I Hate My Nose

So we're spending Thanksgiving in Arizona. Last year I wrote about how Thanksgiving has never been my favorite holiday. All it means to me is a whole lot of dishes. Turkey and stuffing is fine, but I'd be just as happy with a pot of spaghetti and meatballs. But this year we're spending it with my family at my dad's house in AZ. There are two new babies in the family and lots of arms to hold them, and two three-year-olds who amuse each other, so it's all good. My dad also turns his little backyard pool way up to nice-warm-bath temperature, so that's relaxing since we don't all fit in the hot tub.

Except that I am having the World's Worst Allergy Attack. I don't know what to - this is the desert, for God's sake. I think it all started with my friend's cat, who sent me over the edge last weekend. I went to her goodbye party on Friday (thank God she's taking the cat with her), and started sneezing all over again. Once I am reacting to something, anything else I'm allergic to (which is pretty much everything), even at a level which wouldn't normally make me react, makes me go nuts. So there's a yippy little Bichon Frise here who normally doesn't bother me too much, but that could be just too much for my little histamine sensors. And our bed is very comfortable with a featherbed and feather pillows, which probably don't help.

Still awake? I know talking about allergies is b-o-r-i-n-g, but man, you haven't seen these allergies. I want my nose amputated. I can't breathe, I can't sleep, I can't smell anything - we made what was apparently a delicious dinner tonight but I WOULDN'T KNOW. They have possessed me and I can do nothing. Tonight I'm breaking out the Benadryl, so tomorrow I'll be doped up but hopefully breathing. G tells me that he doesn't even know what an itchy roof-of-the-mouth feels like! I bought three boxes of lotion-enhanced kleenex today and it might not be enough.

So. My dad lives in a retirement community outside of Phoenix. It's very quiet here, except for the air force base a few miles down where I guess our military practices bombing techniques because every once in a while you get these break-the-sound-barrier booms. There's a lot of old people and not very many playgrounds. On his computer, a little pop-up screen comes on every time he gets a new message. These people are prolific. Right now there are a lot of people chiming in on "Re: plumber." And my dad has a big sign over his desk saying, "VA - Ear Wax. 2/7/06 9:15." Just so you know. I think that's a long time to wait for ear wax, but what do I know?