seven-year sneeze

The day I have feared has finally arrived. No more denying it.

I think I'm somewhat allergic.

To what, I'm not sure. To the D.C. area, I guess.

I remember a story that my then-boss' wife told me when I was in Germany. About how, when they'd been there for about seven years, she suddenly became nearly deathly allergic to something the Germans had that her body hadn't encountered before (apparently). It took seven years for it to wear down her system? Or something. I'm not quite sure how these things work. Anyway, she was hospitalized, etc. It probably didn't help that the Germans don't believe in tidying up the weeds at all (the only thing they didn't feel the need to micromanage, as far as I could tell). Some of them were so lovely, some Germans grew them in their backyards. Yikes.
I'm not too worried about hospitalization; I just didn't want to be one of the sniffling, sneezing masses I see all around me in the spring and fall. You know -- the two seasons that are outrageously lovely around here. For about, oh, five or six weeks each. Until the dreaded winter or (to me) summer arrives. Man, do I live for the springs and falls around here. So beautiful. I've been a smug non-allergy sufferer for far too long.
So I'm none too excited about a reason not to go outdoors.
Maybe the ick in my throat every morning and sneezing throughout the day are a long-lasting, minor cold. That will go away soon. Yeah, that's it.
I mean, seriously! Everyone I know here is allergic to stuff! Doesn't it seem that way to you other D.C.-area types?