There was just enough of a breeze today to kick my allergies up a notch. And here I was thinking that the only good thing about July is the weather. Lately, though, it doesn’t seem to matter what’s blowing outside, because I’m sneezing my head off inside pretty much every day. I actually tried to make an appointment with my doctor online today, but the Giant HMO directed me to other doctors at inconvenient times. So I guess I’m going to have to do the one thing I don’t want to do. I’m going to have to (shudder) make a phone call. I think I’d rather sneeze.

As a result of all this, I’m not keeping up with the yard work very well. In fact, I haven’t been out since I wheeled the empty yard waste container back in from the road Friday morning. Well, I guess that’s only three days that I’ve been lazy, but this week doesn’t hold much promise, with a holiday smack in the middle of it. That means that I have to get five days’ work done in four. (Actually, it doesn’t mean that at all, because there are still seven days in the week, and I managed to use at least half of my Sunday getting a head start.)

I don’t know if it’s allergy-related or (more likely) sleep related, but I seem to be running into furniture more and more these days. And not on purpose, either! Because when a piece of furniture needs to feel my mighty wrath, it knows it. But no, I’ve just been doing things like tripping over the end table and spilling Dr. Pepper all over the carpet and my recliner. (I switched to water after that happened, just in case.) I wouldn’t even bring it up, but it happened twice yesterday, just as I was about to sit and finish my book. Suddenly I couldn’t sit, but at least I didn’t spill on the book.

By the way, that stuff does not come up out of a white carpet very well. I’m running out of things to put over the stains. My living room is starting to look like an obstacle course.

While I was at the UPS store the other day, I stopped in (on company time) at the hardware store next door and picked up a new bird feeder. My old one was getting kind of crusty, if you know what I mean. I know this one is purple, but that’s supposed to be attractive to birds, according to the box. Anyway, that was the only color they had, although from the way the word “purple” is stamped on the box, I’m pretty sure it comes in other colors. I just don’t know what those colors might be, and anyway, it’s too late. I got purple. Doesn’t exactly match the rotted wood of the back porch where it hangs, but that’s how it goes. I’m not painting the porch purple.