Incy wincy....

I have been frightened of 8 legged monsters for as long as I can remember. In fact, frightened doesn't really cover it. I have been known to go knocking on other people's doors while wearing nothing but my dressing gown in order to beg somebody to remove a spider from my bathroom. I have called my Aunty out to my house at 10:30pm to remove one from under my bed. I have thrown an ironing board at a spider, and unsure as to whether I had hit it or not, then left the house and boarded a train to the next town, just in case. I worked at a secure psychiatric hospital for 4 years, which gave me nightmares - I was not afraid of the patients hurting me..... I had terrifying dreams that they would discover my phobia and throw spiders at me. My husband refused to take me to Australia, on the grounds that he couldn't cope with my hysterics when I couldn't cope with the spiders they have there. It is a totally irrational, debilitating fear. I'm not stupid, I realise that the spiders I find in my home can't hurt me. I know that they form a valuable part of the food chain. But they make me shudder.

However, over recent years 2 important factors have changed. Firstly, I have had children, and I am determined that they will not learn this ridiculous fear from me. (*high pitched, near hysterical voice* look! A spider! Look at it's wiggly legs! Isn't it pretty! Let's count it's legs! Oooh look, it's moving! Shall we go watch cbeebies now?!?!?!). Secondly, it would appear that I have a rather large spider population in and around my house. Large in number, and definitely large in size. I have no explanation for this, I don't live in an especially old house, nor does my garden border onto open fields. I think perhaps the spiders all just thought it would be funny to torment me. I know they plot against me.

So I am now getting better. I still shudder with fear when I see one, but I can deal with them. We have a treaty. As long as they don't surprise me or touch me, I won't kill them. Strictly catch and release. And they are released a very, very long way from my home. (should prob apologise at this point if yours is one of the numerous gardens that my spiders have been flung into). The very fact that I can now capture a spider in a glass,and then hold said glass to take a photograph, is testament to my progress!