The Great Outdoors

We have had some problems with the outdoors encroaching on the quality of our lives indoors.  Yesterday I attempted to find yet another solution to each of the two most aggravating frustrations.

Ants.  I have tried everything I can think of to keep ants out of the house in early spring.  For some reason they think our abode is a good place to warm their cold bodies before the ground thaws.   I placed dry bait traps in a dozen locations, sticky tape at baseboards and door jambs, and diatomaceous earth [ground shells] around the perimeter of the house.  Still they preferred overcoming those obstacles to staying outside where they belong.

So I called in the big guns ~ in May I called the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service.  I don't know if it's because our university system started as an agricultural school or because we are largely a rural state, but we have an excellent resource in our state for every thing you can imagine that has to do with inside a household of any size or outside on a piece of property of any type.

I was referred to the expert on ants.  It only took a few tries before I got the expert on the phone.  He had concrete suggestions:  place one certain type of wet bait in strategic areas in the house and treat the ground outside with a specific chemical.  I found the bait at Home Depot, but the chemical ingredient was harder to come by.  I finally found a product online that contains the chemical, so I ordered it and a sprayer with which to apply it.

Then I boosted my confidence so I would feel brave enough to tackle the task.  I read through all the directions on how to mix the product with water and the precautions to take in what I wear and how I handle the liquid.  I did further research online about the chemical, its effects and dangers.

I waited for the perfect conditions and yesterday was the day ~ sunny, warm, and calm.

It only took me an hour to figure out how to put together the pressurized sprayer and do a trial run with water.  Then it took me two hours to spray the perimeter of the house, far longer than necessary I'm sure but I was intentional and cautious.

Now I wait to see if this magic product works....

I came inside to clean up and start dinner, when I heard barking right outside the room where my son was using his computer.  I threw on my shoes and raced outside to shoo the neighbor's boxer out of our yard.

This has been a problem for many months.  It was one thing when there was only one dog next door who periodically thought our property was an extension of his own.  Then the neighbors got a puppy that was part chow, and as she grew her temperament grew increasingly hostile...toward us...in our own yard.  I have spoken to the neighbors about the problem, which got dangerous when the chow raced at and nipped my daughter's dog's leg earlier this year while she was still recovering from surgery.  I called again to tell the neighbors that they needed to keep their dogs out of our yard.

After a brief respite, the visits from next door resumed.  Before we went on vacation I called a town council member to ask about the town's policy.  She still hasn't gotten back to me....

After I shooed the boxer away yesterday, he came back with the chow by his side.  Enough was enough.  I called the animal control officer to see what my standing is, and it's strong.  The law is that an owner is required to keep their animal under their control at all times.  He encouraged me to give him a call the next time either of the dogs is running loose, for our protection as well as the dogs' safety.

I agree but I can't do that without giving the neighbors a heads up.  I gathered myself and walked over to the neighbor's house, where both dogs came at me in their driveway, barking and growling.  I stopped and waited for the owners to call the dogs back, and they went until they decided it was more interesting to escort me to where the owners were standing.  I was more convinced than ever that we need to stop the dogs from coming onto our property.

My knees knocked and my voice shook, but I told the nice young couple next door that their dogs must stay on their own property.  The next time I see them out of their yard I am going to file a complaint.  The consequences are not dire [a verbal warning the first time, a written warning second time, a summons the third time] but I made it clear that "I'm sorry" will no longer suffice.

As I write this I see a theme of waiting until enough is enough.  Confrontation, whether with ants, dogs, or neighbors is not comfortable for me.  I wait and wait until I can no longer ignore a situation. 

I don't know why this is true because when my kids were growing up I was a crusader on their behalf, whether to advocate for them with others or to protect them from themselves.  As a classroom teacher, I deal efficiently and effectively with issues that affect students.

This is obviously something I need to think more about.  I want to feel entitled to stand up for myself.

This is as good a time to start as any.