Belin and Rosemary Sprigs.
The resplendent glory of living in Austin, Texas in early January. The juniper cedars are throwing off millions of metric tons of pollen (as is typical this time of year) and legions of Austinites are sneezing, coughing and driving around with eyes redder (and itchier) than the fiery pits of hell. Cedar Fever allergies cause one to want to sleep around the clock and the only balm for scratchy throats is endless coffee.
I am currently humbled by my own hubris. Hard won intelligence in the war against Cedar Fever tells us to start taking industrial strength Claritin or Zyrtec at the first sign of a sniffle and then not to relent (or let that green capped bottle out of your sight) until the allergy forecast on the web sounds the all clear. Rain helps. We don't have any of that right now. But I made the critical mistake. There was a lull and I went without my antihistamine of choice for a week or so. Then, on Friday, the cedar pollen levels lurched from "high" at 1,000 to "off the charts" at over 7,000. I was caught short.
Now, even with a renewed pill regimen, I can barely make it from the coffee maker in the kitchen to my studio/office only a handful of yards from the front door of my house. Two cups of miracle brew in and I'm just now feeling quasi capable of getting through a phone meeting I have scheduled in nine minutes. If I weather that then the next goal is to make it to lunch and.... we'll see what happens from there.
Studio Dog gave me a look that said, "Don't fight it. Find a comfortable spot over here on the couch and curl up. Take a nap." I can't give up on my professional activities so early in the year....
I'll spend the rest of today in the office working in Lightroom on the files I shot during Friday's portrait shoot. Hopefully that will help me avoid the incessant allergy shrapnel lurking just on the other side of the door.
How's your New Year treating you? Where's the Kleenex? Can somebody make coffee....again?
4 comments:
Funny how so many people insist on working when sick, often delaying recovery. I think it's all because of those old-timey Puritans and Calvinists that we have this in-grained notion that not being busy is somehow "bad" for us, despite all the evidence to the contrary. It's amazing how often peer pressure overrides our own good sense. Dogs are smarter. Cats are the smartest.
I used to admonish my "work even when you're" sick staff to "GO HOME! I'd rather lose you for a day or two than for a week and have you infect everyone else while you're being conscientious."
BTW - It's winter in Vancouver = rain; lot's of rain. There is a reason they call this place a "rain forest'. Send me your ZIP code Mr.T and I'll gladly send you some.
Send that rain to Australia first! Once they get their share I'll gladly take what's left over. Nobody else to infect in the office this week and Cedar Fever isn't communicable. Just an allergy, really!
Have a speedy recovery - listen to Studio Dog. Wishing you and Australia lots of rain.
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