Wednesday 26th September 2018

It has been about 18 months since I had a serious allergy attack, but Wednesday was the day on which one came with great aggression. I had had a shower the day before, and without thinking used conditioner on my hair, as it was feeling a tad dry, and then put some deodorant one. I just about managed to sleep Tuesday night, but woke up early on Wednesday with sniffles and sneezes, and that just got worse and worse.

I woke up and began sneezing more and more, so I took for first of the over the counter drugs.

I took meetings through the day, and sneezed and snuffled my way through.

It was a grim thing.

I think it was a combination of the conditioner, deodorant and the fly spray I had been trying to use as little as possible. Not sure if it is the accelorant, or some other chemical that made me hyper-sensitive, but it was clear, it was going to be a hard day.

All I could hope for is to open the windows and doors, take drugs and if there was the chance, go for a long walk.

In the afternoon, with work being slow, I decide to go for a walk, and although I wanted to go to Kingsdown to look for Clouded Yellows, I decide to go to Windy Ridge, as I could stumble back home in a few minutes if my back got painful.

And indeed, as soon as I was out of the house, my nose and associated passages cleared, and the walk was a joy. I saw little that was new, or unusual, just walk over the field, past the now empty pig's copse, then instead of turning down Norway Drove to The Dip, but walked straight on, past the farm and up the long gentle hill to the wood.

I walk through the woodland track hoping to see fungi, but apart from a single King Alfred's Cake, I see none. I do see a trio of horses being walked along the woodland path, huge beasts with tiny young ladies on board. I step aside and let them pass.

From there it is walking down the hill, past another file of people on horses, including an Aussie family who were having the time of their lives; the father wished me a good morning, then g'day.

I walk down the shallow dip to the bottom, through the mud at the bottom, then back up to the rad that leads back to the road to Fleet House.

I walk past the big field back to the lane that leads back to our street, and home.

I felt fabulous when I got home, ten minutes later, I had full on flu symptoms, sneezing like made and becoming miserable, minute after minute.

And things just got worse

I took more drugs, and that had little effect.

Darn it.

I cook more aubergine to go with the pasta salad I made earlier, just finishing off when Jools came back home.

We eat well. Even better when we have ice cream for dessert along with a coffee.

My allergies get worse, and it became clear that sleep was now going to be a real problems, so just before I go to bed, I took yet another pill, and hope for the best.

But it worked, and after half an hour, I slip into a deep, deep sleep.