Yesterday was a bad one for me physically.

I finally had my blood pressure down to normal for two consecutive days. However, yesterday I was totally exhausted. Wiped out! I had to stay in bed all day! No golf either this morning. I don’t think I could finish 3 holes, let alone 9.

My blood pressure initially screwed up because I was feeling tired. It was a consistent 100/60. Too low. The doctor started adjusting my pills. That is when the trouble started. The blood pressure took long to adjust. A lot of pills. I am tired again. And to make it even worse, my pressure is up again this morning!

I want to talk about domesticity. I live alone. I have had to learn to care for myself. In my other life, everything was done for me.

My new life is a constant learning experience.

This week I was made aware of two things.

First, do not press the steam button on the iron when your hand is in the way. I was ironing a shirt and forgot to remove my hand. I have steamed fingers!

The next lesson learned concerns cooking. Another thing I did not do in my other life.

I enjoy perogis. Have not had them in years. Saw some in a frozen locker at Publix. Bought a box. Read the directions as to how to cook. Thought they involved too many steps and took too long. I wanted to boil them. Placed four frozen rock hard perogis in the pan. Boiled them. They came out almost as rock hard as they went in. Lesson learned: Defrost first!

I keep the house relatively clean. I am a clean and neat freak.

Very tiny ants show up every Summer in the keys. Tiny means tiny! Extremely small. Arrive in droves.

I have never had ants. Lisa had them for the first time last Summer. A terrible invasion! They did not go away till Winter. The ants did not return to Lisa’s this year.

I have lived in my Key West home for fourteen yeas. Never ants. Till this Summer. I can’t get rid of them.

The ants fortunately have confined themselves to one area. The countertops and sink in the kitchen.

I keep the counter clean. Before and now. Do not keep any food out. I even refrigerate bananas. I only buy  three at a time because the regfrigeration adversely affects them.

I bought ant traps at Home Depot. Placed them in appropriate places on the counterrtops. Probably  more than I needed. Did not work!

I read in the Sunday newspaper a couple of weeks ago a column devoted to these ants.Front page! That is how serious this ant problem is in Key West. The writer’s solution was 409. I bought 409. A huge spray bottle. Washed the counter and sink down. Sprayed. Cleaned it up. No help.

I figured maybe I removed too much of the 409 when I wiped over it with a damp paper towel. The solution was simple. Why not spray everything with 409 and leave it on the counters and sink! I did. I knew I had the ants beat now.

No way! They walked across the 409 like it was nothing!

I still have the ants. Today is the start of Autumn. I am waiting for the start of Winter so they will leave.

The ants have won. Louis lost.

My friend Jim Brown from Crete, Greece had an interesting comment on Facebook this morning. I would be remiss if I did not share it with you. It applies to us in the United States, also. Keep in mind while reading his comment, that Greece is in worse financial shape than the United States.

Jim Brown said that “…due to the current financial crisis in Greece, I’m looking for a car that runs on fresh air, a star trek food replicator machine, a naquada generator for power and a machine that turns piss into beer and drinin water.”

Our desire/need concisely stated.

Keep them coming, Jim!

Enjoy your day!

10 comments on “

  1. You need to call an exterminator. You might also try getting some outdoor spray for ants and spraying around the perimeter of the house. It's possible you have a nest somewhere. I had the same problem and they didn't go away until I found the damn nest. I found the spray at Home Depot.

    Feel better.

  2. Louis, Well your sound like your doing ok living alone I guess. But I just can't believe your doing everything for yourself. Do you have a cleaning lady? Do you miss all the home cooked meala and baking? You have lived out there for 14 years wow I didn't know this. You just got up and left everyone.I knew from talking to people for years you weren't happy here so now your there and you sound great.. But you do have medical problems that you need to stay on top of…

  3. Okay, Lou: Want to have fun? Go to sit in your favorite bar when the bar is crowded. Sit in the middle and say out loud, or to the bartender: I have ants on my kitchen counter and I can't get rid of them. Don't say anything, but listen for the next forty-five minutes.

  4. Louis, The ant problem is not just in Key West. I don't know where they came from, but everyone I know here in Maryland has had the same problem this summer. And these ants are little, teeny, tiny ants. A new, indestructable, indefatigable breed, apparently. They must be related to these infernal "stink" bugs that have invaded us and are virtually immune to every pesticide known to modern science! Good luck. Our ant population seems to be thriving in the mid-Atlantic as well as in the subtropics.

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