Product Placement and Stormy Weather

We seem to be stuck in a pattern of intense heat that is interrupted sporadically by severe thunderstorms. Today, we were told by Mr. Fox 19 Stormtracker Weather that we would have temperatures in the 90's today with a chance of a pop-up thunderstorm midday.

Well, I'm actually quite amazed to announce that Mr. Fox 19 Stormtracker Weather was right. For once. Yes, it can happen. Right around the time I leave for lunch to come let the puppies out, the sky, suddenly ominously dark, opened up and the rain began to fall. It was the torrential type of rain that saturates everything within seconds and obscurs your view while you're driving.

I tried to wait out the storm but almost an hour later, I needed to liberate the puppies from their crate for an hour and eat some lunch. Needless to say, I got wet.

Still, the storm did pass and the heat came back and the world is calm again.

The problem with that much rain is that my back garden floods. At the moment if I walk on my grass, it squelches. There are puddles with standing water and my flower/vegetable beds are under a layer of water. I had actually planned on mowing the lawn tonight but, alas, I could only do the front lawn since that's on a slope and the water drains off. It was still wet but at least now it's mowed. It was starting to look rather horrendous.

On the plus side, I would like to endorse a product. I highly recommend that Off Mosquito Fan thingy. Being that I provide rather an attractive bait for mosquitoes, I seem to have the added misfortune of suffering from what I've been told is known as 'skeeter syndrome'. This means that my bites swell to rather large red lumps that look a bit like a tumor and they stick around for a couple of days. I've tried all of the spray on repellents and somehow, the mosquitoes still find a way to snack on my blood.

Not today, however. Thanks to the fabulous Off Mosquito Fan, I mowed my lawn and went out to the garden without one bite. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical of the device. It just seemed a little silly- a fan to repel mosquitoes.

Then, when I went to my parents' this weekend, I discovered my mother had one and she said it worked. I borrowed it and then put it to the test- I went walking around their large garden from which I usually emerge with at least three mosquitoe bites. Not with the Off Fan! That thing is bloody brilliant. It has Captain Monkeypant's seal of approval which, given that I'm a bit of a complainer, is a pretty rare seal to earn.

Anyway, this means that on this hot, buggy, humid evening, I am sitting inside my air-conditioned office with not a single new mosquito bite. It doesn't sound like much but given that I've used almost a whole tube of hydrocortisone over the past 3 weeks, it actually is a lot to me.

I'm hoping that the weather cools down tomorrow but I know it's not likely to get any cooler for most of the week. We're supposed to have the possibility of more storms tomorrow which means my back garden will get even wetter. Even the puppies are finding it a nuisance- it's muddy wherever they walk and they come in with wet feet. It doesn't stop them from going out but it does mean they leave muddy footprints on the kitchen floor. They've been a little naughty tonight, anyway. I lost my phone only to discover that Sookie had 'borrowed' it and taken it outside. She managed to dial my younger brother somehow. She called my mother a couple of weeks ago. Sookie really seems to like the phone. I'd be amused if I hadn't been frantically looking for it.

Still, for a Monday, it hasn't been too bad. I buried my head at work today and got a lot done. The conference attendees came back and were somewhat quiet although my coworker couldn't resist telling me about all the connections she made and how many people wanted to talk to her. That's very nice for her. In the meantime, I have my 'silver' olympic medal hanging up in my cubicle to remind me that we had fun last week too.

Here's hoping that tomorrow isn't quite so soggy.

Happy Tuesday!