fingers and toes, palms and soles

This weird rash is getting better even as it continues to spread though I think it has stopped spreading now. Maybe. I don't even know if 'rash' is the right word. A small sore spot that becomes a hard spot that becomes more painful and bigger and red on the surface with a whitish spot in the middle, sometimes a bump, that burns and itches but not the whole time, just once or twice a day that is near impossible to resist, sometimes I can, sometimes not and I scratch and rub until it no longer provides any relief, becomes a throbbing numbness, and then it subsides. Mostly just painful when any pressure is applied which, yesterday, made it hard to walk as it had spread to my left foot as well and hard to type or grasp things so I took Linda Sue's advice and stayed off my feet as much as possible yesterday reading, napping, much to the dog's dismay as no walk happened.

I've been using the ointment mostly on my feet and on my hands only before bed because it is a greasy ointment, then socks, then some slip on soft soled shoes which more or less immobilize my toes which is good because it helps keep them from getting stimulated and itching like mad. The first spots that appeared are mostly gone now, fingertips no longer sore but fingers and palm on my right hand are stiff, can't make a good fist. I think a couple more days and it will be over.

My daughter's no nonsense response to my less than optimal report one after another was “Yeah, I’m gonna need you to pull it together.”

Meanwhile spring is springing along. Today would be a good day to work out in the yard except...hands and feet. And wind, it's a bit windy out there but the woodland violets are blooming all over the yard,

the 10 petal anemones are getting in gear, new growth is showing on everything that froze down, easter lilies are growing well and the climbing rose in the crepe myrtle and oak is starting to bloom, the fringe flower tree outside my window is blooming,

the yellow trumpet flower surprised me by giving me one more bloom

and of course the bluebonnet giving flower #2.

I had the door open Monday and a little wren flew in with nest material in its beak, got alarmed, dropped the dry grass and flew out. Another one flew in later and perched on the edge of the cardboard box with the last of the cracked pecans in it, checked it out and then flew back out. I love the little wrens who often come in the house in the spring and fall when I have the doors open. Curious little birds.

I'm still hesitant to take all the plants back outside and out of the garage as it is still just January and we have at least one more month for a freeze to surprise us.

I nearly finished my book yesterday, have about a dozen or so pages left so gonna do that and then a trip to the library.