I hope you have fun visiting Gertrude! Although I can't picture you as a housewife! lol

I have REALLY bad allergies right now too. I would recommend some over the counter drugs but I dont think the same brands are available in Germany.

P.S. I'm glad all this stuff with the Greencard is finally moving along!

-Lucy

*shudder* (that's all I have to say to the thought of being forced into Hausfauen...)

These are just three of many sites that say the same thing:

Vitamin C Helps Allergies
Organic Nutrition - Vitamin C
DoctorYourself.com - Vitamin C

One of the sites warns that vitamin C may not be as effective if you start taking it after the allergies have already started (most others don't say that at all), but it's certainly better than nothing; and, in some cases, it's better than certain allergy drugs.

The only thing that has dealt with my allergies/hives this spring is a combination of clarinex and zantac. Apparently zantac is an H2 blocker in addition to a reflux med. Go figure!

I get allergies every few years it really depends a lot on the amount of rape seed pollen there is floating about this town but anyway, 3 things for allergies, use local honey not generic supermarket honey, you need local honey fron local bees using local pollen! Number two, lots of vit C apparently but I had problems understanding the doseage as it is water soluble so you just pee out anything excess but the sites seem to recommend like 10 times recommended daily requirement, thirdly, I used nettle tea and it seemed to be good at removing toxins and calming down my blocked sinuses, you get nettle tea bags at health food shops, not sure in germany though! Oh and another thing, steam yourself, you can use clever stuff in the hot water but I don't bother with that, just a bowl of hot water in the morning as you are waiting for your coffee, in fact I saw you you often have boiled eggs for breakfast, hover your head over that boiling water. Of course I'm lucky *touch wood* I have never suffered from the itchy eyes so maybe my cures aren't perfect but I don't like medications so anything that avoids that is worth a try.

And since you are in the boondocks, MTV can also Pimp Your Tractor.

Hi there Clarity. I hope the Hausfrau lessons are going well. Hahaha! Ok then, please enjoy the time that you have been given with Gutrud and I hope the allergies don't have you too down. All my best, O.

Man, I'm so envious - I want to be a hausfrau! Teach me all you know! (PS I started updating again. Yay.) And about allergies, there's this really interesting article this month in Nat'l Geo. People don't eat enough fruits and veg so therefore don't have their immune systems working correctly. (I'm not saying you don't eat enough fruit and veg, I just read this and it's fascinating.) Fruits and veg fight inflammation, and allergies are basically an inflammatory process. Plus, agriculture has prompted the use of mainly male plants, which produce pollen (females don't) and so that's why there's so much more pollen floating around in our atmosphere.

Theres a british show on one of the bbc's called "Perfect Housewife" I havent seen it yet but its basically this woman who is like "shame on modern women who don't know the art of being a housewife" and then goes on to teach us how to be perfect.

Its true though that the traditional art of being a housewife is lost on our generation. It used to be something that was passed down from mother to daugther.
I think you should look at this time with Gertrud as a peak into past generations of German women. It will be a sort of practical history lesson.

Dear heavens, 45 minute bus ride in to work? That's fun. Or not! And being made into a perfect German hausfrau?? My words of encouragement are that Eric probably doesn't want a perfect German hausfra and likes you just the way you are!

then justin must be REALLLLLLLY loved:) lol.

and housewives, some have the gene some dont. doesnt make anyone more of a woman.
and ps. my allergies are sucking too.
*hugs*