Ouch. Really big O – U – C – H!
This morning, I decided we needed to get rid of a thriving wasp nest outside our garage door.
After Josh and I sprayed it with pesticide, we knocked it to the ground to destroy it. But it fell into a bush. So, I decided to remove it from the bush to make sure all those nasty little buggers were indeed DEAD.
First big mistake.
As I searched for the wasp nest in the bush all of a sudden lightning-hot pains began to shoot up my foot, ankle and leg. FIRE ANTS! Yep — they were swarming my leg! So I [get a mental picture of this] screamed, jumped up and down and spun around, and then began trying to knock them off with my hands (second big mistake). Finally I dashed like a crazy banshee around the house to the water hose. A few painful moments later, I was able to spray them off with a strong stream of water. But the damage was done.
Ouch. (Did I mention that before?) My foot, ankle and leg are now throbbing, burning, and itching so intensely I can hardly stand it.
So now I’m sitting here with a swollen ankle covered with nasty bites and clutching my bottle of anti-itch spray.
I hate bugs.
(Hope your Saturday is “pest-free.”)
PS — When Josh recovered from his bouts of hysterical laughter at all the “rid-myself-of-the-ants” shenanigans, he did come to my rescue and helped me with the water hose. However, when I recovered from the first white-hot-flashes of pain, I grabbed the hose and sprayed him, too! So I guess there was a little humor in all this…..
What are you guy DOING when you are supposed to enjoy a quiet weekend???
Get well soon. Maybe it will help to wrap your itching leg and ankle in some nice batik fabric in cool aqua tone?
Sending {{{healing hugs}}},
Birgit
I’m much better today, Birgit. Must be those extra special healing hugs sent all the way from Riegelsberg!
I have a companion story for you. 🙂
One of our cats is a Great and Mighty Hunter(GMH). One of his favorites victims is a lizard we call the Lizard King. The Lizard King (LK) shares something in common with cats … he apparently has 9 lives. Every time our GMH has caught the LK, the LK has shed his tail and, hence, has been able to escape. We recognize the LK because of the large bump where the new tail has grown out. 🙂
You need to know that info, since it sets the stage for my story. 🙂
Our house has a long, long driveway and we have installed a pressure hose that dings a noise to let us know when someone is driving down the driveway. One sunny afternoon, I heard the driveway alarm ding and went to the front door & saw my husband driving up. I also saw our GMH on the porch, meowing his “I just killed something for you and aren’t you proud of me?” sound. I also saw the LK on the porch, playing ‘possum. I was wearing my standard blue jeans, shirt and short boots .. this is a particularly important item. I crouched down to pet the GMH and praise him and to also distract him from the LK, because I knew I would need to scoop up the LK and transport him to a safe place.
BUT, when I looked for the LK, he was nowhere to be found! Well, thought I, the LK got himself to a safe place, so I wasn’t too worried. I continue to crouch down and pet the GMH. About this time, as my husband was walking up to the house, I felt SOMETHING on my leg. OH MY GOSH, it was CRAWLING up my leg .. I COULD FEEL IT. And I had NO idea what it was.
In a kneejerk reaction, I *immediately* began to shuck my boots, my jeans and jump up and down like a crazed, frenzied banshee (my apologies to banshees everywhere) and by the time my husband arrived at the porch, there I was to greet him in only my shirt and socks. 🙂
He assumed I was happy to see him. 🙂
It turned out that the LK, in seeking a safe place, decided that my boot and hence my leg, was the place to be. He had keeled over in fright .. or at least lost his tail again. 🙂 Once I realized that it was only the LK, I regained my composure and greeted my husband with a smile on my face. 🙂
The LK was safely transported to *another* safe place, I redressed myself, the GMT went off to find a sunbeam to bask in and all was right with the world. 🙂
I now look VERY carefully where the GMT’s prey are whenever he presents me with his prizes. 🙂
-Shelley
Dear Shelley —
Oh my gosh….this story is priceless! I just howled with laughter — thank you SO much for sharing such a funny story! Love, love, love the names you have for the car AND the lizard (GMH and LK — too cute) and I had tears in my eyes by the time I got to the part where your hubby thought you were happy to see him! I called my husband in to read your comment and he was laughing too. But in typical male fashion, he asked me why I never “greet” him that way. (wink, wink….)
Thank you so much! You made my day!!!!! 🙂
A couple years ago I (unknowlingly) disturbed an underground bee hive. I ended up in the emergency room. That was bad enough, I can’t imagine being simultaneously attacked by ants too! I now pay a professional to do those things for me! Feel better!
Chris — I’m with you. Hiring a professional is the only way to go for me from here on out!
Kimberly, I hope your feeling a lot better!!! Hope the throbbing, burning, and itching didn’t last too long.
Thanks, Carolyn. I’m much better today. All the itchy-stinging has gone. Now I’m just left with big red welts that look terrible. But thankfully they don’t hurt!
I have to say that laughter was my response. Knowing that you were willing to write about your day meant you had survived, so thank you for the visual. I was thinking Lucy and Ethel. Hope you are feeling better. Hey, I don’t think we have a big fire ant problem here in Wenatchee (hint, hint).
Yep, laughter is quite all right. It was VERY Lucy-Ethel on my part. I felt like such a doof — if anyone had been walking or driving by the house at that particular moment I think they would have laughed like crazy. Too bad we didn’t get it on tape. My ant-dance would have won big on America’s Funniest Home Videos! 🙂