for Joel

(For some reason haloscan won't let me comment right now)

It probably wasn't (expletive deleted) poison ivy that did me in. I did see a tiny bit of it, but was very cautious (gloves and plastic baggie) getting rid of it.

I'm betting it was actually trumpet creeper, a/k/a "cow itch," that caused the rash. Apparently a very few unlucky individuals are sensitive to it - I knew that, but I figured I wasn't one of them, 'cos I'd messed with it before with no troubles. But the danged stuff is invading my yard (along with greenbriar, Virginia creeper [which lots of people mistake for poison ivy, but it isn't], and some kind of hideous wild grapevine that strangles everything but doesn't have the decency to produce edible grapes).

There are actually about 15 different plants that grow around here that can cause contact dermatitis in some segments of the population. I guess from now on I just have to assume I'm in that segment, no matter how small.

Or, heck, it could be anything. It's high pollen season here, coupled with the molds from the rainy spring, and my immune system is so ramped up that it's probably going to react at just about anything. (I'm actually afraid of eating tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, or eggs right now - I don't want to bring on an instant food allergy).

I'm seriously thinking of napalming my backyard and just starting over from scratch. I've heard xeriscaping - mostly rocks with a few scattered cactus - is hot right now.

All I know is that it's no fun waking up with one eye nearly swollen shut, and stuff on my face that makeup won't cover up, and itchy red scratches on my neck, and itchy patches in other unmentionable places on my torso...And I'm not looking to go to the doctor; they will want to give me prednisone or a steroid shot and I'm already in a bad enough mood.