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All the strange happenings at the brewery were explained today. I bought a new shop vac for the brewery this weekend to replace the one that some how got all chewed up. I came in early (5:30 a.m.) to brew Wheat beer. When I got here those japanese beetles were everywhere as usual. I set the vacuum down to begin running the water for the brew. I ground the grain and began the first temperature rest for the mash. During this time I start C.I.P.’ing (brewery lingo for cleaning in place) the heat exchanger we use for cooling the wort (unfermented beer). After all this was going I had time to do my usual ‘debugging’ with the vacuum. As I approached it, I saw swarms of those beetles all over it. They were chewing it up! Not knowing what to do at first, I continued with my brewing while I thought.

The next couple of hours went without incident. I decided it was time to bring in the professionals since these pests were getting a little out of hand. I called our exterminator, it took a while as the line was busy. When I finally got through, they said they’d get here as soon as they could but lots of folks were calling with similar problems. It could be a few days.

Then Tom called me, he wasn’t coming in today. He worked all weekend and was going deer hunting. I asked if they where having similar problems in their house. He said they were but the pest control people were on their way.

At 10:00 a.m. it was time to open the salesroom. No one showed up. The town was oddly quiet. I went to unlock the salesroom door to open myself but I stopped in my tracks. As I entered the salesroom, a large black and orange mass moved out of the corners towards the door, covering it. O.K. now I was freaking! The little S.O.B.’s wouldn’t let me open! I knew Teresa would be furious. I tried to clear them away with a broom but more kept coming. I decided to wait for Aaron, he’d be here around noon. He has had more experience with bugs and might have an idea. Meanwhile, things remained quiet.

12:00 and no Aaron. 1:00, still no Aaron. Irritated, I tried to call him. No answer. I called home, my wife, Jerri, answered. I felt a relieved, but only for a moment. I told her what was going on, thinking she’d wonder how much I had drank already (I was beginning to wonder the same thing). Her response, however, was no comfort. She said everyone was being advised to stay indoors but the radio wouldn’t say why. I knew why.

It was time to leave. I shut off the steam, giving up on the brew, and grabbed my stuff. I opened the back door, no problems there. But I went no further. My car was covered with beetles. They were everywhere! I slammed the door closed. Now what?! I picked up the phone again, no dial tone this time. Thoughts about what happened to our missing salesperson entered my head. Could she have been…dinner?

They are leaving me alone, for now. I resumed brewing just to clear my head. I’ll keep recording things as long as I can, its not like I can go anywhere. Things are so quiet…