still they loved the house : its dank smell which resisted all attempts at being neutralized by incense , scented candles , and room deodorizers ; its screened porch dotted with holes for free admission of mosquitoes eager to feast on human blood ; and its endless parade of cockroaches , or more euphemistically , palmetto bugs , marching through the kitchen , the bathroom , and every spot in the house where they ruled supreme despite constant barrages of bug spray .