Monday, April 19, 2004
We had an unwanted visitor in the house last night, a mosquito. The surest sign of Spring since, well, since Spring started. This is something that I have been thinking about for a long time now, but I've kept it in the back of my head because it has been too cold to worry about the bugs that will come out to play when the snow goes away. Remember people we live in the country, in the forest, next to lakes and rivers, a veritable breeding ground for those little blood sucking bastards.
This presents a bit of a problem. Since we have no air-conditioning, we have to keep the windows open, but there are no screens on the windows, so the bugs have open access to me and Karoliina as we sleep. And there is nothing worse than knowing that there are bugs flying all around you, waiting for you to get to sleep so that they can feed. OK, maybe it is worse to have one of those bugs fly close enough to your ear to buzz you right when you are about to fall asleep - after you have finally been able to get those little creatures out of your head long enough to get to sleep.
Sure I might be a little dramatic here and I might possibly be over-reacting, but last summer I saw some kids whose legs were covered in mosquito bites, I mean covered. And, of course there is nothing that one can do to prevent the mosquitoes from biting when you are outside - although my plan is to ride my bike fast enough so that they won't have time to sink their teeth (or whatever you call that thing that they sink into you) into me. But you should at least be protected while in your own house. I mean, what is a house for, if not to protect you from the elements?
So I think I will be in the market for a mosquito net or 10 and cover all the openings to our house with them. I do think that we will be lucky, in that we will be in Texas and New York during the time in which the bugs will be in full effect, but it never hurts to be prepared.
I realize that from the outside our house could look a little silly, what with the protective window coverings to keep out the morning and evening sun and nets on all the windows to keep out the bugs, but I guess I would rather get funny looks that get a lot of funny bites. Of course this is all subject to Karoliina's approval which means that it could simply be what I want, but not what I am going to get. I will keep you posted.
This presents a bit of a problem. Since we have no air-conditioning, we have to keep the windows open, but there are no screens on the windows, so the bugs have open access to me and Karoliina as we sleep. And there is nothing worse than knowing that there are bugs flying all around you, waiting for you to get to sleep so that they can feed. OK, maybe it is worse to have one of those bugs fly close enough to your ear to buzz you right when you are about to fall asleep - after you have finally been able to get those little creatures out of your head long enough to get to sleep.
Sure I might be a little dramatic here and I might possibly be over-reacting, but last summer I saw some kids whose legs were covered in mosquito bites, I mean covered. And, of course there is nothing that one can do to prevent the mosquitoes from biting when you are outside - although my plan is to ride my bike fast enough so that they won't have time to sink their teeth (or whatever you call that thing that they sink into you) into me. But you should at least be protected while in your own house. I mean, what is a house for, if not to protect you from the elements?
So I think I will be in the market for a mosquito net or 10 and cover all the openings to our house with them. I do think that we will be lucky, in that we will be in Texas and New York during the time in which the bugs will be in full effect, but it never hurts to be prepared.
I realize that from the outside our house could look a little silly, what with the protective window coverings to keep out the morning and evening sun and nets on all the windows to keep out the bugs, but I guess I would rather get funny looks that get a lot of funny bites. Of course this is all subject to Karoliina's approval which means that it could simply be what I want, but not what I am going to get. I will keep you posted.
// posted by Howard @ 2:15 PM 
