Cool, Liese!

The apple cider vinegar really works. I mean, there are a lot of fruit flies in the homemade traps I've set out. It's just that there are so many more left! I've never had an infestation this bad. I've put out eight (!!!) traps, and they are all full of flies, and I still have flies all over the place--in my bedroom (why?), in the bathroom (why?), in the kitchen (I get that), and they are just hanging around, hanging out on the mirrors, everywhere. Like it's a social club. It's creepy. I know without a food source and all these traps that they will eventually either die or drown, but they're really giving me the creeps. What I need are a few enterprising spiders.

What is this tubing mascara? Am I just an idiot for never having heard of it?

I hate my mascara. I hate my eyelashes too, so perhaps the two are correlated.

Blinc (used to be known as Kiss My by Blinc) mascara. [link] It makes ... tubes? around your lashes. It is COMPLETELY waterproof and oil-from-your-skinproof too. It comes off with warm water and gentle pressure (rubbing).

The only times I've had it come off are big-time crying (because tears and squinchy eyes) or massive allergy attacks (for the same reason). But even then, they come off in a little tube and you can just brush them off so you never get that running mascara look.

If they gave me the lush, drag queen look, I'd never wear anything else. But it's my daily wear for my lower lashes and often I wear it on both levels of lashes.

The insides of Fig Newtons are made with dried figs.

Figs don't need to be peeled, and they can be used in anything you'd put fresh fruit into, like clafoutis and pies. They make great jam. Fig recipes: [link]

Figs. Nom, nom.

Amyth, are the larvae in any of your drains? I read that you can put saran wrap or something over a drain to see if the flies come up and stick to it; you'll know that's a breeding place. Also, have you thought about a pyrethrum spray? I know pesticides are a last resort, but it sounds like your infestation is pretty bad.

I've used this hand cream on my face before successfully, so maybe I'll give it a go and see.

Also! How do you sharpen your eyeliner pencils? I didn't buy the specialty sharpener because I was all, I have a pencil sharpener. But I swear, I lose half the pencil every time, breaking it off in the cheapie sharpener. But I do that with regular pencils too, so maybe I just have a coordination problem?

Amyth, are the larvae in any of your drains?

Oh yikes, maybe they are! I'll have to test it. I have no idea how this could have gotten this bad. A combo of having tomatoes and bananas, and not taking the compost out for over a week...but STILL. And I don't use the A/C that often, because I'm cold-natured. BUT EVEN STILL.

I'm going to do that Saran wrap thing now, and I may go the pyrethrum spray route. This has got to end. Thanks!

Ooh, good reminder I'd better take out the leavings from my adventures in juicing today. I swear the kitchen looked like mayhem had taken place. But! Hopefully this time tomorrow I will have super awesome canned grape-apple jelly.

Pouring boiling water into the drains seems to help.

Jess, FIRE BAD!!! Yikes! Glad it was a small fire.

Roller derby is the awesomest therapy in the world. I can seriously forget my troubles on the track, work out my frustrations and then have a beer afterward. Stuff just doesn't seem all that bad.