So... It's been awhile...

...but I know there are at least two of you wondering if I fell off the face of the earth, or what?!?!

I didn't. I'm still here.  

On the other hand, I haven't been pebbling, which was (originally) the whole point of the blog.

Why haven't I been pebbling? The short story is that that I have developed an allergy. To the SUN. I wish I was kidding. I am not. I have never been allergic to a single thing in my entire 39 year old life (except for whining. I'm terribly allergic to whining).

And so... I've been struggling with whether or not I should continue posting non-pebble related bits, since pebbling usually involves being in the sun, and I am now a vampire.

My teenage goth-self loves the vampire thing in THEORY, but reality is a bitch. I was a teenage goth child in Ohio... Which was EASY... and I now live in sun-soaked Southern California. Kinda hard to ignore the giant glowing orb, if you know what I mean.

The good news is that just yesterday, I discovered that my husband's over-the-counter allergy pills will block the crazy itchy, massive hive-y histamines enough to allow me to do super-exciting things like picking up Miss M from Kindergarten without jumping out of my skin. Yeah. It's been THAT bad. It's already nearly HOT here, and I've been wondering just how in the heck an already overheated woman was going to make it through the summer with a scarf around her neck...

So anyway. Pebbling has been somewhat out of the question since this began in October. I suspect my laundry detergent (specifically, the chemical Optical Whiteners). The only thing that has changed that might trigger such a crazy reaction is the switch from our ancient washing machine to a new High Efficiency one. I didn't change detergent BRANDS but we did switch to the HE formula of the same brand. I have since found some forums online where people are pointing to this particular brand as being supremely evil for all manner of reasons, but you know, it's the INTERNET and people say all kinds of wacky stuff. But, there is a possibility that whatever is wrong with me is being caused by a chemical photosensitivity... And the chemical doesn't bother me until it's exposed to sunlight. Then, BOOM. Scratch. Could very well be the laundry detergent.

So, three weeks ago, I switched to a brand that claims to NOT have the optical whitener, but while I have rewashed everything in my closet (and triple rinsed it!) my bedding and my towels... I'm still itching. Sigh.  

It simply might take more time to purge myself of the chemicals, I might need yet a different brand or need to make my own detergent (hubby is NOT pleased with that idea-- I believe his exact words were, "Make it out of what??? Lye and Baking Soda???" to which the answer is, well... uh... yeah... sorta-- although the idea of making my own laundry detergent appeals to me, and he may very well have to take a backseat on this one if he ever wants to see me at the beach again) or, of course, whatever the problem is is not even related to laundry detergent, in which case, I have no idea which way to turn next. Well, that's not true. I need to make an appointment with an allergist. Duh.

But that's my story. So the question remains... Do I continue this blog under the auspices of "Curious Pebble" or do I just change the name and keep the URL or what? I honestly don't know what to do.

I haven't even had any pebbles in my etsy shop for months... I had last put a vacation hold on everything while I did a local show one weekend, last October... but once again, I didn't sell a single thing and just kinda got BLEH about the whole thing. The pebbles are now languishing in a box in the garage. No sense beating a dead horse, no matter how pretty he is. Or not? I don't know!!!!!

But, I've been busy with my usual crafty-self, just not posting. There were Valentines again this year of course, and those pictures on on my hard drive, just SITTING there, as are probably five thousand other things I've thought to share, but haven't.  

Mostly there has been music. I once promised myself I'd have an album ready by the time I was 30. I'll be 40 in July. OMG. It also may be my last year as a full-time stay at home mom, so, I've been desperately trying to make as much music as possible. But... Again... Hardly pebble-related.

Sigh.

Jeez. I've missed you.