Itchy...

So most of you know my love of gardening. I volunteer to fix up other gardens around town and do my parents' weeding too. I have a veggie garden every year and am pretty darn good at growing squash. I have a few types right now. I am also lucky enough to not get a reaction from poison ivy.

Well....

I must have pissed off the squash gods because I have a brutal rash on my arms, creeping to my neck and hands. Basically anything that touched the plants while feverishly pruning the dead stuff off it. After much research I found out that 9% of the population gets the poison-ivy like rashes from the prickers on the leaves and vines in the squash family. This means:

• I cannot garden for a while - can you hear my wails of horror?!?
• I cannot work at the Miller-Kingsland house until I stop oozing and can wear gloves
• I cannot pick the squash flowers each morning
• it is a pain to type and not rest my wrists down
• I can't touch the alien when she lands at St. Clare's
• I am limited to touching Millie, Pooh, Piglet, Gimpy and Ernie
• parts of my body that are oozing cannot go in the pool

Oh sure, I can submerge my arms in a big bucket of cool water. But how mobile can I be while doing that? Hang the bucket around my neck and walk around my backyard? I'll look like a demented horse wanna-be! Mother said maybe this is a way to force me to relax and rest. But that is not what summer is about dammit! I have things to do! It is even creeping up two fingers. At least I pick the flowers with my right hand. I would be so screwed if I used my left. How can I do any artwork with just one hand? This just sucks so much...