Stuff is happening

[deceptica]

I didn't have much to write about in the past week because it was mostly more of the same: make job applications, receive rejections, play WoW, read and write.

I also got introduced to the joys of apple crumble and finished The Stolen Throne, a Dragon Age tie-in novel

Comments

[eofs]

1) Crumble is the nicest thing ever. (Although... I could swear I made an apple and blackberry crumble when you visited me in Carlisle.) I much prefer it to a fruit pie, and it's so much simpler

2) I'm sorry you're getting poorly so much :0(

3) That's great news that Monster has got a lead for you.

4) Lego would be AWESOME.

[deceptica]

1) Hm, I don't remember that. Could it be that I opted out, being not overly fond of blackberries?

2) So far nothing's been serious *knock on wood*, and I try to laugh it off as "foreign bacteria in a foreign country", but a lot of it is so damn awkward. Like, I developed an itchy skin condition about two months after I moved here, but no matter how many tests the doctors did, they couldn't find any reason for it. So now I'm just living with being itchy a lot of the time, guessing that it's an allergy or something... I don't really have the resources to figure it out for sure. Same with that abscess on my gums - I'm hoping it won't cause me any harm until I can afford to find a good solution for it, but even so it's unpleasant to spend months expelling pus into your mouth. I've been taught to always try to keep my body as healthy as I can (even if I'm not athletic or fit), and right now it simply feels like I'm physically deteriorating and powerless to stop it, which is quite depressing

[eofs]

1) I have the memory of standing in Tesco (I even remember where I stood) and suggesting it then, so I'd hope you'd have said at that point if you didn't like them ;0) I might be wrong, but I'm pretty certain I made it.

2) The stuff which is irritating is, well, irritating. I'm sorry that you're itchy though. I assume you tried washing powder? (I'm convinced Guido is allergic to his washing powder(s) based on the pattern of the rash which covers his body. But he's not motivated to try to change anything about it because it's not itchy. Not that I can talk on that front...)

3&4) *Crosses everything* I'm sure you have enough experience with lego ;0)

[deceptica]

1) Hm, I don't remember that, but I'll be happy to take your word for it. I guess this was just different as Graham's Mum made a big deal out of it... "Have you had crumble before?" "I'm not sure..." "Well, then you'll have to introduce you to it!" And then we basically arranged a whole visit for the purpose of me eating his Mum's crumble. :P

2) Yeah, first we dropped the fabric softener, then we tried different powders - bio, non-bio, extra skin-friendly etc. but it made no difference.

[eofs]

1) I can see no reason not to arrange a visit just to eat delicious crumble. It's one of my absolute favourite desserts - and one I love making, just because it's so incredibly simple.

2) Argh. How frustrating :0( I'm hoping switching to non-bio will help Guido (although I currently use biological...). He's also had a lot better skin since switching to non-perfumed shampoo and showergel, so it's not impossible that it might even be a problem with that. I hope you can eventually find one which works for you *hugs*

[deceptica]

Well, when the problems started I was still using the same shower gel and shampoo that I'd been using in Austria for years, so I felt it was safe to rule that out. Nonetheless I've switched to taking only saline baths or using Dead Sea bath salts now, and it's at least become bearable since then. We'll see how things develop in the future.

[eofs]

That's really odd then. Interaction between chemicals in the shampoo and the chemicals in the water around Reading? I've only scanned the German comments below, but it looks like you have exceptionally hard water? But equally the water is very hard in Loughborough (it comes down through the Peak District, which is all limestone) and you used to stay there for weeks on end, which should have been long enough.

How frustrating. Wish I could think of useful suggestions, but obviously you've already tried everything. *Hugs*