There Aint no Flies on Me...

First I guess I should appologize to all bug lovers for all my unkind thoughts about wishing to cause the death of such critters but they simply give me the shivers. If they would stay outside where they belong we could co-exist but when they enter my space, they are doomed if I can possibly arrange it. Oh I know they have value and are part of the chain of life but not mine! So sorry bug lovers but.......

Isn't that an old song? "There Aint no Flies on me?" Somewhere down deep in the recesses of my mind. I can hear that tune.....

Well, maybe not on me, but for some strange reason my house has been full of flies the last few days. They are on every window in the house....hundreds of them. I can swat 20-30 at a time and go back an hour later and there are more. These are not the attic type flies (big ones) but normal sized house fly looking ones and not the kind that buzz you when you are trying to take a short nap ...they seem to be trying to escape and I sure wish they would do so. This is a new experience here in G'ville.

This has truly been a strange year for buggy things which I must admit I do not like.

Earlier this spring my house was inundated with little ants. They came from nowhere, even in the bathrooms and bedrooms. Now I have been known (in the far distant past, of course) to have done a little snacking in the bedroom but surely never in a bathroom. So... what attracted these little critters here? I heard it was all the rain with wet conditions awakening them from the ground. Well maybe, because one day they were suddenly gone.

First it was ants earlier in the spring and now flies....wonder what is next?

Well, I should never have asked what is next after the ants and the mysterious flies. What was next came in the form of a very large, very black, and very hairy looking spider which greeted me as I entered the van to head to my Monday afternoon volunteer job at church. Now I'm usually pretty good at killing these things but with tissues in hand I struck and missed. It dropped to the floor and I was unable to get it as it crawled under the floor mat. I ran into the house for Raid but only had some for the darn ants. I pulled the mat out of the car and sprayed almost a whole can in the direction it had taken. I briefly saw it emerge and slide down where the brake pedal enters the van. Now what could I do? I had to get to church as Pam, who works with me on Mondays, was missing today and I was the only worker. OK be brave...I made it there with no further sightings. I sprayed the heck out of the van again when I left it and carefully checked all surfaces when getting back into it. I bought a BIG can of Raid at the local IGA and really saturated all areas again when I got home. If that thing lives it will be a miracle but I won't ask again what is next.........

Humility or Vanity?

I attended a quilting retreat this week and what a joy that always is to me. Three days of constant sewing with good friends, no phones ringing, no dishes to wash or meals to prepare. Lots of time to read, enjoy the beautiful garden, sip coffee and visit. I am seldom ready to return home and face the realities of daily life although I sure miss my grandkids when gone.

One of the few downsides to retreating is the loss of my wonderful, oh so private, bathroom and shower. Dorm style living always reminds me of the years I spent as a nursing student living in a dorm and sharing all facilities. Private times never were! Shyness simply wouldn't work in large bath areas used by an entire floor of students.

One night this week I headed to the smaller bathroom to take my nightly shower. I was armed with towel, washcloth, soap and shampoo. With a tightly locked door behind me in that small room, I began to disrobe....in complete privacy, right? I carefully lay my clothing on the provided chair and turned to pull the shower curtain and adjust the water. There, in front of me, was an old woman who obviously bore no resemblance to the real me. Now who, with any kindness, would position a large mirror on the door of a small shower area? As I looked with shocked eyes I could see the face looked familiar, but the rest? Now how could all those changes have occured so suddenly? You will be spared a more graphic description of what my eyes beheld but suffice it to say......"OH Good Heavens. Look at that old woman!" There is a lot to be said for clothing...loose clothing...hiding clothing.

Well, that old woman is still with me but I will chose to be kinder and more gentle with her. I think maybe in time she will fade into the background and the real me will return. But...I do promise myself this, to look carefully into any shower room and avoid that big mirror, just in case she might return.