Tag: poison ivy

getting dirty

I have really been wanting to get down and dirty lately.

(Get your mind out of the gutter. I don’t mean that way. At least not with you.)

Every day since my big gardening weekend three weeks ago, I have looked at my backyard with a wistful eye. But even though my enemy, WebMD, recommends gardening as a gentle, stress-free activity a concussed person can undertake, I’m not thinking it would be wise at this time. After all, the authors of that suggestion have not seen my backyard.

I need to pull ivy. I need to dig through the hard red clay that passes for top soil in this region to make holes large enough to plant shrubs. I need to mulch. Did I mention I need to pull ivy? Oh, and I have to contend with my other enemy, poison ivy, which has such power over me as to render me unable to recognize it in the wild, even though I rationally know what it looks like.

But when tasks like warming up a bowl of soup, driving to work, and reading the newspaper still leave me exhausted and lightheaded (by the way, a CT scan today revealed my head is normal) it’s hard to imagine I will beat the incoming heat and humidity to get done the gardening I want to do before summer’s end.

Which makes me sad. And makes me even more determined to get my hands in the dirt. You think I’m a girly girl and I am. But I also like to sweat and work hard and get my boots muddy.

Alas, for now the only mud in my life coats my brain.

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inching closer

The title of this post could be itching closer since I’m still plagued by the worst case of poison ivy I’ve ever had. At least today I made it to the doctor, as unsympathetic as she may have been.

Doctor: Yes, you have poison ivy.

Me: You went to med school to figure that out?

She actually asked me if I’d tried calamine, benadryl and the usual antidotes. No, I’ve had poison ivy for over a week and I haven’t tried any over the counter meds.

But I digress…

This morning’s fall temperatures inspired the first wearing of my riding boots, which I paired with a navy and white striped dress and a denim jacket to hide my evil arms. I added a flame scarf for color. But what I really loved most about today’s look is my new(ish) sunglasses. They were so difficult in the ordering (first the prescription was incorrect and then the sizing proved complicated) but I really love them, and they were worth waiting for.

While today climbed into the 80s, I continued my homage to autumn by visiting the Periwinkle pop up shop to see what fall items I could cross off my wish list. I walked away with a teal cardigan that will work for both the soccer field and casual Friday (or casual any day I don’t have a meeting), a shift dress in gray, black and red with amazing zipper details for an edge factor, and a pair of jeans (the AG tomboy, which is funny because I usually don’t buy jeans that have the word “boy” in the description). I’m happy not only to have these additions to my wardrobe but to support a local boutique doing business on Capitol Hill.

Today is also my baby’s birthday eve. You know how I love birthday and birthday eve. He’s with his dad tonight, but I baked his cake and wrapped presents and am thinking of the night 11 years ago when I knew it was really “time.” I can’t think of a better way to spend his birthday tomorrow than to have our opening soccer games in this nice pre-fall weather. I know there’s another heat wave in our future, but for now these crisp cool nights and the promise of more in October has me feeling balanced and energetic.

If only the itching would stop.