I'd thought my sinuses had cleared up, but they relapsed with quite a vengeance. Just in time to fly across the country.
The return trip was longer, Daniel was screamier, and I was just about going mad with unbreakable fever and chills (and, um, cramps). I didn't have the foggiest idea why at the time, but my earsdrums felt like they were being punctured with knitting needles on the descents (apparently my Eustachian tubes were blocked, creating an inability to equalize pressure properly and a chance of rupture, yay). Two days later and they still don't sound or feel up to snuff.
So somewhere over South Dakota, I'd reckon, and a couple of hours after our flight reached Minneapolis late and we sprinted once again from concourse G to F just in time to board, Daniel threw another crimson supersonic fit, and I became a fevery/achey/snotty/crampy/bawling mess. And we were at the rear of the plane, where everyone was hanging out for the bathrooms, so I was a public spectacle, to boot. Woot!
And, after all this, I'd forgotten that I'd grabbed D's car key out of the security pan in Detroit, and put it in my wallet for safekeeping. So when he finally made it out to the car from Lot BFE... yeah. I must've looked like some strung-out crack whore mom splayed out for an hour in my departure room chair, because a security guard, rather meaningfully, asked if I was okay.
We've entertained fleeting thoughts of moving back to Michigan from time to time. I'll consider this my reminder from Mother Nature of just exactly how unhealthy my respiratory tract was there. 10/31/05 12:21 PM|Comments
Ughughughugh. We're all sick. At least Daniel is acting completely himself, and will still eat and drink (the problem is all down south, uck). D. has something akin to mild food poisoning, and I've got my typical plane-induced fevery sinus goop. So, as you can imagine, we're having a great time.
Luckily I was granted with the strange foresight to book us a studio suite with a kitchen, so we can keep hot soup and cold Pedialyte on hand. 10/27/05 08:55 AM|Comments
October 25, 2005
You Don't Want to Miss... ...D's phone photos. I wish I could get mine to ever turn out that clear. 10/25/05 04:32 AM|Comments
October 24, 2005
Okay... ...so. When you're in a hotel, and you put out the "Do Not Disturb" sign... wouldn't you think that that should be taken, well, literally?
Yes, housekeeping knocked on the door (at least that's what I believe I remember through my SLEEPY daze). When they didn't get an answer, they called.
Adieu Leaving for Detroit tomorrow, early. Flying out from Sacramento (a much friendlier airport than any 'round here, with a bub). Gone for a week, though I'll probably poke in from time to time. Wish us luck! 10/21/05 04:46 PM|Comments
October 20, 2005
I Rawk Not necessarily the easiest credit ever earned, considering the bub, and all the projects - but certainly made under less duress than the two job, twelve credit, organic chemistry days... 10/20/05 06:53 PM|Comments
October 19, 2005
That Spells Relief Finally - finally! - real cloudy days. So I can have the patio blinds open, and see hummingbirds enjoying the morning glory vine more than even I do.
Seriously, I feel like I've been half-blind since April, and just had my sight restored. 10/19/05 10:02 AM|Comments
If You Build It... Some folks in our neighborhood are taking this Halloween stuff pretty seriously - they turned part of their garage into a three-dimensional "haunted house." It looks a little more impressive than myphotos represent.
So far we've got our orange and purple lights hung, and a big spider's web. I was going to create a giant reuse spider, but I didn't collect enough paper towel rolls in time. I may still make it after the fact, and post it for next year, though. I did just staple gun a cat made of a Lean Cuisine tray to the siding, though - I suppose I'll take pictures at dusk.
For Halloween night, I'm giving little snack-sized zip bags with ghost stickers, Nerds, and Dum-Dums/Mini Tootsie Roll Pops. Even moms and dads get treat samples - pumpkin or apple mini muffins, and a wee cup of cappuccino (assuming I can find small cups for hot liquids). 10/18/05 12:57 PM|Comments
October 14, 2005
Misc. Meh My IE toolbars won't stay configured. It's DRIVING me MAD. Yes, I'm still using IE - I hate FF, even though it means I'm doomed to infiltration by the enemy. Just like not using a Mac means coolness will forever evade me.
<intentionally vague>
Your duplicitous login habits are creating a conflict of interest for yours truly. Please, I beg you (all) to cease and desist. Virgos can only lie through omission for so many months before they implode.
</intentionally vague>
Natural Order I couldn't remember the name of the nearest party store chain, so I (rather inadequately, I know) searched for "party."
The results made me so much happier than those intended. Hee.
Related, I voted last night. The eighty pages of analysis made my head hurt. Or at least the twelve that I actually read. Measure M was the real beast. Good thing about permanent absentee voting - it goes well with rum. 10/14/05 09:57 AM|Comments
October 12, 2005
Fourteen Tomorrow Daniel is fourteen months old.
He's suddenly walking much, much more. This morning he'd managed to grab one of my new (still empty) travel bottles off the bedroom vanity, and staggered around while "drinking" it, so much like a tiny pyjamaed drunk.
Pants that were too big a month ago are suddenly showing ankle. A baby, I've read, can grow as much as half a centimeter overnight. I think he's doing this every night, which is where he puts all the eggs Florentine and Gerb*r Puffs.
Last night he slept through again. For the most part, he's only been waking once a night, going back to sleep easily. This morning I had a good half hour to myself before he woke up, bliss. While transitioning to the crib has been pretty painless, I don't at all begrudge him the months we co-slept - it was the best thing for both of us at the time. 10/12/05 10:05 AM|Comments
October 10, 2005
The One Thing Brown *Can* Do... ...better than USPS is deliver on stupid non-holidays that p**s me off.
Hole in the Wall Luckily we've no shortage of storage in our townhome. In fact, we'd even have quite a surpus if I could just get my act in gear and do some serious reorganization (read: if I could lend out the bub for a weekend, as he likes to "help" when I undertake big projects).
The cubby that has my focus at the moment lives in the dining area beneath the tile kitchen bar. It's basically an unfinished hole with a nice door, taking advantage of the space where the kitchen cupboards make an otherwise useless corner. Someone threw together a rough shelf of particleboard, and this is where I'm re-building our emergency stockpile. We do, as I'd rather forget, live near a major fault line. Add in the various other international and biological threats, and that makes a good case for some basic preparedness.
So far it only contains:
9 gallons of drinking water
4 nutrition bars
3 cans of soup
1 can of fruit
A few dry milk packets
Will be adding, in short order:
More bars
A backpacking stove and fuel tabs
A hand-crank AM/FM/shortwave radio/light
We tend to keep the pantry and cupboards well-stocked with rice, cereals, pasta, fruits, snacks etc., too. And our water cooler has a three-gallon jug, so there's that. And we've got a decent stock of first-aid supplies. And drugs. Of course.
We should probably keep a pile of firewood, too. Our half-dozen recycled "logs" probably wouldn't cut it in a real mid-winter outage. 10/10/05 02:37 PM|Comments
October 08, 2005
Better with Age So bizarre.
For the first few months of owning our new phones, the batteries had to be charged almost daily. And we barely use them, so, frustration.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I realized that I hadn't charged up in a few days - and my battery indicator was still full! It went on that way for a good week. Then D's phone began to follow suit. And now the batteries act seemingly, well... normal.
Warm Gooey Cinnamon Fall Last night I made this baked oatmeal for dinner, with chopped Granny Smiths. So easy and warm and good, and of course it smells heavenly in the oven. Thanks, Stef! 10/04/05 07:16 AM|Comments
