Vomit and Wal-Mart

Last Thursday I got sick, vomit sick. I know you wanted to know that. Who doesn't like vomit talk? I know that's why you read my blog. You are looking for the grotesque poop and puke. You're quite sick in the head, aren't you?

I was able to manage my large Wal-Mart trip before I got "the sick" as my kids call it. When I got home, I moped around a while, felt all tired and spacy, then I went into the bathroom and lost my lunch (Big Macs don't taste nearly as good coming up as they do going down).

I had a lovely time with my 7-year-old daughter at the store until I hit that wall. Normally I hit a wall when shopping, but that day I knew something was different. Fortunately we got into the check out lane that had a quick checker and I got right through... Ha, do you really believe that? You clearly don't know my history with Wal-Mart. Nope, this nice, laid back guy was nice and s...l...o...w.... After all, it was his second day working there. And boy, when I went to pay half cash and then had to pay the last $105 with the credit card (because can you ever stay on your cash budget at that store? Maybe you have that ability, but I have not "had" to use our credit card in 3 years because of impulse buying, I have been on a strict cash budget for 3. freaking. years. and Wal-Mart breaks me...) that really threw him for a loop. It's ok, we only had to wait about 8 minutes for a manager to come to override the mistake. Fortunately, there was a bench across the isle where I gave my daughter strict instructions to sit during the 1/2 hour check out ordeal. She very obediently "sat" with her cute new summer shorts and tank top outfit we had picked out for her that day while she swung her feet vigorously back and forth while singing to herself and enjoying her people watching adventure, meanwhile a cute little Korean gal came to sit next to her while she ate her apple next to my frigidity daughter. It was really cute to watch.

Have you ever heard about charcoal pills? I hadn't had any experience with them. I was told by good authority that I HAD to get charcoal before I got sick and for my sick family and that it would surely help with "the sick". Wal-Mart didn't have any but encouraged me to check GNC across the street. I headed over there, got 2 bottles and popped 4 pills (as "prescribed" by my girlfriend) and drove home. I'm pausing for a moment to debate with myself how graphic I would like to be about this... Brace yourself.

It was about an hour before I vomited up the charcoal pills and that Big Mac. Charcoal is black (obviously) and is supposed to absorb the bad stuff in your stomach. After a large lunch that charcoal didn't stand a chance, but it tried it's little heart out. There were fairly large chunks of black all throughout. I had used a throw-up bowl of choice and when I poured out the chunks the charcoal left a nice line of black in the bowl that had to be rinsed multiple times because it is heavy and wants to stay on the bottom.

I lost my lunch a second time that night and thought about a third. I was happy that the following day none of my kids decided to get "the sick" and so my husband (still recovering from his sick from Monday night) could manage to take care of me.

It's now Tuesday and I am still in a semi-dazed state. My memory has been wracked by what ever this is, but my mind is going 100 miles an hour. Certain synapses are firing at full speed ahead while others won't connect, so it's a very frustrating state of mind to say the least. It has led to a weekend of a false sense of feeling better yet a huge irritation to the world around me and at people that normally don't irritate me in the least. I have forgotten the most basic things like the fact that today my husband was going to take our oldest (finally) on her "birthday date" a tradition he started last year. Fortunately, with this memory lapse, my to-do list seems much shorter than it probably is.

I really hope that for the sake of the next person who used that shopping cart after I did uses one of those sanitary wipes.

Saturday

I decided to be better today! I got up, went upstairs, came back down and quickly crumpled back into bead.

Husband left around 9:30 to go pick up fertile eggs from 3 locations around our town.

While he was gone my cousin called informing us that our friend who has been struggling with Cancer and a broken back passed at 3am. My heart hurts for his wife and son that lived with and cared for him. His wife is my kid's Greek teacher and they have not had Greek class for the last 2 weeks because of our illness and his downward turn. Memory Eternal. May his soul dwell with the blessed.

I got in a nap and when hubby was done putting 158 eggs into the incubator to be hatched on Lazarus Saturday or Palm Sunday, I told him about our friend.

He told the kids and some cried. They have seen him more over the last 6 months at their house than we have. It's good, they need to see and fear death just as we all do. He told his wife in the last month or so that the only thing we can really be prepared for is death. He's so right.

After that my husband set up our nice new huge dog kennel (goat kennel) in the garage for our larger goat due to kid on April 13, but can go 10 days early or late. He visits her daily and noticed her laying down more and moaning more. Time to get our rear-in-gear and get all the things we need in order.

The phone rang a lot, the kids screamed, played and cried a lot and then it was time for church. I told one to go with hubby and the rest stayed home and took showers and cleaned up the kitchen.

When he got home he loaded the clean children into the van and drove to Fred Meyer to let them pick out their own dinners. I'm sure they just loved that. I don't think I've ever let them do that. He also got me some whole-clove garlic bread and grapes, a baby monitor to hook up to listen to the goat, and a bag of dark chocolates. He sure loves me.

I have an idea, I'll be better tomorrow!

This week

Sunday the kids were so happy to open the incubator and pull out some of the new chicks that had hatched. They are especially adorable when you hatch them yourself. Probably like when your own baby is just by far cuter than any other baby you have ever seen. It was amazing to watch and the fun should begin again this weekend with another batch. They sold them all very quickly and Papa will be taking over the sales and customer service end of things because apparently 12-yr-olds can do algebra but can't count chicks and will over sell them to your friends and family. Not as fun.

Pictures? No, of course I didn't take any pictures of the VERY FIRST BATCH OF CHICKS THE KIDS HATCHED OUT!!! That would be much too clever of me.

I've been feeling run down since last week but I had a meeting to go to with E on Tuesday night. By the time I got home I felt rotten and had a low grade fever. By the time I forced myself into bed it was a full on rough-and-tumble fever and I got out the big guns (huge polar fleece quilt) and hunkered down for the night.

Wednesday I slept all day, not a huge fever but needed to sleep. Right on through to Thursday late morning when I forced myself upstairs so my husband (now sick too) could have the morning in bed and I could get the kids to do chores and some school. I canceled the appointments I had and by 4:30 I needed a nap. Back to bed, hubbys turn. He made them spaghetti for dinner and got me some soup.

Friday I decided to get better. Sometimes that works. I got up, didn't feel like death, took a shower and then felt very tired. I got dressed went upstairs, got the kids to do some chores and school and snuck into my office where I have been neglecting customers all week. I had 8 new messages. I called back a few and hoped for message machines so I would not have to get into a long conversation with anyone. After a half hour I was done.

My brother-in-law had called earlier asking if we were better yet. Friday was Annunciation the day when Angel Gabriel comes to Mary to announce the news of carrying Christ in her womb. Because of this feast, Friday is also the only "Fish" day during Lent. I had agreed for the first time in our marriage to go out to sushi with my husband and so my brother-in-law wanted to bring my sister to try some out too. I said, "I'll try to feel better by then, I could take a Tylenol and we could try!" But at around 1:00 he called and said they wouldn't go, so I was relieved and ready to go back to bed. Hubby immediately went and picked two nice big salmon fillets out of the freezer and put them in the sink to thaw.

I got into bed, read some blogs and woke up 4 hours later having missed my friend coming over to say hi. (Sorry Jessie!!!!) I don't feel great but I felt like writing what is probably the lamest most boring blog ever!

I just hate being sick, fortunately I'm not sick a lot. As you can see I have a wonderful husband that takes good care of me when I am.


2010 meat chicks and pretty cute er rag-a-muffin gang



Whining and itching and spring, oh my

Warning: This post contains an unusual amount of whining. While not saying that I don't usually whine, I'm saying there is more than normal.

I used to eat a lot of fruit one of my favorites was bananas.

In the last 10 years I have stumbled on a food allergy to them (and other fruit). It stinks!

My mouth gets itchy, stating at the roof of my mouth and working it's way down. Then my chin and my throat and neck and even my ears. I had to try again today, so I took an one inch piece and ate it and sure enough about 4 minutes later it started.

~sigh~ Woe is me.

Sus has her fever back today but oldest boy is better. The other kids seem fine, but I've been feeling fuzzy headed and yucky for the last couple of days. We have not been sick much this winter, so that's been nice, I guess it's our time now.

On a lighter note, my husband is currently building a permanent brooding box for chicks. The incubator has been closed up and in 5 days we can open it again. Hopefully the chicks will hatch and live and the kids will have some cute fluffy balls to sell to me and to our friends.

Also the sun is out a lot now, it's been so nice to have so much light! It's still chilly-ish, but slowly but surely melting the snow.

Our larger goat is due with kids April 13, but we're getting her garage "area" set up so she can kid inside. We splurged on a nice moveable dog kennel so we can set it up in there with straw. Our other one got her blood drawn yesterday so that I can send it in to get a pregnancy test. We think she's not pregnant still. :p

Things are busy, I feel crappy, but life is good.

oh, bananas, how I'd go bananas to eat you again

Happy to sick to happy

This morning I woke like most mornings to the chipper sound of a 2-yr-old saying, "mama can I drink your water?" "mama I have to go potty, I want to go on YOUR potty!" "mama, can you make me some cereal?"

Her talking quickly turned into whining and more whining, and finally crying and lots of crying. "Mama, I want to snuggle with you on the couch, mama, hold me, mama I want the horsey song." Argh, what's up??

Then my 10-yr-old says, "Mama, I don't feel good." and in my current state of frustration I said, "Fine, just go back to bed then!"

I realized at this point something was awry.

I decided to take a mental chill pill. I didn't have any big plans today, I did have time to hold a sick daughter. My son came out later with a gigantic head ache and had him take one Tylenol. They both had a nap or two or three, I let them watch some movies and we had a very calm day all in all.

It's now midnight and my 2-year-old is feeling much better. Starting back into her whiny talk, but talking again not just sleeping and wheazing. She keeps coming into my room saying, "mama, I need a book" "mama, can I drink your water" "mama, I want some apple" "mama, can I sleep with you" "mama can I pee in your potty?"

Hopefully she'll go to sleep eventually.

Her horsey song.