It is now officially summer.
Not because the calendar tells me so.
Not because July 4 is now in the rear-view mirror.
Not because the Phillies are close to being mathematically eliminated.
No, I now know summer is actually here because I am battling my annual killer onslaught of poison ivy.
Yes, I have managed to do it again.
The tiny bubbles and oozing sores are covering my hands and arms. Every try typing all day with hands covered by poison ivy? Yeah, it's not exactly a treat.
As usual, it always starts on my hands and then spread to various parts of my body.
Every year I take precaution to try to avoid problem areas in the lawn and gardens where I know the dreaded weed thrives. I am always on the lookout for the telltale three-leaf vine with reddish hues.
This year I have only myself to blame. For some foolish reason, before cutting the grass, I decided to do a little weeding. I didn't see anything that looked like poison ivy, so I thougth I was in the clear and reached in with my bare hands to clear the troublesome vegetation.
That was Friday. Sunday morning I opened my eyes and immediately felt the tingling sensation on my hands that is the first sign of the arrival of poison ivy.
By Monday I was pretty much in agony.
At this point, aside from chopping off my hands, I am in the market for any kind of home remedy that will kill the burn and itch.
Believe it or not, I used to attack the problem with bleach. That doesn't seem to work as well as it once did.
My wife actually forced me to make a run to CVS and ask them what I might use. They suggested a lotion called Tecnu and Benadryl.
I'm not much for Benadryl, it makes me feel like a zombie. The jury is still out on the Tecnu.
In the meantime, if you have a special home ingredient that will ease my pain, feel free to suggest it.
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