A thing of beauty...

...is a joy forever. So Mr. Keats tells us. To continue, according to same, '...its loveliness increases' which is quite encouraging, as we can only improve from here this evening.

Firstly, the puffy red eyes are back (although this is not the most noticeable thing about me at the moment, as will be more fully visualised presently). Despite my extremely scientific and methodical way in which this problem has been tackled -- systematically disposing of various creams, eye makeups and facial cleansers -- along with a NHS-sponsored tube of steroid cream, eyelids returned to puffy and unpleasant state this morning. And, I have self-diagnosed (so clever for a psuedo-linguist, no?)!

It is my studied opinion that I have developed a mango allergy. Perhaps I had it all along, but just possibly, eating an entire mango in one sitting can bring out a latent condition. Just maybe. Now that I look back over the past couple of months, I have been eating quite a lot of mango(s). Because they are:
a) yummy
b) chock full o' Vitamin C (I think. If not, then something else)
c) is regularly on 2 for £2!
And a case study (online, because everything online is true) has my symptoms listed! Fortunately, 'periorbital oedema' seems to be the lightest of the problems. And I can live with this. Because, after all, there is one more mango in the fridge, and it will not be allowed to go to waste! (mmmm, salivation!) It appears that urushiol (3'5'-pentadecylcatechol) is our culprit here. It is a happy fact to note that, despite being closely related, pistachios and cashews rarely cause cross-sensitivity -- that would make me really cross.

Secondly, the hair needed henna-ing overnight and now my head is wrapped in cling film/saran wrap. Glasses are a bit tricky when one's head is swathed in plastic wrap, but if you place the side bars carefully on the outside sort of where your ears are, and you don't move around a lot, they kind of stick to the film. Hoorah.

To complete the vision, I have applied a white face mask: rejuvenating, in 'loveliness increasing' and generally youth-ifying my entire aura.

And I wish you all a good night and pleasant dreams. You don't have to dream of me... (ha). On the positive side, if any gypsies should try to creep in through the window, they would quite probably wet themselves in fright. There is a current Traveller issue in Norwich, and on UEA's campus... more about this issue later.