Smart Mouth

Since it has been sorta spring-like here… I decided to spend today cutting back my perennials.  Most of them had already started shooting out new growth… so I figured I should get it done.  Also, my sister arrives on Thursday and I go a wee bit bonkers getting things done every time I am about to get a visitor.

Sooooo…. it started out well enough.  It was sunny and a little cool here today.. perfect weather for working outside.  Besides Carsten following me around to ask me a bakillion questions, it was pretty relaxing.

I started at the front of the house and worked my way around to the back… figuring I would finish on the patio.  By the time I got to the patio, I was exhausted… but I had four big pampas grass plants to cut back, so I kept going.  When my Mom was here she mentioned that she was surprised I hadn’t already done it, so yeah.  It has been driving me crazy every time I look at them.

Sometime during the hacking of the first plant, my hands started to sting… but they were already hurting like hell, so I just figured they stung because they were getting swollen.  On to the second plant and my arms started stinging.  Weird.  But I was in the zone, so I ignored it.  (Zone meaning my brain was chanting stop-stop-stop, go lay down, it hurts, for the love of all that is sweet and holy….. STOP!  But once I start something I HAVE to finish it… even if I am hurting.  So, basically the zone = I am an idiot.)

Anyway… on to the third plant and all of a sudden my FACE started stinging.  Now, THAT can’t be good.  I don’t have RA in my face… so I could not rationalize away the stinging.  So I went inside and took off my gloves, pushed up my sleeves and looked in the mirror at myself.  AND HOLY FRACKIN MORK AND MINDY.  I was RED EVERYWHERE!  Red with bumps! 

I frantically washed everything with soap and water and it felt kinda like what I imagine pouring tabasco sauce in my eye would feel like.  So, I did the ONLY logical thing… jumped in the shower to scrub some more.  Ticket for one to sting-town please!  Then after showering I took a benedryl.  Ah sweet benedryl… I love you.

But anywhooooo, who the hell is allergic to pampas grass?  WTH? 

The (not so) funny thing is, this isn’t the first time something like this has happened to me… Once was after I picked a bunch of fresh mint.  Then another time after trimming back a pine tree.  So, I have been embarrassingly adding allergic to fresh mint and pine trees to all medical forms since then… and OH GOODIE!  Now I get to add pompas grass too!

I am a freak, no?