Lily bugs and other things

It appears that we have lily bugs, formally known as Scarlet Lily Beetles.

I thought they were aphids, but when I called the garden center, the man who answered the phone asked if I had lilies, and when I said yes, he told me we have lily bugs.

That sounded sort of sweet and poetic, a little like lady bugs, maybe something you'd read about in a children's book. Actually, these tiny red things are clinging to the stems of several tall perennials. I read that they defoliate plants, so when the guy at the garden center said he had some spray that kills them, I decided I better go get some. Haven't done it yet, but even though I dislike spraying, I figure I better do it soon.

More important than the garden, we had the beginnings of an electrical fire Saturday night. Katie had just come home around 2 a.m. and heard the smoke alarm going off. I was in bed and heard it too, so I got up, ran downstairs and found that the dining room was filled with smoke. We grabbed the dog and went outside and called 911. The fire department is just two doors down from us, and two engines came within minutes. Unfortunately, they sped by while the two of us jumped up and down and waved our arms. I called again and they turned around and drove into the driveway.

They quickly determined that the ceiling fixture was the cause. They went into the basement, turned off the power to the room, and that was that. (An electrician came on Monday and took the chandelier down, and now I need to buy another one.) Katie thought we should go to sleep, but I lay on the couch shaking for quite a while. I know how serious an electrical fire can be, especially in an old house. Katie played Mom, telling me that everything was OK. I would have taken an Ativan if I didn't have a tennis match the next day, but I did eventually get back to sleep. The next day I lost the match; maybe it was because I was tired and not at the top of my game...yeah, yeah, yeah.

Tomorrow I am going to Boston for a visit to my dermatologist and then for my nephew Sam's high school graduation. The doctor was going to do PDT, short for Photodynamic Therapy, of, as I call it, the face fry. I figured it wasn't a good time to do it, so I am just checking in.

I heard tonight that it was National Runners' Day. Oops, I missed it. I played tennis and then went to yoga, where I rolled over on my glasses and bent them so badly that I had to hold down the left side of the frame so I could see. It made me feel really queasy. Holding down one side, I drove to the mall and went into the Target optical shop, kind of pathetically explaining my situation while pushing down on the left side of the frame. The woman there said they were so crooked that she might break them while trying to fix them, but I said to give it a try. She came out with them and said she thought they were still a little crooked, but they were so much better that I was totally relieved at being able so see again.

Maybe it was the running gods' way of getting back at me for playing tennis instead.

Before I leave town tomorrow I'm going to go for a run to make up for it.