Anniversary Allergies*

My parents have a very small, very cute cat named Lily. She loves to get into everything and follows Big Dad everywhere.

Seriously.

When he is not home she drags an old piece of rope around and wails for him until he comes through the door. Until Princess Pea was born last year that cat was his grandchild.

Once when I was messaging Spart on the computer I accidentally typed “the vat” instead of “the cat” and it totally stuck. It just suits her, she is a vat.

My dad got her the summer before I got married which was also the last summer I spent living at home. At that time I had already been away at school for a year and had met and gotten engaged to the Hubster, so I moved home to plan our wedding with my mom. This meant that The Hubster and I could only see each other every other weekend or so when he would drive up and spend the weekend with my family.

Not long after he arrived he would start sniffling a little. Then his eyes would get a bit itchy, and not long after that he would start sneezing like crazy.

So, Big Dad came up with the most obvious reason: he was allergic to me.

As soon as the Hubster started sneezing, my dad would start in:

Big Dad: “Uh oh… it’s started again.”

Me: “What?!”

Big Dad: “He’s sneezing again. You two must be spending too much time together.”

Me: (laughing) “Sure Dad.”

Big Dad (straight-faced): “He’s obviously allergic to you, Shop Girl. (Then, to the Hubster) You’d better not marry her. Look, she’s making you sick!”

The Hubster: “…maybe you’re right.”

*This is where he would get a smack somewhere on his arm or leg. With all my love, of course.

As it turned out, the Hubster was allergic to the vat, not to me. (Sorry, Dad) He endured it for a summer and continues to put up with it every time we visit my family because he is wonderful. We just try keep the vat and the Hubster apart. (They are not friends.) Be assured, I was very relieved that he was not allergic to me.

As it turns out though, I think I may be allergic to him. Or at least I’m allergic to our wedding anniversary.

For the past four years I’ve gotten sick around our anniversary. It’s like clockwork. I’m not just talking a runny nose here, this was a full-out mother of a cold that lasts about two weeks. It starts with a sneeze here or there, followed by a sniffle or two then… BAM! I’m drop-kicked by the mother cold.

I started sneezing last week. I started taking Reactin IMMEDIATELY hoping to fend it off, whatever IT is. My nose is already started to get sniffly.

I’m obviously allergic to something.

It must be our wedding anniversary. Tomorrow is #5. :)

Lucky for The Hubster, I love him enough to keep him around even if he makes me sneeze. (I’ll just expect lots of love and pampering to get me through. ha)