Nightmares Coming True!!

So, the first time I taught a class by myself, it was 3rd grade. Throughout the morning a little girl complained of an earache, so when the nurse finally arrived (they only work something like an hour a day at each school!) I sent her to be looked at. About 30 minutes later, the nurse came in and told me that she was sending the child home because there was a bug in her ear and she needed to see a doctor. A. Bug. In. Her. Ear!!!!! From that moment forward, this has been my very worst fear. It's the primary reason that I refuse to go camping.

Right now, we have these bugs in our house.


They're called cucumber beetles, and they're tiny. I'm not sure why they're in our house, since I'm not growing cucumbers, but whatever. It's not an infestation or anything, just a few that sneak in when we open the door at night. For some reason, they're really drawn to my bedroom, and I'll find one my bed occasionally. (You know, as I'm turning back the sheets.) I get rid of them and it's all fine. (Do you see how calm I am? Not having a nervous breakdown at all...) Except it's -not- fine, because if there's a bug on my pillow, chances are it's going to end up on me somewhere. Or worse, in my ear. Auggggh!

Then, quite suddenly, the bugs were gone. Every year, this area gets some sort of plague, beetles or crows or locusts, and they always disappear as quickly as they arrived. I thought that was the end of it. I stopped checking my bed. TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Then it happened. I woke up a few days ago, unsure of what had startled me. And then I felt it. A tickle in my ear. I thought it was my hair (the new short layers are always tickling my face) so I moved to brush it away and there it was. A. BUG. IN. MY. EAR. Auggggggggghhhhhh!!!! I screamed and jumped around and got it out, but now I'm a total basket case at bedtime. I wake up a thousand times a night (day) to check my pillows and my ears and it's a total nightmare. FAAAAhh!!

I can't wait 'til winter.

In a completely unrelated note, Wonka Gummy Puckerooms are a very naughty candy: