13 September 2013 Out to the Island

AC had a much-deserved day off today after having spent the past week or more working 12+ hour days. After Sam’s class at CHEC, we drove him out to Sherando Lake. If you look closely, you’ll see a dot that is AC swimming out to the island in the center of the lake.

Before we left we walked the mile loop around the lake. The trail is pleasant, but abounds in poison ivy. I am afraid to even look at poison ivy, as a few weeks ago I must have brushed up against some and my wrist turned into a red, itchy, blistery oozing mass of pustules that is only now starting to heal. So there we are today at Sherando, Sam and I pointing out poison ivy to each other and me walking along the trail trying to make my body as two-dimensional as possible when I feel something brush my right arm. Aah! I squeeze myself even thinner. We walk on. I feel something brush my shoulder. Aah! What was that? Was it poison ivy? Is it hanging that high? I stop and look around, panicked. I should have worn long sleeves, I think. I should wash my arms as soon as we get back to the beach. I quicken my pace. Another whisper of leaf sweeps my arm. What?! I stop, thinking that I really do not have good situational awareness if I keep running past foliage that I don’t see, when I realize that AC is holding a sprig of something green and flowery in his hand.

And he’s been walking behind me all this time. He starts to laugh.

Honestly. Is it any wonder that I usually bring up the rear when we hike or bike together?