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A SHOO! is Born

I wasn't allergic to wasps. Until I was.

 I'd been stung when I was a kid & an adult. June 2005- I was 43 - working construction & a yellow jacket flew up my glove, stung my wrist & I didn't think anything of it.

 The itching began 15 minutes later. Then, every lymph node spot started tingling. What? A co-worker drove me to a drugstore to get Benadryl & the pharmacist told me my face was swelling- get to a hospital. At the ER, they told me to take a seat, so I did- allergic NOW after a lifetime of  not-a-big-deal stings? Then I felt my ears closing & my chest felt tight. I went back to the window, told them AGAIN I'd been stung & now I was going to pass out. They rushed me in, hooked me up to an IV & told me I had to carry an epi-pen for the rest of my life.

 And the doctor warned me: the next time my anaphylactic response could be worse. OY! But I love being out on my deck & in my garden in the spring & summer. Wasps are part of the outdoor equation- how was I ever going to relax at my own home?? I didn't. I ran inside every time. I have horrible aim with wasp sprays & the chemical residue would get everywhere! 

 July 2015 (10yrs later!) I saw a DIY paper bag decoy on Pinterest. I discovered wasps prefer to avoid other nests & have a memory for locations-- to return to or bypass. I made one, hung it & replaced it several times when it disintegrated. There were less wasps hanging around. I found more DIY ideas: duct tape, chicken wire, plastic bags & crochet/knit. I found manufactured deterrents that look like paper lanterns & weird mini duffel bags. Time to make them look good & make them last.

 I have 4 SHOO!s hanging on or around my house & property- no more nests in the shed, BBQ, garden or eaves. That's my story.


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