8-Legged Company

I checked the web again today and it's empty and even more tattered. The little spider who I believe is the male is still there with the egg sacs. I guess that's it...

...about an hour after I checked, my boyfriend, Sam went out to the garage. A few minutes later he came inside and asked me to come out and see this big spider web. I grabbed my camera and followed him out the door. I couldn't make much out, but after I found a good angle, I could see a web, very similar to the one outside my back door.

Could it be her?

I started looking around the perimeter of the web for a spider. I saw a few big daddy long legs, but nothing resembling my rather chubby, scary friend. I got lower and looked at my garbage can. The web was tacked from one side of it to half way across my garage door. On the underside of the garbage can lid I could see spider legs. I lifted the lid and there she was. Unmistakably her. She came out, staying upside down. I tried to get some photos of her, but it was tough to get a good shot. She must have moved her web since the "pickin's" at the back of the house weren't good enough.

She couldn't stay by the garage. She'd never make it past me opening the garage door. So Sam kindly offered to relocate her. My first thought was back to where she was before. Since it didn't work for her, I guessed that perhaps the overhang near my office window would be suitable. Sam was able to coax her onto a piece of cardboard and I took some quick photos which I will post here later. He released her to the wall near my office window where she blended in perfectly and seemed to be scoping out the possibility of life on the south side of the house.

In my life, I've never followed the comings and goings of a spider, or other insect for that matter, before. I wonder what's next?