CLAY AND WATTLES

Allergies

All the pretties in the yard have a price, not just at the gardening checkout.

Sunday I had a nose tickle, no a sinus tickle. Whatever lovely pollen I inhaled last Saturday. had attached itself and all week one sneeze led to another. By Thursday afternoon I had ringing ears, scratchy throat, still sneezing. Flonase and Advair (I use anyway) just didn't cut this. I had asked for a vacation day Friday anyway and no better day for staying indoors, at least after the early morning doctor visit. Dr. Beaton gave me prednisone to take and also a steroid injection, and an antihistimine, which fortunately I can take. I did ask about cutting the prednisone dosage in half. And when I woke up at 1:30 this morning with heart rate higher than usual I was glad I only took 10 mg. at 6:00 P.M.

Tornadoes tore across Arkansas yesterday. Thursday's weather had already looked threatening and by Friday the weather had taken a major turn into tornadoes. Damascus was hit, and Earle, just 20 miles east of us, was pretty torn up with damage to their supermarket, new high school and Earle Industries. This has been a flood-y, tornadic, mold- and pollen-loaded spring. Wet, wet, wet - the Mississippi River is still above normal but had gone down some Tuesday morning when I was at Memphis Orthopedic. (Unexplainably, my foot has stopped itching. Unless it was the nerve conduction test - electrical shocks - that did something to the nerves. Dr. Harriman said other patients had reported that phenomenon.)

NRECA sends health information periodically and what I received yesterday was all about allergies - stay indoors, avoid pollen, avoid windy conditions. Everything I marched right into last Saturday.

Sher has had a bout with strep and allergies, too, and was up all night after taking her steroid anti-inflammatory med. (She may/probably will get a dog from the humane society - a black cocker spaniel!)

But I'm feeling better today, just a little shaky from the steroid and antihistimine. I walked Oscar. (He is in a "biting mood" lately - what's that all about? We had a throw-down in front of the house when I coaxed him to walk, and he was seriously not going and snapped at me. No - bit me. He bit Paul last night... So Oscar and I had a battle for who is pack leader and I am. I had to finally push him to the concrete and hold him till he cried "Uncle!" Then we walked.)

Around 10:30 we are leaving for Batesville and Richard and Linda's wedding! I'm so glad it's such a beaufitul day. (I asked Paul to get a gift card for them at Wal-Mart and the once he got says "Thanks" all over it! Funny. It'll help buy gas, though, for their trip to Destin.) I'll have pictures later.

Sometime next week I'll probably go by his house and check the strawberry crop as he asked. (I plan to get some paper masks to wear around mold and dirt.) Also probably get the baker's rack from the kitchen he and Tara said I could have. Paul will need to help me with that. I don't know if Jean got the coffee table or not; I may call her to go with me, though.

Paul has gone to Bo Hinchey's birthday breakfast at Bo's daughter's - Pam Gaskin. She is the sweetest girl. I had not known her well before being in Sunday School with her and somehow we just became very good friends. This is several years she's had his breakfast, or that Paul has gone. I've been to a Christmas party for SS at her lovely home. Beatiful inside and out - just like she is.

Now, I know Wal-Mart probably has mold detectors. But that would require some work on my part, wouldn't it? I'm almost afraid to see. I know there is so much I need to clean out. I can think of at least a half a dozen spots that need deep cleaning and some of those places would need to have major appliances moved. Paul will be so happy to hear that.

Paul just got back from Pam and Dennis's. He said Colby's catered part or most of the breakfast this year - there were about 20-25 people there. That is so nice to do that for Bo - Pam is just so thoughtful.