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I shave my armpits and the ice is still melting

I’m finding the school trip with Busby and two kids easier and easier. It’s almost too short a journey for me now. Certain “Skeptics” (you know who you are) might mock me and my bicycle and all I have to say in response is that I have a damn fine set of legs now thanks to cycling everyday. So there. Mock all you want while you sit on your arse in a car. I even took Ben for a ride in the bicycle this afternoon. I don’t think he’d like me to share his weight publicly – is it just me or have men become obsessed with their weight? – but Busby can handle a maximum weight of 80kg in the box itself and it was easy peasy from my perspective. I think Ben was mildly alarmed 🙂

A wasp tried to attack me just as I was falling asleep last night and I ended up having nightmares about wasps and have been in a bad mood all day. I blame the wasp. The concerning thing though was that we sprayed the wasp with my deodorant and it died. What on earth am I spraying on my armpits? Perhaps I’ll get a roll-on instead. And yes, I do wear deodorant and I even shave my armpits. The ice is melting and we are the cause AND I shave my armpits. Imagine that? Some people, it seems, think these are mutually exclusive things. In other words, they think that climate change is the domain of hippies and greenies and they couldn’t possibly agree with this group of people so they must reject the science. The ice is still going to melt regardless of whether I shave my armpits because … physics. In other words, a dislike of greenies is not a reason to reject physics.

Everyone (and by everyone I mean Antipodeans) keeps saying to me, “Isn’t it cold there?”. And well, compared to Brisbane, yes it’s cold. But I don’t feel cold. The houses are made of stone, they are double-glazed, insulated, and have central heating. It’s not cold inside and I don’t turn the heating on in the house during the day when I’m working. When I go outside, I put on a scarf and coat and more often than not I have to take layers off because I get hot when I’m cycling. It’s called dressing for the weather and it’s very easy to do.

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Comments

24 responses to “I shave my armpits and the ice is still melting”

  1. AprilEsutton Avatar
    AprilEsutton

    I knew hairspray worked to kill wasps, I didn’t know deodorant worked. I think shaving your hairpits is no a big part of global warming. I provide balance, at least in the winter.

    Reply
    1. C.V. Danes Avatar
      C.V. Danes

      Watch James Bond in “Live and Let Die” for a creative way to manage rodents with a can of spray deodorant. You’ll get the point 🙂

      Reply
    2. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Ah, I didn’t know about hair spray either. I never buy those poisonous insect repellants so this is handy to know and I also wonder why those other ones are needed when these work perfectly well.

      Reply
  2. GrahamInHats Avatar
    GrahamInHats

    When you say “set of legs” just how many does that entail ? And, do you have a spare set. ? 😛

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      I’ve only got two legs, sorry. None to spare.

      Reply
  3. Maya Avatar
    Maya

    Hi there :). I love your wit. Enjoy your winter, xo.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks, Maya. I will! I’ll post some pics if we get snow which I hope we will.

      Reply
  4. C.V. Danes Avatar
    C.V. Danes

    I drive a Miata, so I think I can be excused for sitting my “arse” in a car for the 2 mile drive to work 😉

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      I’m pretty clueless when it comes to cars so I had to look up Miata. Is it some kind of sports car?

      Reply
      1. C.V. Danes Avatar
        C.V. Danes

        It’s a two-seater convertible. Made by Mazda 🙂

  5. ladysighs Avatar
    ladysighs

    Cause and effect must enter in here somewhere, but I don’t know where. 😦

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      I’m just as confused as you are 🙂

      Reply
  6. Bronwyn Avatar
    Bronwyn

    I feel sorry for the wasp! 😦 Agree with you about pesticides. Have refused to use them for well over 30 years. There are a few spiders in the house but I just relocate them if I want to vacuum up their webs. Fortunately, I’m not scared of spiders. As for Busby, very impressed. I would have loved to see you cycling along with Ben in the front!! Makes me laugh to think of it.

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      I get Ben to transfer spiders I find out into the garden. Fortunately there aren’t very many insects here but there are quite a few wasps around at the moment

      Reply
  7. argentumvulgaris Avatar
    argentumvulgaris

    I once read a post where the girl sprayed a bee with hair spray, apparently is didn’t die, but a wonderful set.

    AV

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Why did she spray the bee? Poor bee.

      Reply
  8. Sherri Avatar
    Sherri

    I would have nightmares too Rachel, I have a morbid fear of wasps and one in the bedroom? Yikes…that’s a step too far. But intrigued by what killed it, now that is worrying. I use a product you can get at Boots, it’s a roll on and uses a natural product alum and works great. Sanex I think (not a particularly great brand name, sounds like a sanitary towel, I know) but thought I’d mention it anyway 😉 And I must say bravo to your last line..love it 🙂

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Thanks for the tip, Sherri. I’ll seek out some Sanex instead.

      Reply
      1. Sherri Avatar
        Sherri

        Let me know how you like it 🙂

  9. Richard Erskine Avatar
    Richard Erskine

    Bees get a good press. Wasps get a bad press. I don’t believe in Karma but I do try the trick of a glass and piece of card to capture then release insects. Without wasps we would suffer from a big influx of aphids and other not helpful in the garden. With the Rachels of this world we would suffer an influx of those who damage our garden of knowledge and care for the planet. Thank you Rachel (but be kind to wasps, they are on your side) x

    Reply
    1. Rachel M Avatar
      Rachel M

      Ok, I need to remember that I’m not in New Zealand anymore. In New Zealand there are problems with imported wasps and they are a huge pest – http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/threats-and-impacts/animal-pests/animal-pests-a-z/wasps/

      It didn’t occur to me that they might be a good thing here so I’m glad to hear it and I’ll be kinder to wasps next time I see them.

      Reply
  10. Richard Erskine Avatar
    Richard Erskine

    Editor. I meant “without the Rachels of this world” grrr

    Reply
  11. Denise Avatar
    Denise

    We have people at work who get breathing difficulties when deodorants are sprayed around (kids do it for nuisance value sometimes…) Scary stuff. I wish we could all enjoy incorporating greener living into our lives, and the idea of working together to create something good and long lasting.

    Reply
  12. Sarah Jane Hird Avatar
    Sarah Jane Hird

    When I went on a school camp recently, we had to use any spray stuff outside as it would set off an alarm- Roll ons are probably more environmentally friendly I guess as the containers can be recycled- some people say the aluminium free ones are more ideal- after 2 lots of boils under the armpits over 2 summers, I have been warned against using the roll on variety- I haven’t and thankfully, have only had one lot of the nasty things since and that happened when I borrowed my husbands one! so, spray it is for me! as to being toxic to invertebrates and insects, the spray ones have alcohol in them and that isn’t good for any animal!

    Reply

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