Some Band-Aids Required

Some Band-Aids Required

Noel Laflin

10-27-15

El Nino is coming – and I am preparing.  Just ask Big Bird.

The once colossal, highly prickly, and dangerously leaning crown of thorns cactus  that threatened to pull down a backyard side fence has been carefully tamed to just three feet high now and no longer posses a really nasty cleanup scenario should a heavy wind and water event actually take place.  And, I only bled for a little while during the pruning, chopping and removal.  Some Band-Aids and carpet cleaner were required afterward, however, as I rushed through the downstairs bedroom and into the bathroom in search of flushing cold water, rubbing alcohol, and clean gauze.

Our climbing rose bush jungle has been thinned out considerably.  Again, I only bled for a little while during the procedure, and avoided dripping blood anywhere indoors as I headed from the balcony, across the living room and into the upstairs bathroom to once again flush out the wounds.  A few Band-Aids later, and I was good as new.

The old acacia tree even got a very recent, early, heavy pruning.  My shorts and tee-shirt were bloodied only a tad when I reached into the pocket containing the Band-Aids. A garden hose served nicely when it came to flushing the blood away from both limb and clothing.

Two giant, towering pencil plants have been cut down to half their former height. No Band-Aids were required – just a quick, half-blind run to the kitchen sink so that I could flush out my right eye.  You don’t want to mess with the white sticky sap that oozes out of this plant as it can blind.  Note to self, next time wear protective eye gear.

Should the garage floor flood, as it is known to do even during moderate rain, only the car tires should get wet as all other items have now been relocated off of ground level and safely stashed out of harm’s way.  No Band-Aids were required for the marathon cleaning – just a bit of Advil.

Rain gutters are now free of debris.  Neither Band-Aids nor Advil were necessary afterward – not even an eye flushing.

So I guess I am getting better at this El Nino preparation thing.

 

But, I am stocking up on Band-Aids and Advil just in case.  

And if I am in need of a flush of an eye, finger, hand, arm, elbow, or any other bodily part for that matter, all I'll have to do is walk outside.