Praying for a Frost

I know I was complaining about the mosquitoes not long ago but it bears repeating, especially since it's now officially FALL. The mosquito epidemic has been running rampant throughout Wisconsin all summer but come Labor Day, most of the state seemed to be in the clear. However, the area in which I live is where the last of them are congregating for a series of final pre-frost parties.

Never in all of my years in Wisconsin have I seen such a plague. I recently visited a neighbor and upon my arrival, she yelled at me to run to the door, lest I be attacked. I was barely inside her house when she slammed the door behind me. I think we were both panting.

"It's like a zombie movie!" she complained. "Just when you think it might safe outside at high noon or whatever, you finally creep outside and then wham! They come out of nowhere for the kill."

She's right, too. Not only are these things zombie-like in their attack methods but they have seem to have mutated, now carrying super strength abilities to bite through clothing. I kid you not. The other day I was outside for five minutes in a jeans and hoodie (because that's how chilly it now is for God's sake) and in that short time, I ended up with multiple bites all over my body. What? These things can now pierce denim?!

And to make things worse, it is now fly season. Yes, those darn houseflies which usually replace the mosquitoes have now come to terrorize us alongside their blood sucking friends.

"Oh, great. Now we are on to the Amityville Horror stage," a friend complained as we drove up his driveway, only to find his house covered with flies.

So for the first time in my life, I have started to pray for frost. Yes, me. The girl who can never get enough summer. I mean, what's the point of summer if you can't get out and enjoy it?

I'm not the only one, hoping for a night of dipping temperatures. The other day, my Amityville house owning friend said to me in a nearly delirious state, "We were only five degrees from freezing the last night. Why? Oh, God, why can't we just get a frost?" And then he proceeded to pummel mosquitoes on his living room wall.

All of this coming from people who will have a good six months of freezing temperatures ahead of them. We may be generally tolerant of the elements but this is simply getting to be too much, even for us. Help! (Of course, that really means, Send cookies!)

Your Housebound Correspondent,
Rachael