The Return of the Flies

The council has been spending more of our council tax cutting back their one metre of verge all around here today. I spotted the tractor with cutter/strimmer going past the house when I first got up. It would be a lot better if they also collected the litter that gets dumped on these same verges - for some reason people seem to think that plastic and metal drink containers become miraculously bio-degradable in the countryside.

I chose correctly which route to take the dogs this morning - they had already completed both sides of the road over the bridge and up to Chirnside/Preston road. The strimmer thing had done a very effective shredding job on a dumped newspaper at the top of the road. I don't know if it is a coincidence but this has also been the first day this year where we have been harassed by flies - shudder. Poor Poncho had a swarm of them around his head for most of the walk. I must have looked as if I was having a fit, twirling his lead and waving my arms around...

As we passed the bottom of the hill just before home I could hear the tractor coming back down. Then there was a squeal of two cars doing what sounded like hand-brake turns around the 180 degree bend and having to come to a sudden stop, and not be quite so cool as they reversed back down. My money would be on the tractor every time.

As it had clouded over and the wind had whipped up again I thought we would be safe this afternoon. Think again. We were quicky surrounded by flies again when we got to the verge. I am now feeling very itchy :(