tick, tick, tick, tick...

so, the little red dog and i were out in the back yard for several hours yesterday.

he was eating acorns, and possibly some bugs... and then napping in a pile of leaves, and i was pulling weeds. i felt a little pinch on my arm, and gave it a swat thinking it was just one amongst many mosquitos biting... and then it pinched again, so i had a closer look.

and it was a little reddish-brown tick... looking suspiciously like a freckle on my arm. i tried to smear him off (aka, kill him) but seconds later he was continuing his march across my wrist to find a tender place to make himself (or herself, i suppose) comfortable. it took several attempts to get him off of me, and then i mushed him between two rocks until i was sure he wouldn't just bounce back again.

i decided it was time to go in and have a shower... only to feel that pinch again, this time inside my shirt... on my stomach.

might i just say "ew. ew. ew. ew. ew!"

this one came off easier, thank goodness. but as i was about to take the dog inside, it occurred to me that he'd been lounging in the same tick-infested woods that i had been working in.... and since the ticks were tiny and pretty much exactly the same colour as his fur... i took the brush to him for a good hour before letting him into the house.

his owner left mediation to put on his skin once a month to deter (aka kill) ticks and fleas and lice and other such nuisances.... so i'm not so worried about him.

but i am wondering if they make a similar product for us humans (cos there are parts of me that i just can't see, and wouldn't you just know it but i can feel things crawling on me there right now!)