Breaking an unwritten family rule

Beekeeping can be quite stressful at times and as a result I broke an unwritten family rule and swore in front of Dad.  In fact, I broke a whole load of rules and swore at Dad, who was “only trying to help”.

I have read the books about 10 times already.  In theory I know what to do.  In practice, when it comes to it, I get into an immediate panic and forget the basics like making my beesuit bee-tight.  And that’s just the start …

As if I wasn’t stressed enough, Dad kept annoying me by mentioning my back was naked and exposed.  It wasn’t long before I felt something crawling on the inside of my beesuit.  Up my neck, past my ear and onto my forehead.  Now, I was really annoyed at Dad.

But, crikey!  I was getting married the next day.  A bloated face was not an option.  Whilst I moved away from the disassembled hive to sort the problem, Dad ordered me to man-up and get back because the bees were getting angry and a bit chilly.  I can’t remember much at this stage because I was in a near blind panic, but I don’t think I swore at this point.  As a beekeeping side note: You don’t want Chilly Bees as they die.  You don’t want Angry Bees because they are a lot less fun than Angry Birds.  And you don’t want your Old Man telling you what to do because, because, because … well, we all know why!

I thought of my wife.  I thought of the photos.  I thought of the pain of a sting.  The 7 year-old in me manned-up, said “No” to Dad and went to find a tree and lose the other guard bees hassling me.

The 39 year old “might” have used an expletive, rather than the word “No”, but I am trying to keep this blog family-friendly.  I have never sworn in-front of my parents in all my years but since getting bees I have done it a few times.  These first Spring days of looking after bees are not quite how I imagined them on my Sunday mornings with a coffee in bed listening to Steve Wright’s Love Songs.

I am sure you will be relieved to know that I got the bee out of the bonnet without too much of a problem and I headed back to abuse my Dad before realising I needed a second pair of hands and that I had better behave.

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