Other Creepy Crawlies

Shoo, Fly Shoo!

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint. --Erma Bombeck

Ironing is a big deal here in Africa.  Mostly because the Tumbu fly likes to lay its eggs in damp clothing drying on lines. If you skip ironing your shirt, a little Tumbu fly maggot may burrow into your skin.

Should that happen, don't worry.  The Diplomatic Spouses Association of Lusaka has the following tips for removing the hitchhiker:

1) Put Vaseline on it and cover with a Band-Aid
2) Wait for the suffocating larva to come to the surface of your skin like a pimple
3) Remove the Band-aid and gently squeeze out the (very-much-alive) maggot

This is why we iron everything: our socks...even our underwear.  I prefer the super-steam setting.