Small comfort…
Today I found the transformer for the Mosquito Magnet! The bizarre thing is that it was 12″ from where I walked every time I went into my grooming shop. I had looked “everywhere” (obviously NOT quite), but today while thinking about this, and grooming a dog, I wondered if the missing part had become nestled in with some plant pots, in one of many boxes. I went over to a corner and picked up a plastic bag that I thought contained spare parts for solar garden lights… but it was a bag with the transformer in it! Eureka!
When my grooming work was done today, I got my new propane tank filled, purchased the mosquito “attractant” for the machine, came home and got the thing running. Almost immediately I was swarmed by THOUSANDS of mosquitoes, mostly bypassing me and searching out the source of what MUST be a more powerful attractant than the human body. It seems hardly sporting, but we can’t even be outside comfortably, and now we know any mosquitoes that are sucked into that net are not going to BREED.
I wish that I had got the machine running earlier. Because of the flooding in the Robson Valley, we suspected there would be an awful outbreak of mosquitoes. This evening a friend asked me if I could possibly sell her a bouquet from my garden, and I had to tell her, “Sorry”, because I wasn’t willing to go out for that long. I asked her to consider buying lily bulbs in pots, which are almost blooming, or another perennial, or a shrub, as the gift that she needed. She came over and bought a lovely climbing rose, in bloom, and she realized what a time we are having with the nasty insects.
I’ve been in the Valley for thirty years and I don’t remember a mosquito outbreak this bad; mind you, the year I bought the Mosquito Magnet was dreadful. And, perhaps there were other bad years, but I was able to hide indoors with my small children and let their father do all the outside work.
Gary applies repellent to the horses and has made a “smudge pot”; they are intelligent creatures, you know, and will stand in the smoke for the protection.
Tonight I made banana bread, a double batch, with about twelve of the dozens of bananas that are in the freezer. I should try to sell some banana bread at the Farmer’s Markets. I’m planning to make Baklava as well as cheesecake… that will be an “allowed” food according to the health department. I’m looking forward to the Markets, but it already makes life more hectic!
We got our iMac back from the computer shop! I was absolutely amazed when I looked at the invoice. I knew that the repair should be covered by Extended Warranty though I thought that the malfunction was minor (power supply problem). Only after we got the machine back did I realize they had also replaced the “Logic Board with optical”… value $735! I don’t pretend to know what that IS, but my brother-in-law, who is a computer technician by profession, says that we virtually have a “new computer” out of the deal. Bless Apple and their warrantees. The cost would have been close to a thousand dollars without it.
I’ve printed out the Farmer’s Market posters that I usually place around the town WEEKS before Market starts. I’m relieved. Also, I use the computer to make labels for my jams and jellies, so I can start on that right away.
I think I have to have a night’s sleep first though. I told Gary that if he hears the pump running very early tomorrow, it is ME trying to water everything in the garden centre before the mosquitoes are out in brutal force.
Take care, everyone. Thank you for putting up with my verbosity. ~ Ann
This is a long weekend for Canadians. HAPPY CANADA DAY, my friends!
