I give up

Also entitled: How I have Met My Match or a Story with Few Words

Well loyal reader, I must say that a sad, sad day is upon us. Yes, it’s true. While I am yet reeling from the deadly blow The Ivy struck in bee-form the other day, today has proven to be too much for the former Ivy Master. My hand (from the bee) is so itchy I am thinking of removing it up to the elbow. However, even the ultimate Benadryl cure is ineffective against the itch that knows no end. I said this is a Story of Few Words, so I took some photos to tell all. You know the patch of Ivy I thought I had mastered by mowing over? Well, it has risen from the dead, so to speak. This is what is growing there now:

And this is what has happened: I used to brag (yes, I know I’m hanging my head in shame…this’ll learn me, eh?) that I wasn’t allergic, it didn’t affect me, and honestly I have walked through the stuff literally thousands of times and never ever had so much as a spot before. What you see there is just a portion of the spots all over my legs. I honestly think all the hormonal upheaval that accompanies pregnancy has done it. Is that possible? Well, I thought, a small patch, it won’t really be that big of a deal; that’s what good old Round Up is for, right? Oh my goodness. This is what I discovered at the back of the lot: I think this is the other variety, but does anyone know for sure? Because this isn’t even the worst of it; I discovered a small plantation of it right behind the huge mound of leaves I have been establishing. In fact, the whole tree line at the back of the lot is completely covered with the stuff. It is growing in huge loops up the trees. And that is what has undone me. If I can’t even apparently walk around my own yard any more, if I can’t rake and I can’t touch the trees without contaging something ugly and so itchy I can’t stand it, well that just does it. I give up. The Ivy has won. Jan will go somewhere else and play in someone else’s yard when he is older. How does one get rid of this stuff? How do I get it off my legs? PLUS, I was talking to a friend who came for dinner the other night and he said his parents have been living in their house for 30 years and Never gotten rid of The (non-poison) Ivy!!! He said his dad has tried several things. Well now really. That is just too much. I guess it’s good school things start tomorrow; not only will I not have time to work on the battle, now I just don’t want to. Sorry this is such a downer; I made myself feel marginally better with a popsicle and some olympics. I strongly recommend this course of action to you as well.