I Like Tuesdays

I like that they are not Mondays, and that there is a template for blogging on this day.  Should one choose to follow it, there is the "ten on Tuesdays."  I never link it to the hub I got it from, but I dig being able to just clear my head in a simple list..  And one I don't have to pack or toss in the recycling.

1.  We leave here in about two weeks and two days.  HOLY SHEEEEEET.  We really seem to be in good shape.  Have a huge packed box wall in the garage, moving appointments mostly made; a researched route full of emergency stops in case kid and/or dogs are troublesome; starting to deep clean things; and a husband who has all next week off (burning leave). 

When I think about last year...Joe leaving two weeks ahead of us and all that followed, it makes me think that knocking it out together and then one big drive might not be so bad.  Last year was all flying my kid out and then coming back and driving cross-country with dogs.  And that was after a week of VERY little sleep and crazy packing/cleaning.  Yeah, this might be better.  And upon its completion, may we friggin' stay put for a while.

2.  I only got two runs in last week and only one strength training session.  Bummer.  I got up and ran this morning while Joe was still home and before Maddie got up.  It was horrific.  Had to stop and walk after just a mile.  Went about 2.5 total.  I am not a morning runner, and evenings are kind of tough to do now.  I'm trying to just accept that things are going to be a little more difficult until the move is over.  Packing and cleaning on top of all my regular stuff is a challenge.

3.  I am officially a few pounds lighter than I was just before I got pregnant with Maddie.  I made it.  And somehow I've maintained even in an absence of exercise (though I guess packing, lugging boxes around, and cleaning is still a form of exercise).  I dunno if I maybe consciously eat less when I'm not formally exercising, though I always eat sweets.  Probably daily.  I do wonder if it's because the majority of all else I eat is not or hardly at all processed.  I wonder if my body can just handle it better without so many chemicals, etc?  Purer fuel?  I dunno.  We also kind of cut out carbs at dinner - usually just a giant amount of veggies and a protein.  Not always just what you're eating but also when you're eating it.  Further, I've decided that I'm probably not eating enough breakfast, as I'm starving by lunch, so today along with my protein (egg) and carb (homemade spelt muffin), I added a kale smoothie.  Aside from the kale, it contained strawberries, blueberries, banana, almond milk, wallaby greek yogurt (more protein and without a bunch of sugar!!), and honey.  It was pretty good, and kept me filled up.  I even have a tiny bit left over for a snack.  Success.

4.  If anyone reading this watches What Would Ryan Lochte Do?....Chantae is my sister's childhood friend.  She was in her wedding.  I had no idea she knew Ryan Lochte until a few weeks ago when I was watching the show.  Worlds colliding.  Boom.

5.  I'm seriously enjoying my kid more and more these days.  For a while I really thought that maybe I wasn't meant to be a mother and that I should not have any more kids.  Toddler rage will seriously make you doubt yourself.  Thank god, she's chilling out (for now).  And I love "talking" with her."

6.  I think I need to start drinking more.  It just sort of fizzled out.  Or, maybe I need to just have another coffee and keep fucking going.

7.  I need new, smaller pants now.  Realizing that where we're moving to, I can just pop across town (to most likely Express) and buy some (vs ordering them online) nearly sent me into a happy frenzy.  Am I a city girl? 

8.  Found an amazing german restaurant here.  I wish I could take it with us.  I intend to eat there at least once more before we move.  Onion cream schnitzel with spatzle (I can make spatzle, btw) is.my.JAM.

9.  What shall I pack today??

10. Time to go water what is becoming our luscious green grass.  Watering for three hours a day can render some nice grass in the desert.  Can't wait for the water bill.  Also, our lease is through July, though another tenant can move in as soon as we're out, and then we are no longer responsible for this place.  Alas, if one does not, how the hell are we going to keep the grass watered from MO?  Can you hire a grass-waterer?  A google search more or less said no...

Another Ten on Another Tuesday

1.  I dreamed about growing grass last night, amongst other things having to do with the move.  We're just about three weeks out, and the stress is picking up a bit.  And bleeding into my dreams.

2.  I just got done watering the grass.  We water it three times a fucking day.  FUCK YOU, ARIZONA.

3.  I have a Parents as Teachers appt in 45 minutes.  I should not be on here. 

4.  I need to pack a box.  I pulled shit out the cabinets and set it on the floor to pack.  I have to do it.  Because if I don't, Maddie will slice herself open with my food processor blades I have out.  That'll get you packing.  Put dangerous shit in every pile. 

5.  My dad wasn't mad that I didn't call on his birthday.  I know you were worried.

6.  My kid now says a bunch of words.  Yeah, I'm sure that's thrilling, but when you start thinking you gave birth to a mute, it's reassuring to have "a cup" repeated. every time you have a morning coffee.  Other words include moon, bird, book, rock, bad (dog), boo, OHHHHHHH (think Spongebob intro), dada, outside, boo, shit, no, nah. 

7.  I started back exercising yesterday after over two weeks of not.  I hurt my peroneal tendon on my right foot and then got an acute upper respiratory infection.  I thought I'd go back down to sea level after stud running in Arizona and be awesome, running like a goddamn gazelle.  Might even have been near a half marathon by now.  Instead, I'll try to run two miles tonight without dying.  Life is a bitch.  Note:  it's harder to run here because of the elevation and dry air.  So training in Arizona = beating ass in Missouri.  If you don't have to keep restarting....

8.  If I don't eat at the German Cafe before we leave here, I'm going to have a meltdown.  I want schnitzel. 

9.  Lord, please let Maddie be cool for the 30 hours we're going to spend alone in the car together...with the dogs. 

10. Lord, please let me stay cool for the 30 hours I'm going to be alone in the car with my kid and dogs.  

*Thoughts and prayers to Oklahoma.  Heartbreaking...

59

I FUCKING FORGOT TO CALL MY DAD FOR HIS BIRTHDAY.  HIS LAST BIRTHDAY IN HIS FIFTIES.  OH DAMN IT. 

I didn't actually forget.  I thought about it this morning, and then this afternoon.  I planned to call him this evening, but then....oops, I looked up...and it's TEN O'CLOCK.  Which is a wee 1am, May 19th in Missouri.  And no longer David's birthday. 

Well.  I at least sent him a card.  And I'm sure the other daughter remembered to call, as well as the step-siblings.  But not me, his first born.

Mmkay.  I'm going to go throw up and go to bed.

Remember to call your parents on their birthdays.  Unless it's a thing that y'all don't talk.  Then don't.  But do otherwise.  AND MAYBE HAVE A SPOUSE THAT REMINDS YOU LIKE YOU REMIND THEM.  UGGH.  Awful, awful, awful. 

Ten on Tuesday

1.  Nap time is almost over.  Sadness.  But I love her.  But sadness.  She's really freaking cute, though.  When she's not doing this insane scream/moan.  Awful.

2.  I spent most of the nap scrubbing the eyes...err...eyelettes...whatever that part of the gas stove is.  I got my non-toxic "Scour Off" (by Shaklee) in the mail today and wanted to try it.  I think it did pretty good, but I didn't try to clean those parts with anything else first.  It was old ass burned on crud, though.  I used an SOS pad with the Scour Off...which is an abrasive paste.  I got them pretty clean, along with the inside of the oven door.

3.  I'm obsessed with getting shit done for the move, hence #2 on this list.  Anything I can get done ahead of time, I'm trying to do, which is not my norm, but very satisfying.  I want to get out of here.  Bad.  I've never wanted to leave somewhere as much as I want to leave Sierra Vista, Arizona.  Fuck.this.place.

4.  Maddie's up.

5.  I still need to go water the goddamn grass.  Well.  The grass we're trying to grow.  In GA, the grass came back after winter.  It actually never really left.  Here it left.  We don't know what we're doing, but our lease says we have to maintain grass.  So we planted some friggin' grass.  Summer grass.  Not to be confused with the kind you plant in winter here.  Because that would be rye.  Thankfully we planted bermuda.  I wish I didn't have to know this.

6.  This is boring.

7.  We're having fish for dinner.  Fish a legally blind man catches in Alaska and sells throughout Idaho and Arizona.  In fact, last week was his last week at the farmer's market.  I was $7 short (he doesn't take cards), but he told me to not to worry, though I said I'd put a fillet back.  I still feel guilty.  A blind, fish-catching man, and I stiffed him $7 that I won't ever be able to repay.  Oh well.

8.  Mother's Day sucked.  I got a Kindle Fire a few days prior to MD, which I think was Joe's way of buying me off.  I woke up to him being disgruntled over Halo, nothing straightened up in the kitchen and no breakfast.  The kindle is cool, but I'll take nice actions over a gift anytime.  Especially if it allows me to relax on FUCKING MOTHER'S DAY.

9.  My hands feel like sand paper.

10.  I have to go water the grass stubble now.  Cheers.

Seven Boxes

Four more whole weeks. Fifth week is moving week.

- Seven whole boxes already packed.

- Two boxes repacked after being stored since Georgia.

-Grass planted in back and even growing some.

-Front tree trimmed.

-Fridge grill/kick plate cleaned and behind fridge cleaned.

-Huge stack of Joe's papers sorted.

A solid start, may it continue!!!

When A Mother Gets Ill

And not the angry way.  I mean straight up sick.  It sucks.  But, if in the end you get codeine cough syrup, it can get better.  I already took mine for the evening, so this will be a race against time.

Toward the end of last week, I acquired what I thought was a regular ol' sinus infection from the wonderful blowing dust that's prevalent here.  As the man from Houston, Texas, that I ran into at the airport a few weekend's ago said, "I don't know why anyone would want to live here."  But that's beside the point.  I spent the weekend doing my normal sinus infection routine to no avail.  And my throat was on.fucking.fire, along with a deep wet cough that I couldn't get to be productive despite staying up nights trying.  I finally noticed the blisters (on my throat) Sunday night, and by yesterday (Monday) morning, I was at urgent care.

As I write this, I'm growing more foggy and realize I don't really know what the actual points I'm driving home are.  But it goes on, so here we go:

The urgent care doc loaded me up.  After working at the psych hospital, I assume when high pain is mentioned (my throat), the doc is either going to think I'm med-seeking or that I want to kill myself.  Luckily, Doc Taylor just thought I was fucking sick.  Acute respiratory infection sick.  So he ordered a steroid shot, which a nice, seemingly gay hispanic young man administered.  As I bent over so he could give it to me, I found him saying something to the effect of "I have a light hand; if it hurts, you can slap me."  And then after the shot, while he was rubbing on the shot site or whatever was happening back there, I found myself saying, "No, your stick was good.  It just burns a little now that you've pulled it out."  I dunno.  It all seemed so...sexy?  And then I got all my amazing prescriptions.  Even sexier.

So anyway.  I eventually left, got my goodies at the pharmacy, and went home.  Upon my arrival to casa de Mulia, I found my husband literally jumping up to go to work.  By this time, I was shivering from fever, realized there was no food in the house, and...well let me spare you.  There were tears, a disagreement, a quick trip to the Dollar Store (it's the closest) for soup.  Joe eventually left, though not at his desired pace.  I fed Maddie the lunch that Joe (un?)willingly prepared before his departure.  Then I fed myself so that I could stomach my new meds.  Soon after she ate, I whisked Maddie to bed for her nap and allowed myself to go into full sick mode.

During the nap, a couple things happened that I'm really not proud of.  While hallucinating (Bobby Brown and carnivals) in a super hot bath (it's how I draw out the fever), I had to pee.  I had seriously been in and out of consciousness, having told myself that I'm a light sleeper and that if I go under water I'll probably wake up.  Having to pee helped.  But I really felt like I couldn't physically get out of the tub.  I couldn't fathom the coldness of getting out at that point.  I thought about peeing in the water, but then I'd have to drain the tub because I wasn't that sick.  I needed something to pee in.  And I found it - an empty Suave bottle with a slightly larger opening than most shampoos.  Yes, I would go on to pee in it twice, nearly filling it (22.5oz bottle).  I take my hydration seriously.  Only when I was sweating and thought things were getting borderline dangerous did I get out of the tub.

Once out, I put on a tank top and underwear, turned the air down in the house, and laid on the bed, waiting for the fever to seep out of me.  Alas, after only half an hour, the dogs started barking.  WHAT THE FUCK.  In a flash I was in the living room, half out of it, whisper-yelling and whacking dogs to shut the fuck up.  There is no barking during nap time, god damn it, especially not when mama's sick.  I then laid back down.  More barking, more beating.  Until I saw a dude walking away from the front door.  I assumed it was another city worker living me a notice about the street sealing starting this week, but to be sure, I thought I'd go ahead and close the garage door.  Pantsless still, I popped open the door to the garage so I could quickly hit the button, and who do I see but our big handyman, Marty, standing in the driving.  Yeah.  Pretty sure he saw me.  Since, ya know, he was looking right at me.  Unashamed, I quickly shut the door, threw on a robe and dealt with Marty and his damn work order that he chose to execute that day.

By that time, Maddie was up, and sick mode was done.  I hung on until Joe got home and then pretty much crawled into bed after telling him he had to do everything and that I was sorry.  Later I took my codeine cough syrup and passed out.  Four hours later I woke up and took more (like the bottle says I can).  Maybe that was when I realized I was soaked.  I dunno.  But my fever broke.  I moved to a dry spot in the bed and went back to sleep. 

This morning I woke up groggy but better.  Well enough for Joe not to stay home another morning.  And I jumped right back in it.  I've written about it before, but isn't that the bitch of illnesses sometimes?  You work so hard to get better - piss in bottles, let a handyman see you without pants (or a bra) on, all so you can get back to all the shit you normally have to do.  And to top it off, YOU'RE NOW BEHIND.  So yeah.  In a haze, Maddie and I made it through the day.  And I'll get up and jump right back into it again tomorrow. 

Oh - the sheets I sweat (sweated?) all over last night are still on the bed because who has time to change sheets after missing a whole day of mom work?  Not me.