Of Cockroaches,Earwax and Things

cockroach
Originally uploaded by pookie_san99.

The Met Office announced the official end of the Rainy Season late last week.Since then the weather has been blazing.
Round the mid 30`s in Nagoya.Today Monday the forecast was for 34degrees,dropping to a balmy 25 degrees at night.
One unfortunate result of the extended rainy season has been the increase in vegetable prices.Dull days,too much rain,too liitle light have pushed up prices.This week the green-grocer was asking 280yen for a shrivelled,shrunken head of lettuce.Usual price 150yen.

Anyways,summer isnt all sunshine and beer gardens.unfortunately it also brings with it goki-buri or cockroaches.I had the equivalent of an insect home invasion this weekend.Raided by four of them seeking shelter from the heat.The one in the photo was the biggest.I think the most unnerving thing apart from their speed is their ability to fly.
It doesnt matter how clean one keeps the place they still arrive unannounced like Mormons or the NHK TV guy.In fact it appears that an inverse relationship operates.Cleaning and vaccuming seems to attract rather than deter the critters.
However there are plenty of baits,poisons and traps to combat them.
My favorite is the cockroach hotel.Its a small covered box.Once attracted by the bait they become immoblished in a sticky substance equivalent to sinking sand.Struggling merely brings a quicker end.

As for ear wax I havent ever been able to find any liquid ear drops in Japan.I usually get some on holidays or get friends to bring some back.Students Ive asked are oblivious to its existence.Of course cotton buds are available or their local counterpart a thin strip of bamboo with a small scoop like bowl at one end.

Things...Currently reading "The Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck.Part history,part novel and sociology.One of the reading highlights of the year for me....