Tuesday, April 9, 2013

H is for Heebie Jeebie


When we first moved into our house we discovered that living in the country had some distinct advantages and some creepy disadvantages. I grew up in the country so bugs and creepy-crawlies in the house was nothing to me. But after spending so many years living in homes that had monthly pest service, I found that I had forgotten my country roots.

One night shortly after we moved in, I was curled up next to Scott, softly snoring* when I felt a tickle scuttle across my forehead and down my cheek. I reached up to scratch at the offending tickle and came away with a large spider (I am trying to curb my tendency for hyperbole otherwise I’d say something like “ginormous” or “monstrous”). I flung it and myself out of bed screeching with all the power of 100 banshees.

Scott rolled to his feet and clicked the light on in one smooth motion (proving that at least in an emergency his dexterity isn’t all that bad) and looked around wild-eyed for the serial killer that was clearly invading the house.

“Spider!!” I screamed pointing at the floor my body convulsed into a fit of shakes. “It crawled. Across. My. Face. Kill it!”

Now let me be clear, Friends, I am no more afraid of spiders than I am of cats. That is to say, I’m not at all afraid of them. However, I certainly do not want them crawling across me while I sleep. I’m more than happy to provide shelter to a spider; they eat mosquitoes and flies and therefore will typically leave them alone. And it isn’t like I live in Australia where every creepy crawly is out to get you. My spiders, usually, aren’t venomous – just big, hairy common brown crevice spiders (Mom: don’t click that link).

I had major Heebie-Jeebies that night trying to fall back asleep.

Heebie-Jeebie is noun used in the from the 1920s used to indicate nervousness although today I think we tend to mean it more as a case of the creeps or getting skived out.

Example: Heather had the heebie-jeebies when she heard a horrendous hungry howl and hurried home to hide.

*ha! Softly snoring! Does anyone actually snore softly?

This post has been brought to you by the Letter H and the fine folks at Blogging A to Z. And by the number 965. Check out more A to Z blogs here!

24 comments:

  1. I'm totally with you on this one, Heather! I don't mind spiders around my house, and even inside it. But I prefer that they stay in the dark, out-of-the-way corners, and I definitely get a case of the willies when one crawls on me.

    By the way, I like all your alliteration in the usage examples.

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    1. Thanks! My thesaurus is getting a major work out, I can tell you!

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  2. Great post! I'm scared to death of creepy crawlies. Cockroaches are just hell impersonated to me!

    Keep Calm and A-Z
    An A-Z of learning English
    Round the world from A to Z

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    1. My daughter feels the same way. Personally, although I'm not a fan of cockroaches they don't give my the heebie-jeebies like say...earwigs! Gah! I hate those things!!

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  3. It crawled across your face! I don't care how non-threatening or even useful a creepy crawly is, it violated your face space! I'm not afraid of babies, but if a baby snuck into my house then crawled a across my sleeping face face, I would be freaked out by that baby and probably fling it across the room.

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    1. Exactly! Nothing should crawl across your face in the middle of the night! Babies included!

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    2. Pickleope, that comment is hilarious.

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  4. I would have been hysterical - I can do most things but I can't abide spiders. My husband does do 'softly snoring' but apparently I snore loudly!

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  5. I got the Heebie Jeebie's reading your blog. I am also not afraid of spiders but I do not want them crawling across me in my bed. YIKES.

    Came by from Tales of the Reborn Crafter
    http://talesofthereborncrafter.blogspot.com/

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    1. Sorry! I need to remember to offer a warning when I talk about certain things. Like I had to warn my mom not to read this post because of the spiders! She threatened to never read me again after the last time I talked about spiders!

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  6. I'm the same, I am not afraid of spiders. But I don't want any creature crawling across any part of my body while I'm sleeping. My bed is supposed to be the safe zone! Heebie jeebies for sure!

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  7. haha, my mom used this word all the time--thanks for the memory :)

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  8. Gross. That is a disgusting spider! I'm not afraid of spiders either, but smashing any kind of bug gives me the heeie jeebies. Hubs will step on them with his socked foot. Oh gross. Just the thought... *shudders*

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  9. Hahaha. Love it Heather. I can just see it happening. I reduce the term to simply "heebs" as in "That gave me the heebs." I am with you. I don't want bugs crawling on me in the night either. And oh how I wish there was such a thing as "snoring softly!" Great post. Thanks for the smile. God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

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    1. I could see using just "heebs" that's kind of cute! Thanks for stopping by!

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  10. I'm not afraid of spiders either. But put one on me and I will freak out so hard!! Totals heebs!!

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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  11. I'm surprised that I wasn't yet following you, but now I am. No fan of spiders or other critters am I and I got the heebie jeebies just reading about this.

    Lee
    A Faraway View
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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    1. Not a problem and a big huge thank you for joining!

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  12. Why have you not told me about this? How could you possibly let me sleep in your house and not tell me about this? Is it because I may now never be able to sleep in your house again?

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    1. Umm...did I say spider? I meant a happy little ladybug full of love and joy.

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  13. My word, I would have flipped my lid. When we moved to the country, after the first harvest wolf spiders descended on our house. I am not exaggerating when I say thousands of spiders were crawling all over the outside of our house, and each night they invited their friends. I had nightmares of the exact scenario that happened to you. Yup, I would have flipped.
    Aaand, heebie-jeebies is a great, underused word.

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    1. I once saw a wolf spider bigger than my hand. At least it wasn't crawling on me but I can't image an infestation of the little buggers!!! Yikes!

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  14. he he he I loved this post! It sounds just like me. I was in bed the other night and felt something tickle my leg. I thought it was just a hair or something. Then when it moved again, I pulled back the covers to find a daddly long legs!! Now, I don't usually mind things like that in the corner of the ceiling, etc, but not in my bed, crawling on me. It's just totally, well... ewwwwww. I so understand why you had heebie jeebies. I've been there too, and got the T-shirt!
    Admittedly though, it was worse for you. Crawling across your face?? I'm shuddering at the thought!!

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  15. You want spiders to keep the other bugs away? I will gladly send you my spiders. All of them. Free of charge. Just take them all and then I can take a shower without a spider watching me... the creepy little things.

    (I wish I was kidding. Basically every shower last summer involved me finding a new spider somewhere in the bathroom.)

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