Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

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Creepy Crawlies

It seems that almost everybody has some living object that creeps them out. For me it is the snake and lizard variety. For many other people it is insects in general but especially spiders. The other big fear for some people is the vermin variety, rats and even mice -- who I think are pretty cute. One we do not think about but that certainly has an element of the "creep" factor is bats. I think a lot of that goes to horror movies and books, Count Dracula and all. Then we read about them maybe having rabies too.

I, generally, do not mind bats but they have creeped me out a couple times. Once I was staying at a log cabin in British Columbia, a big place, and bats were evident on the upper floor. You would see them swoop and dart by at night and see their droppings. Another time, the wife and I were in Cancun, walking down an alley from a restaurant after having great coconut prawns, and there was a really big bat -- can you say Bella Lugosi lives -- and he or she kept following us, keeping pace, and diving right above our heads. He made spacey noises too.

Now, had I been less of a macho man, more like my friend Charlie B, I probably would have started screaming like a little girl and run down the alley with my arms flapping. As it was, I just speeded up and got the heck out of there as soon as was possible. The wife was pretty mad about that by the way, I left her in my dust, that big bat firmly embedded in her neck. No just kidding about that.

I think if more people knew what bats looked like up close, they would find them even creepier. The photo below is one of the most common bats in my area. He is a good little insect catcher, much better than fly paper. But take a look at that mug. He sure ain't son in law material.

Charlie B is super inspector but I think his newly selected theme music, that runs behind his site, is a bit over the top, click here

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

Comments

Steve, very few critters creep me out---however your music choices are a whole different animal.
Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) about 4 years ago
Weenie!  Nah - just kidding.  You are right - everyone has a phobia - except for Bear Grylls.
Posted by Adam Brett - Fullerton, California Realtor (Prudential California Realty) about 4 years ago

Well Adam,

"You are right - everyone has a phobia". I thought so too, now I find out that Ol' Charlie B is more macho than me, which I had not thought was possible till now. So much for my first disappointment of today.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) about 4 years ago

Hi Steven,

It's spiders for me.  Although others sometimes do it. 

I worked with a colleague once that had a 14 foot python in her office.  I went in once, noticed that the snake was not in its cage and wondered why she took it out, and then I heard the hiss.  I cleared the office of furniture upon my exit, and never went back in there again.  It had actually found a way to escape and was hanging from the rafter. 

Posted by Bill Exeter (1031 Exchange Expert) (Exeter 1031 Exchange Services, LLC) about 4 years ago
What are you talking about that bat is cute looks like a relative of mine..but better teeth,
Posted by Steve Loynd, Alpine Lakes Real Estate Inc., Loon Mt, NH. about 4 years ago

Bill-- Now that would be creepy. Hissing snakes really creep me out.

 

Steve -- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Proof positive there.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) about 4 years ago
Steven, I wish I'd known you have a thing for bats before I got rid of a wonderful book on bats.  I put it up for sale twice on ebay with no takers so I finally just gave it to Goodwill or someone.  I could have mailed that to you and you could have picked out some good lookin' critters!  Fun blog.
Posted by Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) about 4 years ago

Barbara,

Thanks for thinking of me anyway. While the rest of the face is different, don't you agree that the ears kind of look like Charlie B?

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) about 4 years ago

Because I know how much Steve likes snakes I was going to withhold this picture---but the "ear" comment put me over the top!sunsmile

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) about 4 years ago
You two guys always make me laugh....  That snake is shedding its skin!!  I'll have to reexamine the ears on Charles B. 
Posted by Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) about 4 years ago
Barbara, I wish---it might not have smelled so bad!  You never know what you are going to see in a crawl space----unless it is Steve's.
Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) about 4 years ago

Charlie,

That snake is so old news. How many times you posted that now? Stop living in the past. By the way, upon review I am pretty sure Barbara will agree about the ears.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) about 4 years ago

Barbara, hopefully you won't find a Batty fellow like this in your atticbatty

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) about 4 years ago
Oh my gosh!!  It is so refreshing to have both of you fellows free this day with nothing to do but throw insults back and forth.  It is so dreary when one of you is off inspecting boats or one is teaching or one is preparing to teach.  Charlie, that green shirted bat is going to be hard to beat.  Steve, you are highly talented, however......We'll see............................
Posted by Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) about 4 years ago

Well,

I will concede that I cannot compete with that. Fact is Charlie, being a graduate of art school, has found an excellent way to use his talents that move society forward and to do good works -- like making fun of poor pitiful me. When it comes to the composite photos, I surrender and say Charlie is King.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) about 4 years ago
We tend to only focus our attentions on people we care the most about:)----and those we know can take it!
Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) about 4 years ago
Steve, you can be word king....you graduated with degree in journalism if I remember correctly.  And you are a magician....and a dj.....musician.   So quit taking it so hard.  Just smite him with another one of those great blogs.  : )
Posted by Barbara S. Duncan, CRS, GRI, e-PRO Searcy AR (RE/MAX Advantage) about 4 years ago
Hey Steve---think we should take this show on the road?
Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) about 4 years ago
I can't believe you got 18 comments on this dumb post Steve.  It was fun though, to see you and Charlie sparring.  In terms of bats; I love them.  I actually have a bat house on the side of my shop and invite them to live here.  I love evenings in the summer when they are flying over the pond eating mosquitoes.
Posted by David Helm, Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp (Helm Home Inspections) about 4 years ago

David,

Thanks to you it is 19! Speaking of "old bats" how are you doin"?

Posted by Anonymous about 4 years ago

HHHmmm, I don't mind bats too much. The attics in the apartment I use to own had alot of bats. Here is a pic of one of our children, which would give many people the creepy feeling...

This is "Jake the Snake".

Sean Allen

Posted by International Financing Solutions about 4 years ago

Sean,

Your child would creep me out. Indiana Jones too -- "I hate snakes."

Posted by Anonymous about 4 years ago

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