February 5, 2016

Happy National Day to Sri Lanka yesterday.

Seems since my last post, I have been plagued with bodily ills.  First it was flea bites contracted from my cat.  I hold her up on my left shoulder when I pick her up, which is frequently.  For the first time ever, she passed her fleas on to me.  Admittedly, I have never noticed fleas on her and she does not scratch inordinately, but given the climate and the fact that she is an outdoor hunter, she must have fleas.  Well this time, she definitely did.  So I had about 50 or more bites from just above my left boob right up to my left ear.  They are very itchy and take about 2 weeks to clear up.  I was bathing in either Sidaleppa (a local herbal balm that is very effective) or aloe vera which I got from the plant that I grow just for such a purpose. 

Here is the sweety sleeping with me sans fleas

After I got over the flea bites, I managed to get a whiff of Mortein (a really disgusting insect repellent, in this case the kind for killing crawling insects) at my friend Ava's.  She told she had sprayed when I arrived.  I thought it would be alright since she had only squirted a little and all the windows were open.  But apparently not, because by that night I had a scratch throat.  Now 2 weeks later, I am still a little sniffly.  Of course, just as I was rallying a little from the allergy, I got back a milder version of the stomach ailment I had before Christmas.  I am just on the tail end of that one as well.  Thus far 2016 has not been great physically.

There is the usual critter infestation.  Mostly snails, but what snails.  A French chef's dream.  There have been various flying things as well.  Some of them very delicate.

Some kind of lovely water bug.

Perhaps some of the bugs are attracted by the Queen of the Night which was in full bloom and  emitted the most exotic scents after dusk.

Doesn't look like much, but it sure smells like all that.

 We had art group at my place 3 weeks ago.  It was a good time.  Judith worked on her cobra.

Rather effective I think.

I had mentioned that I was in a fashion show on December 8 last year to celebrate my hairdresser's new salon and 20 years in the business.  Finally, we got some photos both from the Daily Mirror.  It was also written up in Lanka Woman but they did not include photos of Arlene and I.  Ageists!

From left to right, Arlene, Sundari, me

Sundari did the body painting on all the young men.  Looked awesome.

Finally got some word on my visa application.  Seems they lost 100 to 150 application in the period after the parliamentary elections.  So now I have to submit a whole new app.  Should go in sometime this week and then we will see.