Of Neighborhood Exploration and Ticks
I decided that I wouldn't sit around all day anymore on the weekends, so on Saturday I went to the gym and walked more in an hour on the treadmill than I had all day on Friday (by a LOT), and yesterday I was determined to find a way to the bridge to the neighborhood greenway. After much exploring through modest brush between the Army training center and the houses with the barkiest dogs, I finally figured out how to get to the bridge that links my neighbor hood to the back of the public golf course, and the greenway that spans a couple of miles...across the creek from my house.
The walk was great! Lots of people out with each other, their kids, their dogs, and lots of guys golfing with their buddies (didn't see any women on the course).
Got home all happy and sweaty and having walked about 4 miles, made lunch, chilled on the couch for a bit and finally hopped in the shower so that I could get to a 2:45pm showing of "Mean Streets" (part of the Noir Film Festival). It had occured to me while trapsing through the brush that there might be snakes or other animals I didn't want to disturb, but I hadn't thought about bugs too much. It being very early spring here (one day it's in the 30's, the next it's in the 70's), I didn't bother to put on any spray.
In the shower, I was washing my legs and found a scab on the back of my left thigh...just above the knee. The funny thing was, I couldn't feel the scab coming off my skin, or figure out how I got a cut there. Finally, I got the scab off, and the last bit of it smarted. I looked at what I'd scratched off, and it had legs!!! I kind of freaked out at that point, since I live alone and have a lot of dark hair and no one to check my head for other ticks. Luckily, I remembered that I had a hat on, and checked the logical places (base of the neck, behind the ears, then did a thorough feel test). No other ticks that I can find so far, but I was careful to stick to the path this morning.
I think that was my first tick. I hope it's my last!