Mosquito Bites, Really? When We're On Water Rationing?

I mean, how is that even possible? Oh, yes. That's right. Someone isn't abiding by the rules the law. Now, that's some surprise, isn't it?


I'm truly irritated I was under the false impression that I didn't need my *patches* to protect me from the little devil mosquitoes during a freaking drought. Evidently, someone in the *hood* has standing water and it isn't us, I assure you. We've been excessively diligent in our conservative watering efforts.


I thought I had done a post on the mosquito patches I swear, but for the life of me, I'm unable to find that particular post. So, let me reintroduce you to my very best friends. The *Don't Bite Me* patches. Last summer during our flooding rains, I discovered this product and I am a total fan/supporter. I never received even one mosquito bite while wearing said patches.


These patches are:

100% B1 vitamin
waterproof
deet free
lasting up to 36 hours
safe for use on children

made in the USA
natural, simple, safe

And yes, they SHOULD be paying me for my endorsements, but they aren't. However, I've never found anything this fool proof. Worry free is the way I prefer to be......

I Forgot To Take Pictures.... And Let Me Introduce You To My New Little Friend

Yes, I was so busy talking to people that I forgot to take pictures. What a surprise. Anyway, Mr. Snoots had a great time talking with and seeing old friends and it was a great party with wonderful food. I did have a friend take a picture of us with one of our closest friends.


Now, let me introduce you to my new little friend. Mr. Snoots heard about this on one of the forums he monitors. We couldn't find it anywhere here so we got it on the internet. It's called *Don't Bit Me!* patches. I have never found anything that works like these patches to keep mosquitoes from biting you. And, if you've been reading this blog for a while, you know what a battle I've fought against the mosquitoes. These patches are nothing short of totally amazing.

The best part of all is that the patch only releases vitamin B1. There are no other chemicals of any kind. The B1 apparently neutralizes all of those attractive odors being emitted from my body. Of course, you're supposed to apply the patch 2 hours before being exposed to the little biting devils, so I just put one on when I get up in the mornings and remove it before bed. It works until you take it off. How wonderful is that? It certainly beats the heck out of covering myself in 90% Deets, which couldn't possibly be good for you. I've been using the patches for a month now and I have not had one single mosquito bite during a summer when we've had so much rain...

Consumer Warning.... Don't Buy Into This Scam....

I've decided to do the NaBloPomo thing for the month of June. Yes, I must be insane, but I'm really trying to blog every day, so bear with me, okay?

About a week ago Mr. Snoots was at Sam's Club shopping for me (love that man!) and came across a relatively new item for people like me, who are constantly plagued with the itching pain of Mosquito bites. Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know what a huge magnet I am for mosquitoes. My blood is the nectar they long for. I once had more than 60 bites all over my body, at one time. So, he finds this dandy little new invention and brings it home to me. I get all all excited, thinking that I might finally have something I don't actually have to apply to my skin. Wrong. Oh. So. Wrong.

Last night I was on the patio watering plants and bird watching, wearing my new "OFF" protector and received several new mosquito bites. There wasn't even a breath of wind. So, I'm telling you now DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! Another interesting thing is that when doing a Google search, I found the same product available through different web sites that has a wide range of prices. For instance, Amazon offers the starter pack for $10.00 plus S/H (one seller even offering it with 4 refills for $24.15!), Cabela's offers the starter pack for $6.99 plus S/H, Overstock Drugstore offers the starter pack for $9.30 plus S/H and refills (2 per pack) for $3.99. You must also keep in mind that it runs on two AA batteries, which, of course, increases the cost even more.


Personally, I think companies like Johnson & Johnson do their testing on anyone they can get to do it. What they need is people like me, who have the body chemistry that attracts the little demons. Mr. Snoots can be outside with me when I receive the vampire like bites, and he never gets a thing. Do you see? We have different body chemistry and I'm the one they go for.
 

I absolutely refuse to spend another summer either covered in clothing or covered in Deetz, which would mean I'd be spending the entire summer indoors. Since that's not going to happen, I guess it's back to the 98.11% Deets that is in OFF! Deep Woods Sportsmen Insect Repellent. That can't be a good thing, can it?


Honestly, when I play golf I don't have to worry about mosquitoes because of all the Martins that eat mosquitoes. They have dozens of Martin Houses all over the golf course and lots of still bodies of water, which is normally a huge breeding ground the tiny devils. Apparently, no one in my neighborhood has a Martin House.


As for treating the bites once you get them, I've found nothing sold over-the-counter or from prescription, that works....


Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream only relieves the itching for a couple of minutes, then the painful itching returns. Scratch that.

Benadryl doesn't work either. Yes, it does relieve the itching pain for a few moments but then you have to reapply.


Coastal Solutions, Inc. has a product called Bite Blaster. I couldn't feel any relief with this product although they claim it has Aloe Vera in it.


I tried another product called "Chigard" which is made by a Dallas company called The Colgin Companies. Perhaps it works swimmingly on chigger bites but it doesn't do diddly for mosquito bites.
 

The entire industry is a racket, I tell you! The only thing I've ever found (and never makes a claim that its product works best) is the good old Aloe Vera plant. It is Mother Nature's best healing agent and I carry a stalk in a plastic zip-lock baggie wherever I go....


Honestly, it more important than make-up....

Me & My Vegetable Garden...

It seems that I may have implied that I stay in my robe all the time, which is true to some extent, during the cold months anyway, although I do this mostly when stationed at my trusty computer. However, when warm weather arrives, I begin planting & tending my garden, which I often do in my robe as well. I have an old worn robe that I wear out to the garden, along with a button front shirt, a scarf tied under my chin, knee high rubber boots, rubber coated garden gloves and a wide brim straw hat. Now before you start thinking how silly this sounds, allow me to explain.

Mosquitoes, wasps, bees, hornets, and anything else that flies & wants to harm, are crazy about me. Mosquitoes have a particular affinity for me, and can seek me out at any given time, even if it is the only one for a hundred miles around. I guarantee this. My friends & family can confirm this odd phenomena. Even if no one else ever gets one bite, I always get at least one, which everyone always finds hard to believe, until they see it with their own eyes. Unfortunately, it's impossible to deny once you see how I swell up from their sting, and I'm deathly afraid of contracting West Nile Virus. I've had this problem since childhood (although the West Nile thing is fairly recent), no matter where I go or whatever preventions I might be foolish enough to attempt. There is something about my body chemistry that they are devotedly attracted to. You'd think this would discourage any outdoor activities, but I've always been an outdoors girl.

I also have a honking huge squirrel problem and you can see the damage in this picture. Look very carefully at the edges of the white tablecloth underneath. It looks like something I got at a haunted house garage sale. My beautiful linen damask table cloth. Aren't squirrels cute? Yeah, right! Little rats. Off with their heads!!!!

I've had a vegetable garden almost every year since we bought this house 22 years ago. Evidently, we have idiots for neighbors because we NEVER seem to be in short supply of mosquitoes in spite of the fact that I check every single day for standing water during their breeding months.

That said, wasps, yellow jackets, red wasps, honey bees, bumble bees and hornets seem to have a similar affinity for my body chemistry. Okay, it could be the garden veggies & flowers, but they're attracted to me everywhere else as well. Since I want them to be in the garden, and I also want to weed & tend the garden, this is my solution to living in harmony with all the little flying beasts. I also enjoy having dinner on the patio, but am usually armed with the big guns. Meaning my 98% Deets spray and at least 8 to 10 big ass, big wick Citronella candles.

I once read an article in the Dallas Morning News about how to avoid getting stung. Although it was a rather lengthy article, they basically said this: When you encounter a bee, JUST RUN. When you encounter a wasp or a yellow jacket, RUN FASTER. When you encounter a swarm of bees or killer bees, RUN LIKE BLOODY HELL. How informative. I've already done those all my life. It usually embarrasses everyone around me when I start waving my arms & running around like a crazy person, but I got over the embarrassment when I was a child. The running thing has always worked for me, in spite of the laughter from anyone close enough to witness my *act*.

So, having spilled my guts to the world about my deepest phobias, I will now reveal to you one of the HU's favorite sources of comedy. Me, in my garden garb, in last year's garden. Enjoy. Feel free to laugh. Everyone else does. Me, in all my hidden glory. The garden area is located beyond our regular back yard, in a seperate yard that measures approximately 60 feet by 30 feet. All of our yards are on well water, which is a wonderful thing.

Also, for 22 years, we've had foxes which were at first distressing because they would take one bite out of like ALL the tomatoes. Since our first encounter many years ago, we have also learned to live in harmony... which could probably also be interpreted as a Mexican Stand-Off. I've always done an organic garden and don't believe in pesticides of any kind. To deal with the fox... I plant a seperate patch of tomatoes closer to the old playhouse that aren't in cages, and I kind of let them grow wild. Foxes eat fruit. Whatcha gonna do? If you can't lick 'em... join 'em. Thankfully, this has been an acceptable plan for Her Highness, Madame Fox. The bitch isn't even scared of my fake owl, lol. Frankly, I haven't found anything that IS actually afraid of that stupid owl, but I allow him to stay on anyway.

In the early years we used to try & catch the fox (or foxes) in a "have a heart" trap, and guess what? Yup, she was too foxy for that and we eventually gave up. I also now cover my caged tomatoes in what is called bird netting, which I buy through Gardens Alive, among other natural products for the garden. The only things that can get through those nets are the things I need to pollenate, and pollenate, they do!

I'm also usually lucky enough to see a handful for little horned toads each year and I fiercely protect them from my cat (who only wants to play until it quits moving).