Rambling Thoughts That’ll Light No One’s Way, Yet Here They Are

/ Ally Bean

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE LONG WEEKS when I’ve been doing things, but haven’t felt very good.  My stomach kind of hurts, no specific reason.  My ancient old knees hurt, no specific reason.

My head hurts, courtesy of seasonal allergies.  My eyes are an itchy mess because of those same allergies.  And I’ve been sneezing.

Sneezing so loudly, in fact, that while I was outside on the deck when I sneezed a neighbor, who I’ve never met, who lives on the other side of the forest primeval/ravine behind our house yelled “God bless you” towards me.  I shouted “thank you” back across the forest primeval/ravine, thus ending the longest conversation I’ve ever had with any neighbor on the other side of the forest primeval/ravine.

• + • + •

AND THEY SAY THE SUBURBS ARE SOULLESS. Ha!  We’re not soulless here, we just live far enough apart to not know each other personally while being midwestern polite to a fault.  And aren’t good manners part and parcel of having a soul?

Me thinks so.

And on that note of profundity [?], I shall end this post.  You know I try to be here at least once a week because I made a commitment to myself and to you, my gentle readers, to do so, thus I am here.

It would be bad manners to not show up.

However some weeks it takes all I’ve got just to find a photo [enhanced by Waterlogue app], plop it on this virtual page, and then write the words.  In this case Muse is here with me, but my Energy Level isn’t up to snuff.

‘Ya know what I mean?

155 thoughts on “Rambling Thoughts That’ll Light No One’s Way, Yet Here They Are”

  2. I do! When I lived in Ohio and had my very first sinus infection (the first of many over the 23 years I lived there), my doctor told me that sinus infections were what paid Ohio doctors’ mortgages. One sinus infection was so bad, the ER doctors thought I had spinal meningitis.

    Hang in there Ally. Winter will be there soon. (I say “there” because winter will be “here” sooner).

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  8. Oh, it’s a huge year for goldenrod. I’m so sorry.
    But it was lovely of your Invisible Neighbour to bless you. It’s instinctive for a lot of us, I think. Or compulsive, perhaps. 😉

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    • nance, yes goldenrod is EVERYWHERE and I don’t like the stuff. The neighbor’s blessing was a surprise, but it pleased me, of course. Instinctive probably, not knowing this person from Adam I could not say if it was compulsive.

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      • I must speak up in defense of goldenrod. It’s the ragweed, not the goldenrod. (A number of landscapers up here told me last year). I too once thought it was the nasty culprit and set about pulling it out by the roots every year (And I have 30 acres) figuring eventually it’d be all gone and my pollen encumbered son could visit in the fall. Then I learned it’s the ragweed that grows nearby, but doesn’t stand out as much that is the offender. Which reminds me, I must learn what ragweed looks like and get cracking.

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        • Janet, I didn’t know this. I thought goldenrod and ragweed were the same plant– just different names! But what you’re telling me is, in other words, I’ve been slandering goldenrod all these years, the poor dear. Oh my, I try to be a good steward of the earth and what do I do? I cause misunderstandings. Mea culpa, goldenrod.

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          • This is from ‘edible wild plants.’ “Goldenrod is a perennial plant that is well-known for its healing properties. This wild edible is a plant that reproduces through its roots, bulbs, stems and by its seed. Goldenrod does not cause seasonal allergies as many tend to believe. No one is, no one can be, allergic to Goldenrod pollen.”

            We should form a group of recovering goldenrod naysayers. I’m sure we are not alone. (I wish it had said why we can’t be allergic to it).

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            • That’s an interesting description of goldenrod, something I do not plan on eating– my own personal choice. But be that as it may, the claim that no one can be allergic to it sounds implausible to me. No one? Ever? Uh huh…

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  9. Allergies are horrendous! I had them all through college and didn’t realize it. Thought I was just sick all the time. Boo. Hope ya get better soon. I too live in the burbs, just over a year! I thought I would hate it, but it was one of the best moves of my life!!!

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    • pam, I didn’t realize I was allergic to so many things either– until it dawned on me. Now at least I know that I’m muttering about something real when I feel awful. Same story here about moving to suburbia. Never would I ever have envisioned me living where we do, yet I love it. Just goes to show, make no assumptions.

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  11. Boo-hiss to allergies! I’ve been sneezing away for a couple weeks. Pulled up a bunch of asters going wild in my yard and had to take a Benadryl. Ick. Funny story about the invisible neighbor! And the photo is awesome!

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    • Eilene, I love flowers, like asters, but once I get to this point in the year, I get cranky about any flower or plant or tree that makes me sneeze. The invisible neighbor made my day. Gotta love good wishes from beyond.

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  13. I hope you feel better soon – the blah feeling has been a common theme for me this week too. I think it has to do with the full moon coming tomorrow on Friday the 13th. On the 14th, we’ll all feel like – um, less crappy like. Your photo is fun – I like what you (your muse) did with it. Thank you for your devotion and commitment to your weekly post. It was a delight to read – God Bless You for your efforts and on your sneezes too.

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  14. Sorry about you not feeling great. I had sinus surgery awhile ago and haven’t had any problems since. They actually had to drill through the one side to open it up. This summer here has been so hot. It is still in the 90’s with heat indexes in the hundreds. I’ve been struggling with swollen eyelids and super dry, flaky skin. Aging is not fun! But we go on, hoping for better days.

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    • Beth, I’ve never heard of sinus surgery but if it helped, then *yay* for you. We are having a week of 90s with high humidity which is keeping all the pollen in the air. One good rain + one nice frosty night and I’ll be good to go again. Like you said, we go on hoping for better days.

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  15. Shorter days-longer nights, seasonal junk attacking- everyone is turning inward and preparing to hunker down. I think your body and brain are in overdrive getting ready. Your inner barometer is telling you this may be a long, hard winter Ally Bean.

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  17. “Aren’t good manners part and parcel of having a soul” I love that. Even the posts you struggle with are entertaining. Thank you for having a soul and showing up weekly even though you’re under the weather! Hope you are feeling better soon.

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    • Joni, thank you. I am probably going to survive allergy season just fine, but my brain sure feels scrambled today. And I’m tired, but I keep telling myself the keep going, the weekend is a’coming.

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  19. I never got the suffering of my fellow students at boarding school who had allergies. I thought it was just about a lot of sneezing. Then it struck me in my late 30s & I realised how thoughtless of their plight I’d been. Aged 62, I still suffer & accept that karma is doing her work 🙂 Hope you get that frost soon as end of allergies and start of autumn sounds a win-win to me.

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    • Deb, once you experience the sneezy-wheezy nature of allergies you become a believer. I’m not as bad off as I once was because I had the allergy shots [a 7 year commitment], but they only do so much. Just need a few nights of frost and I’ll be fine. Let’s hear it for autumn!

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  24. I’m glad you show up, rain, shine or allergies (sorry about the allergies, though). I have had so much fun with so many of the iPhone photo editing apps. They help those of us with limited artistic talent (“those” meaning me, not necessarily you) feed our creative desires.

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    • Suzanne, don’t you love this neighbor, whoever she may be? I hadn’t realized how loudly I was sneezing until I got the “God bless you” from afar. Transcends is the perfect way to describe it. Made my day, I tell you.

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  26. That conversation was about as long as any conversation I’d like to have with a neighbor. Neighbor chats are so non-introvert-y with their small talk and lawn discussion, et al.

    Politeness, however, is always welcome.

    Muse is at my house and has been for more than a month (on write-y things, not bloggy things). I’ll tell her to stop by your place more often, and bring tissues.

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    • Marian, I can imagine that you are getting tired as you do the things that you need to do to get your book out there. Me? I’m just whining a little bit about allergies. 🙄

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  30. You must not be one of those dainty sneezers who can achoo with barely an effort, else I can’t imagine you would have been heard across the primeval. I am one of those thunderous sneezers who can’t help but be heard several counties away when my nose feels like expelling some pollen. I think I’ve gotten “bless yous” mailed to me from Chicago before…

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  31. Oh, do I know what you mean. I won’t post unless I have something useful to say, and I was just thinking this morning how I am completely void of anything that resembles useful. Nevertheless I do always enjoy your potpourri posts, Ally (I think that’s an actual term of art, btw). Do feel better — allergies are not for the faint of heart. – Marty

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    • Marty, years ago I made the conscious decision to show up to this blog at least once a week, regardless of the usefulness of my posts. I did this because I know I am a slacker at heart– and I’d easily just *forget* to write here. It’s turned out to be one of my best blogging decisions because once I show up I usually find that my brain gets clicking and I have something to write about. I think I’ve trained myself to be a blogger, now that I reflect on it.

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  32. The sneeze season is arriving here, too. Wishfully wanting some early strong cold front to whizz through and haul all the allergen and pollen out to sea..but that’ll probably be Halloween…fall season, they just get this far and drop all the stuff they are carrying from whence they came.
    If it’s allergy season, reminders for flu shots aren’t far behind…gads it was a short spring and summer.
    Hope you feel better

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    • philmouse, I know what you mean about a strong cold front. Just one frost and the *bad* pollen is gone. I saw a sign on the Walgreens store that mentioned flu shots were now available. It’s that time of year again, like you said, so soon.

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  33. I’m sympathizing with you. I’ve been in sinus hell for a couple of weeks and my energy is in the basement. I love the shoulder seasons but the allergies suck 😕

    … although it is hilarious that your unknown neighbour responded to the sneeze!

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  35. sorry you aren’t feeling 100%, but if you were then your neighbor from across the ravine wouldn’t have blessed you and you wouldn’t be writing this post. Oh and as for feeling obligated to post on a time frame, a wise blogger once said to me …The nice thing about blogging is it is always there when you’re ready to come back. I hope the weather cooperates and your allergies are calmed soon

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  36. It’s a hard time of year for people with allergies – the changing of the seasons. We haven’t had rain for a while and so everything is covered with dust and I find myself sneezing all the time too. And then the dark coming sooner – it’s like jet lag. I’m feeling it to.

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    • Jan, I hadn’t thought of how it is like jet lag, but you nailed it. I know that as soon as all the pollen is knocked out of the air I’ll be fine, but right now, today, I’m moving along like a snail.

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  37. Ugh. I hate that lack of energy feeling. I’m impressed you posted anything at all. Funny about the neighbor, though. My sneezes could wake the dead, so i get it. I probably shouldn’t visit a cemetery with a cold, though.

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  38. I remember when I knew my neighbors’ names for several houses down on each side. The closest ones I even knew their kids’ names. Today people prefer to not know their neighbors so I didn’t take baked goods to the new neighbors when they moved in two weeks ago. I figured they’d wonder what the heck the old woman across the road was up to. 🙂

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  39. So sorry about the allergies; I hear they’re the pits! I live close to my neighbors and am friendly with a few. I would like a bit more space, but when I need help with something, it’s great to have them readily available. What is it about our knees? Weakest spot on the aging body, I swear!

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  41. Congratulations on being a faithful weekly writer. Best wishes for fewer aches and pains next week. I laughed at the response to your loud sneeze from the neighbor on the other side of the forest primeval/ravine.

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    • Nicki, thank you. I show up here at least once a week regardless of the value of what I’ve got to say. It’s my way of keeping my brain clicking. I thought the invisible neighbor’s blessing was great. Unexpected to be sure.

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  42. GGGOOOODDDDD BBBLLLEESSS YOUUUUU, AAAAALLLLLYYYY — all the way from Texas! Sorry, you’re feeling not your best, my friend! I’m right there with you. I’ve felt miserable this week. We keep on trudging, though, don’t we? If you were here, I’d order us both chicken tortilla soup from O’Jeda’s and we’d binge watch something good! What’s binge worthy these days? Anyway, O’Jeda’s soup is what I eat/drink when I don’t feel well. If nothing else, it lifts the spirits but I really do think it has something in it that helps to kill whatever ails me (which is usually a sinus infection!) Hope you feel better soon! Mona

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    • Mona, thanks for the blessing. I’m not sure that anyone in Texas has ever shouted “God bless you” to me. You’re right in that we keep on trudging. I could go for some chicken soup, now that you mention it. A thought for lunch… 🤔

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  43. Here’s another bless you from South Africa Ally Bean! It’s going to be echoing around the world 🙂 You’re going to feel so well before you know it! Also, this time of year, ie change of seasons, seems to affect many of us, feeling below par. Have a great weekend.

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    • Susan, thank you. I am sure that once the pollen gets over itself and stops floating around in the air, I’ll be good as new. This is a case of seasonal allergies so once we get firmly into autumn I’ll be good. Happy weekend to you, too.

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    • Erica/Erika, you’re right it is a different way to meet a neighbor, although not a bad one. Considering this subdivision and the way our houses are placed on either side of the ravine, I’ll probably never meet this blessings giver in real life. And thank you for your gesundheit! 🤧

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  46. That’s funny about getting blessed from afar but because you are well-mannered, you responded just like Mom told you to, with “thank you!”

    I’m sorry you’re miserable Ally and please do think about doing the allergy immunotherapy – I am here to tell you it does work. I think I mentioned when your Spring allergies kicked in, that I had shots from 1975 to 1995. My allergist retired and told me I could go off the shots (I thought “great, you waited until you retired”). My healthcare, BC/BS paid the shots/office visits 100%, but I was glad to eliminate that monthly task from my agenda. In 2002 I had a sneezy Spring and thought it was because we had a lot of rain and it triggered my mold and chlorophyll allergies. The next year the same feeling surfaced again … the itchy throat, itchy and burning eyes, running nose – of course the sneezing so much it took your breath away. I returned to the new allergist and had the RAST test (skin allergy tests where they put many allergens into your back with tiny needles and check reactions to determine your allergies). The test confirmed the allergies had returned. Same allergies, only this time Spring was worse than Summer allergies that I always had around late July/August. I went onto the shots again, first once/week, every other week, working my way up to once a month after 18 months or so. I still take OTC Alavert in the Spring for a few months, just to keep the sneezing at bay. The shots work – I proved it by the allergies returning again. My grandmother was on shots most of her life until it was too difficult for her to get downtown to the hospital where they had allergists and she also swore by them. If your work schedule does not work with an allergist office hours, with my allergist, I can order my serum and have it administered somewhere else and just have an appointment with him once/year.

    Think about it for when the snow stops flying in 2020. Feel better.

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    • Linda, oddly enough I had 7 years of immunotherapy injections about 3 decades ago. They were effective for the region in which we lived at that time, but once we moved to SW Ohio their efficacy has faded. I hadn’t thought of trying another series of them mainly because the thought of dealing with the insurance to get them would be [I assume] a nightmare. But you are onto a good idea here. Also I need to thank you for telling me to go to Meijer to buy Alavert, my favorite allergy med. You were spot on about how they stock it in the larger quantities and they never run out of it. That’s been a help for me as I manage my ongoing allergy saga.

      On a different note, I got a pedometer. I followed your lead and ordered an Omron one. I have yet to activate it, but I like the looks of it and anticipate having a bit of fun discovering how little I actually walk when I go out for my walks! 🙄

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      • That is interesting Ally. If you ever return to immunotherapy, you’ll find it is different than when you had the first round. In the 70s and 80s, my insurance paid $32.00 per visit and that included shots in each arm by the doctor or a nurse. They filled the syringe for each needle from a set of vials of various serums – there must have been 75-100 allergy vials and they just put the clean syringe in and you rolled up your sleeve and got the shot(s). When I began the second time, they did it completely different. The doctor never sees you except for once a year to “monitor your progress” in a five-minute appointment. I still need to return annually, though I have been in maintenance phase for years now. We have PAs giving the shots. Each patient has their own serum which is kept in their large fridge and ordered from a lab – they do nothing at this allergist’s office except give the test and administer the shots. The serum is good for 16 visits and is $250.00 per arm. I see many people pick up their serum and have it administered off-site and some folks are retirees who vacation in warm climes all Winter so need it while away. I was told this way of doing the shots was more sanitary than the previous way.

        I’m glad the Alavert helps – I find it has no side effects and when I wore contact lenses, it did not make my eyes dry.

        I hope you like the Omron – wish they still carried my style, but theirs is a good product. My mom used their blood pressure monitor twice daily for years and it was a workhorse and I have my original pedometer 8 years later. Good luck with it and keep it on in the house as well.

        I had an issue with insurance. My boss and I left the law firm and went on our own. I stayed on COBRA BC/BS a while, then looked into single-subscription healthcare. My boss was covered through his wife, a teacher. I had an phone call where I had to attest to my health and any pre-existing conditions and I said I had none. I never mentioned the allergies. Then I discovered not long after that my allergies were back. I had to send a letter from my allergist that I had them and was permitted to go off the shots and considered allergy-free the rest of my life. The new allergist likely just wanted the business and was accommodating. Humana made it appear I was deceitful when they sent me a letter wherein they said under the terms of the contract they could deny me coverage. It worked out in the end, but they were very rude about it and the letter they send me

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        • Linda, your experience with Humana sounds about right. Health Insurance is a misnomer. It is really Hassle Insurance and as such It’s become one of those modern day situations in which you are assumed guilty until you prove otherwise– which you did obviously. Still, why hassle you? For snorts and grins? 🤨

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          • Agreed. I told them I was insulted that they would question my integrity, but I sure couldn’t argue with what I had said, because not only did they have a copy of my oral interview and I was told in advance I was being taped, but they sent me a transcript of that interview which I had to sign and have it witnessed as well. I said “did you think I wanted the hassle of returning to an immunotherapy regimen – granted, it may work well for me, but the new allergist was not open evenings or Saturdays like his predecessor, necessitating my losing time from work to get shots. Furthermore Humana made me do a co-pay for serum/office visits which was greater than their portion paid. I would have bought serum and gone to a family doctor but you still have to pick it up and go to another doctor so I just lived with it. I can now go five weeks if need be without having to go two weeks in a row at a lesser strength serum to get back on track again..

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  47. In case you just sneezed… bless you! I feel your pain. The school year ended on Friday, June 7, and on Saturday, June 8 I woke up feeling sick. I spent that one week between the end of school and our road trip to Colorado being under the weather. During that week I had to get everything ready for the trip AND clean the house to prepare for our petsitter. All I wanted to do was lay on the couch. Being sick stinks!

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    • The Travel Architect, we keep on doing what we need to do, but doing it while feeling lousy, just like you said, stinks. I cannot imagine getting ready for travel while not feeling great, though. I am in awe that you made that happen.

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  48. Oh, yeah, I know what you mean! Some days the muse finds us, and other days, it does not. But you know what? We can all relate to what you are going through (and in my case, I can especially relate to the allergies!), so thank you for your refreshing honesty! And keep it up, too!

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    • Ann, thanks for your encouraging comment. I try to not dwell on allergies, but occasionally they get the better of me. Fortunately over the weekend the weather changed here and I feel much better today. Now if I can wrangle Muse and keep him focused, I’ll be good to go this week.

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  49. I DO know what you mean. I have been worn tf out lately. Just goin and goin, fakin it, makin it. Oof, I’m tired. I sure hope you feel better before the frost! Also, Midwestern manners beat Southern hospitality any ol day.

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  50. Hi ally = read in the comments that you are feeling a bit better –
    and whew – that must have been a hearty sneeze –
    also – I had a rough couple of days during the full moon last week (also connected to eating grapefruits that I think were GMO related – or not – but I might not be eating grapefruits for a while – and I might have a slight allergy to nightshades…. oh my…)
    anyhow, cool edit on the photo and thanks for taking the time to post – and wishing you a good week

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    • Yvette, yes just a small change in the weather can make the pollen go away. Over the weekend the temps dropped and it’s like I’m living in a different region. No sneezes. No grapefruit for you? I like them, but could live without them– but still, what a bummer.

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      • thanks – and glad the pollen count dropped a lot for the relief ((and don’t ya wonder if all this GMO crap has made pollen counts worse – terrible and nasty – in certain areas?))
        —
        and I will miss grapefruits a lot – but will try them later – in a few years –
        because I am still rebuilding my terrain and n the process of that – I was told that “true allergies” are different from “temporary irritants”
        and for me – it was likely there sugar in the grapefruits (still at the tail end of healing a systemic fungal kind of thing) and also — maybe eating two for lunch was too much of a good thing – right?

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    • Laura, thank you for the blessing. I feel better this week. The weather patterns have changed and it’s pleasant, as in less pollen-y, outside now. Plus there’s sunshine out there. Can’t complain about my allergies now.

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