Weekend in review
I spent a lot of time outside this weekend, generally cleaning up around the place. We finally got the heart-shaped bed by the driveway cleaned out and planted. Amusingly, we decided to plant it with appropriate plants--Dianthus barbatus (Sweet william) 'Heart Attack', a short, deep red Dicentra (bleeding heart), and heart-leaf bergenia (red blooms and red foliage in fall). We filled in around the edges with nasturtiums, as well. Part of me feels bad buying annual starts, as they cost like $3-$4 a pop, as opposed to seeds, which are mere cents, but I need to get over it.
Saturday was beautiful, weather-wise, but the mosquitos were out in force, and I had misplaced the bug spray, so I got eaten alive. There is a mess of bites up my arms, which I've been slathering calamine lotion on to keep from itching.
Sunday was less beautiful, aaaand I found on a tick on me after I was done, despite my best efforts to avoid it (leaving all my outside clothes in the mudroom, followed by distinctly unsexy tick inspection naked time, then shower). I'm not sure it was attached--it seemed slightly sticky, but came away much easier than ticks usually do--but in a panic I tossed it away from me, so now it's somewhere in my house. Great.
(Oh, and while I was ushering this weekend, a mother found a tick on her child's head in the middle of the service, making our jobs as ushers extra exciting, as we searched for tweezers...)
I guess I just have to get used to this shit, living where I do, but every time I find a tick on me, attached or not, I freak out. No wonder I don't want to work outside--every time I do, I have to go through an elaborate decontamination ritual, and even that isn't guaranteed to find all the little bloodsuckers. I mean, I've never had any of the symptoms of Lyme, and I think everyone who lives in this area and spends any time outdoors has had one on them, but it's still disturbing, especially given how badly Lyme can fuck you up.
In news that don't have to do with bloodsucking insects, I finished watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica, as you might have seen. I have an urge to show this series to all my friends now. It's a subversion of the entire magical girl genre of anime, chock full of symbolism, in an attractive little package that is entirely tied up in 12 episodes, unlike other short anime series I could mention. I would serve cupcakes. Anyone interested?
Alsoalso, I have my LeverageCraft campaign tonight, for which I totally have not failed to plan. Right? Right. *shifty eyes*
Saturday was beautiful, weather-wise, but the mosquitos were out in force, and I had misplaced the bug spray, so I got eaten alive. There is a mess of bites up my arms, which I've been slathering calamine lotion on to keep from itching.
Sunday was less beautiful, aaaand I found on a tick on me after I was done, despite my best efforts to avoid it (leaving all my outside clothes in the mudroom, followed by distinctly unsexy tick inspection naked time, then shower). I'm not sure it was attached--it seemed slightly sticky, but came away much easier than ticks usually do--but in a panic I tossed it away from me, so now it's somewhere in my house. Great.
(Oh, and while I was ushering this weekend, a mother found a tick on her child's head in the middle of the service, making our jobs as ushers extra exciting, as we searched for tweezers...)
I guess I just have to get used to this shit, living where I do, but every time I find a tick on me, attached or not, I freak out. No wonder I don't want to work outside--every time I do, I have to go through an elaborate decontamination ritual, and even that isn't guaranteed to find all the little bloodsuckers. I mean, I've never had any of the symptoms of Lyme, and I think everyone who lives in this area and spends any time outdoors has had one on them, but it's still disturbing, especially given how badly Lyme can fuck you up.
In news that don't have to do with bloodsucking insects, I finished watching Puella Magi Madoka Magica, as you might have seen. I have an urge to show this series to all my friends now. It's a subversion of the entire magical girl genre of anime, chock full of symbolism, in an attractive little package that is entirely tied up in 12 episodes, unlike other short anime series I could mention. I would serve cupcakes. Anyone interested?
Alsoalso, I have my LeverageCraft campaign tonight, for which I totally have not failed to plan. Right? Right. *shifty eyes*