One of the compensations of aging is that we care less how others perceive us and, in my case, at the point I hardly care at all :)
I need, at this juncture, to point out that about ten days past my 4WD was chosen as a new home for a large colony of ants; big ants! Not the biting kind fortunately but nevertheless these were ants which, no doubt, other ants gave a wide birth to. As soon as I discovered their squatting I brushed them out as well as possible but they have been appearing around the vehicle since and no doubt will for another week or two.
Today I called into the pharmacy in Kerang (Vic) to renew my blood pressure medication and it turned into a complex exercise because I wanted six months of medication at one time and I have a number of prescriptions and so on.
Anyway; I was served by a polite and capable young lady of around 20 years of age and, at this point, we were physically close pouring over prescriptions when upon my hand, from nowhere, appeared a large ant. I noticed it before she did and immediately said "Nigel!: what are you doing here!? Get back into my pocket at once!" And brushed it off.
She said: "That was an ant on your hand". I replied "Yes, he's my pet ant Nigel and he can be a little naughty." From that point we returned to my prescriptions and Nigel was not mentioned again, but I do wonder how she'll relate Nigel and I to her parents and friends this evening? :)
__________________
"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
She said: "That was an ant on your hand". I replied "Yes, he's my pet ant Nigel and he can be a little naughty." From that point we returned to my prescriptions and Nigel was not mentioned again, but I do wonder how she'll relate Nigel and I to her parents and friends this evening? :)
Should have told her, Nigel is an Uncle not an Ant, she would have been totally confused.
I find that talcum powder is always a good item to get rid of ants. Apparently the fine 'sand' gets into their exoskeleton and irritates so much that they avoid it like the plague. AFAIK it does not kill them; just drives them away.