Extreme gardening

I'm just about healed after nearly 2 weeks of pain and hobbling with my left foot.

Just before I left for work, a fortnight ago, I suddenly felt the need to add more water collection to the current towers. This required access to the back of the shed, which was guarded by 5ft high brambles.

Not a problem, just get out the petrol strimmer and away we should go. I put on the bright orange coveralls, the safety glasses and the hearing protection. I couldn't find the work boots, and thought my crocs would be sufficient.

You can probably tell where this is going.

It took about 20 mins of serious work to clear the growth. I was quite surprised not to find any trace of wildlife in there.

Anyway I got plenty of thorns in my feet and crocs, duh, but didn't think much of it as it's never been a problem before. Indeed it wasn't until a few days later that I thought anymore of it, when the inside of my big toe got infected. Again I thought I'd be able to brush it off quite quickly, as I always have.

Not so gunga din.

After nearly a week at work, slowly getting worse, I eventually swallowed my pride and asked to see a quack.

As my Spanish isn't up to describing the pain, symptoms, my muppetry etc. Luois came along with me. Every morning for 5 days I've been going to get my toe cleaned and squeezed. My gods that was bloody painfull. At the start of the treatment the quack prescribed some pain killers. When I picked them up they were ampules, more suited to injections for a horse, than swigging with orange juice.

The last few days have been particularly gross. Solid green lumps of sika flex like substance have been dragged from a very large hole. Still, there's very little pain there now. Just waiting for the weeping to stop. That's not going to be easy when I have to walk around the warehouse all day.