Dear diary, last night I got my first (and second) mozzie bites.
Operation “Sew the Mozzie Net by Hand” has commenced with fervour! Let me take you back a little to a week before we left…..
On previous trips we have travelled with a round mozzie net meant for a kingsize bed which we had used on our trip down Africa 2009/2010 and in subsequent adventures in Kaya. It has protected us outside from flies during the day and, as the squadrons tag-team, from the mozzies at night. This was hung from the awning centre pole and created a cozy atmosphere, both fly and mozzie free, which we sat underneath protected from the dastardly (and fucking annoying!) insects and were able to eat and drink in relative peace and harmony.
In 2017, you may remember our trip which included Hungary and us meeting up with the Tranquil Pines Massive and it was here that it really came into it’s own. During our visit, Koppányszántó had a plague of mozzies which the council were on the verge of spraying for, but hadn’t. “Bitey” Pines revealed an underbelly of attacker mosquitoes that were targeting us ladies. Anyway, the mozzie net was broken out, and although usually only for 2 people, was stretched out to contain 4 people, a table and chairs so that we could invite Ian & Tracey for supper. It was cosy…..very cosy but with the net and Tracey’s mozzie coils we were safe to sit outside and free from invasion and attack.
Fast forward to this trip and I was determined that as we were going to Spain (currently experiencing it’s own invasion of mozzies following the terrible floods) and Morocco, which being Africa, would definitely have it’s own resident mozzies and flies, the mozzie net would be reformed, but this time bigger and better.
I had the net and all the bits and pieces to make it up, but the time got away with me. So a great idea formed. I could take my sewing machine with us and, as we were meeting Beth and Lee in Cornwall, they could bring my machine back. Job done! I would then sew the mozzie net and have it finished before they left to go home.
Aaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhh where was the peddle???? Without which, it is a bloody paper weight!!!!! At home in the cupboard as I didn’t check that it was included. Damn, blast, fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck!!!!
With the useless lump of plastic on it’s way home, the materials and fabric stayed with me.
I’m motivated now to get it done.
I can’t live without it.
The gorgeous Mr T (of-bloody-course) remains totally oblivious of mozzies and couldn’t give a rat’s if it get done or not………
I’ve started doing it by hand. Unfortunately I like doing things the best I can. In my wisdom of owning a machine and zipping it up in record time, I designed it to be a voluminous 4m x 2m with a 2.5m drop leaving plenty of room for us, a table, chairs and a few friends. 24 metres of sewing including using bias tape, would have been a couple of hours by machine. Hand sewing it takes approximately 2 hours per metre (very small stitching required for net). So while we drive and listen to our audio books, I’m busy sewing. As we speak, 2.5m down only another 21.5m to go.
In between cooking, knitting, sewing, blogging and finances, we still have to find time to relax and enjoy ourselves.
I don’t know how I ever found the time to work!!!!!
Some homemade food inspired by Venice
Squid-ink tagliatelle with creamed smoked salmon, dill & lemon
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