We were living on Hill Boulevard in East Liverpool. We owned this house for seven years. It was a three-story house with a beautiful oak interior.
The house next door had been abandoned as a result of a divorce. Swallows had taken up residence down the chimney. Each night they would fill the sky with their aeronautical acrobatics. We would often sit on our deck and admire their performance - all flying in formation!
The bathroom was on the second floor. An exterior door opened onto a section of flat roof that overlooked the Ohio River. It was an excellent spot to watch East Liverpool's annual Fourth of July fireworks display! We'd set up lawn chairs, eat popcorn, and "Ohhh" and "Ahhh" to our heart's content.
We didn't have air conditioning. We used lots of fans to try to cool the house down. It didn't help much.
One night, Debbie and I just laid there - unable to sleep because of the heat. The idea came of going out on the flat roof with a foam mattress and sleeping under the stars. I quickly got it all set up and we laid there enjoying the cooler temperatures and the beautiful night sky.
Suddenly, we both sensed a flutter. At first, we thought it was the swallows - although their show had ended much earlier in the evening.
Then it happened again. And again.
At the same moment, we both realized that they were BATS!
It was a moment of frenzy! We both leaped up and flew for the door! Sheets and mattress were abandoned as we dove for the safety of the bathroom.
A "perfect opportunity" foiled by bats!
Showing posts with label Bats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bats. Show all posts
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Saturday, June 30, 2012
ONE OF OUR MANY HILARIOUS FAMILY MEMORIES - BAT STORY #2
I was leading an Official Board meeting at the Oakland Free Methodist Church on a week night. The phone rang - it was for me!
The panicked voice of my wife informed me that there was an emergency and I needed to come right home.
I adjourned the meeting and flew home.
At the time, we lived in a massive, three-story home on East Fifth Street in downtown East Liverpool. We affectionately called it: MANIAC MANSION!
When I busted throught the front door, I couldn't believe my eyes!
Troy and Tracie had helmits on and were wrapped in afgans. They each had a tennis racket in their hand. Instant confusion - what kind of emergency would cause them to dress like this?
Debbie was on the couch - also covered with an afgan. As I asked what was wrong, a bat flew into the room and swooped all of us! Instant pandamonium! We all hit the deck! The bat flew in circles through the living room, the entrance-way, the hall, the dining room, and back into the living room!
We were all screaming!
It finally flew upstairs and landed on one of the walls.
I didn't know what to do, so I ran to the phone and called our good friend, Junior Lamp. Junior lived in Newell, West Virginia. It took him fifteen minutes to get to our house.
He walked upstairs and picked the bat off the wall. He spread its wings and gave us a chance to inspect it closely. Then he released it on the front porch!
Bat emergency #2 averted!
The panicked voice of my wife informed me that there was an emergency and I needed to come right home.
I adjourned the meeting and flew home.
At the time, we lived in a massive, three-story home on East Fifth Street in downtown East Liverpool. We affectionately called it: MANIAC MANSION!
When I busted throught the front door, I couldn't believe my eyes!
Troy and Tracie had helmits on and were wrapped in afgans. They each had a tennis racket in their hand. Instant confusion - what kind of emergency would cause them to dress like this?
Debbie was on the couch - also covered with an afgan. As I asked what was wrong, a bat flew into the room and swooped all of us! Instant pandamonium! We all hit the deck! The bat flew in circles through the living room, the entrance-way, the hall, the dining room, and back into the living room!
We were all screaming!
It finally flew upstairs and landed on one of the walls.
I didn't know what to do, so I ran to the phone and called our good friend, Junior Lamp. Junior lived in Newell, West Virginia. It took him fifteen minutes to get to our house.
He walked upstairs and picked the bat off the wall. He spread its wings and gave us a chance to inspect it closely. Then he released it on the front porch!
Bat emergency #2 averted!
Friday, June 29, 2012
ONE OF OUR MANY HILARIOUS FAMILY MEMORIES: BAT STORY #1
When our kids were young, we tried to find alternative celebrations for Halloween weekend. When they were small, we took them to Chuck E. Cheese. When they got older, we went on late fall camping weekends; sometimes even renting a cabin.
This particular year, we rented one at Clear Creek State Park near Cooks Forest in Pennsylvania. Travis was around thirteen, Troy was nine and Tracie, eight. They were obviously old enough to be able to read AND SPELL!
We arrived, moved in, carried wood, and got a fire started in the pot-belly stove. While walking around, we saw a buck with a couple of doe. He actually followed us back to our cabin - it was wierd! That night, the buck banged its antlers against the corner of our cabin for about ten minutes. Strange!
The next night, we were settling in to sleep. There were bunk beds against each wall. Deb and I slept on the bottoms with Travis above her and Troy above me. Tracibeth slept on a chaise lounge between the bunk beds.
When the lights were out, Deb thought she sensed something buzz past her; then again. In the darkness, she called my name and then spelled: B - A - T. With that, all three kids screamed! Travis and Troy dove out of their top bunks onto Tracie. We all covered up with our blankets.
Eventually, Debbie shamed me into getting up and turning the lights on. Sure enough, we could see the bat high on one wall.
For the next hour we tried everything we could to get it to fly out of the cabin. Nothing worked. Our squeels and screams must have surely amused and puzzled our cabin-neighbors. We laughed till we were nearly sick!
Then spent the next two nights sleeping - not so soundly - UNDER THE COVERS!
This particular year, we rented one at Clear Creek State Park near Cooks Forest in Pennsylvania. Travis was around thirteen, Troy was nine and Tracie, eight. They were obviously old enough to be able to read AND SPELL!
We arrived, moved in, carried wood, and got a fire started in the pot-belly stove. While walking around, we saw a buck with a couple of doe. He actually followed us back to our cabin - it was wierd! That night, the buck banged its antlers against the corner of our cabin for about ten minutes. Strange!
The next night, we were settling in to sleep. There were bunk beds against each wall. Deb and I slept on the bottoms with Travis above her and Troy above me. Tracibeth slept on a chaise lounge between the bunk beds.
When the lights were out, Deb thought she sensed something buzz past her; then again. In the darkness, she called my name and then spelled: B - A - T. With that, all three kids screamed! Travis and Troy dove out of their top bunks onto Tracie. We all covered up with our blankets.
Eventually, Debbie shamed me into getting up and turning the lights on. Sure enough, we could see the bat high on one wall.
For the next hour we tried everything we could to get it to fly out of the cabin. Nothing worked. Our squeels and screams must have surely amused and puzzled our cabin-neighbors. We laughed till we were nearly sick!
Then spent the next two nights sleeping - not so soundly - UNDER THE COVERS!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)