Smackdown Saturday Night (OR Round Two of Julie vs. Poison Ivy)

So. The poison ivy is thriving in our yard. Shock, right? And now that Spring has sprung and the "leaflets three" are apparent, I'm ready to eradicate the yard of it's beauty. Yesterday, I put on two layers of latex gloves (disposable, yes?) to pull the stuff out by the roots, yet protect my lovely skin. OK. This stuff is vine-y. As in, long ropes of plant and not just short, slim stems. You would think that after my battle with The Poison (as my mom likes to call it) last month, I would have learned to wear long sleeves in the poison ivy battles. Alas, no. I guess I'm a slow learner. Maybe it's because I am Blonde Challenged. Anyway, the poison ivy certainly didn't like being ripped out of the beds and entwined itself around my arms and squeezed tight. Something like that. I yanked up two grocery bags full of the stuff (I'm not dumping it anywhere near my yard where it will come back to stalk me...those bags went in the trash...sorry Garbage Men!) and immediately went inside and scrubbed my face and hands and arms. To get the Evil Oils off my skin, right? Guess what - it didn't take. And now I have a fresh crop of i*t*c*h*y bumps on the insides of my arms. And a few little spots on my right leg (??). Just in time for Jennifer's wedding on Saturday (DO NOT FREAK OUT, Jennifer!). I'm taking Zyrtec this time to chill the itch. And really, really trying not to scratch. Really. POISON IVY IS GOIN' DOWN!