Wednesday, 28 July 2010

Mice, mosquitos & woodworm

How could I get fed up with this view?
I'm currently on holiday at my flat in Calabria. Everytime I return I fall in love with the location and views all over again, whilst my stomach knots with fear and trepediation at the work (aka money) the flat needs. I joke it will be finished when the mortgage is paid off, but have a horrible feeling that's the truth.

This is my 3rd summer here, although only 2nd in the flat, and this year there is a plague of mosquitos. Managing to remain primarily unseen, they strike any millimetre of skin that the repellent missed. Along with the plague, my flat has an infestation of woodworm. When I arrved last week there were piles of sawdust on/under chairs, the table, window frames, the wardrobe, and even the bed frame. I've just arranged for the builder (roof is being started in September inshallah) to remove all old wood, eaten chairs, even firewood, whilst I've been spraying toxic stuff into thousands of holes in order to stop the spread. ugh

Finally, Saturday, returning from eating a proper Italian pizza (none of that Pizza Hut type immitation stuff here), I discovered a mouse in my bathroom. The poor thing was scared of me, whilst I was worried it would get into the main part of the flat. Retreating, I left it hiding behind the toilet, locked the door between us and turned on all lounge lights to discourage it entering. Thirty minutes later it had left. Where to, I don't know but hopefully out of the flat.