Many of you have asked where in the world I've been.

All I know is that after 7 plus years of blogging and a different lappy, which I don’t like, I seem to have lost my blogging fervor.

Someday, when you least expect it, I will post again.

For those of you still waiting I say thank you.

Meanwhile, I am rather prolific on twitter. Find me: @KeethaB
.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Eclectic Company - Waitin' on a New Adventure!!
.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Bats in our Belfry!!

.

Well, they WOULD have been in our belfry if we had one.

Instead, they were right inside our church, clinging to the stone wall, right up near the very peak of the cathedral ceiling.


I came through from my KIDDs class just in time to SEE the excitement. Unfortunately, I never once thought of getting my camera to RECORD that excitement - - - so you will just have to use your imaginations and make do with my googled images.

There were two of them - - - bats I mean. They were clinging upside down for dear life right up by the peak of the ceiling and directly above the communion table. I suppose that wanted to take their Holy Communion before Easter or something.

Just as I walked in, one of them let go of that wall and took a swooping dive right down into the center of the sanctuary. I must confess, I let out a yelp of fear.


Immediately I saw the CAUSE of their disruption. My friend Vernon, pictured here with his wife Sharon, was trying to get rid of them.

Thankfully Sharon was not there to WITNESS this procedure, or she may have died of fright for


Vernon was atop a ladder far taller than this one and was trying to CAPTURE those bats with his hands.

I'd say his BARE hands, but that would be to tell a lie, for the man is smart enough to NOT grab a bat in his bare hands.


No, his hands were carefully covered in thick work gloves.

Anyway - - - back to our batty tale.

One of the bats crawled quickly away, into a tiny crack between the ceiling and the wall and HE lived to return another day.

But the bat that had swooped down into the sanctuary above my head, returned to the wall, directly above Vernon's bald and uncovered head.

I couldn't help myself - - - I called out for Vernon to be careful!!! (Well, Sharon wasn't there - - - SOMEONE had to play the role of the nagging wife.)

Deft as anything, Vernon reached out that gloved hand of his and captured that bat. He held it firmly in his grip and began to descend that tall shaking ladder bringing Mr. Bat with him, Mr. Bat emitting those squeaking sonar sounds of his all the way.

The nagging wife in me came to the surface AGAIN as Vernon was walking across the sanctuary toward the foyer door.

"Are you going to release him or send him to Heaven?" queried I. "Because if you release him he'll just come back in."

Vernon gave me his little crooked grin, said nothing, and disappeared into the rest room where I presume Mr. Bat FAILED at his swimming lessons in the swirling porcelain pool and went to Heaven right then and there.

And here I thought it was just going to be a "ho-hum" night at KIDDs club!


Photo Credits:
Bat - ahaworks.org
Ladder - hometips.com
Glove - istockphoto.com

.



16 comments:

★Carol★ said...

When we vacation in Phillips, one of our favorite pastimes is watching the bats at dusk, feasting on the mosquitos!

Charlotte said...

Next time, you need to call "Billy the Exterminator"! Have you ever watched that show?

podso said...

eeesh!

ain't for city gals said...

We have bats but so far they have stayed outside...if they ever get in that will be the end of them! They are good for the environment but they can do a lot of damage once they get in....

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Well that brings back memories of having a bat in our cabin one night in Mammoth Lakes. He went to Heaven too!

Tonja said...

Keetha, I have spent a lovely time reading over your last several posts. What fun!
Loved the post on all the churches. There are such beautiful ones in your town. Loved the sand colored brick one and my fav is the Episcopal.
We have had a 'clothes closet' in our church for years. But, I must admit the organization there is much better than ours here. Over each door in our sanctuary...to be seen as you are exiting the church...are the words..."YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE MISSION FIELD". That really causes you to think, doesn't it? Don't like bats...EWWWWW, scary. And, in church of all places! And, yes, I found the golden dome in the pic. So glad it's warming up for you all. Happy Spring!

Anonymous said...

im sad
i didnt want one to die
or anything like that
i wish i would have been there i would have figured out a way to save them and find a new home, like at my house.

Brenda said...

oh no! that story brings back bad memories of mine and Chels' bat incident while living at Reva's. Not a fun night!

Cheeseboy said...

Well, I am glad he is smart enough to not grab bats with his bare hands. Perhaps the bats were looking for a little religion? Something was calling them to that church. A church is a very good place for a bat to die.

My name is Cheeseboy because I once dressed up as a superhero boy with a cheese cape on for a movie and ran around Scranton University campus like a wildman.

However, I did not go to Scranton U. I went to the University of Utah and I am a huge Ute fan! I am excited that our proud university is moving to the PAC 10 this year.

I will say that Wisconsin is probably my FAVORITE team in the Big 10. Wisconsin and Penn State. HATE, HATE, HATE the arrogant jerks at Ohio State.

Thanks for following. Following back. Always nice to have a new blog buddy.

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

Holy cats! (er, bats!) I don't like them. when we go camping they swoop through camp getting mosquitoes (which I appreciate) but they creep me out.

Kristin - The Goat said...

Sounds like the cracks in the ceiling are going to be soon filled so the bats can't easily get back in. Although, those darn bats can find the teeniest spaces! I can hear you being the nagging wife LOL

M.L. @ The House of Whimsy said...

Bats give me the heebie-geebies!!! Thank goodness for Mr. Vernon and his trusty gloves (not to mention courage!!!)
: )

Martin LaBar said...

Oh, my. A flushed bat!

42N said...

Holy toilet swirls Batman! Beware -- he may be back when you are in position and least expect him. To the bat cave Robin!

Nancy said...

Ah, the story brings bat memories. My only bat encounters were in Wisconsin Rapids -- around Lake Wazeecha and in the very church of your bat experience. I remember flying bats during a few services, and once I saw a stainless mixing bowl overturned on the floor. Being the curious sort, I lifted the bowl, found a dead bat, and calmly replaced the "temporary coffin" over the bat. However, my favorite church bat story occurred during my wedding rehearsal. A bat came flying through the sanctuary; my mother jumped up and ran out the front (behind the platform) which, unknown to her, was where the bat had flown. The bat ended up in the kitchen where my hero groom captured and killed it, thus preventing a reappearance during the wedding.

Unknown said...

Vernon was very brave to get rid of that bat on his own! I’m glad he was able to do it and even happier to know that he was safe. Still, that poor bat! I hope that what transpired in that bathroom isn’t as sad as you thought. I hope he just let it out of the bathroom window. Whatever happened to the other bat?

~ Selena Slough