ArcaMax

Another Reason Not to Fly...

First it was the tragedy of 9/11. The security. The waiting. Strangers going through the luggage. All with good reason, but still.

Then the shoe bomber brought us to tiny bags with little bottles of liquids. Rations at best.

In 2008, it became the economy. Fuel prices jacked sky high. The airlines had to find new ways to bring in income, so they decided our bags were going to be the new profit center.

No one looks forward to flying anymore. They just want to get there. Me included.

Now, I’ve been assaulted by a new enemy and I’m not the least bit happy about it.

Bed bugs.

Do you know the easiest way to get bed bugs?

Travel.

All you have to do is have your bag snuggled up next to some stranger’s bag. The stranger’s bag has bed bug eggs attached to the outside edge, the bag rubs up against yours and some of the bed bug eggs are transferred to your bag. So small you don’t even notice. And you’re toast. One or two of those little suckers gets on YOUR bag and you bring them home. They make house in your bed and it’s all she wrote.

Bags are squished into upper compartments. Bags are stored in the cargo hold. There is no way to escape. The incidence of bed bugs had increased 300% in the last year and is climbing!

And don’t get me started on the number of ways you can bring bed bugs home from a hotel! It’ s insane, and none of us think it’s going to happen to us.

No one is immune. Bed bugs don’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter what your income, your social status or your cleanliness factor. Bed bugs are nefarious, tiny creatures that are the true “blood suckers”. Forget vampires. Those are just a fantasy. Bed bugs are REAL.

At first I thought it was the onslaught of baby spiders. When I was a little girl, I learned that spiders like to come inside when Fall is approaching. They want to find a warm location for Winter. I figured there was some kind of spider nest in my bedroom. Those little buggers were biting me while I slept. I kept waking up with red welts that itched worse than chicken pox! I was mad about the spiders. I went on a hunt. I couldn’t find anything. I’m a bit of clean freak ,so I don’t have much clutter around. My husband complains that I throw the newspaper away before he’s even finished reading it.

I teamed up with my cleaning lady. She couldn’t find any evidence of spiders either.

I started having bad dreams. Dreams of bugs.

I called the exterminator. My buddy Harry, the Exterminator, was scheduled to come out anyway. When he arrived, I told him my spider theory. He just chuckled and then got a real serious look on his face. “Let’s go to the bedroom”, he said. I cringed. I had thought of the possibility of bed bugs but I was too grossed to formulate the words. My worst bedtime story was coming from Harry’s mouth.

We have bed bugs.

Today was KILL ‘em day. The room has been completely dismantled and treated. My linens are all in the wash being sanitized. My pillows are getting a special heat treatment to kill any possible pillow intruders. My comforter and other top linens are at the drycleaner. My cats are at the vet being held safe until they can come home. I have to order special Bug Lock mattress covers that will keep them from being able to penetrate again. The beautiful mattress covers I had are useless to these invaders. My nightgowns are all in the trash. Our suitcases are either going to have to be steam cleaned or thrown out.

This has now added up to a large enough expense that I could buy a business-class ticket to Europe.

This is a nightmare. And I’m out of hydrocortisone cream!

If you still have an appetite I have a recipe. Thought I’d toss out to you a special drink recipe. If you are hooked on diet sodas but want to get away from the chemicals I have a creative solution.

Cream Soda And Other Homemade Fountain Drinks

Ingredients:

12 oz of sparkling water
Ice
3-5 drops of vanilla-flavored stevia (Truvia and PureVia are two brands available at most grocery stores in the sugar aisle).

Directions:

Mix in your glass and drink. You’ll be amazed how much this tastes like cream soda and no artificial sweeteners. Truvia and Purevia are made from the leaves of the stevia plant.

You can buy about a dozen flavors of stevia on the internet. They even have root beer flavor so check it out and see if you can cure your diet soda habit with this new, natural way to make a drink. It’s an alternative; just in case you want one.

Cheers
Enjoy,
Zola

Send email to Zola at dinnerwithzola@hotmail.com.