In Bloom; or, Blame it on the Moon

Ah, spring.

It's that time for life, renewal, and birth. Spring cleaning. Nature walks. Afternoon showers, new flowers.

The revival of old allergens.

Despite not really having  discernible seasons here---remember: every day is Groundhog day in GTMO!---I have managed to find myself in the midst of a Zyrtec haze, thanks to SOMETHING out there that's blooming.

I do think the animals and plants know that, despite being 85 degrees almost every day the last 6 or so months, it's time to do those things that birds and bees and flowers and trees like to do.

Like make me sneeze.

"In Bloom," one of my favorite Nirvana songs, has a line that pretty much sums up how I feel about the season right now: "Nature is a whore."

So I'm taking my prescription eyedrops and prescription nose spray, my prescription and over-the-counter antihistamines, my inhaler, and using my neti pot.

This past week my youngest came into the bedroom, took one look at me, and said, "OH MY GOD. WHAT is on your face???" I was fearing a scorpion or tarantula or big zit, but no, it was just an obnoxious nose strip. I really don't want to wake the neighbors with the cacophony of my allergy-induced snoring.

Also (although my husband probably isn't complaining): I have been really hoarse and for a few days recently and could barely talk. This is great until you realize that I have to talk to kids ALL DAY LONG.

Conversations with the elementary kids went something like this:

Me (sounding like Barry White with a frog in his throat): Okay, kids, it's story time!! 
Cute kid 1 (wide eyes): Your voice! Your voice! You are talking different! 
Gaggle of cute kids: It's different! It's different!
Cute kid 2 (even wider eyes) Is there something wrong with your voice???
Me (croaking): I'm just a little hoarse. 
Cute kid 3 (REALLY big eyes): You're a HORSE? 
Me (voice cracking now): Nope, I AM hoarse. My voice is almost gone. I'm hoarse. You know, I can't talk. 
Cute kid 3: Then why are you talking?? 
Me: *sigh*

Repeat that 2-3 times a day, and you have my past week.

Not only was I hoarse, but there was the Blood Moon this week.

I am not even sure what the heck the Blood Moon is, and I wasn't energetic enough to get up at 2 am to view it here, but I'm blaming the kids rather rambunctious behavior and crazy questions this past week on the Blood Moon.

Coming off from Spring Break didn't help things, either.

Kids quickly forget routines, even if it's only been a week, so I was croaking, "Criss-cross, Applesauce!" "Hands in your laps!" "Don't poke your friends!"  "One-two-three, eyes on me!" more than usual, and realized, dios mio, sometime in the last year I've transitioned from a high school librarian to an elementary librarian. I've always been a secondary librarian until last year, but I am finally feeling like I am equally elementary and secondary.  Watching the kids mesmerized and giggling over Tumblebooks (a cute online program that reads books aloud, while projecting pictures on the whiteboard), I was very thankful that for once, technology worked as it should. Hearing "One more, one more! We have time for one more! Just read that story again!" made me a happy, croaky, sneezy, sniffling mess.

And this afternoon---I haven't sneezed, not once. Bring Monday on!

Last week's greatest hits with the PK-2nd grade crowd