nope, no update today

that's right.
I've got nothing to say. I'm out of the habit of blogging.
Sad isnt' it?
I've been here since 2005 and a few years later--I'm poof.

What happened? Life. I'm still reading. It's remains a favorite thing.
I'm still playing with my camera - still a favorite thing.
I can't wait until the snow is gone, then I can do garden stuff - a favorite thing.

I'm still working - more than ever and I still like it. Am I one of those people who can say 'Work is a favorite thing?' I am not sure, but I like my boss, my co-worker and the work I do. I like going to work and I don't mind working a Saturday when I have to. I guess that means I like work?

I started another story and I love love love the first chapter. It has drama, it sets up the story and the conflict between hero and heroine and you know there suprises on the way. As for my other story..well..it's been so far on the back burner...it's not been touched. That doens't mean I've not thought of him. Oh no. I found THE picture, the picture that IS my character, Speedo and all. I would print it out and make a poster board...but, well, I have... young eyes around and they might be traumatized. LOL. So it stays on my PC buried deep.

I'm stil on Facebook and loving it. However, I finally am finding myself not so addicted. I'm limiting myself to a few applications. I am not 'friending' left and right anymore. And I Have found two FB'ers that live in my local area. One is a writer so we can talk 'writer' talk...and horses. I talk poop, she talks tack. LOL

I can say,Happy St. Patricks day to you. Hard to believe we've been through two holidays already. I've been good though. Not much candy eating. I've been bad though, too many Ding Dongs. They don't have peanut cross contamination.
Oh that's right!
Did you hear?
Scientists are working on making kids tolerate peanuts and being safe around them! There is hope!
There is a future free of fear of food!

I am So very excited. I realize it will be years before it goes mainstream, but the resutls are positive. And that has got to be a favorite thing. GOOD NEWS!

I hope you receive good news in your near future, if not today.
Thanks for stopping by.

And I had no update?
HA

Nut Wars

Sounds like a silly title, doesn't it?

Yet, I'm being serious. I'm going to share a personal scare with you. Some of my regular readers (thank you) know that I have a little one with a life threatening peanut allergy.

It's made life a challenge, because when you start looking for the ingredient, either in the food or contaminated by crossover exposure on manufacturing equipment, you realize the scope of the battle ahead.

Ignorance is a big obstacle. "But they're PLAIN M & M's. They're safe!"

No. They've come in contact with the peanut oils from the previous batch of Peanut M & M's.

I realize that I've shared that example before.

Here's a new exposure threat.

Yesterday was the last Paws for Reading program for my little one. He really enjoyed this semester and his reading has improved wonderfully.

As the last class drew to a close for the session prior to his, I stayed to observe the changing of the guard, so-to-speak. There were three dogs to choose from, or so I thought.
Turns out one was leaving and wasn't THAT a blessing.

Seems the handler, in celebration of the programs final session, presented homemade doggie treats to the other two handlers to share with their dogs.

Imagine my horror and trepidation when I hear, " Oh! Just smell how wonderful the PEANUT BUTTER makes these cookies smell! Here! Have some!"

There she is, breaking off bits and giving them to the other dog and then some to the handler. My son walks by the dog going goofy for peanut butter laced treats, and the handler looks down at him and says, "Do you want to go over and wait for Blossom?"

He said,"No, I want to read to that dog." pointing to the black and white one off to the side.

"That dog" just happens to be Silly Gilly, the border collie that he knew from a few times in the past and the ONLY dog NOT eating the treat. Gilly's handler only gives her beef treats.
THANK GOD!

My son wasn't even aware of the peanut threat. He just knew he liked Silly Gilly and the dog liked him. That was good enough.

Can you imagine the potential for risk, harm and trauma?

Needless to say, I called the head librarian and organizer of the program aside and informed her of the averted potential disaster. Her eyes got real wide when she realized the ramifications of what I had told her. She said that she knew very well not to give candy and treats out to kids at library functions in general because food allergies are becoming more and more a prominent safety issue. However, it never dawned on her to question the food/treats the handlers gave the dogs.

This will be the second time I've been instrumental in making them aware of important and needed policy changes in their program.

After all, some one's life, a child's life, literally is on the line.

After all that, Guess what?

I AM ALLERGIC TO ALMONDS!

Yep, you got it. I have one blasted gourmet almond at work yesterday and my lips went numb and the back of my tongue swelled up within one minute. I can't believe how fast it hit!

I have a piece of advice. You know that warning that they put on the labels of Benydryl and other products with antihistimines?

Take. them. very. seriously.

I had slugged 2 1/2 tsp's of the liquid stuff to counteract the swelling. It worked, no ER for me.
BUT , I had a 45 minute drive home ahead of me.
Wasn't that a lot of fun.
Not.
If the label says "May cause drowsiness", there is no "May" about it. It does.
I got scared shitless a few times when I thought I was awake and yet became alert to realize I was drifting to the side of the road. Thank God, again, that he was my co-pilot because I always went to the right, towards the breakdown lane and not the oncoming traffic.

I made it home, obviously. And I'm telling you , I will NEVER do that shit again. I mean, I had no choice in that I had to get home to get the kids off of the bus, but what I would and will do differently is that I will find someone to drive me home. Somehow.

Do NOT drive with the shit in your system. It's NASTY.

So, there you have it: warnings, advice and education.

How's that for a heavy topic?

My Day

What a wild day it was today with all kinds of odd weather, changed plans and happy feelings.

We were under a tornado watch for about five and half hours. Nothing ended up happening and that's a good thing. OH, we had a humdinger of a storm with the full effects of wind, rain, thunder and lightening, but no loss of power or tree limbs. Lucky, lucky us.

Today started off with my not going to work as usual. Had to switch my days off as my little one had to stay home today.

Today was THE field trip of the year - going to a local zoo as an entire class.
Except they serve peanuts in all the food fed to the animals and the place is dirty. I mean, I went there two years ago and I was knocked flat for a week with an asthma attack and all the repercussions thereof. Can you imagine what affect an additional two years of animal crap and dander would have on me? Without my parental supervision to make sure he didn't go into anaphelactic shock from accidental peanut contamination, he wasn't allowed to go. I had to take the entire day off from work.

What do you think it's like to be the only child out of 25 not going pn a field trip because of food allergies??

And I have to say NO because I myself have problems there .... *wheeze/gag**

What to do to make it up to him?

First, I took him to a natural park that had gym sets and swings galore and we had swinging contests to see who could go higher, then took him to the bird zoo there and marvel at the turkeys in rut, the snow white chickens with the impressive red crowns being chased by a smaller Rhodey, a Peacock in full fan, owls that winked at him and bald eagles that were indifferent and a Red Tailed Hawk that looked like it wanted us for lunch.

Then, I took him to a quaint country store and let him buy candy while mom bought cooking herbs and a new pan scaper. Then zoomed off to Old Navy to buy a new pair of shorts and a shirt for both kids and then to Whole Foods where he fell in love with the cherries on display. At flippen NINE DOLLARS a pound, he wanted cherries - so, he got cherries - 1/2 pound, thank you. :-)

Heck, I even taught him how to pump gas - hold the handle and squeeze. LOL

We beat the T-storm home by five minutes before the sky opened up and dropped so much rain so fast, it seemed like we were shrouded in fog, yet it was only wind and rain. Very impressive display.

The day ended with the second to last Paws for Reading event and he got to read to Auggie this time, the Doberman Pinscher. Such soulful eyes that dog has.

So, that's what I did.
Do you think I made it up to him? Do you think I did OK?
Did I lessen enough the trauma of not going with his classmates?

Only time will tell.
Only time.

EDIT
Oooh ! Ooooh! I tried to download my chicken thing at Photobucket. Let's see if it will load, shall we?
*fingers crossed* or