Midgies

This is No 3 son demonstrating how to eat an ice lolly while wearing a midgie net. This pic is at Beinglas Farm where the midgies can be vicious. Now don't hate me but I NEVER get bitten by the little blighters. I wear a net if they are annoying me but I don't even need to use the spray. Sorry! The Runner gets eaten alive by them and has to be drenched in repellent. This year he wants to try the Avon stuff, Skin so Soft as loads of people swear by it. I suppose it smells better.

The very first year of doing the back up was the first time I'd witnessed how awful midgies can be. The Runner wanted us to stop at Carbeth in case he needed something. The Bearded One got out of the car and disappeared up a track (he does this a lot) leaving me and The Hippy Chick in the car people-watching. Two guys got out of the car parked in front of us. They were wearing midgie nets and stood virtually hosing each other down with spray. The Hippy Chick and I were helpless with laughter and were making comments along the lines of "What a pair of woosies!"

A short time later The Bearded One tapped the window and shouted "He's just coming." We got out the car and walked into a haze of midgies. As I've already said they don't bite me but they LOVE The Hippy Chick with a passion. Within 30 seconds of leaving the car we were beating a retreat and ransacking the boxes in the back of the car for a couple of nets I'd popped in at the last minute. The Runner had been and gone before we got them on and The Hippy Chick was left covered in love bites from her miniscule admirers.

The Hippy Chick bravely continued helping with the back up for a few more years. She put up with the onslaught of the little devils and the allergic reaction got steadily worse. Anti-histamines were just not enough. The final year she helped out, she admitted she'd had a glass of red wine earlier in the evening (which was fine as she doesn't drive). She took her anti-histamine as usual and promptly had a good night's sleep in the back of the car!!

You may have seen the t-shirt with a list of Dos and Don'ts printed on it. They come from a list I made one year. One of the Don'ts is "Don't mix red wine and anti-histamines." Now you know why!