They Never Left...

Well, just wanted to inform you real quick that Brittany is STILL dealing with bed bugs in her apartment!  The first night she got back to college, she woke up with 8 bites on her arm the next morning. BLECH! Things were going alright for a few months, then here we are, again.  I am so disgusted, I can't even tell you! Every time she comes home for a visit, I make her leave everything in the garage.  Then, I, carefully, transfer her belongings, little by little, into huge Ziploc bags. I take her purse, book bag, tote bags, clothes, shoes into our laundry room and put everything in the dryer on the hottest setting possible. Then, I wash everything in HOT water and all goes back into a HOT dryer. I mean, it is no way to live.  The exterminator is going back to treat her room today, so we'll see how that goes.  I have a sinking suspicion that this will be an ongoing issue. I have gotten myself pretty worked up over this, as you can surely imagine. Lord, calm my spirit...I can sure use it!

Remembering Dad

I love this picture of my dad.  My brother took it sometime before he passed away in 2006.  He looks so deep in thought. Today would have been his 87th birthday and I'd give anything to hear his timely advice, again, or to argue with him about politics and such. Dad was a well-read man and was far more intelligent than I think I ever gave him credit for. Oh, how he loved a good belly laugh...and his family! I learned so much about honor, integrity, and, yes, LOVE from him over the years.  Though he was blessed to have lived a long life, it still wasn't long enough for me.  I'm living proof that no matter how grown a woman becomes, she still needs her dad. Love you, Pop!

P.S.  Thank you all for your concern and advice regarding Brittany's bed bug situation.  I am just about sick over all this.  It's so hard to get the right thing done when we're 5 1/2 hours away from her.  I spoke to the Terminix guy yesterday about the treatment he did to her apartment on Friday. First of all, he didn't prep the apartment like he's was supposed to have done before starting treatment. Secondly, he said he did a heat treatment (temp. is supposed to be 140 degrees or higher), but yet a hamster remained in the apartment because he said it really doesn't get all that hot. WHAT??? No pets and no residents were supposed to be present when the treatment was done.  He assured me he did a "real thorough job" along the baseboards, cracks, and crevices.  He said he took off all the bedding and "threw it in the bathroom" because he couldn't find any evidence of bugs...even though Brittany had already bagged 5 of those beasts.  So, I've made my mind up.  I'm calling Terminix, again, today and ask to speak to the manager.  I want to know if his exterminator followed the proper protocol and what's going to be done from here on out.  What a nightmare this is becoming! *Giveaway*...head on over to pay my bloggy friend, Kim , a visit and to enter her Shutterfly giveaway to win 25 free photo cards!  Can't beat that!