7 Quick Takes Friday, #70

1. A few days ago, I thought of a tiny little piece of a story I could include in this week's Quick Takes.  A story all about how I secretly love this time of year -- the hot days, the buzzed up air, full of bugs and whirring noises, the sultry nights, still humid from a summertime shower -- for one particular reason: bug bites.

It's weird, yes, but come on...is there anything more satisfying than scratching an itch?  And my bites get nicely swollen and grotesque so there's that added bonus of feeling like my own little spotted freak show.  I get to come up with new ways to satisfy the urge to scratch, without actually scratching across my inflamed skin.  There's the fabric rub.  The furniture rub.  The razor-against-bite-while-shaving rub.  It's all very, very good, and I accept that I'm weird for liking bug bites.

Or having liked bug bites in the past.  But that was before I woke up with my entire abdomen covered in chigger bites yesterday morning.  The girls and I spent Wednesday morning -- all morning -- outside, they in the little inflatable pool, and I sitting innocently against the garden.  Getting eaten alive, apparently.  There are over 60 bites on my abdomen and back alone; I didn't bother to count those on my legs, feet, and arms.  There's one nestled snugly inside my belly button.  Two in my armpits.  Twenty-ish under and around my bra straps.  It's beyond interestingly grotesque, and bordering on pathetically maddening.

I hate them.  If I accidentally rub one of them, the one next to it itches, and the one next to it, until my entire body is writhing with itches needing to be scratched. 

Damn those chiggers. 

2. And that is the first naughty word I've used on this blog.  It's a milestone.

3.  Since I endured so much torture to get these pictures (even though I didn't realize it at the time), I have to share them with you.  And really I would have anyway, because they're just so darn cute. 

4.  I feel like such an unsupportive wife this week, because I've failed to mention something very exciting: Justin rode his first century!  Last weekend, he hopped on his bike, slathered on some sunscreen, and rode 101 miles over the Missouri countryside.  I was amazed!  I knew he was in good shape, but really, a hundred miles?!  In this humid weather?!  Yikes.  And yay!  Congratulations, babe!

(Babe, indeed.)

5.  Last night marked the beginning of a joy-filled and not at all irritating season in my neighborhood:

Firecrackers.  For hours.  Past bedtime.  Waking my toddler, who cried in fright from the 'too loud noisy'.

At least I'm not bitter, right? 

6. This was more fun for her than me:

But at least it was a healthy snack!

 

And I learned my lesson -- never leave the lid off the peanut butter jar, even if you'll be right back.

7.  Best dinnertime conversation ever:

Me: Babe, now that the lawn mower's fixed, do you think you'll mow the lawn tonight?

Him: Uhm...I kinda wanted to go for a bike ride...

Me: What?!  Please mow instead!  Honestly, it's SO bad, and it's harboring evil chiggers of all sorts!!

Him: Really?  Don't you think since it's been so long since we mowed it, it can wait a little longer?

Me: No! Seriously!  Can you mow it?

Him: ....

Mia: Dad!  You HAVE TO OBEY!  Just OBEY, okay?!  Gosh!

Have a beautiful 4th of July weekend and be sure to visit Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!