2007-06-12

Reason Number 388727....

....to miss the States:

WINDOW and DOOR SCREENS.

Would it kill the Brits to put a few metal mesh barriers between their buildings and the great, winged insect outdoors? Especially since the lack of air conditioning makes keeping said windows and doors shut in the summer rather, um, sweltering?

I lost five sweaters, a pair of trousers and a knit handbag while my husband lost an expensive suit jacket to moths last year.

Judging by the nightly visitors drawn to our living areas by the bright lights, no barrier to access system we're operating, I'm afraid the score is about to tilt even more heavily in their favor despite carpeting the closets with various and sundry items meant to keep the destructive critters away. After all, they got to my favorite black cashmere sweater despite:
a) moth sachets
b) religiously dry cleaning each object in the storage bag before putting it away for the season

Seriously, people. SCREENS. They're not that hard of a concept. And yet, when an American friend remodeled her house and wanted to include put window screens in, she discovered they don't exist here. She was welcome to have them custom made or imported from America, at great expense of course...