Auggie: out and about on cat business, checking in for food and short naps
Emmett: Sprinkler, fetch games, supervising me :)
Me: a baking project to be shared tomorrow!! And I made a few more masks for myself and hemmed some curtains. And… the sprinklers don’t turn themselves on and the toys don’t throw themselves, i.e. I was outside playing some myself. Oh … and this weekend’s problem … leak under the kitchen sink. Plumber scheduled for Tuesday. Meanwhile dishes are being washed in a dishpan which means many trips to toss dishwater. Who needs a gym???
5:45 ish … after Emmett had his supper and we had a post supper walk … wine o’clock while I think about what to have for my supper.
Here we are: Friday night, 2/3 of the way to Autumnal Equinox and NOAA says the worst of the summer heat is behind us (in NW Montana) – YEA!
Thursday was beautifully cool after a warm, muggy start that included some welcome showers … then a cool front with drier air and I never had to turn on the A/C. This, after 4 days of mid-90’s daytime and upper 60’s overnight … not my favorite!
The Jeep had a long overdue service including it’s Air Conditioning and even though it was a pleasant 70F on Thursday, WOW – great to have excellent cooling as I drove through the valley to pick up this week’s vegetables from the farm.
Today, Friday, although it did get up to 85F, it started very cool so took all day to heat up. There was a nice breeze, so between bouts of work, we all got outside.
I think no bedbugs. This based on finding nothing in my steam clean frenzy AND nothing in the traps that have been in place for 2 nights.
Based on reading/research, info from friends/neighbors/countrymen … my current thinking is that there is something in the woods that bit me. And then, a reaction (hives) to those bites.
There are definitely bites and also welts that do not seem to be bites.
I’m taking antihistamines late afternoon and overnight … schedule because I have only Benadryl which knocks me for a loop and the Jeep was at service so I could not get an alternative.
BUT, I have the Jeep back and and now a hopefully non-drowsy alternative.
Even so, the afternoon/night time antihistamine dose has helped. Also, I am walking in the woods in tall boots, long pants, long sleeved shirt.
Onward!
Wild rose??? what a pretty bud!
Bergamot … or as I call it, the court jester flower.
First, thank you to all who commented and emailed such lovely birthday wishes! Always appreciated, but especially now!!
And even the emails from companies for whom I am a client. Several discount codes which I might take advantage of, but also some special wishes:
A lovely watercolor image from my Medicare Part C provider. And there is a story.
Last Fall, I was approaching my Jeep after grocery shopping and a man of my vintage (maybe a bit more), asked me about the Jeep. We chatted and somehow ended up on health insurance and Medicare. He gave me the name of his Part C representative with HIGH recommendation. Sarah, returned my calls immediately and ultimately, I went with her company, Humana, for my Part C. Sarah also guided me through the Medicare signup and we hope to meet for a cuppa when it is safe. I owe “Bob from the grocery parking lot” but that is as much as I know about him except that Sarah agrees with me that he is a thoughtful, sweet, gentleman!
Then… hopefully the below link works. I am not sure how long these links stay live. This is a JibJab video customized with Auggie and Emmett headshots for my birthday e-video-card. I LOVE it! (it might not look like a link, but click on the text below.
Meanwhile, bedbugs or woods bugs or hives???? I have received much advice as well as my neighbor, a retired pharmacy tech who has seen a lot … she retrieved me from dropping off the Jeep for service. We talked, she looked at the welts … a new thought. I dunno. I have looked at many internet photos.
BUT. The bedbug traps arrived today and they are installed so we’ll see tonight.
My hand in the photo for size reference. The traps are largish to accomodate bed legs of various sizes. There is some slippery stuff in the base and the idea is that bedbugs, that do not fly or jump, will become enmired in whatever and then we will know!
We are ready. All 4 legs of my bed are set in the traps to see what we can see.
Holy COW! I never, ever thought that I would have this kind of mystery. I am not sure what to wish for. I’d love if there were no critter infestation in my house, but if a woods thing … no resolution until a killing frost. And if hives … why and from what?
***Note the next morning 8/18 … no bugs in traps. I think I am happy about that.
But to end on a fun note. If you watched the birthday e-video-card and liked it, here is an Apple video that I continually laugh at. The video is a kind of subliminal promo for Apple OS collaborating tools, but if you have paid attention to current “Zoom meeting” stuff re the whole Covid-19 work from home paradigm … anyway, it is hilarious if you have some context.
For the record … I kind of identify with Bridget, although a much older version…
I think so as in I am being bitten in the night (Emmett is VERY itchy) and I have ruled out fleas and mosquitoes, so we are left with bedbugs.
After extensive research … I dunno! I have seen none of the signs: rusty blood/bedbug poop spots… on sheets or my bright, white mattress. But, I’m not sure what else it could be.
I first thought mosquitoe bites, but so many and overnight and no waking up to the whining of them … plus, at this point of Summer with heat and dry, it is very RARE to have mosquitoes here.
Fleas … rare also, plus Auggie and Emmett are both on Flea/Tick preventative. AND I brushed them both on a white sheet … nothing. AND Auggie had his yearly checkup on Friday … flying colors and all of that plus no mention of any skin anomalies.
What’s left? Revenge of the spiders ( I am not a spider fan and if they make an appearance inside … history), or bedbugs. Considering the regularity of the bites (nightly) and amount ( a LOT!) … I am left with bedbugs.
Whatever, I decided bedbugs. I first laundered all bedding and hoped for the best.
Sill being bitten, I decided on a DRASTIC course of action: Full on steam clean, throw out some old pillows/bedding, launder or dry at high heat all other stuff.
Here we go!
Bedroom mid steam clean. Steam/heat is recommended. I steam cleaned the mattress, the platform base (I have a platform bed, no box springs) … platform is slats with plenty of air! Anyway, I took my bedroom apart and steamed the platform, the mattress, baseboards, walls, ceiling trim, floor, furniture … the bedroom was steam cleaned after an all over vaccum.
Airing out after the steam…
Same thing in the “boys room” which has a mattress/box spring day bed.
A lot of mouse poop, dust, etc. behind the day bed … but no evidence of bedbugs ???
BUT, I did find a long lost toy…
Lousy photo, but Emmett was thrilled at the toy find and has been keeping it close :)
All of the pillows and bedding got tossed outside. Per my reading, it is very easy to allow for the little buggers to transfer, hence … everything outside. Some things will be trashed, but some are to be laundered and dried at HIGH HEAT.
Yikes! Well, I have high hopes for no transference inside … We will see.
The boys’ room: vacuumed, steam cleaned and awaiting laundered bedding … while currently being blocked off to at least Emmett.
Kind of crazy. This is my first issue with overnight bites and considering the woods, dust, pets on everything … I don’t know what lead to this catastrophe!
As in the boys’ room, my bedroom awaits clean bedding.
I hope this works, but per my reading it sometimes takes multiple cleanings. I’ve ordered some residual bedbug stuff, some bed leg traps AND an ultrasonic device…
