Hack, Hack, Hack...

No. That is not a commentary on my writing abilities (or anyone elses). That is the sound I'm making as I sit here coughing up a lung. For those of you who didn't know, I have the lungs of an 80 year old smoker even though I've never been a smoker or even dated one. (Well okay maybe I dated one once, but we won't go there). Due to horrific childhood asthma that almost killed me and my yearly (sometimes twice yearly) bouts of pneumonia my lungs suck badly. So whenever I get sick even with a minor head cold, it tends to migrate south and lodge in my chest. So here I sit, in my jammies (they are really cute though), messy curls, and pink cheeks (thanks to the fever). No one is home, Mike & Sean had a camp out and Bobby has homecoming. I had to make my own tea!!! And even my cats are avoiding me.

I was supposed to go to Springfield today to my folks house. My sister & her fam are in town from Ohio. And my uncle is in town from Phoenix. But I woke up this morning feeling lousy (and as my hubby proceeded to tell me when he popped into the house for all of 5 minutes, looking like death- not the warmed over kind, but the kind that's been in the fridge for a few days. Thank you dear, for your support!) So since her girls had just gotten over being sick I decided to not go and re-infect them. So I called her:

My sis: You sound like crap.

Me: Oh good because that's what I feel like. Don't you hate it when you feel like crap and you sound amazing? *Insert hacking cough here*

My sis: So you aren't coming, right? Because the girls just got better.

Me: No, I'll spare you my Ebola. But I really wanted to see you.

My sis: You can always come visit. I mean, you can write at my house.

Me: Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Except that Sean had to go and get himself a life now so I'll probably have to come alone.

My sis: Damn teenagers. So selfish.

Me: I know right?! Their growing up is seriously cutting into their "keeping mom entertained" time. I have to amuse myself now. It's ridiculous. I mean isn't this why we had kids? So we'd have something to do?

My sis: So you're going to the doctor right?

Me: (a bit muddled) Because the kids are growing up? I don't think there's much they can do. *insert another hacking cough*

My sis: Noooo. Because of that cough.

Me: no. It'll go away if I rest today. I had it on Tuesday, so I rested and I felt better the rest of the week.

My sis: But you didn't have a fever on Tuesday. I remember you telling me that.
(It's hard to believe she's my baby sister isn't it? I mean, she's such a mom.)

Me: It's Saturday. There's no doctors. (Which isn't strictly true, but close enough).

My sis: Well on Monday, then.

Me: Sure. If I still have a fever and am hacking up a lung.

My sis: *sighs* Okay. Want to talk to mom?

Me: Nope. I talked to her yesterday. You can pass along the message. Love you.

My sis: Gee thanks. Love you too.

I'm hoping I feel better tomorrow so that I can go see Zombieland with Sean. And eat chinese. Because I love chinese food. And Molly saw the midnight showing of Zombieland (wench) and said it rocked.

And if you're wondering...the whole homecoming football thing? Yeah...it sucked. It was sleeting!!! We froze (even though I wore gloves and brought blankets) through the first half (in which our team got slaughtered. I mean slaughtered. Like 27 to 0. And the other team...all their senior players got suspended last week so they weren't even there. I told you our team sucked.) Then we did the walk out on the field and it wasn't bad mentally. Physically, it was brutal. Even Bobby was so cold he was shaking. I think it's the first year I've seen the homecoming court candidates standing there in gloves and hats and coats.

Here's a pic:



He didn't win, but thankfully, he didn't care. And then we all came home and got warm. I'm pretty sure the whole freezing and soaked to the skin thing accounts for the lung issue today. But you do what you gotta do, right?

Tea, tissues & cough drops,
♥Spot

Home again. Home again. Jiggety jig.

Remember that nursery rhyme? No matter. I've just been remembering nursery rhymes lately. My son and I were rearranging them in the car. Into "slightly stoned" nursery rhymes. No. Neither of us smokes pot. We just know people who do and found the game slightly amusing. Helped pass those eight long hours of drive time. =] The trip went well. I'm so glad my children can drive now. And my daughter has made that trip with me so many times that she has it down. I can slide into the backseat and catch a few hours of shut eye while she takes the wheel. My son declined to drive, he really isn't a big fan of driving, but he's a good passenger. Keeps up a lively conversation to ensure the drivers wakefulness.

All in all it was a good trip. Any time I get to spend with my sister is good. Our closeness was a long time coming. We were close as children, since there were only the two of us, and we moved so frequently that sometimes we were each others only friend. But after I left home when she was only ten, it kind of got rocky. I wasn't there for her formative years and it seemed that the family closed ranks, with me on the outside looking in. After that, we were always at such different points in our lives, it was hard to find common ground. It's only been the last 4 or 5 years I'd call us close again, with the last 2 really cementing the bond. And I adore her girls. Not that they don't have their faults, whose kids don't? But on the whole, she's raising wonderful, loving children. And I like my kids being able to interact with their cousins. We always had a whole gang of cousins we were lucky enough to spend time with nearly every summer.

Mostly, I didn't think about my surgery too much. Except that the cyst has decided to give me pain. Now, nervous as I am about surgery...I'm welcoming it. I just want this invader gone so i can get back to my life. I hate having to cancel plans because of pain. It makes me feel like a weenie.

I enjoyed the time with my kids. My daughter and I resolved most of our issues and are once again back to being friends. It will be sad when she leaves, but I think I've got a better handle on it now. I really am excited for her to start this new adventure with her life. And thankful that she's starting it with such a great guy. And my son, well I'm busy trying to teach him to be a thoughtful boyfriend. And definitely enjoying his company. I love the young man he's becoming.

And am very excitedly looking ahead to the end of this month. August 28th to be exact. The road trip, the week in south carolina, the ocean. I can't believe we managed to get it all together. My parents, my sister and her family, my hubby and son and daughter are all heading to myrtle beach for a week. We rented a penthouse condo on the beach. We've been there twice before and I can't wait to show them around. Plus I just love the ocean. The photo in my heading is one I took myself in myrtle beach last year. Just watching it makes me happy. It renews my spirit in a way nothing else does. And I think I'm in need of some renewal.

I hope you all had a pleasant week...
♥Spot