THE (IN)FAMOUS ROPE SWING

MORE POISON OAK!

It finally showed up on the kids -- ankles and knees and thighs. We think it was the weekend at the rope swing. We all rode it, but Mick and the kids played there longer and went into deeper weeds. If I recall correctly, they were in their shorts and I was in running pants.

So, we've got lots of itchies around here (they're like little blisters or a bunch of agitated mosquito bumps -- that burn). Mick and Dane bought Calagel this morning for all of them and that seems to help.

We'll certainly be studying up on what this plant looks like so we can avoid this problem in the future!

OAK and STONES

No, we're not talking about the natural world in an environmental sense -- more like a personal sense: That's right, we're talking about what's ailing Mick again.

Poor guy not only suffered a kidney stone passing off-and-on last Thursday from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m., but somehow a poison oak rash kicked in earlier this week, as well -- with its itchy little blisters.

What to do???
Still trying to come up with a urologist who takes his insurance and can schedule Mick soon to zap his stones. As for the poison oak, he'll have to ride out the symptoms for 2-3 weeks. (Not sure where he got it, but perhaps on a hike to ride a rope swing with the kids 2 weekends ago; seemed like it incubated for about 4 days, though, before rearing its head. The kids and I have no rash.)