Down and Out

 The smoke was so bad in Seattle last week from all the wildfires. So many people had sore throats. 

 

 On Wednesday I visited a friend in the hospital. It was a little strange because I was able to walk right into the hospital. I was wearing a mask but no one stopped to ask me covid questions or give me a visitor's badge. I just went right to the elevator, and right into his room! That's the first time that's happened since before covid hit.

 

I ran to a few stores to get stickers for the Trunk and Treat happening this coming weekend. I figured Target or at least The Party Store would have Winnie the Pooh stickers but not one store did, and I went to four different stores! So many of the shelves were empty. I ended up just buying them on-line.

 

 Thursday after work Beth and I went to the grocery store. By that point my throat was feeling tight. It didn't hurt, just felt... constricted. I figured it was due to the smoke.

 

 By the time I went to bed that night my head was sloshy. That's the only word I can think of that describes what I was feeling. I didn't feel bad, nothing hurt, just didn't feel... right. And by the next morning I had a stuffy nose, I was coughing and my throat hurt. I ended up staying home from work that day and have been home every day since.

 

I took a couple of covid tests over the weekend but both were negative. No fever, no chills, just a good old-fashioned head cold. I've been sleeping in my recliner so I don't keep Chuck awake with all the coughing. Going through a ton of kleenex. I don't remember the last time I was sick. It's been many years.

 

Hoping this is over soon so I can get back to work and back to life. In the meantime I'm watching a lot of Christmas movies and drinking a lot of tea! I hope you're doing well!

Random Stuff

I've been in a funk the last few days. I think it's due to stress and so much responsibility on my shoulders right now. I know you've been there too, when you can't turn your thoughts off and you're waking up in the middle of the night thinking of all the things you have to do or trying to remember if you did everything you were supposed to do... and I hate feeling this way during this time of year!

Beth has been home sick all week. I think it's just a cold, there's no fever, she's just really congested.

There are 4 staff members at work who have had the stomach flu this week. The rest of us are using disinfecting wipes everywhere!

I thought our washing machine broke a few weeks ago. After doing a load the laundry room floor was flooded! I took the rug outside and mopped up the mess. We didn't use it for a week and then one afternoon when Chuck was home I laid out a bunch of towels and did a small load.

No water.

Then I did a medium load and then a large and there was no water on the floor! I have no idea what caused it before but I'm so thankful it's still working! It's really old, we bought it about 15 years ago but it's still going strong!

I just looked through my camera to see if I have pictures I could post but they're all of work! Crooked doors, a big event last week, part of a shelving unit I want to replace...     

Chuck continues to do well with his new diet. He saw the nutritionist on Monday and now he's able to eat soft foods like applesauce, soft scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, etc. His clothes are looking really baggy on him!

Are you doing okay? I hope things are going well for you and your families.  

The Sniffles

Allie spent the night last night. She's had a cold for a few days now and Sharaya and Diana wanted to go to a movie. (They saw How To Be Single. Said it was terrible.)

Last night we had some dinner and watched lots of TV. Peppa Pig to be exact. That girl loves her Peppa!  :)

I set up the couch with her sheets and blankets but when she came in she asked to sleep on the love seat instead. I thought it was a little small for her but she insisted it would work! So I put a lot of pillows on the floor beside it just in case she fell off in the middle of the night. (She didn't!)

I gave her some cold medicine right after dinner and at 8:00 she fell right to sleep. I heard her coughing around 6:30am and got up to give her more medicine. I was glad she fell back to sleep! She ended up sleeping more than 12 hours! The poor girl has such a stuffy nose and she's been coughing... The medicine is helping though.

I gave her a bubble bath today, washed her hair, then we snuggled on the couch and read a few books. I closed all the blinds and had her lay down on the love seat to rest, but she's been asleep now for almost 2 hours! One tired girl. It's no fun being sick!

Went To The Doctor Yesterday

I'm the kind of person that only goes to the doctor under certain circumstances. I know people who go to the doctor the first time they cough or sneeze, but I'm not one of them.

I was 5 months pregnant with Diana before I went to the doctor for the first time. I knew I was pregnant right away; I took a home pregnancy test and it confirmed it; I had gone through the typical (for me) morning sickness; I could feel the baby kick... she was my third and I knew what to expect and I knew there was nothing out of the ordinary that required me going to the doctor. I'm just that kind of person.

Having said that, I decided to take Beth to the doctor yesterday. She had a stuffy nose last week and began to blow her nose, a lot. That girl can go through a box a tissues a day! We pumped her full of EmergenC, Daytime and Nighttime medicine, but she wasn't getting better. This cold was hangin' on.

She wasn't achy, didn't have a headache or fever, just a stuffy nose and "a weird voice" to quote Beth as she talked with the doctor yesterday. :)

The doctor, or Physicians Assistant said that she might, just might have a sinus infection. But maybe not. Either way, whatever it was, she's had it for too long. So she put her on antibiotics. Beth seems to be feeling a little better and is still blowing her nose today, but not as often. I'm hoping she'll be able to go volunteer at the school tomorrow.

She's only left the house once in the last week and that was for Allison's birthday party. But for the most part she stayed in the dining room, away from everyone else.

  

She's 4!!

 

 

 Happy Birthday to yooouuu!!!

 

48 Hours

Chuck is getting ready to put the turkey in the oven (I love that I married a man who likes to cook!) and I've been dragging Christmas decorations out of the garage. For the last 17 years, Thanksgiving and the start of Christmas have sort of blended into the same weekend.

Thursday was a long, exhausting day but it. is. so. much. fun! Chuck and I arrived at 8 AM, got our name badges and gave each other a kiss. We barely saw each other for the rest of the day. He drives for the transportation crew and I am in the condiment area. I learned something new on Thursday.

I learned that it takes 4 people about 45-60 minutes to open, score, cut, plate and tray 43 pies. We served 1,296 pieces of pie that day! Along with the cranberry sause, pickles, black olives and rolls. I had a team of 12 people that were amazing! They worked so hard, bent over tables cutting and pouring and scooping. It was 6 PM when we cleaned up and walked gingerly on very sore feet out to the car. Chuck was just getting ready to take the last shuttle load of guests home.

There are a total of 500 volunteers that take family photos, work in the clothing bank, prepare appetizers, mash the potatoes and provide transportation. And everything is free. I am SO grateful to be a part of a church body that gives so willing each year.

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Last weekend Beth cought a cold. She stayed home all week, missing all of her activities and yes, even Thanksgiving. She was so dissappointed and we felt horrible for her! After getting her food handlers card, she was so excited about helping. Instead she spent the day in bed. :(

She has now developed a cough so I took her to the doctor yesterday. She is at the beginning stages of broncitis and is now on antibiotics. Not the best Thanksgiving she's ever had.

Today the kids are coming over and we'll be having our turkey dinner.... and decorating for Christmas.

Hope you all are having a great Thanksgiving weekend!

FREEEEDOOOOOMMM!!!!!

Okay, so this isn't as dramatic as Mel Gibson yelling it as William Wallace in Braveheart, but it is. somewhat. exciting. I am on day three of a two week vacation! We're not going anywhere so there are no suitcases to pack, no airlines to catch, no shuttles to take. The only thing I plan to do in the next two weeks is sleep in, read books, watch movies, play on the computer.

But day three.... and I'm sick. Very stuffy nose, puffy eyes, headache, sneezing. Yuck.

I guess I should be grateful -

I don't have toddlers to chase
I'm not losing pay over this
I'm not leaving my co-workers stranded
My kids are old enough to care for themselves
We have nice weather this week

So... yay me!
Thank you for allowing me this pity party. :)

Panic Mode

I'm one of those people that tend to panic in an emergency.  Adrenaline flows, my heart pounds, I talk faster and walk faster. That's what happened today when the assistant called from the bowling alley to tell me Beth was laying on the floor crying and did I happen to know what might be wrong?

I did know. Beth had called me at work right after she got on the bus (of course) to tell me her stomach hurt. I prayed with her and told her to call me after she got to the bowling alley. She was on the bus, there was nothing I could do anyway. When she didn't call, I figured everything was okay. Until the assistant called. The bowling alley is filled with about 150 kids practicing for Special Olympics. I kept thinking about Beth laying on the floor in the middle of all the noise and chaos. My heart ached.

I talked to her and she said she felt like she was gonna be sick. I told her to go into the bathroom, lean over the toilet and I'd be there as soon as I could. I work about 12 - 15 minutes from the bowling alley. I was there in 10.

I guess it was a good thing she waited until I got there to get sick. Boy did she get sick. I will save you from all the details. It was kind of funny to hear all the kids coming into the bathroom. They didn't hold back at all! "It stinks in here!" "Oh man! What smells?" "Wasn't me. Mine don't smell like that." Beth and I were in a tiny stall with the door locked so I said, "Someone got sick." One of the girls said, "Oh. That's why." Too funny.

Another assistant brought in Beth's purse and bowling ball. She still had on her bowling shoes so we had to change those then we slowly headed out to the car. I had some plastic bags that I put in her lap, just in case! (I also had to have her sit on a plastic bag and wished I had some extra undies in my purse, but that's all I will say about that.)

Got her home and had Diana call DART to tell them to cancel her ride and that I had brought her home. While she was talking to them, the bus driver called my cell asking me to confirm that I did indeed have Beth. All of this while I was hand washing clothes and getting Beth settled on the couch. I was thankful they wanted confirmation. Too many kids fall through the cracks on stuff like that.

So now Beth is settled on the couch watching the Disney Channel. She is sipping her Sprite and nibbling on crackers. Tomorrow is my day off so I'll be able to stay home with her. It was scary. I kinda wonder where the adults were who let her actually lay down on the floor. I wonder if anyone helped her up and to the bathroom. I guess they aren't as supervised as I thought they were. I don't know, with so many kids, maybe they were overwhelmed. And Beth doesn't like to talk to people. She's very shy and holds things in.

Oh well, I guess it went okay considering. She's home now, safe and comfy on the couch. And I think I'm past the panic mode.