A MOMENT’S inattention can be dangerous, as Parade found out this week.
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Weighed down with various items required for his day – from a glass water bottle to a newspaper to his electronic devices – Parade was hurrying out the door and into the garage on Friday morning when his attention was caught by something near his feet.
In a web, looking fat and satisfied, was a redback spider about the size of an adult chihuahua (Parade is exaggerating slightly, but it was big).
Parade hesitated, went to walk away, hesitated again, and then decided the spider probably needed to be neutralised because of its location and its size.
He put down all the items in his arms, killed the spider (while mumbling an apology), picked up all the items again, loaded them into the car and was on his way.
And that was that – or so Parade thought.
As Parade pulled into a CBD car park spot 15 minutes later, his phone pinged.
It wasn’t a message, but a photo. A photo that, at first, appeared to be some sort of crime scene, but which, as Parade stared at it, gradually revealed itself to be smashed glass strewn all over the garage floor.
Smashed glass that looked like it had come from a glass water bottle.
And then Parade’s phone pinged again to indicate he’d received a message. It was from his significant other and it was short and clear: “This is what happens when you leave something unexpected behind the door.”
So there you have it – redback spiders are dangerous. Dangerous for your relationship, mostly.
It’s whether the weather lasts
CAN we hit pause on the weather and just keep it this way for the rest of the year?
Others will disagree, but Parade reckons these early autumn days when it’s mid-to-late 20s during the day and then cool and pleasant overnight are close to perfect.
It’s not heater or air-conditioner weather (at Parade’s house, anyway), it’s not electric blanket weather, it’s not sweat-running-down-your-back weather and it’s not jumper weather.
Long may it reign.