Creatures Everywhere

With the heat come many creatures! I can't stand it. I don't do well with creatures. Never have. Never will! Pretty much everyday on our walks, Benny & I encounter at least one lizard. I jump and scream every time one scurries in front of us. My jumping and screaming get Benny excited, so he starts jumping on me and barking. The lizards are not very big, but I am still scared of them.

While Scott's been in Virginia, I decided to keep myself busy by cutting the grass. Notice I did not say, mow the lawn. I cut the grass with hedge clippers. I decided to cut the largest of the three areas of grass we have. I did it in 10-minute chunks because it is sooooooo darn hot here. It took a total of about 3-hours. It was worth it in the end. Today, I figured I would cut another section. Before starting to cut, I watered the third section. I was watering the flowers within that section and then all of a sudden a mouse ran out. I pretty much had heart failure! I dropped the hose, screamed, jumped, and ran in to the house. Benny was right behind me. The mouse ran in the opposite direction, the driveway. I wouldn't have cared except that the kitchen door is over there and Benny's doggy door was open. I ran to the kitchen & locked the doggy door. It's been locked all day. It will be locked all day tomorrow. Benny will have to hold it until I get back from work. I'm not risking a mouse getting in here! Scott will need to do a thorough look around the house and convince me it's safe. He thinks I'm nuts anyway.

The flies here are so annoying. They are so persistent. I can shoo a fly away 20-times before it leaves me alone. They're much smaller than our flies, although once in a while I see these gigantic flies with red eyes. Those flies don't hover around me & annoy me. They usually fly away when I get close. I'm sick of the flies.

Benny has been enjoying the cut grass. Today I caught him laying in the sun, smelling the air & then collapsing asleep. He has such a tough life.

My new favorite fruit is the mangosteen. It's not what you're thinking. It's not a Jewish mango! Just kidding. It's a fruit from Thailand. Scott & I heard about it on TV over here. It's a purple fruit. Apparently the purple fruits have the highest amount of antioxidants in them. I stumbled upon them at the grocery store and bought about a dozen of them. The Indian guy in the produce section helped me out. I didn't know how to pick them. Anyhow, you cut open the purple peel and 6 wedges of a white fruit are inside. They feel slimy and squishy. The largest wedge has the seed in it. They are absolutely delicious. I've never tasted anything like it. It's tart yet sweet. The texture is almost that of a peach. I can eat 6 at once. They are not sold fresh in Northern America because of fear of the fruit fly infecting our crops. So, we will enjoy them while we are able to over here.

There was a chicken pox outbreak at school last week. Fortunately, I had them when I was 23. A horrible experience but I'm glad I got them over with! Unfortunately, not one of my students went out with them. Bummer! I am feeling the length of this school year now. I want it over. We have about 3-weeks left. I don't think they'll pass quickly enough. I'm ready for a break. The kids are ready for a break. The parents are ready for a break. This heat doesn't help. It's so bad. It was 114 last Tuesday!

Scott called and went over all the stuff he bought while in Virginia. Of course, he bought a few extra things. He claims that I always buy extra junk, but he's just as bad! I'm excited to have him home tomorrow. It's tough being alone so far away from friends and family. Luckily I have my side-kick, Benny boy!