STARGAZERS AND ITCHING

          There are a lot of different kinds of lilies in my garden, both along the front drive and in the back surrounding the deck. The majority of them are just about finished. In fact, there are only two remining in the front. There are a few more left in back, but the Stargazer is just coming into its own. This one stalk has nine blossoms and as soon as I’m sure the top ones will open, I’ll cut and take it to Angie. She loves these and carried them in her bridal bouquet. 

          While I couldn’t stand to pick and bring into my own house because the odor is overwhelming, they do make my entire deck smell lovely. Having enough room for the perfumey smell to spread out, I do like it then. I think I have a few more Stargazers to go, but they haven’t begun to open yet. I just thought that perhaps I should buy a few more bulbs and plant them in the front so the vague wonderful smell would come into my bedroom next summer.

          I have something going on that is driving me absolutely nuts…itching. I’ve always had dry skin and have always used lotion, at least since the winter I drew blood scratching my tummy. Lately, it seems like there isn’t a square inch of my body that doesn’t itch at some point or other. I use the lotion I’ve always used, and even tried a different one or none. I purchased new hypoallergenic laundry detergent and wool dryer balls in case I’ve developed a sensitivity to the ones I'd been using.

          I’ve also reviewed the various vitamins and supplements I take and eliminated ones that could possibly have begun to cause this reaction. I’m just about to the point where I’m ready to eliminate every single pill from my regimen except for the prescription ones which I do need to take each day. I guess I need to send another email to my doctor and tell her what I’ve done so far isn’t working to reduce the itch.

          Of course, I don’t have long acrylic fingernails anymore, but my short and sharp ones are perfect for scratching. Sometimes, scratching the itch is just short of orgasmic. Other times, it actually hurts and when I look in the mirror, there are definite red marks from scratching. I use an anti-itch cream on those, but just sitting here typing, I want to stop and use my fingers to scratch the back top of my shoulder.

          If that isn’t bad enough, apparently my 52-year immunity to mosquitos has worn off. Eating lunch on the deck on Thursday, I was bitten, probably by the same mosquito, numerous times on the outside of my right leg just below the knee. Initially, I thought it was just a red mark from having my left leg rest on my right. But, no, it was definitely bites and I’m afraid I scratched and scratched. Today, the red splotches, the size of an egg, are still there, but the swelling has gone down and they don’t itch.

          The very same day, at some point, another mosquito decided to feast on my right arm. I ended up with four different bites in different places from my forearm to my shoulder. I don’t know when that happened and I cannot hear the mosquito whining around me because I’m hard of hearing. And don’t try to tell me the reason for the bug attraction is that I’ve become sweeter in my mature years…it ain’t so.

          It serves me right I guess for feeling so superior all those years everyone else got bitten and they left me alone. Even when my immunity began to wear off and I got a bite or two during the summer, I liked it because it was so fun to scratch the itch. Well, not any more.

          ^&*)^&*^&^#$@#$@!, just found the reason for the should itch…another mosquito bite. Maryanne told me about a product which I think is called After-bite which will take the bug itch away. I guess rather than waiting until tomorrow to do my errands, I’ll have to get to the drugstore today and purchase some of that stuff. I tell you, if this pandemic doesn’t drive me right round the bend, this itching may just do the trick. If there’s news about a naked woman running down the middle of the street screaming, “SCRATCH ME, PLEASE SCRATCH ME.”, you’ll know her identity without looking for a name.

          Well, enough whining about my itching problem. I’d best begin getting myself together for the day. The doggies and I didn’t have any snuggle time yesterday morning, so we had some extra this morning before breakfast. And, no, my doggies do not have fleas, so that’s not what’s bugging me…pun intended. So, it’s now late morning and my Sunday morning chores haven’t even begun. Hope you had a pleasant Sunday yourself.