Bug Off

In past summers, when we had grass, walking on the lawn was a nightmare. I have always described it as feeling like PigPen from Charlie Brown. The gnats swarm around your head, ping against your eyes, ears and mouth, it's really awful. I hated going outside. The neighbors open their bedroom double doors, without a screen, and let the breeze blow their sheer curtains gently in the wind. We just watch in horror, how can they live with all those bugs in the house? I was invited to a baby shower on their sprawling front lawn two summers ago. I remember thinking I should probably cover myself head to toe in bug spray if I was going to sit under a circus tent on their lawn. I left my bug infested yard and entered the magical world across the road. I sat there for three hours and not one bug! All the doors were open wide. People laughing and smiling, what a happy place. I rushed home to tell Big Daddy that the grass is greener.

Since the big dig, we haven't really had any bugs. Even though it has rained almost daily, we are able to be outside without covering ourselves in bug spray. Last night Big Daddy was fixing the screen on the sliding glass door. We decided that we should live like the neighbors. I was so proud of us, we were quite relaxed. Later that night, it was evident that we were fools, mosquitoes everywhere. I felt like we were in the Travelocity commercial. So much for living like the neighbors.