Affliction!

It is a given truth that mosquitos like Toni more than me.  They attack him with all the enthusiasm and vigour of a Conservative driving the knife into their latest Leader.  Why then was I awoken last night through the marauding hysteria of a mosquito who, when I finally gained consciousness was barely able to stick to the wall through the sheer quantity of blood he had drained from me.

I can vouch for the fluid ounces taken because when I convulsively smashed my thumb on the totally stationary blood-pissed insect I left a woefully large patch of red on the wall as well as an ensanguined digit.

I had to go down stairs and lavishly apply the salve that I had thoughtfully bought for visitors on my own skin!

And this campaign of six legged poison injectors has continued today.

I will not detail the sorry story of thwarted ingenuity that Toni and I have expended in attempting to get the outside sink shipshape after the woefully corroded superstructure holding the damn thing up finally gave way when, thank god, neither Toni nor myself were in the vicinity and could conveniently blame the inevitable disaster on someone else.

It has, so far taken us the best part of a day and the efforts will stretch well into tomorrow.  The inevitable trips to DIY stores and the polite differences of opinion have all been managed.  What hasn’t is the wild life.

Clearing away the bits and pieces which picturesquely adored the immediate vicinity of the sink: plastic slippers, goggles, water pistols, beach mattresses, rucksacks, significantly plastic boxes and the general rubbish which accumulates naturally over the years – all of that being moved encouraged the erstwhile hidden insect life to rise up from their accustomed obscurity and mindlessly attack the blood-rich humans who had disturbed the even tenor of their ways.

Both of us are now sweetly humming with the odour of the embrocation-smelling unguent which purports to lessen the irritation of the stings.  It worked last night and I am ever hopeful that it will work before I retire to my bed and await further onslaughts.

Today was a sullen day with only occasional patches of sunshine and it was with a certain degree of trepidation that I decided to take my second swim of the day by plunging into the communal pool.

Although the water was a shock to the system it was not the traumatic shock that I expected assuming, as I was that I was jumping into the cool pool for the last swim of the summer.  Being able to move without gasping meant that the water was not unbearably cold (for me) and might mean that there will be space for another dip before I call it a day.  A day I might add that is long past for Toni!

My attempt to study with the OU has been thwarted by deadlines about which I knew nothing, but I will persevere and see if I can salvage something from the wreckage.

Tomorrow, more construction and the free flow of water.