Spiders and Ants

Dealing with ants this week. I'm not one who whips out the Raid,
especially around dishes. Yes, I have a soft spot for ants (spiders,
too). As a kid I tortured and killed scores of ants under a
magnifying glass, chassing them with the bright spot as they tried to
scamper away, sometimes having to whomp them with the leather sleave
of the magnifying glass to get them to lie sill while I roasted them
into and acrid shoe-lace of smoke.

My vegan cousin told me clove powder works to send them packing. I
tried that, but clove powder is rather dear (as the brits would say),
so I've discovered cinnamon works just about as well, although the
industrius ants will plow a path if they are determined to get to the
pecan pie tin in the trash.

So this week my house smells of cinnamon and the kitchen floor is
slippery with spice, and rust-colored clumps around the sink (it
doesn't work very well once it's gotten wet).

Don't even get me started about spiders!