Done (last 4 days ago):
Purchased 3 gallons of Green Label paint for the construction crew to use instead of the toxic Kelly-Moore paint. I pray I don't react negatively to these new paints.

FYI: The VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) that are emitted by standard paint is the biggest contributing factor to smog in LA. According to the California Air Resources Board, over half (100 million pounds) of the annual 176 million pounds of VOC emissions generated in California come just from paints and coatings. In the Los Angeles area, paints release more VOCs than all of the region's oil refineries and gas stations combined.

Note to Self: Do not move to L.A.!

The required construction on our unit is really disruptive, no surprise. Some days they work on the neighboring units more and I am able to rest or take a nap for a couple of hours. Today they are cutting through the wall by the balcony and removing the sliding door completely. I'm not really sure why they have to do that because we haven't had any problems with leaks or anything. Sylvester, one of the workers who has been working on our balcony a lot over the last couple of weeks, keeps saying, "Yup, A LOT of work, I told you, eh? A LO~T of work." He's 33, from Mexico, and is puzzled by the fact that I don't have any kids. He thinks I should have lots of kids because "babies are good!"

I made breakfast wearing earplugs and squeezed by the workers whenever I needed to walk between the kitchen and the living room. The noise and chaos really annoyed Lyle this morning. He couldn't wait to get out of there and go to his office. Unfortunately for him, he had to wait for me to take care of the rabbits, eat my oatmeal (too hot to eat immediately), and pack up my things to go with him to his workplace.

Well, now I'm sitting in one of the cubicles a little relieved that I'm not having any allergic reaction. The last time I was here was when I my face, arms, then rest of my body turned splotchy red and hot. Oh, and difficulty breathing kicked in half an hour later back at home. I was pretty sure I was reacting to something I ate for lunch that day, but I still feared that it could be something at Lyle's office. Anyway, everything's okay thus far. Much quieter here too.

Of note, I am becoming more sensitive to the sun in particular and probably just more sensitive to things in the environment in general. Lyle and I rode our bikes on Sunday to the Berkeley Kite Festival. We didn't know there was a festival until we saw the kites and signs along the SF Bay Trail. After we got home, I started feeling sick and feverish. I'd been in the sun and wind for about an hour and a half. Of course, I had slathered on SPF 50 sunblock before going outside.

DS, my new massage therapist, said she knows other people with fibromyalgia who are more sensitive to the sun than before they got FMS. I also read that one of the symptoms of FMS is increased sensitivity to chemicals and other environmental factors. *Sigh* As if I didn't have enough problems because I'm more sensitive to my environment than average.

Cute news: Zoe and Keeper like their new kozy bed. I saw them snuggling together in it last night. Mr. Jones likes his too. Seeing sprawling rabbits are so soothing to the soul. I want to get Fishbone and Clover the same bed as Zoe and Keeper. However, I'm reluctant because I'm afraid those two will decimate the bed in a day and the small size, which is the one I'd get, cost $20 each. Even Keeper and Zoe have already made one small hole in their bed. May be I can get away with tucking an extra layer of towels under their usual towel to create a cushy area for them? I wish the cuties will just not chew on certain things. I'd be happy to provide them with other things to chew on... Can't fight rabbit nature, can we? Mr. Jones will leave his alone as long as he gets a TON of attention.