Having Just Enough Stress

Making a second batch of Winter Sauce from Anna Thomas's The New Vegetarian Epicure.  I didn't start with the 100 pounds of California sun ripened tomatoes that her recipes is for.  I just don't have or need that much of anything anymore.

I have "just enough" which has been enough for my entire lifetime.

I will try to remember to wear my apron this time.  It seems I am always wearing a freshly washed white linen camp shirt when I make things.  Ending up with "stain removal" tactics.  I even got blueberry stains on a lovely long sleeved white linen shirt--which I "found" in my closet and instantly wanted to be wearing every day.  Right on the front.  All the stains have come out--so far.

Yesterday, the Day of all Days, I had my long awaited annual exam with my doctor.  And, of course, as LIFE would have it no other way, I had regained any weight I had lost in the intervening 3 months and packed on an additional two pounds by the morning of the visit.  I had also gone into a "full allergic" reaction.  Swollen red eyes and face, leaking eyes etc.  I was a MESS!!!!!  G asks if I am allergic to the doctor?

This morning, after suffering with vaguely flu like symptoms (at work) yesterday, swollen eyes etc, I awoke to a loss of three pounds, decreased rash and no eye leakage.

G says I should do and eat exactly the same things today, that I ate yesterday.

Well, yesterday I was pretty miserable.

Which brings us back to the Marinara Sauce.  Which looked so amazing that I "just had to eat it" with PASTA not zucchini noodles.  Now, that didn't cause the rash--I already had that for at least 3 days--but it did cause the rash to sort of "explode" into something truly amazing.  When the entire left side of my face is inflamed as well--I know I am in deep trouble.

 Very red, very dry, very uncomfortable.  Today I am taking Zyrtec.  I am going to alternate Zyrtec and Claritin.  Neither is effective for more than two days.  The Alaway eye drops are working to stop the burning and watering of my eyes.  But now my nose is running.  Yesterday (at work) I had to add Benadryl to the mix.

And yes, there is ragweed growing along the edges of the property at work-- along with acres of grassy weeds just behind us and next to us and across the street from our parking lot.