Uh oh

Another bite and rash...this time it's on Marty. He started to not feel well today but we're not sure yet if it's Lyme (or other tick borne) disease that's the cause of it. He's waiting until Monday to go to the doc's. I'll share my drugs in the meantime. Sure hope it's nothing...but it was caught early, even if it is... so no need to worry too much.

For now, we're looking forward to getting some time out and head to Cape May for some birding. We're planning on meeting up with a gal we've met through Flickr. She lives in the Chesapeake Bay Area, so it's a good in-between spot and there's supposed to be great birding there right now due to shore bird migration.

Still learning how to use my camera and some darkroom technology. Some days it's almost overwhelming. I have so much to learn!

Lyme Disease...Take #3

OK, so I got some good pictures and added a few bird species to my Life List.... But uh....I'm sorta payin' for the stupidity that went with me that trip.

We (Marty and I) were just about to exit the Wildlife Refuge in Brigantine, NJ, April 6, 2005, when suddenly we spot some white tailed deer to our left.... "Oh...how pretty...blah blah blah.." and then.... we see the Eastern Bluebird nest boxes...with mated pair. A lovely picture if ever there was one. Marty jumps out and Im fiddling with getting camera back out. "Damn!" My Nikkor 70-200mm lens jammed up. It took me an eternity to figure out how the mechanisms worked so I could unjam it (grrr) and then I was off to join my husband who now had amazing opportunities for pictures. He was sitting down, in a leaning back position that really made me appreciate his work at the gym... when suddenly I look down.

"Hon, you're sitting in deer dung." Now, it's worthwhile to mention that I have had to deal with Lyme Disease, it's diagnostic tests, lousy prognosis’ and untold research documents for 14 years.

“I’m outta here!” says I. He says he’ll be with me “in a minute” to which means…. ‘until I’m done’ as I’ve learned since our marriage.

I see a deer tick on my leg. I take it off. I do a cursory inspection. No other ticks to be found.

Skipping the story of our landscaping job, let’s get to 11 days later. I am getting ready for the shower and take a peak at the sunburn I got on my back (more stupidity) and what do I find? A pink bump and a near-perfect circle rash around it. The words, “Shit!!!” resonated from the bathroom and throughout the house. This is what the rash looks like (this is from a mirror reflection):

The moral of this story is ticks like me just a little too much. Marty is just fine (thankfully) but man… this just isn’t fair. For about 6 weeks prior to this bite I was feeling fantastic…no joint pain, no fatigue, no headaches…and all my energy back. I was still feeling great when I saw the rash. It wasn’t until I started the antibiotics that I started feeling all those fun symptoms come back.

At least I got some really good pictures of shorebirds that day. I’m sure I’ll be just fine but for the next few weeks I’ll deal with flu-like symptoms and my husband will test his tolerance of me, as I whine a bit here and there….

I deserve an ice cream cone, every day….

I had an epiphany today….

OK two. First, Oreos may quite possibly be the perfect food. And secondly… sometimes it’s good to keep your sense of humor when life ain’t so great. I’ve noticed that when you keep looking for the good stuff and laughing at, with (or around) it… then eventually you just might believe your own mumbo-jumbo…. I had a lifetime to learn this and I had a masterful teacher.

Day Two, Log Two ...Stardate....OK...Nevermind that part.

Ok, so my original concerns about a possible addiction appear unfounded. Thank goodness.

So, Marty and I have nearly finished our landscaping project. We cut in new beds, built up more with dirt and have spread about 6 of the 7 cf. of mulch. I have built lattice frames around our new vegetable garden and some fencing panels of the same material (gate included) at our driveway and front fence line. I’m still building more but this has now given us a true backyard and ability to let the dogs out from the door instead of walking them to the back gate. If you know Oakley, you can understand this necessity on our part. The rest we can do in small steps. I’ll post pictures later, when the rain stops and the sun returns.

It’s been so nice having Marty at home this past couple of weeks, to help do things like this. I never would have been able to get this done on my own. He’s accepted a “package” from his job that allows him to find another job while still getting paid into the new year from this one. It’s a bit nerve-wracking but exciting too. He’s so talented and was getting pigeon-holed into work he really didn’t enjoy doing. It’s hard being good at things most others can’t do. I wouldn’t know this, first hand, but I’m assuming…. Anyway, I know it will come to an end, but it’s been really nice being able to go birding, get stuff done around the house that we’ve been putting off…and just plain old enjoying each other’s company. It makes retirement something to really look forward to.

Before that is even remotely possible we need to get through college years. Blair has his first SAT behind him but is taking the New SAT 2 (Subject tests) next month. He’s hoping this will show two particular areas of strength and interest; History and Science. He’s looking at schools in the DC Area right now since he plans to major in Political Science. He tells me he hopes to be a Senator one day…. I think he just wants to practice with that razor-sharp wit of his and follow in the foot-steps of John Stewart. But I could be wrong.