Termites

Around dinner time, Julie looked up to the light and asked: "Are Those Termites?" 

Sure enough a few termites were flying around the kitchen light. So as a family we go into Termite mode. We started by turning off all bulbs, except one, to concentrate the termites in the house to a single spot. However, it quickly became apparent there were, not one or two, but dozens appearing out of no where... (normally it's only a few coming in from outside) 

Our home is a older wooden home, and termites are a fact of life in Hawaii. We are slowly organically removing them, but it is taking some patience to do so with orange oil and finding the nests.

Ok, we go into stage two of our termite dance. We get out a little floor lamp to attract them to the floor to make it easier to remove them. Julie and Mina went off to get the termites at the floor, I was busy finishing off a hundred or so termites on the ceiling. Mina was shouting "die you little f*ckers" and doing a very good job at removing the menace... Julie and I were both quite proud of her style. 

It was clear something was very wrong... normally this only should have been 5 or 10 termites not hundreds... So I begin to search around inside the house... Sure enough, there was an active nest in one of our walls, releasing flying termites into the house and I might add onto me: which is helpful since it's easier to catch them when they are on you... 

Julie being brilliant, went into stage three: She mopped the floor and the wet light reflecting off the floor would cause the termites to get stuck. Then we could just mop them up dozens at a time. I went off to inspect other walls to make sure no other swarms were happening. 

I went outside gather a few geckos and I released them to the wall. They went off happily eating all they could. 

That was 3 hours ago. The termite witching hour is over... 6:30 to 9pm is the time flying termites swarm in rush hour for their work day. 

Termites on the wing, are like flying angels fluttering in the air. Then they land, lose their wings and become worm like demons, intent on devouring your entire home... That's life, good and bad all rolled into one simple wood eating package. 

Off to bed now... hopefully I can get the termite people here in a few days to orange oil the walls again... 

We are still learning to pace our life here. Life on the Big Island of Hawaii, is not life on the mainland, its home for so many, including us... You quickly learn to let go of all attachment except that of family here. House and material goods just fade away here, but family and friends are ever present and eternal. 

It's home, you can't help but love home, even if you deal more often with termites... 

Addendum: no swarms tonight :) back to normal

Namaste.