A few years back, the hubby and I decided to build our dream home, a log cabin. It took many, many months and a good deal of bickering and sweat equity to make this dream come true. On Mother's Day weekend, 2001, we moved in.

After the first summer of mishaps and many bugs in the house, we started "fixing" all the things our builder had not done up to standard. One of our biggest issues was bugs. Not just bugs, but bees. Hornets, wasps and yellow jackets IN the house. I kept insisting they were coming in around the windows, but what did I know? I watched as huge hornets crawled from the places where the curves in the logs met around my kitchen window.

After 2 years, my hubby pulled the trim boards from on side of one window and declared that wasn't the problem. I had actually come home to find my bedroom window swarming with yellow jackets. Many a time, I had gotten stung in bed by wasps my husband had swatted off of him and onto me. This is not to mention the ones I stepped on that got caught between my toes. I don't go barefoot anymore!

The next year, I got the step stool and went looking for a pry bar and hammer. I was going to fix the problem once and for all. Either that or look like a real idiot. I was tired of the bees. Of course, whenever I start a "man" project, I get moved aside. This was the case this time, too. However, when the top boards came off, we discovered a hornet's nest about the size of a fist and a hole where you could see right through to the outside that was the same size. In repeating this procedure on all windows and doors, there were many times we were both sick to our stomach from just seeing the nests crawling with bees in our house.

Thank God, after many cases of "great goo" (expanding foam), bug foggers and sprays, and lots of hard work, we are bee free. We still, however, bomb the house whenever we are away for a few days.

It took a lot of effort and complaining on my part to get the job done, but at least that one job is off the "honey do list".

Learn more about this author, Judi Ronning.
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