# Dealing With Scorpions



## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

I have never lived anywhere that scorpions were part of the native wildlife. Nor are they one of the groups that I find fascinating; they belong in the "KEEP AWAY FROM ME!" group, based on everything I've heard about them.

But.

I understand that, once we settle on a location and make our move (not to mention when we're in the process of choosing a location) scorpions will be a part of life.

What do the experienced people here do to deal with them? To minimize the need to deal with them?

Forewarned is forearmed, but having a battle plan, or even a guide to somewhat peaceful coexistence is better.

Thanks, in advance.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Scorpions are very territorial, like ants, and you may have them in new properties built on or near recent unimproved land. If that is the case, you may always have them. On the other hand, older, well established homes seldom have them, as generations have passed since construction and there are probably not vacant, overgrown lots near your home.
Yet, whenever you remodel, or a neighbor does, there is a chance that some few scorpions may be delivered with the bricks. Since they aren't 'at home' they are easily dealt with; just step on one, if you see it.
We've owned two homes here, in both Ajijic and Chapala, for over ten years. We've seen one scorpion in Ajijic when a next door neighbor had bricks delivered and have stepped on a few in similar circumstances on the sidewalk nearby. After eight years in Chapala, we've yet to see one at all.
So, it isn't something to worry about.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> I have never lived anywhere that scorpions were part of the native wildlife. Nor are they one of the groups that I find fascinating; they belong in the "KEEP AWAY FROM ME!" group, based on everything I've heard about them.
> 
> But.
> 
> ...


I've never seen a scorpion in Mexico City, just the occasional cucaracha and mosquitoes in warm weather.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

SInce we will most likely live in town wherever we are, because that's where the central courtyard, non-NOB style houses are, that's all good news.

And mosquitoes are the MN un-official state bird, no NP. Never really had cucarachas, but I've certainly been in places where they were hanging around.

Thanks!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> SInce we will most likely live in town wherever we are, because that's where the central courtyard, non-NOB style houses are, that's all good news.
> 
> And mosquitoes are the MN un-official state bird, no NP. Never really had cucarachas, but I've certainly been in places where they were hanging around.
> 
> Thanks!


I live on the fourth floor (tercer piso) of a small aging apartment building (truth to be told, kind of an ugly one) with no courtyard, so if there were any scorpions in the neighborhood, they probably wouldn't want to climb this high to get to my place . Since it's been a fairly cool summer, the mosquitoes have hardly put in an appearance this year. Every couple of years, I have the exterminator in to kill the cucarachas, and that's it for the bugs.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> I live on the fourth floor (tercer piso) of a small aging apartment building (truth to be told, kind of an ugly one) with no courtyard, so if there were any scorpions in the neighborhood, they probably wouldn't want to climb this high to get to my place . Since it's been a fairly cool summer, the mosquitoes have hardly put in an appearance this year. Every couple of years, I have the exterminator in to kill the cucarachas, and that's it for the bugs.


Sounds just about right.

Every year we're hosts to whatever boxelder bugs can get in through the tiny spaces. Since they're flat, an amazing number can. They are harmless, but icky, so we go through lots of kleenex. If you squish them, they stain. And stink. 

The cat won't even eat them, although, if bored, she'll play with them for a bit. 

The worst I've dealt with so far is the carpenter ants. I learned enough to know that the colony(ies) wasn't in the house, because they were too few and far between. (Thank goodness!)

Finally learning that they go through a sweet/protein/sweet/protein eating cycle, I just used sufficient ant traps for the ones that were in the house, accompanied by the same grab a kleenex method for the boxelders. 

If they get in next year, I'll have to attack the source of problem, and go for the big guns near the wood piles at the edge of the yard.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> Sounds just about right.
> 
> Every year we're hosts to whatever boxelder bugs can get in through the tiny spaces. Since they're flat, an amazing number can. They are harmless, but icky, so we go through lots of kleenex. If you squish them, they stain. And stink.
> 
> ...


It sounds like you have lots more bug problems than I do! Apart from all the cultural benefits, living in a big city pretty much isolates you from the creepy-crawlies, even living here in a semi-tropical climate.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

I like the sound of that.

The funny thing is, that we live very close to St. Paul. But the way the cities and suburbs were laid out here, there's plenty of habitat for all sorts of critters, big and small. We've had fawns napping in our garden, and had to chase off a woodchuck.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> I like the sound of that.
> 
> The funny thing is, that we live very close to St. Paul. But the way the cities and suburbs were laid out here, there's plenty of habitat for all sorts of critters, big and small. We've had fawns napping in our garden, and had to chase off a woodchuck.


How lovely to have Bambi drop in for a visit, not sure about the woodchuck, though


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> How lovely to have Bambi drop in for a visit, not sure about the woodchuck, though


My thoughts, exactly.

The best part about Bambi being there is that it means that Mama thought it was safe; mother deer leave the young napping when they're too little to follow them around as they browse. 

Other thing learned: fawns calling for their mothers sound like a cross between a baby and a lamb.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> My thoughts, exactly.
> 
> The best part about Bambi being there is that it means that Mama thought it was safe; mother deer leave the young napping when they're too little to follow them around as they browse.
> 
> Other thing learned: fawns calling for their mothers sound like a cross between a baby and a lamb.


How sweet.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

From scorpions to Bambi .... here we go again. BTW .. the OP still shows as being in the US. So where are you?

When building my house our record for scorpions was 5 for one brick pile that had been sitting for awhile. I wear gloves and workers are just careful. Now that construction is done I haven't seen one in the yard or in the house for over a year.

Cucarachas when we get heavy rain, leaf cutter ants, sugar ants and termites that never find wood. Mosquitoes, gnats and flies outdoors

Neighbor got stung from her closeline (I thought a bee or wasp) but we took her to Centro de Salud and they gave her an anti-venom - free. Maybe similar?

Not sure that many cats would do this ... but watch


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm in a metro area of 2 million in the US--Mpls/St Paul. First tier suburb, even.

Scorpions are my biggest challenge, psychologically to moving to MX, so I am approaching it the way I always do--overloading on info, so that I get more comfortable with it.

I read fetal development books at the med school when I was first pregnant, I now know (Thanks, RVG!) that living in an older neighborhood is a good safeguard against dealing with more than the occasional scorpion.

The more I learn, the less is the fear of the unknown. I have no idea if it works for everyone. But it works for me.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Turn on the lights if you get up at night, don't walk barefoot in the dark and wear gloves if going thru a pile of stuff in the yard.

Squash 'em with a sandal and don't run away. I live in the country and see very few, more populous areas will have less


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

I've lived in Texas for 30 years and here in Mexico for 13 and have seen one scorpion that crawled out of a city park.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

sparks said:


> From scorpions to Bambi .... here we go again. BTW .. the OP still shows as being in the US. So where are you?
> 
> When building my house our record for scorpions was 5 for one brick pile that had been sitting for awhile. I wear gloves and workers are just careful. Now that construction is done I haven't seen one in the yard or in the house for over a year.
> 
> ...


Sparks, that kitty eating the scorpion was wonderful.

Cats have been part of my life since college, so it's great to know that one in MX will also be a scorpion hunter!


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

>>>> Cats have been part of my life since college, so it's great to know that one in MX will also be a scorpion hunter! 

They may be .... but street animals get pretty hungry. Then again, my cat kills everything in the yard while getting a real cat food diet. Bats, lizards, snakes and frogs but we have few scorpions.

Most scorpions here are much smaller and a light grey ... unlike the video


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

As I mentioned, our cat here in the US won't eat the boxelder bugs. But she will play with and kill them.

She does go after and eat spiders and other bugs, so it's not a stretch to think that she (or another cat) would find a scorpion good fun.


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## terrybahena (Oct 3, 2011)

The first day we arrived at our house in Mexico in June there was a scorpion in the kitchen sink. Well the house had been empty for at least 2 years and I think maybe closer to 4. 
A couple of weeks later there was one in a pile of sheets I had left on the bedroom floor for 2 weeks. This is in the part of the house we built- but again was uninhabited for almost a year before we moved in. 

Then I saw one in a neighbor's house, and 2 at the cemetery when they guys were digging after the baby's funeral.

So as was stated above- I wear shoes in the house once it starts getting dark, and turn on the bathroom light in the middle of the nite. I don't reach way back on shelves where I can't see, and I also wear shoes walking thru brush. I don't leave piles of things on the floor or in corners, and if I do, I pick thru carefully.

They don't move very fast, so smacking them is not too hard. Our next door neighbor's daughter got a sting last week, and they went to the next town to the doctor for the medicine. That lady told us a soon as you get a sting, put clorox on it, if you keep feeling worse, then go to the doctor. For me- clorox is fine but I'm heading for the dr immediately...


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## cuylers5746 (Mar 19, 2012)

*Dealing with Scorpions*



mickisue1 said:


> I have never lived anywhere that scorpions were part of the native wildlife. Nor are they one of the groups that I find fascinating; they belong in the "KEEP AWAY FROM ME!" group, based on everything I've heard about them.
> 
> But.
> 
> ...


Hi Mickisue;

No, haven't seen a scorpion here in Tepic, but we live in Col. Centro so that's maybe why. Older neighborhood for sure.

I've seen movies where they've put Lavender flowers in a small box on each window sill where they have scorpions. They won't cross the sill. I guess it might make sense to grow them in your garden too for the same reason, and a cheap supply of the flowers?

Cuyler


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## sunnyvmx (Mar 14, 2010)

We have the occassional scorpion so my outside shoes are all open toed sandals, but it was the frogs in my shoes that I couldn't stand. I've seen my housecleaner stand the porch shoes up on end. I slipped on a gown one morning and sat at the computer when he stung me on the hip. I knew I had never been stung so painfully so I wasn't surprised to see the scorpion drop to the floor when I tore off the dress. It raised a large marble size lump and later I felt a little icky, but the pain from the sting was gone in two minutes. The geckos do a fine job of keeping out the creepy crawlies and I enjoy hearing their chirpy laughter although most people can't deal with the gecko poop. I find that with a large goldfish tank and two cockatiels, what's a little more poop to clean up. Besides what else do I have to do? Read all these darn forums.... more poop.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

cuylers5746 said:


> Hi Mickisue;
> 
> No, haven't seen a scorpion here in Tepic, but we live in Col. Centro so that's maybe why. Older neighborhood for sure.
> 
> ...


I wonder if you put some of that lavender in your linen closet if it would keep them out of the sheets? Hmmmmmmmmm.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> I wonder if you put some of that lavender in your linen closet if it would keep them out of the sheets? Hmmmmmmmmm.


Who knows, but at least you'd have sweet-smelling dreams.


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## dongringo (Dec 13, 2010)

Scorpions are a pest in Los Tuxtlas, primarily in the countryside. Pesticides in homes do not work because they hide in crevices. You need to fumigate the whole house and be prepared for the next invasion.

Best way to treat them is to crunch them below your soles, tap your shoes to dislodge them, and carefully lift any rock in your vicinity. That's where they like to hide. 

The bite of the local version, as someone mentioned above, is minor, unless you are allergic.

If you are sadistic, you can stick a few into a fishbowl and watch them fight to the death.


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## adamathefrog (Dec 4, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> It sounds like you have lots more bug problems than I do! Apart from all the cultural benefits, living in a big city pretty much isolates you from the creepy-crawlies, even living here in a semi-tropical climate.


But having a neighbour in a big city on the Mexican equivalent of welfare pretty much guarantees overgrowth and mucho insectos!

Its crazy how houses are mixed up over here, one one side of me is a giant house and well kept yard (and so i am told, chilango) with >1000sqm of land, mostly paved. On the other side is a 'standard' 400sqm lot with a single concrete room with plastic sheet windows, every plant possible in Yucatan growing unchecked, and an army of insects.

On the flip side, the rich guys are obnoxious at 4am with their incredibly antisocial nightclub-level foundation-destroying music, but the poor guys go to sleep when it gets dark and never turn their TV up too loud.

Hey ho!

No scorpions yet, thankfully. I only saw one in three months last time, and only because I was cleaning a messy yard (scrap metal, not plants, I wont touch overgrown plants!)

BTW, have you tried baiting the cockroaches? Might me cheaper and prevent the gradual repopulation before the next visit.

Adam.


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## adamathefrog (Dec 4, 2010)

mickisue1 said:


> I like the sound of that.
> 
> The funny thing is, that we live very close to St. Paul. But the way the cities and suburbs were laid out here, there's plenty of habitat for all sorts of critters, big and small. We've had fawns napping in our garden, and had to chase off a woodchuck.


But how much wood was the woodchuck chucking...?

Sorry


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

adamathefrog said:


> But having a neighbour in a big city on the Mexican equivalent of welfare pretty much guarantees overgrowth and mucho insectos!
> 
> Its crazy how houses are mixed up over here, one one side of me is a giant house and well kept yard (and so i am told, chilango) with >1000sqm of land, mostly paved. On the other side is a 'standard' 400sqm lot with a single concrete room with plastic sheet windows, every plant possible in Yucatan growing unchecked, and an army of insects.
> 
> ...


In my neighborhood, the rents are high enough so that everyone is on a similar socio-economic level, unlike your situation in Merida. I find it amusing that your neighbors think that the obnoxious wealthy neighbors are chilangos because, of course, only chilangos play loud music at 4 a.m..

Once my friend the exterminator (and fellow English teacher) does his thing, I am usually roach-free for a couple of years. In addition to the chemicals, he also disperses common-sense advice about how to keep the roach population under control in between his visits.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

My (I hope) first stupid question of the day.

I've yet to find a good working definition for chilango, applicable in the many ways I see it used.

Would the idea of the supposed attributes of the nouveau riche cover it?

Wikipedia simply references former suburbanites who move to DF. That seems too narrow to me.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> In my neighborhood, the rents are high enough so that everyone is on a similar socio-economic level, unlike your situation in Merida. I find it amusing that your neighbors think that the obnoxious wealthy neighbors are chilangos because, of course, only chilangos play loud music at 4 a.m..
> .


I thought only Sinaloenses play loud banda [obnoxious] music until 4AM. I´ll be darned, so Chilangos do also.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> My (I hope) first stupid question of the day.
> 
> I've yet to find a good working definition for chilango, applicable in the many ways I see it used.
> 
> ...


A chilango is a native of Mexico City. I consider myself an honorary chilanga, by the way. I've never heard that it had anything to do with social class. In some ways, the way chilangos are characterized in Mexico by Mexicans from _la provincia_ is the way some Americans think of New Yorkers. The Wikipedia definition sounds wrong to me - I wonder who wrote it.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> My (I hope) first stupid question of the day.
> 
> I've yet to find a good working definition for chilango, applicable in the many ways I see it used.
> 
> ...


Chilango - a used to be, sort of, kind of, but not really, decades ago derogatory word to describe a person originally [born, I guess] from Mexico City. They prefered to be called Capitalinos. Now it apears to be accepted, at least by most, as describing a person born in Mexico City. 

Sort of like the ****** evolved from decades ago a sort of derogatory name for a NOBer. [white English speaking foreigners] Now it just means us NOB guys, Gringa in your case. I have heard in some parts of Mexico it is still used derogatorially. Americano/Canadiense is more respectful. Or Estadounidense.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> A chilango is a native of Mexico City. I consider myself an honorary chilanga, by the way. I've never heard that it had anything to do with social class. In some ways, the way chilangos are characterized in Mexico by Mexicans from _la provincia_ is the way some Americans think of New Yorkers. The Wikipedia definition sounds wrong to me - I wonder who wrote it.


Actually if you read the whole article in Wikipedia on the word chilango it covers just about everything and I have heard that also. The quote above is talking about a stage in the development and the "possible" origin of the word and many more possibilites. I have also heard people say. "That person is talking chilango, they must be from Mexico City." This is mentioned in the article also. It also mentions that many people outside DF call long time residents of Mexico City Chilangos also, which I also have heard used. How some used/use the word in a derogatory way, especially with the "p" word in front of it. etc.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> Actually if you read the whole article in Wikipedia on the word chilango it covers just about everything and I have heard that also. The quote above is talking about a stage in the development and the "possible" origin of the word and many more possibilites. I have also heard people say. "That person is talking chilango, they must be from Mexico City." This is mentioned in the article also. It also mentions that many people outside DF call long time residents of Mexico City Chilangos also, which I also have heard used. How some used/use the word in a derogatory way, especially with the "p" word in front of it. etc.


Since mickisue didn't post a link to the Wikipedia article, I just assumed that what she posted was the meat of the article, hence my comment. I guess I´ll take a look and see what else it has to say.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Thanks, you guys.

So, the assumption is that the people who live next door to Adam simply came from Mexico City?


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> Thanks, you guys.
> 
> So, the assumption is that the people who live next door to Adam simply came from Mexico City?


If they play loud music until 4AM I assume that are from Sinaloa.


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## adamathefrog (Dec 4, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> In my neighborhood, the rents are high enough so that everyone is on a similar socio-economic level, unlike your situation in Merida. I find it amusing that your neighbors think that the obnoxious wealthy neighbors are chilangos because, of course, only chilangos play loud music at 4 a.m..


In my experience, everyone who isn't English plays music too loud. 

Americans might be like us, I'm not sure, but most Europeans certainly aren't, and neither are the antipodeans!

The thing that irritates me more than the noise is how easily everyone else can totally ignore it! ARGH!

adam.


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## adamathefrog (Dec 4, 2010)

AlanMexicali said:


> Chilango - a used to be, sort of, kind of, but not really, decades ago derogatory word to describe a person originally [born, I guess] from Mexico City. They prefered to be called Capitalinos. Now it apears to be accepted, at least by most, as describing a person born in Mexico City.
> 
> Sort of like the ****** evolved from decades ago a sort of derogatory name for a NOBer. [white English speaking foreigners] Now it just means us NOB guys, Gringa in your case. I have heard in some parts of Mexico it is still used derogatorially. Americano/Canadiense is more respectful. Or Estadounidense.


Both are certainly used in derogatory contexts here in Merida!

There was another word that a guy from D.F. called me the other day (in friendly setting), but I can't remember what it was!

****** in Mexico seems limited to USA/CA. It has many variations in meaning in the spanish speaking world, though.

Here Chilango means someone from D.F., it might have slightly different meaning elsewhere. She knows where they're from because she taught their children in sunday school! 

She meant it in a derogatory context, because she hates them for typically irrational reasons. I didn't, because it makes no difference to me 

adam.


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## cabowabooze (Oct 18, 2012)

We just been here in Cabo for 2 weeks now, (yes newbies) and have seen 4 scorpions in the house. We have been told Lavender works as they do not like it. The house was empty for a while and the wet weather made for a nice hide out for them. Well it has been a few days and no more seen. 
I am no stranger to creepy crawlers (Camel Spiders) as I work overseas and deal with them often, but my wife that is a different story. She is a girly girl which I love, she will just have to deal with those kinds of issues while I am gone.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Here's a hint: girly girl just means a woman who has convinced the man in her life that she's incapable of taking care of things she's perfectly capable of dealing with.

She is capable of sucking it up and dealing. She may not want to, which is a whole other animal.

That's why this thread started: I have not wanted to deal with scorpions (girly girl part of me) my entire life. But living where I want to live (MX) requires that I learn to do so (sucking it up part of me.)


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

mickisue1 said:


> Here's a hint: girly girl just means a woman who has convinced the man in her life that she's incapable of taking care of things she's perfectly capable of dealing with.
> 
> She is capable of sucking it up and dealing. She may not want to, which is a whole other animal.
> 
> That's why this thread started: I have not wanted to deal with scorpions (girly girl part of me) my entire life. But living where I want to live (MX) requires that I learn to do so (sucking it up part of me.)


I was going to ask cabowabooze what his definition of a girly-girl was. Thanks for posting yours, mickisue. I never got the hang of being one when I was younger, much younger, and now I have no desire at all to be one.


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## sunnyvmx (Mar 14, 2010)

Well, I probably would have been more successful as a wife if I had been more of a "girly girl", but 5 husbands, eight motorcycles, two horses, seven RVs and a long nose Peterbilt and Kenworth later, I have hiked the Appalachian Trail 3 times, backpacked Alaska for 3 months and now live the "good life" of my dreams in Mexico. During all this I worked my ass off and I'm so glad that's behind me, pun intended. But when I find a scorpion or roach in my casita or grab a frog or large lizard when I'm working in the garden, I can squeal and jump around like the girliest girl you ever saw.


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## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Sunny, I was a single mom for a LOOOONG time. Girly girl behavior gets trained out of you when you are the one who has to kill the spiders, mow the lawn, repair the toaster and knock down the newly weaned small brown bats that are hanging from the kitchen ceiling.

That last trained pretty much ALL the girly girl out of me. We had a house that was over 100 years old, and we loved the bats for their mosquito eating propensities. Not so much for the startle factor when heading to the shower in the morning. It became a well oiled operation. 

Mom (me) would knock the bat down with the broom, and hold the bristle end over it, while oldest child slid a piece of cardboard under it. Mom would then take cardboard-wit-bat and broom covering outside, as younger kids opened doors in front of her. 

Broom would be removed, the bat would recover quickly from the stunning it took being whacked off the ceiling, and fly away. With luck, not back into the attic.


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## adamathefrog (Dec 4, 2010)

sunnyvmx said:


> But when I find a scorpion or roach in my casita or grab a frog or large lizard when I'm working in the garden, I can squeal and jump around like the girliest girl you ever saw.


Me too!!


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