oh dear, no!

Call an exterminator and then find out how much damage (if any) they've done. So sorry to hear this - but this too, you can overcome. There are just some days when I have to go back to the infantryman's prayer - "You pick'em up, Lord, and I'll put'em down." Keep up your spirits - every long march has an end.

Teaches me to stop complaining about my swarming sugar ants!

I know an exterminator is in order.
This is not a place for being cheap or amateurs.

I'm on a crawlspace and slab, so I'll have to find out how much concrete damage they've done, too.

This is the 1st time I think teared up over a setback in a very long while. Still have $1300 to redo on the roof, just put $900 in. $1800 when into my car in February, and I have to pay for a lawnmower (but thank God, someone's letting me pay them on time for that).

I'm a friggin' waitress and yoga teacher, for God's sake.

Christine -

Go on ahead and BAWL.
That sucks.

You will fix it - you always do.

But a good long cry will feel good. Scream, too.

Let us know!

Oh that's just horrible. So sorry to hear. Maybe it's just recent rain that's brought them out. Go lock yourself in your MBR and have some quiet time with your new countertops to cheer you up.

Did you get your new cabinet from Brian? Do you like?

And glad to hear about the yoga.... I'm a huge believer in exercise keeping you sane.

A couple years ago they were swarming in my front yard but no termite problems found in the house. It's always a good idea to have an inspection every couple of years. Hopefully your home is safe. :)

Oh crap!

Thanks, guys. I have 2 calls into the exterminator I used on my barn 2, maybe 3 years now, on my barn.

My 2 cabinets and face frames just arrived an hour or so. They left a skid in the warehouse, so they'll be bringing it around tomorrow. I am excited to unpack!

I watch the scales of my experiences tip back and forth...UP and down, up and down.

We ran into termites when we decided to replace the fireplace. This is a house that gets inspected for termites every year or so, and we still didn't know they were there. The piece of wood at the top of the firebox opening was riddled. The toy box I made a year ago had termites setting up shop in the back!

Termites suck, and when I see them, I see $$$. So sorry. Cross your fingers and hope they are just passing through.

Do you think they came from your house, or settled in your house? I would think it's possible that you just saw them swarm from/to somewhere else. Fingers crossed!

They came from the unsealed crack underneath the front door.
Under it is a crawl space.

I didn't have gutters for 5 years, so moisture hasn't been directed, well, away from the foundation.

Termites love and need wet soil. And nice wet wood to chew on. I keep seeing that termite commercial monster in my crawl space.

Hang in there and hope for the best! I am sending you good vibes:)

We had that same word just 2 weeks ago. We had the bug guy come out and give us a quote of $75 / month for a 2 yr contract. He said if they're swarming, they've already been there for about 3 yrs. Hope you can work out a trade for services.

That so su**s!

We have our house/foundation sprayed throughout the summer for carpenter ants. The spraying is part of our annual contract with the exterminating svce.

I hate carpenter ants.

Termites, ugh. I would scream and cry, too!!! I hope the rest of your week is better.

Swarming doesn't mean they're YOUR termites. And if they're just moving in to your home, an exterminator won't necessarily find them, so do have a follow up in several months if nobody is there. :)

Maybe you're lucky and they're ants. If you don't grab them and look at them, they look pretty similar.

Good luck!

One word sentricon. I don't remember the initial cost, but I paid every quarter for about 12 years, and never had another problem . About 60 bucks. With some sort of insurance against further damage.

Nancy

I think I"m going to have to ask about a contract.

They were piled up on my windshield like snow. Caught in the cobwebs on my front door. It's amazing how their little wings glint in the sunlight.

Well. Off to work. Wish me lots of happy guests who want to reward me for fabulous food & service. Oh, heck. I'll settle for pity tips.

"Oh, heck.I'll settle for pity tips." LOL!

Christine! How awful! You work so hard!

Termites LeRoux

Ingredients
One-half cup termites, winnowed until wingless.
One large pinch salt
Two pinches black pepper
One pinch curry powder

Place termites and seasonings in 10 inch frying pan. Turn the heat on low and stir slowly. Termites cook in their own body fat. When they're golden brown and crunching, they're ready for munching.

Site below also includes instruction on "how to avoid stepping on one."

Here is a link that might be useful: Termites

So sorry to hear this. Good luck. You will get through it and it may not be as bad as you have been fearing.

Oh no! I hope you get an exterminator out there is and it good news. Maybe they haven't settled in. Kill, kill, kill!!! I hate termites. We have to deal with carpenter ants here. We have regular exterminator services because of them. Good luck!!!!

Rosie! Can you be more gross?!? Well, I know the answer to questions like that. I remember the cicadas and people making cicada pie. My mom taught me not to put things in my mouth.

The exterminator who took care of my barn is coming tomorrow.

Notice I never moan, "What next!!??!!"

When I lived in northern VA I once freaked out over what I thought were termites around my foundation. I had just inherited the house with many costly problems and thought this was going to one more crisis.

It turned out, however, that they were just a variety of termite-looking, ant-ish, swarming, NON-WOOD EATING insects. Fortunately I'm slow to call exterminators who would have, no doubt, been happy to nuke 'em all and present me with the bill. I spent some effort having them properly identified and was hugely relieved to find them benign. It was just this time of year, or a week or so earlier.

I'm hoping that the ones at your house are just distant cousins of mine. Unless you know for sure (and the exterminator isn't the one to ask) - don't panic.

I never did anything about them, and the house passed the legally required termite inspection a year later when I sold it.

L.

This is why houses should be constructed of masonry and steel, not wood....

Christine - It's hard enough getting the jingle together to do what you want and need to do let alone handle the crises like this. As blfenton said quite aptly, "crap". The "what am I going to do if" thoughts can drive you crazy! Looking forward to an easy resolution for you!

Java

oh man, that's terrible...hope it's not as bad as you think....and this too shall pass, you are a tough lady, hang in there.

lee676, I'd agree with you if it weren't for the damage I know termites can actually do to concrete.
I think I'm into steel and PVC. If I'd built this thing myself in 1974, I can't say it'd be different, but knowing what I know now it'd be steel.

>>It turned out, however, that they were just a variety of termite-looking, ant-ish, swarming, NON-WOOD EATING insects. liriodendron, That couldn't be better news.

I'm not so sure I don't have carpenter ants, to tell you the truth. My front "porch" is more a platform of 6x6s laid in the mud. Some are treated, some not, some (theme here:) found on the side of the road, some scavenged from job sites, etc. The grading is so bad I had swamp for a couple of years. This was my brilliant, temporary solution in 2008. I'm becoming convinced those big black ants might be a problem. The zillions of tiny ants that climb up and under my siding? eh. Spray.

Well, today is another day.

DirecTV just left (called at 7:50!!). I refused to replace my satellite dish and lo! the connectors were corroded as I insisted.

Next, the plumber who doesn't listen to me.

Then, the exterminator. At least when he did my barn 2 years ago he was kind and helpful and I haven't had any bugs out there -- that I'm aware of -- since. Cross your fingers mine are non-wood-eating, swarming bugs who just nestle down in my wood.

Here's website with good pictures showing the difference between termites and winged ants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Difference between termites and winged ants

Well, iroll.
It's been confirmed: [drum roll]

Termites.

Well, iroll.
It's been confirmed: [drum roll]

Termites.

Bummer.

I'm really sorry to hear that. Let's hope they just dropped in, and don't have much appetite.

Echo the bummer.

I think those hgtv execs should create a show for single wage earners, with a limited budget, facing real problems as they make their house a home with all the glitches of regular maintenance AND renos. In the process of teaching some DIY, scouting out reliable, cost-effective help and resources, the featured homeowner leaves at the end of the episode feeling empowered in a safer, more user friendly, and place in the making.

CEF, YOU'D be the host for most segments! After you tackle the termites, you can add that specialty to your list!

AnnA, I appreciate the vote of confidence.
I'll probably be bald, clutching handfuls of waist-length hair, waving my arms wildly and spinning circles.
I'll be screaming, "Trouble!?! U think YOU have trouble!?! You think 2 months is a long time? I'LL SHOW YOU A LONG TIME!!"
[Looking fierce] "DId I hear you mumble 'Good enough for NOW!?!?!'" YOU'RE FIRED!

That said, it could be a good show. I'd insist upon naming names. :)

That said, FedEx fright forgot a pallet of my cabinets yesterday. Said it was at the warehouse & would be delivered 2day. Just got the inevitable call that it'll be Monday ... because it was left on the truck. Huh?

All I know is that I have to unload the truck myself. It's 150lbs. I already have hellish tendonitis in my elbows from loading, unloading, and installing 15 antique pocket doors myself. 80 to 120 lbs. My muscles can handle it, but my joints and tendons weren't quite up to the task and overstretched. Swollen, sore, and even my elbows are cranky today. And I carry that darned tray 6 nites a week.

Plumber is late.
But it's a beautiful day and I just finished spraying poison ivy all over the place. DEATH TO POISON IVY!

Too bad, was hoping for flying ants.
My parents had termites - discovered one day when I opened the slider and all that was left of the frame was paint!
They treated periodically and all was fine.
There is an exterminator in our area - Roache's exterminator - "You got them, We get them!"
The owners last name is Roache!

So Sorry Christine : ( This too shall pass...

Oh, so sorry to hear that! We had problems with everything we've done so far, but thankfully the only living problem was carpenter ants, confined to one area.

I hope they are new tenants and the damage is minimal!

I'm so sorry to hear it was termites. I find them out in the yard all the time and fight carpenter ants every year.

Why do you have to unload the cabinets from the truck? Isn't that their job?

Oh Christine. Life just isn't fair, sometimes....

So sorry about the setbacks.

marti8a, apparently when one "drop ships" the delivering company brings them to the drive. Period. I'd forgotten this from the last time and hope never to forget it again. It's ridiculous.

Thanks, Melissa. Sucking big time.
Exterminator is coming Tuesday. There isn't any rush, evidently. Of course, I want it done now.

> Exterminator is coming Tuesday. There isn't any rush, evidently. Of course, I want it done now.

There really isn't a rush. I live in the SF Bay area, and termites are a fact of life here because the ground never freezes. Plus, most of the South Bay used to be orchards, so there's a huge amount of yummy, rotting wood in the ground. Any house that hasn't been fumigated in the last few years has termites, period. As long as you catch them before they do much damage, no big deal.

The house next door to me was owned by a hermit who didn't take care of it, and all of us in the neighborhood called it the "termite farm". When he died and it was sold a couple of years ago, they didn't have to do too much work to fix the termite damage.

So, I know it's stressful -- "Oh my god! Termites!" but it's not really a big deal unless they've been in there eating stuff for many, many years.

Laura