First shoes

Seen in a JUSCO bakery...

Cockroach bomb evacuation cycle ride!

Well, it was about time that I did a bit of exploring around here, and I found that within about 10-15 minutes cycling I get to a stream in what counts for definite countryside in this part of Chiba.  It was really rather nice when you blocked out the pylons and telegraph poles!

The path by the stream was gravelled, so not terribly pleasant to cycle along, but I still think I will return there soon for another cycling breakfast!  View from the cycle path, and of a temple that I found with beautiful wisteria.

I also passed lots of old secluded houses, most of which were so surrounded by beautiful trees and shrubs that I couldn't take any pictures.  But this old house amused me, with its basketball net in the front garden...

Apologies that pictures are even worse than usual!  I only had my phone camera with me today.

Cockroach bomb evacuation!

OK, so this one isn't a real one - this is a pull back and release toy that I bought a few years back to wind up the students...  Along with a very realistic centipede.  Although I just came across it on its back in a cupboard just now and did have to give it a 2nd look!  

Well, I moved here last November and that first week saw just one terminator style cockroach.  Since then, and probably my phobia as a result of my first ground floor apartment in Japan that had giant cockroaches and centipedes coming in through the gaps in the walls and up through the tatami, I've been a little worried about this older house...

It's getting warm here, and so I put down some cockroach traps a month ago.  Only seen two cockroaches in them (both in my bedroom...)  Haven't seen any running free inside, but decided it was time to cockroach bomb the place before the rainy season starts.  Cockroach bombing requires planning.  It's a bit of a mission actually.  You have to make sure that you bag up anything that could get contaminated and that isn't easily washable or wipeable.  Your plants and flowers need to be put somewhere safe, out of direct smoke.  I covered all the bedding and soft toys with a blanket that would be washed afterwards.

 Then you need to open all the cupboards and drawers, and decide on the best location for your bombs.  I used 2 large and 1 small bomb.  I guess there is no way that it covered the whole house, but it came close to 3000yen and I want to do this again in 2 weeks to be really sure...!  

Prepare for your few hours out of the house...  The instructions on my bombs said that I needed to be out for at least 2 hours.  I reckoned on 3...  I made a cottage cheese and egg sandwich for breakfast, and made sure I had my bike keys and everything ready by the front door.  Turn off all gas and electrical equipment - not sure if that is strictly necessary, but I read somewhere that it's best.  Place your bombs and prepare with water.  Then, when you're ready to start, set off all the bombs starting from the furthest from your front door.  You have about 1-2 minutes from contact with the water before they go off.

Leave the house!  This is very important!!  A few years ago, a friend was off work with a rather nasty facial twitch.  It was a mystery, no one knew what had started it off but it lasted about a week and a half.  About a month later, some of us were sitting around over a few drinks and the conversation turned to how to rid your old apartment of all things nasty.  Bug bombs were recommended as the best step, but that it was a bit of a performance because you needed to be out of the house for hours and then come back and wash everything.  This same friend casually asked with surprise if that was really necessary because he had stayed in his apartment for most of the time whilst smoking it out...  Coincidence?!

So, it was about time that I explored the surrounding area, and more about that in my next post, but fast forward 3.5 hours to my return to the house.  Let's hope that 3.5 hours was enough, because it gave me a bit of a tickle in the throat when I came back in to open all the windows...  

Then I had to wash, wipe and vacuum everything.  Result?  Well I only found two medium sized and 6 baby cockroaches - mostly upstairs.  Maybe I haven't found all of them yet, but still...  Maybe it's not such a problem?  Anyway, must do it again in a couple of weeks to get any new ones...