I've Got A Future PETA member in training

Annika has always had a soft spot for all creatures great and small.

I've talked at length about her fascination with horses, real and fake, and many of you know she is very fond of her dead friends, also known as the dead bug collection.

Herein lies a problem.

You see, I don't mind the insect friends, just so long as they remain the dead kind. And with this being June, we've had a a lot of the very living kind amongst us. Our annual influx of Earwigs, those nasty little brown bugs with the pincers on their tails, have invaded our lower level and made themselves very much at home these past two weeks. They're harmless really, but nasty-looking all the same.

At first, Annika was scared to be in the room with one. At least once a day she'd run out of her bedroom, shrieking about the "pincer" bug in her room, begging me to stop whatever it was I was doing to go and get it. So I would. I'd grab whatever was handy, usually a tissue or piece of toilet paper, scoop it up, and send it swimming down the toilet. Problem solved.

But recently all of that changed.

No, yesterday, Annika discovered that she likes Earwigs, that they are her friends and are "cute little things." And not only that, but she has discovered that she has a whole slew of buddies living right inside our house, just waiting to become her little pets.

This morning Kurt found one of these pals. As he placed it into the bowl and sent it on its merry way with a flush, Annika came streaking into the bathroom.

"What are you doing???" She yelled indignantly. "Can't you read the sign?"

Kurt looked. There was indeed a new sign posted. By my daughter.



Upon closer inspection, we were informed of a new house rule.



That would be a toilet next to a "pincer" bug, with a large slash through it, indicating we are to no longer flush her friends.

What can I say? We have received notice.

I just hope none of Annika's new friends decide to gang up on us. I don't think I have enough insecticide, and I certainly don't have the energy to argue with my little activist.