Buzzed & Battered

Rob went to bed before I did. I stayed up, savoring the quiet, until I heard it—a faint, sinister buzzing. One mosquito? Maybe. But as I climbed into bed, the sound grew louder, more insistent. I turned on the light and saw them: dozens of mosquitos swirling above us like tiny, winged villains. I started squishing them against the ceiling, one by one, until Rob woke up to the rhythmic thwack of bug carnage.

No guts, no glory

When he flipped on his lights, we realized the truth: there weren’t dozens. There were hundreds. Somehow, our cozy little rig had become a bloodsucker’s paradise. Later, we discovered the culprit—every time the door cracked open, they stormed in like they’d been waiting for their cue. We ran around with towels, swatting at the air like deranged fly-fighting ninjas. The dogs watched in amusement, tails wagging, heads cocked, clearly entertained by our descent into madness.

The next morning, mosquitos were pasted against the outside windows, stalking us… mocking us… waiting for their chance to return. We laughed through it all, realizing we needed Cutter spray, an early 80s bug zapper, and possibly transfusions. We also discovered the unexpected beauty of plastic walls and ceilings—splattered mozzies wiped clean with ease. Silver linings, even in the bug apocalypse.

Surrounded by a tiny little army.

It rained almost all of the next day, which turned out to be a gift. The steady drizzle gave us permission to stay inside, nest a little deeper, and finally tackle the mobile office setup. It’s still a work in progress—two side-by-side sit/stand desks, noise-cancelling headphones, and a Starlink dish we’re still trying to aim at the right patch of sky. But it’s coming together.

The rain broke just before sunset, and the dogs raced outside for another swim, tails high, hearts full. We’re learning, adjusting, laughing. And despite the bites and the buffering, this life—this messy, magical middle—is starting to feel like home.

I guess it's just the price you pay for views like this from every window!

Next up: Stillness by the Shore

After the chaos of bugs & boxes we finally exhaled. The home offices are set up, the Starlink is behaving (blazing, actually), and the lake outside our windows feels like a lullaby. The dogs swam, the rain whispered, and we spent the day nesting, working, and watching the water ripple like a promise.