Mosquito Prevention

Pants: Theory via Buffalo Exchange...Blouse: Target...Cardigan: Banana Republic, thrifted...Shoes: Nine West Outlet... Shades: via TJ Maxx

Darn Mosquito.

I have a totally un-girly relationship with bugs. If there's a cockroach in our apartment (they're frequent visitors in our 1930's old funky building) I kill it without a thought. I found a tiny spider in my car at the grocery last night and told My Guy I thought it was cute. I save and escort outside any buggy visitors we find. Worms in my bare hand? Frequent occurrence. I'm a lightning fast mosquito slapper, cat-reflexed fruit fly swatter. 

But mosquitoes (specifically near my ears) are on my list of hatred. Its not a long list but each item receives my seething, burning hatred and the list in total is another post for another time. Now, I can handle mosquitoes when we're outside. I'm relatively left alone and smack an occasional bug on my arm or leg. What I can't handle is when a mosquito gets all up in my ears' business and hangs around. Buzzing. Screeching. It makes my skin crawl like not much else. As a middle schooler, we did a lot of tent camping and backpacking, which meant lots of hot sweaty hiking through forests. You know, where mosquitoes lurk and wait for you. I also had a seriously amazing Boonie Hat for our excursions, but mosquitoes seemed to find their way under the brim near my ears and get stuck. 

If you ever feel the urge, try this out: Rub a Bounce dryer sheet all over yourself and stick a fresh one in your belt loop. AMAZING repellant. I spent the rest of my camping career swearing by shoving the used dryer sheet in the sides of my hideous hat like earflaps, but my summers became much more enjoyable.

Your future picnics will thank me.

Happy weekend, all!