Hello : I hope you didn't experience any serious damage or injury as a result of the recent dust storms, or haboobs, that enveloped the valley last two months. If you're into trivia, "habub" is Arabic for violent wind. These intense dust storms typically occur in arid regions throughout the world, most commonly in the Sahara desert, the Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait, and in arid regions of Iraq. Don't know about the last two storms but the beauty on July 5th originated in Tuscon and covered areas throughout Phoenix up to 50 miles wide and one mile high. Lucky us. For some strange reason we were inundated with calls of scorpion sightings in that storm's aftermath and then things were back to normal and have stayed that way. Your old bug doc is clueless as to what caused the scorpion outbreak but is delighted it's over. San Diego: In keeping with a long-standing Phoenix area tradition my family went to San Diego for a few days to escape the heat, and indeed we did. Brrrrrrrrr - temps in the 60's and 70's on Coronado Island where we stayed, and the water was unbearable, for me at least. Shortly after we arrived Lexi made friends with some kids her age and couldn't spend enough time frolicking in the ocean. Hate to admit it but youngster's pain thresholds are much greater than mine as my beach time was spent shivering on the sand wrapped in a thick towel. Seemed like it took my old bones a few days in Phoenix to thaw out. All and all we had a great time because Lexi was so happy playing and laughing with her new friends at the beach.  Tarantula: Recently I found some tarantulas crawling around in our backyard and thought you might be interested in some information about them, particularly because of their nasty reputations. Ever notice how they're always attacking someone in horror movies or slowly creeping on the heroine's body while she's sleeping? Their ferocious looks and frightening appearances in movies have given them a terrible and undeserved rap. The truth is that in spite of their intimidating looks they're very docile creatures often kept as pets and a favorite species to study by arachnologists. I'll pass on that one but each to their own.
Tarantulas have 8 legs, 2 large fangs, and are the largest spider of the species, ranging in size from less than an inch in diameter to 12 inches - but not in Arizona, whew! They eat insects, small rodents, and small birds - depending on the spider's size. They will bite but the sensation and result are similar to being stung by a bee. New Referral Program: We love referrals and sincerely appreciate your efforts in that regard. Our standard gift card program has experienced problems and we're replacing it with a credit of $50 towards one month's maintenance for a referral who agrees to use our maintenance service for one year. Your business is appreciated and will never be taken for granted. Sincerely, | 
