My husband, Gregg, was a lumberjack, one of the best around. Because of that fact the company he worked for sent us deep into the Oregon timber country. Even though it was twenty miles from the nearest town, it was a beautiful spot.

We had a three room cabin to make our home in. It was slightly run down when we arrived. After six months I had cleared the brush from around the cabin, planted flowers and plants, and it soon became inhabitable and enjoyable to look at.

We knew, his job here was going to last for a long time. I could not repress a feeling of personal satisfaction in all I had accomplished and Gregg's expressed pride in the fact that I had made "something from nothing."

One Wednesday morning I rose as usual at five o'clock to prepare breakfast and a lunch for Gregg to take with him. I had to call him when it was ready, which was unusual, as he always was up on his own as soon as the aroma drifted in from the coffee brewer.

That morning he turned over, grunted, arose slowly and sat on the edge of the bed, scratching, and replied, "I really feel beat. I have picked a rash of some kind, and it won't stop itching.

I lit the lamp and went close, peering over at him. To my horror, he was covered with little red marks.

He inspected them and remarked, "Well, what do you know? I have a fine dose of poison oak, for the first time in my life!" He groaned.

"Am I ever gonna be miserable today! We are clearing a spot to build storage shacks, to put our equipment in, instead of carrying a lot of it with us every day --- and it's right in the hot sun!"

"I know, dear," I replied gently, and handed him a tube of Aloe Vera.
He spread it over his body, knees and arms. He handed it back so I could put it on his back. Then he ate, picked up his lunch, thanked me, and left for work.

For the next few days life went along in the usual pattern, although I noticed that Gregg was tired at night. By the end of the day, the red marks were almost invisible. I told him, "that was fast, never saw poison oak heal so quickly."

"Oh, I'm just healthy," he replied, laughing.