Well, the bug guy came yesterday, complete with white plastic suit and gas mask, and as of my most recent hoovering, it appears that we are fresh out of bugs. As it turns out, they’re called Woodlice, which is just gross, and they are not bugs after all, but crustaceans. Little fellas evolved from the lobsters, crabs and prawns of the sea who still have a hankerin’ for damp places, like - say - English basements. I am VERY glad to see them go. At this point, we will either have zero bugs or will have some super-duper survival-of-the-fittest, Darwin-type bugs. Somehow, I think bugman in his white suit could conquer those, too.

Weird thing happened while waiting for the bugman. Our landlord employs a peculiar old guy called Joe to cut our grass once a fortnight (that’s what Joe says - I come once a fortnight). Joe was also responsible for meeting the bugman with keys to the basement (Andy and I don’t have access to the basement) and a check. The bugman said he’d be here between 4 and 7:30, but he also said he would call before he came. Anwyay, Joe got here at 4:00, came to the window, and said, “Well, I’ll just wait here until they come. There’s no need for me to come inside.” “OK,” I say, and I sit back down and Joe waits outside. Bear in mind that we’re on the ground floor, so he’s only about 10 feet away from me. So then it’s starting to rain. “I brought my umbrella,” Joe says. “OK,” I say. Then I’m thinking, “You know, couldn’t you have waited for them to call you?” So I say, “You didn’t want to just wait until they called?” and Joe explains his lack of trust in bugman to call before arriving. I’m also thinking, “I wonder if I should invite this guy in. He is kinda weird, and I’m kinda busy, and he did say he’d wait outside.” So I comprimise and offer him a cup of coffee. “I wouldn’t mind,” he says. I join Joe in a cup of coffee and a chat. Through the window. I decide that if it REALLY starts to rain, I’ll invite him in. Fortunately, bugman comes at about 5, and Joe turns out to be correct in his suspician that he wouldn’t call after all, so it worked out perfectly. I must say. . . a little awkward. By the way, Joe is going to the Grand Canyon in October. He’s excited.