Random Stew It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Kiss of the Spider Woman

My son and I went running this morning before dawn. We normally walk for a few minutes to loosen up before running. While we were walking in the dark, I sleepily stumbled through a spider web that was strung across part of the road. No biggie, just a few strands of web that I casually brushed off.

About 30 seconds later, I suddenly realized there was a BIG HONKIN' SPIDER CRAWLING ON MY NECK!!! Whoop! Whoop! Alert! Battle Stations! Man the adrenaline pumps! I slapped at the spider to brush it off, but it got caught in the collar of my t-shirt and I ended up having to grab it and throw it off of me. The spider, fearing for its life and rightfully so, bit me at least twice on the back of my neck to the left of my spinal cord.

At first, the bites didn't bother me; in fact, I didn't realize I was bitten for a couple of minutes -- probably thanks to the wonders of adrenaline. However, it's now been an hour since I was bitten and it feels like I've been stung by a wasp (albeit without the swelling) and the site has an infuriating fiery itch. So, just to be safe, I googled the spider, an orb weaver, and am assured that there's no danger.

Thank God for that, it would s u c k t o . . . . . . <thud>