Morning Dew

I was staying at some friends´ house in the country this weekend, good food, walks, wine and beer. A heavy downpour in the night made for a fresh start to the day. Given I was awake from about 6 o´clock with very little sleep before that I took a morning stroll and watched the sun dry out the land. WMBs have had a lot of coverage on these pages but I´d take them any day ahead of the Big Mosquito F***ers out here. The thing with midges is you know what you´re getting, granted they are close to unbearable but you can see them, you´re usually not trying to sleep when they visit and give it an hour or two and the pain is over. Last night was hot and sweaty and the thin bedsheet somehow transformed itslef into an eider down arcticforce sleeping bag and as such was invariably kicked off exposing my body to the hell that followed. Just as I was drifting off I would hear it, the low droning rising to a manic screeching as the f***er approached my cabeza. What to do? Dive under the sheet or slap myself about the ears in a vain attempt to kill it. Is there only one? Flying solo making repeat attempts at my inner ear. Or are there more, dancing in formation peppering me with shots, the element of surprise leaving me prone. I never felt a bite once but as the day has progressed the evidence of the carnage has emerged, legs, shoulders (quite a pretty pattern there), forehead, cheek and armpit (the worst) have all called out for a little scratch. Tonight, I sleep alone.