Pragmatist
Pragmatist

I think the problem with rashes and hives has been solved.  In a word:

Peanuts.

I had 3-4 handsful of peanuts and very shortly began itching. And i.t.c.h.i.n.g!  Soon the welts came up.  I took an antihistamine, grabbed the Benadryl gel and began plastering where I itched.  However, I started itching where I couldn't reach, so I called a neighbor.  She came right over and began slathering my back, which she said was covered with hives. At this point, I started having trouble breathing.

Albuterol inhaler to the rescue. After a couple puffs, and waiting and wheezing, the albuterol finally took effect.  Right now I'm comfortable. But no more peanuts.

Which means I'm now going to have to buy the more expensive "Select" nuts that have no peanuts, and I have to read labels more closely.  Some people are so intensely allergic that they can't even eat anything that is prepared on other places where peanuts are processed. I hope I'm not that sensitive.  Only time will tell.

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Tracey and Deirdre are in SoCal with Tracey's parents for a week.  I took them to the airport a couple hours before the first rooster was even thinking of cock-a-doodling.  The traffic was light at that hour, but I still don't like driving at night, and I don't like even more driving the freeway at night and having all those incoming headlights shining in my eyes. And I have trouble determining who is in which lane behind me if I want to make lane change. So I hadTracey keep track of the right-hand lane.

Deirdre made not a peep the whole trip, even when she was being transferred to the car.  She did open her eyes a bit when she was removed from the car, and I gave her a goodbye kiss.  She hardly stirred.  I hope she had a good trip. Babies can have a terribly hard time with the pressure in the cabins.

They'll be home next Wednesday, and in a proper daylight hour.

In the meantime I'm shuttling Gryffan to and from work. Which is fine because it gives me time with him I otherwise wouldn't have.  We had a great time.  I suggested a coffee shop, which he didn't much care for, so we came to Peets Coffee and Tea store, and had coffee.  We talked and talked and had a great time.  Our minds seem to be attuned. He was telling me about plot and characters of a couple stories he's writing.  He's going along with the plot, and I'm adding something to the story that would have been his next sentence.  Did this all the way thru his narrative.

Tracey's trip to the airport at a bad time was only an intro to what I'm going to be doing the next several days.  Gryffan has to be at work at 0600!  Which means that I have to get up no later than 0530, throw on some clothes, and with DST in effect, that's two hours before the first glimmer of light.  I hate DST!!  I hate the semi-annual time changes!!!

And on the subject of "first glimmer of light":  I began to see it this morning as I was traveling east-bound on Highway 50 toward home.  Just the faintest shading of dark to less dark. By the time I got home, there was a distinct shade of blue in a small part of the sky.  By the time I got home a few minutes later, I was fairly awake and elected not to go back to bed.  By the time I was beginning to think about getting ready for Toastmasters at noon, I decided I'd better get a nap, as I was beginning to stagger for want of zzzz's. I was able to sleep another hour, and made it to TM in good time.

I won again in TableTopics.  I love TT.  I really do. I'll be giving a speech of these Wednesdays. I told the president of the club that I was ready and would be happy to fill in when someone has to bow out.

Stay tuned.


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