bites.

It's been a long day.

I was up at 5:45am, after a light sleep that was not helped by allergy medicine, because as it turns out, post-lasik antihistamine-induced dry eyes are a thing even when you're sleeping. I might prefer the sinus congestion.

Anyways, it was a slightly rushed morning, a bumper-to-bumper drive to the lab, and a day full of simultaneously being available to several different people while supporting the customer that I was onsite to see.

Just another day, really.

But then I came home and got undressed to soak in the bathtub.

That's when I noticed them.

The bites.

I noticed a few yesterday. One on my leg, a couple on my neck and chest. Little red bumps that I noticed as I applied my moisturizer, but nothing serious.

This evening, I noticed several more. A few more on my thighs, abdomen, and back. Little red bumps. Enough of them to take notice.

Then the internal alarms went off.

OH MY GOD. What if they're BEDBUG BITES??

I travel a lot. It's very plausible that I might have picked up bedbugs at any number of the hotels that I've stayed at in the past year. So I did what any rational person would do. I googled it. And of course, bedbug bites look a lot like any other type of bite... and also like mine. Of course I started to freak out.

With a queasy feeling in my stomach, I donned my head lamp and stripped the bed, inspecting every tiny speck as I went. I peeled apart the seams of the mattress as much as I could. I peered into every tiny nook and cranny in the bed frame and nightstands. I looked into the tiniest corners in all of my suitcases. I saw parts of my couch that no normal person should every see.

I found... nothing... other than cat hair and chip crumbs. Thank GOD.

The other most plausible explanation would be fleas. Slightly less disgusting than bedbugs.

I don't usually give Pumpkin flea medication during the winter, and as I suspected, FG hasn't been giving his dog any, either. Although I haven't noticed Pumpkin itching, and I didn't see any during my search, the weather has recently warmed up and it's possible that fleas are the culprit. They're sneaky little bugs.

Regardless of the source, I began a significant frenzy of vacuuming, dusting, and washing blankets, sheets, and the animals' beds. Whatever it is, I'm nipping it in the bud. My bedroom is so clean right now.

The other thing is, I spent most of the weekend at FG's, and I noticed the bites on Sunday or Monday night so I might need to inspect his house as well.

Not safe yet.