Lest you think I only show my smart side here on the blog, here’s a saga of stupidity…

I did my usual maintenance down at the Nails place–mani, pedi, chin and lip wax–on Saturday.  I hate having to wax my face, but I could quickly grow a Colonel Sanders beard and a Pat Shoulders mustache if left unattended and shaving just leads to whiskers…  Anyway, I’ve been doing it for years and I bring along my special Clinique redness solutions cream to put over the stripped skin immediately.  Saturday I forgot the cream and let them use their stuff lightly.  It was okay and I went my merry way.

On Sunday it kinda itched and I remembered to use some of my cream, then some cortisone cream for the itch, but it persisted.  Sometime in the ;middle of the night Sunday I got up and pulled some just-bought anti-itch gel from the medicine cabinet and applied it to my face.  I thought I knew what was in the gel, but it was a different brand… It burned a little, but I went back to bed…

When I woke up several hours later, my face and chin were so swollen that I could only see half of my mouth.  I had evidently rubbed some up on my forehead, but luckily none had got in my eyes..  My cheeks were voluminous, My chin was like Dudley Do-Right, and it was burning like crazy.   Shit…the new gel had camphor in it –now I read the label– and I must have reacted to it:  2nd degree burns wherever it had been applied.

I washed my face, started applying ice, which is what I have been doing the last couple of days.  I’ve used a lot of ibuprofen.  I’ve applied mounds of zinc oxide and wear my biggest garden hat.  My eyes feel sticky and I’ve flooded them with various types of eye drops.

The worst part?  Looking at my face in the mirror…I’m way too vain for this kind of malady and feel nothing but embarrassment and self-pity.

I will spare you the selfie…it is scary…

I’ve avoided going out in public (nothing new for me), but I’ve got things to do, places to go, and people to see.  Tomorrow’s my day with Olivia and Samantha and we’re heading over to the Handy Blues Festival in the afternoon, so I should be ready to slather on some make-up, put on some Large sunglasses, and wear my Mona Lisa smile as I mingle with the masses…

There is a Super line-up of Musicians playing the Handy Fest and I’ll be back sans grandies to enjoy the evenings.  It would be great if I run into you while we’re there…

Now you know what happened…Just act like you don’t notice…

Peace