I had one goal for the day, one task set before me: to see how many of my strawberry plants yet survived amidst the weeds that have taken over my garden. Little did I know what suffering that would bring.

Now I was pleasantly surprised at the number of plants that had staked their claim to their patch of garden and had not succumbed to the weeds. I was mildly amused to find that those which faired best were those in the heaviest weeds.

Partway through, however, I noticed a bit of an itch starting on my ankle. It wasn’t bad, but I decided to change from sandals to boots. By the time I was finished, I couldn’t tolerate anything on my feet. By bedtime, the itching was so bad I couldn’t sleep. I lay there, willing myself not to scratch but unable to stop myself. Any time my thoughts wandered, I began rubbing my feet together.

Which resulted only in pain, yet I couldn’t stop.

In desperation, I made a paste out of baking soda and water and applied it liberally. That took some of the edge off it. It made the itching resistable. At least until I’d start to doze off and immediately find myself rubbing my ankle against the side of the bed.

By morning, it looked like the skin around my ankles was boiling with new welts appearing before my eyes and the whole area red and swollen. I was desperate, and baking soda wasn’t the answer. So I dumped out a box of lotions and creams on the bed to see what might be found there.

Hydrogen peroxide? Might be a good idea if I couldn’t stop the scratching, but I doubted much relief would come from that bottle.

Neosporin? Might need that in a couple days after I succeeded in rubbing off the skin around my ankles.

Mederma? Might help with the scarring after the massive infection I was going to incur.

Aloe vera lotion? I couldn’t imagine that would be any more effective than the baking soda.

Then I found it. A bottle of grape flavored Anbesol. I had stuck that in my mouth once and was rather surprised at just how well it worked. It numbed my gums, the inside of my cheek and my lip. It only lasted a few moments but no wonder babies like that stuff. I never used it again after that, thinking maybe it was a little too potent for something like teething pain.

But on my ankles? It was worth a shot.

Sure, it was kinda sticky. And sure it made my feet smell like Baby Anbesol. But in 30 seconds, the itching was gone. And the relief lasted for six hours. Long enough for my husband to get home and bring me some of the more socially accepted itch relief in the form of Sarna.

Sarna works, too. The main plusses are that it isn’t sticky and it doesn’t smell like grape medicine. But then, it also stings more when I put it on, doesn’t take away all the itch and doesn’t last as long.

I’ve been using it all day, but I need sleep tonight. I’m seriously contemplating breaking out the Anbesol.