It shouldn't be hard to guess from my title what followed my ecstatic venture into grass-cutting. I would have been fine if I had stuck to the plan of doing the lawn; but my rhododendron seemed to be getting strangled and I felt the need to rescue it. The entangling vine probably wasn’t the problem, but somewhere in that bed I should have remembered that there was poison ivy. I had a rather nasty adventure with it a few years ago. But one of the blessings of living one day at a time is that especially unpleasant things are put aside quite easily. When I shared the news with loved ones, they all remembered my previous bout with the plant and were mystified as to why I would have forgotten it myself. Suffice to say that I am suffering today. Luckily the worst of it is on my right arm and I’m left-handed. Also fortuitously I used to wear an elastic sleeve for lymphedema on that arm and was able to put my hand on a brand new one in my drawer. So with plenty of calamine lotion on hand and gauze from a previous operation on my hand, I made myself mostly comfortable for the night. The tight sleeve also seemed to alleviate the intense itching which can accompany the rash.
And on to pleasanter things. Daughter and grandson just did a video chat with Granny which I loved. He definitely seems to recognize me on the tablet and we were able to wave to each other. Hope to hold him in my arms again soon—once the rash is gone of course.
Another pleasant addition to my Sunday morning was the latest post from Asha Rangappa’s Freedom Academy class which she narrated and posted for free this morning because of its urgent message. I’m looking forward to the Tuesday class with Jacob S. Hacker, one of the authors of Let Them Eat Tweets the book I have been praising on my Substack.
Finally, at the risk of bringing everyone down, I have to comment on the current political situation because quite frankly I find it dire. Someone with direct knowledge of the recent rally in the Bronx confirmed that some of the participants were handsomely paid to be there (and have no intention of voting for their benefactor by the way). The even more recent Libertarian conference further shows the incredible divisiveness being fostered everywhere. I haven’t had time to go online to see the actual booing yet, but reading the headlines confirmed one of the points made by the political and social scientists who posit that anger and fear are two of the most driving forces of the human psyche. I will end today’s rambling, though, with a book I picked out of my pile recently which is “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” by Jimmy Carter, Copyright 2001. I’m re-reading it after having visited Plains, Georgia, quite a few years ago. The New Yorker calls it “An American classic” according to the cover, and the story of sharecropping in the segregated south and the rural beginnings of the 39th President are fascinating to ponder. And another thought about politics—we have been tilting rightward for a very long time. Remember when the GOP tried to do away with Obamacare? We were saved by one brave vote from the now late John McCain. I hope everyone who is collecting Social Security or has Medicare or Medicaid realizes what a very different situation they would find themselves in if we don’t all rally to save democracy!
Poison Ivy. Ugh!
As a preteen I would get weepy blisters and we used Ivy Dry. My mother also gave me placebos telling me they were anti-itch pills.
In college I had it on my right inner forearm so bad that the treatment was a steroid cream that was wrapped up to make it more effective. I thought I had learned to avoid it until the archeological site I was excavating was covered with it. That required oral steroids. Then I got the desensitization injections. That was over 40 years ago and I've been free since then (knock wood). I also have developed the ability to recognize it in my peripheral vision which allows me to steer clear of it.
Sorry about the poison ivy, Katharine!
I checked my library for the book by Jimmy Carter, but no luck. They do have one called, "A Full Life: Reflections at 90," which sounds good so I've put a hold on it.
Perhaps "some of the participants were handsomely paid to be there (and have no intention of voting for their benefactor" is something good to hang on to. We can hope!