butterflyuk

The college where girlie friend no. 2 (I haven’t mentioned her for a long time!) and I go for the Yoga class is closing till September. As the last class had fallen on the day of the enrolment the college was buzzing even in the evening. Not being too familiar with the recent education system (oh not in my days phrase is trying to leap out) I was quite impressed that glasses of wine were floating around in the college foyer – something to do with the enrolment? Sadly our stubborn stop at the wine table was not looked on favourably by the Yoga lady so we followed her. As our usual area was taken up, the care taker had reluctantly agreed to let us practice Yoga in the back garden area.

What a lovely idea to do a class in the open air especially on a hot evening on the green grass – until we settle down to doing the postures! Unfortunately, the bugs don’t like me – no untrue, they like me a lot. No matter where I am or what I am doing if there is a flying insect I will get bitten. The worst incident was when I was bitten on the eye. My eye ended up like a shining lemon and I had to be under the eye hospital for a couple of weeks. Going back to the garden in the college, during the whole hour I seem to be performing a shimmy learnt in dance class centuries ago than performing Yoga. Needless to stay I opted out to sit through the relaxation part.

Why do the mosquitoes and the midges make a bee line to eat me, I used to ask mother when I was little. She used to say it’s because your blood is very sweet as you are my sweet girl. For years I was confused thinking I was diabetic! Why on the earth my blood would be sweet otherwise?

I remembered this and smiled when I read the article in the paper that said chemicals in the body which instantly repel mosquitoes have been identified by scientists. Prof John Pickett at the Royal society Summer Science Exhibition in South-West London said that gas chromatography electoantennography break human odour into its individual chemical components. Those of us who don’t get bitten by mosquitoes produce unattractive chemicals which mask their attractive odours. This knowledge will lead to new methods of controlling biting pests.

It is a little disheartening though that I am producing chemicals that attract bugs. What happened to my female Pheromones??????