Ouch.

Last night I had the scare of my life. I thought I had been bitten by a spider. And not just any spider. I was worried it was from the infamous brown recluse. I was in such a hurry last night, that I quickly grabbed a pair of wedge shoes from my closet, and for the first time ever did not shake the shoes out to see if a little spider might have made an overnight home in my shoe. I immediately slipped on the first shoe and this most painful pinch I felt on my toe. I shrieked! I just knew it! Spider bite! My toe is going to rot off and eventually my leg! And I will literally be a Peg-Legged Pirate! Eek!

In my panicked state, I kicked the shoe off, sending it flying across the room. Finally after checking my toes, I slowly walk toward the shoe, I begin to shake it out to see what kind of spider that bite me. As I shake out the shoe, a familiar horrid bit of natures revenge of fauna rolls out of my shoe. A Rock-a-chaw aka Sand Spur. What a beastly little bugger!



For all my friends who do not live in the coastal area and do not know what a Sand Spur is, I'll share my distaste and knowledge of it. The Sand Spur: grass of the eastern United States and tropical America having spike lets enclosed in prickly burs.

An article from Instructables on how to Kill Sand spurs: If you live in Florida, especially near the beach, then you know how easily sand spurs can find places to grow, in sidewalk cracks or in children's play areas.

In their more benevolent living form the spurs are intended by mother nature merely to allow the offspring to hitch a ride. After death when their dried up husks fall to the ground the spurs are especially worrisome since they may become contaminated with animal feces and e-coli that can be introduced beneath the skin and into the blood stream. Serious and unwanted infection can result in addition to the pain.

Best to vent your anger at the sand spur plant and its offspring for your child being stabbed rather than at your child or another human being. This is best accomplished by dealing with the spurs while they are alive and still attached to the plant.

So now I know, despite my haste, next time I'm always knocking out my shoes. Because you never know, your chances of becoming Peg-Legged or Prickly Toed, is far greater than imagined.