have no bats BUT lots of male squirrels who urinate on the outdoor furniture and I hate the odor. I could hang with the bats because they are beneficial. The cute little tree rats destroy my plants, vegetables and small clay pots. They also damage my oak trees by chewing on the branches causing them die. I think what sucks the most in your situation is having to do battle with your LO about making decisions. I went down that road with my LO. Not easy. I hope things get easier for you!

Happy 4th of July to you!

M1

Thanks abc.  Today she's decided she wants company for the 4th so has invited friends over for tomorrow evening--even though I'm the one who has to plan dinner, etc.  Fortunately this is an understanding couple, about the only ones we still see.  But still.  She just decides these things unilaterally and I'm left trying to steer the boat.  Could always be worse, I guess.....

Iris L.

Can you get someone to collect the bat guano for fertilizer?  

Iris

M1

Good idea, Iris--but we are leery not just for histoplasmosis (endemic around here) but other things as well.  Including rabies--not supposed to be spread by guano, I know, but it is also endemic here and there have been (rare) cases thought to possibly be aerosol.  Not to mention God knows what else (coronaviruses, anyone?!).  So we just pressure wash the driveway......The rafters around the house are beautiful, but living in the woods is always an issue.  They were here first, after all!!

HSW

We had bats too and used that spray foam to fill in the gap between the siding and the roof. Looked awful and we had to do a lot of trimming. I totally understand your frustration in dealing with inability to complete task. My husband was a mechanic and he decided he wanted to fix my car which had a check engine light. He got the code then started a never ending cycle of diagnosing which of the 5 things were the problem.  He really wanted to fix it but after a few days I had it towed to a garage, they couldn't fix it but made it drivable(for free) and I brought it to a dealership. Another time he was convinced he could still maintain the riding lawn mower. I ordered the parts, got the diagrams for the belts and he couldn't figure it out. I ended up buying a John Deere and donating the old one to their service guy