RETURN OF THE SPOTTED PERIL

The allegedly hibernating harlequin ladybirds currently roosting in the upstairs rooms have awakened again and are causing mayhem once more.
This morning I counted over a hundred in one room alone and I woke this morning to discoverer half a dozen of them in my hair and a further dozen or more in bed.
This type of ladybird, not native to the British Isles has a very unpleasant habit, when startled or threatened in any way it exudes a drop of smelly liquid, greeny yellow in colour which leaves a stain as well as a foul pong. This staining is almost impossible to remove and when the numbers of beasties are high the patches of stains are quite noticeable.
This morning they were stamping about in the bathroom on a pile of white towels, these and a white T shirt of my sons left out to air went straight back into the laundry basket.
Although these little menaces are harmful to our native species and a damn nuisance in to the bargain I have not the heart to hoover them up or evict them to face the cold winter and certain death.
My little cat however is not so forbearing as I. After attempting to have a nap in the windowsill and having spent a whole hour twitching with irritation at the attentions of these pests she suddenly jumped on to my bed and in doing so shed about a dozen assorted bugs on to the quilt. She then proceeded to bash away at them with her paws,until they were all over the floor...and back in my bed again.
Last night I removed an eggcup full from my sons room and moved them to the bathroom where there is ,hopefully a good chance that they will either drown in the bath of fall down the lavatory , one can but hope!
They infest every cupboard as a rule so this year I prepared a pungent herbal bouquet a little of which I tied up in muslin and put the in many of the drawers. This has been successful to a degree and I shall extend the trial this summer.
He ironing is done at last, it took hours, my own fault of course for letting it pile up.....never again!

I have a feeling that we may be getting some snow next week, certain meaningful twinges in the knees which usually auger very cold weather are afflicting me at the moment, I love snow so I do not mind at all...except for the twinges.

If tomorrow is the start of a working week for you good fortune attend you and if like us it is the start of a holiday week relax and enjoy it. For those who work with my son have as lazy a week as possible, from what I hear you have certainly earned it.