A Buggy Mountain Top

I have been to the mountain top.

Of course, in Pierce County, that is a double-stacked fire ant mound.

It stung considerably.  Before I passed out in pain, I was able to tumble to the bottom.

Later, the rains came and washed the mountain top away,  Then the bug spray guy came and really wiped it out.

You can't really get along very well without a bug spray guy.  I think they call them extraerminators.  It's a significant way to make a living down here.

I wish they could spray for gnats, but that's probably asking for too much.

Sometimes there's a bug spray truck that fogs for mosquitoes, I think.  Mosquitoes are dangerous, and with climate change, they are bringing up more and more tropical diseases.  It seems like a lock that any dog here gets heartworms unless they are on heartworm preventative.  We used to foster dogs, and they had heartworms more often than not.  Our last adoptee has heartworms, and they thought he was too old for the fast kill, so they did a slow kill, which has not been working like it should.  So now Boss-A-Man is undergoing a "slow-fast kill,"  and I hope it works.  I have to keep him calm, which is not always easy to do, but I am doing my best.

We had a rat in the storage room, so our bug spray guy has set out things to eliminate that.  They are supposed to kill the rat, but not a cat if he eats the rat. That is very thoughtful.  Thank you, Monsanto.  For that and Equal, which was a failed pesticide.

Our bug spray guy is named Neil.  He is a very nice man.  His wife is ill, and we all pray for her continued recovery.

I understand the biological necessity of bees.  I know they are necessary for a healthy ecosystem.  My middle son has a beehive in his backyard for honey and such.  I understand their value.  That doesn't stop me from panicking when they are around me.  Bees, wasps, hornet - all give me phobia level heebie-jeebies.  Gnats and mosquitoes drive me crazy, mosquitoes because they freaking bite me, and gnats because of the buzz around my ears and eyes.  And, yes, I've tried all kinds of repellants, but they still love me.  That love is not mutual.

We should be headed into a more bug-free season, but here in the South Swamp Land, they never truly go away.  We might have a day with a high of 55, followed closely by a day of a high with 90.

Every day below 60, I treasure because I finally can go outside and enjoy myself.

I have been to the mountain top.  And it so much more enjoyable on a chilly Autumn day.