Hey folks, thought I'd drop by and say hello. Sounds like I was going someplace else, doesn't it? We live in the North central part of Ark. on a few acres of rock. We're lucky though because every once in a while we can actually see dirt! Usually after a good rain. On the shoes. Across the carpet. Actually, I don't see it, the wife does. Right after I cross the living room and sit down! Wife wants some goats. I'm not impressed. I wanted chickens and she wasn't inpressed. Until we got them and she found out how many fewer ticks we have this year. Now we've got six guineas to add to the tick patrol. With all the underbrush we have, goats might not be too bad an idea. We've lived here a year and have found that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seems there's always too much to do and if there isn't anything to do, then something conviently breaks. The project list gets bigger every day and the spare time dwindles exponentially. You'll love me! I don't fight on forums, don't discuss religion, I don't take politics seriously, don't get offended easily and I don't post if I don't have anything to say! Come to think of it, I'm perfect! No, my wife doesn't read the forum so I don't have to tell you her opinion. I don't ask a lot of questions either because I'm old enough to be a know-it-all. And although I'm a know-it-all, I'm finding that, lately, I can't remember most of it! That brings me to why I stopped by. I'm hoping that there's someone out there in my age bracket that has a better memory. Years ago, bac (before Air Conditioning), stores and houses all had screen doors. On these screen doors you'd find cotton balls pinned to the screen with bobby pins. For those of you that are not old enough to remember bobby pins, it doesn't matter because I'm interested in the cotton balls. They were soaked in something before they were hung on the door. Does anyone remember what they were soaked in? They helped keep flies out of the houses and stores. Did they work? I hate to say this, but again I don't remember! Did I ever know? I don't remember!

Thanks for your help.

Wildman

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

Answers

Wildman, I like you already, 'cause you talk about a whole bunch of dufferent things at once, and get off track at every turn, which is practically "required" in my conversations..............

Oh, I've forgot already, the cotton balls, yes, screen doors, it's citronella oil that was on the cotton balls, and , yes, it does help repel the flying insects. You can purchase some at any health food store, or the occasional errant Wally World(that has an independent- minded buyer).

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

Hi Wildman, and welcome to this forum. Sorry retirement isn't working out the way you planned -- of course, you could have bought a condo in Florida and spent the rest of your time playing shuffleboard or whatever the cliche is!

I remember bobby pins (hey, they still make them), but not the little cotton balls pinned to the screens. I'm a mere child of 48. Sorry. I just wanted to say welcome anyway!

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001

Hokey smokes, Bullwinkle...that guy sounds awfully familiar!

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Yes Wildman, retirement is only a STATE OF MIND......welcome to this forum, hope you stick around. I remember the cotton balls, now that you mention it. Almost everyone used to have them on their doors, especially if they had a bunch of kids around. Remember to enjoy the process and focus on what you are doing as opposed to the million things that need doing and life in the SLOW lande can be wonderful. Keep coming back.......

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

A ziplock baggie half full of water hung on the door also helps keep the flies out. Something about the light refractions through the water sends em off in other directions. We do it here and the results are pretty good.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Welcome, Wildman...I'll be glad to see if this works, because we too live in a prehistoric home with no air conditioning...by choice...I could expound on my theory of the Evils of A/C but won't bore y'all...

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

Annie, it can't be citronella oil! My wife said that's what it was and I said NO! Are you SURE? I'll bet you're a woman too, aren't you? Ya'll stick together. I'll try it and if it doesn't work, I'll be back! And I was never "off track". I knew exactly where I was, just didn't know how I got there.

Sheepish, don't give away my secret identity. My life could be in danger and Lois wouldn't like it.

Diane, retirement is exactly what I thought it would be but I found out that an old person moved into my body and I can't seem to get him out. I'm trying to work him to death and I think it's working. At least, on one of us!

Jay, in Texas there was a story on the news about a restaurant that used the bags of water. Swore they worked. Of course, we never ate there because all the flies were on the tables. Grounded because of the blinding, flashing lights from the bags. Thanks for reminding me, we'll give it a try.

Cass, if anything works, I'll post it. So far, the only thing I've found that works is a fly swatter and that's only about 50 percent effective. I never was any good at contact sports!.

Joy, the condo in Florida was my first choice but they wouldn't allow chickens They had plenty of old biddies there. Quite a few chicks too. But no chickens! Go figure.

Thanks for ya'lls help.

Wildman

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

We thought we had something like that for a while. Found out they weren't cottonballs, but roasted marshmallows that the kids had lost trying to bring them into the house. Somehow they can leap of the skewers and attach to screen, unassisted. Found out they can also leap from a closed, sealed bag, roast themselves, and lay on the kitchen floor waiting for an adult foot.

-- Anonymous, May 22, 2001

OK, if it's not citronella oil, is it pennyroyal oil? That is a pretty potent insecticide herb, toxic too, don't get it on your skin!!!

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Annie, I don't KNOW! It COULD be pennyroyal oil. I'm the one that doesn't remember, remember? All I do know is, it can't be citronella oil! There's no way I...I...I can let my wife be right! I've worked too hard at finding the answer for her to have it all along. I was hoping that it was something like DDT! I know that works! Just don't know where to get it. Maybe I can stick cotton balls on all the screens and put different stuff on them and see which one repels flys. I can think of no good reason why flys live!

David, thanks. I always wondered what happened to those that got dropped in the fire! I guess people just don't roast a lot of marshmellows anymore since I don't see any on the screens. Thanks for ya'lls help.

Wildman

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

Even paradise has to have a few flies. Keeps the sh*t from piling up too high.

Citronella,pennyroyal,basil,mints,lemon balm.Take your pick. Citronella oil is usually easiest to locate. I forget where,tho :o)

-- Anonymous, May 23, 2001

The cottonballs were soaked in either camphor or kerosene, at least on the screen doors I slammed in and out of.

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2001