Saturday 29 August 2009

A little fishy

I have spent the last week doing the rather nasty but necessary job of wallpaper stripping, a job made more difficult by the past occupants insisting upon gloss painting some of the wallpaper. Old houses are usually accompanied by various critters that thrive in the conditions that can vary from dry to very very damp. The last week has seen me being becoming more than familiar with the little bug(ger) known as a silverfish. Small fast and slightly prehistoric looking the afore said bug is just another to add to my ever growing list of creatures that need to become extinct...just after the labour party and all its wastrel followers (wow...renovation and rant in one post!) Silverfish tend to thrive in relatively dry conditions and as such pose no threat to the buildings fabric...unlike the dry rot I discovered last week,of which more in a latter post.

15 comments:

Vinogirl said...

They look more exotic in your photo than in person...found one in my bathroom last week. Good luck with that gloss-coated wallpaper...wish I was there!

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

That's a great pic Thudders, I've never seen a close-up!

They do shift too!

Gloss on wallpaper...hmmm, flamethrower and a bucket of water?

Thud said...

scrobs....flamethrower is a good idea as at the moment only the application of huge amounts of elbow grease is working.
vinogirl...all hand to the tiller!

James Higham said...

Aaaagh - throw it in with Brown and Toynbee immediately.

Putz said...

is the brown our james higham talking about, gordon brown???????

Anonymous said...

Madam Anon says try this url for gardening questions,

http://www.growsonyou.com

She has had a few questions answered over the last few weeks,don't tell me your frightened of a lickle wriggly thing.

Brian said...

Taste a bit like prawns when cooked.

Thud said...

Anon...ta to your missus for the link,it's rather good. As for the wriggly things....some of them are rather large!

Electro-Kevin said...

I've had these in a house before.

A bit bigger and I'd expect that they'd cook up like a lobster.

Electro-Kevin said...

Still money to be made in property ?

Thud said...

EK....I've been through a property crash before and I have done the same this time as I did then namely just plodded on.There have been some relative bargains around of late and so when things pick up I'll be placed to carry on working pretty steadily....so yes money still to be made...just not as much!

Trubes said...

Euk! I hate creepy crawlies, they make me itch.
I wonder why they're called Siverfish when they live on land.
You've got quite a job on there Thud,
A brave man indeed. I wish you luck
with this daring venture.

Are actually living there now?
I can't recall you saying so.

Di.x

Thud said...

Trubes...I promised Mrs OTW that I would not make her 'camp' in a house again so we are hanging on to our present house for as long as possible.

Trubes said...

I'm so Glad that Mme. OTW and the two little Princesses, are still living in comfortable surrounds Thud.

Di.x

NotClauswitz said...

They ate our books and schoolwork when we were living south of Calcutta. And some bigger flying bastards that would hit the window-screen with a big "Thunk!" And the many-legged ones that left a track on skin just with their poisonous toes. Shoeleather! Bam! Kill 'em.