Another Benefit to Living in Whine Country

On Saturday we sponsored a monthly event at our house (after the three soccer games, that is). With all the people involved, it always runs so smoothly and everyone has a great time.

I noticed that this weekend, we had a couple of flies coming in as the doors opened and closed. I looked over at one point and our front door was wide open, so I had to ask someone to close it. In the winter months, we don't have an issue with flies. As a matter of fact, I rarely see one when it's cold.

After everyone left, we had to get the swatter out and kill a few flies, but it wasn't a big deal. It was fun for the boys as they learned to hit the flies without leaving a mess on the windows and walls--and to clean them up so the baby doesn't eat them later.

It was an exhausting week, and I just wasn't able to get out of bed on Sunday. We had to make it to 9:00 Mass. I usually rise between 6:00 and 7:00. Yesterday, I slowly rolled off the mattress at 7:25. YIKES! I needed to hurry to get myself and my kids fed and dressed so we could take off.

I slugged my way to the kitchen, eager to brew my half decaf cup of coffee. Unfortunately, the coffee was further off than I could have imagined. My kitchen window, slider, and walls were covered with flies. Covered with black, buzzing, annoying insects.

By the time the first child ventured out to the repeated dinging of the fly swatter and sounds of water washing the wriggling bug down the drain (I don't take any chances of having them resurrect in my trash can), I had killed well over 40 flies--and didn't make a dent in the population.

By now, it's almost 8:00--no one had eaten, no one was dressed, and, worst of all, I hadn't even started the coffee. When my husband finally strolled out after his shower, he couldn't believe how the flies had multiplied overnight, and he started to attack. I had to ask him to leave it alone and just focus on getting the kids ready.

We made it to Mass on time, came home for a few minutes, and then left for a party in San Diego (BTW, I've never been in one place with so many people who have read my blog--very humbling, to say the least! Thanks, everyone, for being so gracious.) When we got home after dark, it was time to start round two. I thought we had gotten most of them. But I'm late posting today because--you guessed it--I'm still swatting. Next time a fly decides to deliver at the Whine Country Hospital, I may just have to move out for a few days.

I'd better get back to cleaning the windows and scrubbing the walls.