A Minor Rant

Summer, glorious summer has arrived in full force in Arkansas. Natives of this area like to talk about how mild the winters are, how fall is much longer, etc. However, by June 1st it's as if you stepped into a microwave every time you go outside! I knew it would be like this but I have to say it doesn't make it any easier. I have never been the kind of person that enjoys super hot weather. The biggest factors probably have to do with the fact that I sweat terribly no matter what I do, I feel bloated and greasy when I am hot, and I am not a big fan of swimming. I am going to try my hardest to suck it up and not complain, but so far I am not doing a very good job of it.

On a happier note, Ray is like a personal exterminator. The bugs in Arkansas are like nothing I have ever seen. Mosquitoes are hardly ever around, which is a shock to me on a lot of levels. No joke, with all the heat and moisture we've had I can still sit on the back patio and not be bothered by those horrid little beasts. There is a catch though: flys are twice as pesky here. They will literally hover by the door and wait for it to open so they can storm the gates. They aren't just looking to land on your food either; they will bite you! I don't think I had ever been bitten by a fly before I moved here! If you asked Ray he would say that the most persistant bugs here are ants. He has a personal vendetta against all ants. While he doesn't think twice about killing other bugs, he takes singular satisfaction in tracking down the sources of ants and whipeing out the nest. The other day I saw him pacing around the back yard with his customary can of bug killing spray like a person possessed. Next thing I know he is in the house grinning from ear to ear. "Michelle, I killed thousands of ants! I saw them going up and down the tree trunk and followed them to two different nests. I doused them in spray and they started to flee the nest carrying eggs, which means I got to make sure none of them escaped!" You'd think he had just found buried treasure or tracked down Osama Bin Laden for his pure elation. I am a big baby about killing any bug so it works out well for me.

All in all, I am quite happy with my new state of residence. Our house feels like home, our grocery store is as familiar as Jewel, and Wal-Mart has grown on me. I still cling fiercely to my Chicagoan self and can't wait to go back for a visit. In an odd twist I have found myself resorting back to the little Canadian accents I had started to pick up when I lived there. I think my mind is trying to keep my accent as far North as possible. Anyone who knows me knows I pick up dialect inadvertantly wherever I go, so I suppose it is just a matter of time until I cave verbally and say things like "y'all" and "that meal was dern good," but hey, there are worse things.