flea

I think I have shingles again.

2011-04-18T17:57:35Z

I last had shingles starting Feb. 4, 2009. Don't you think it's unfair that I can't go 2 years and 3 months without getting shingles again? It's exactly the same as last time, in the pre-rash phase. Give me a break, world?

(mr. flea noted, in front of the children, that shingles is caused by stress. Casper told me I should work on being less stressed out. I refrained from saying, "Pot-kettle" to her, because she is only 7. Also, I think I have every right to be stressed; as, indeed, I did last time I had shingles.)

(Also also, I am definitely not leading this Girl Scout troop next year.)

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From the family packrat files

2011-02-15T23:07:54Z

Today was shitty, in unfortunately literal ways. Therefore, I bring you 1) the invitation to my great-great-great-grandfather to dinner with George Washington and 2) an order placed for plants for my great-great-great-grandfather (different side)'s house (in the country, at that time). Such an admixture, all jumbled up, is entirely typical of the 7 boxes my father is sorting through. I transcribe the roses from the latter for my rosarian friend (maybe you can help with the names?)

9 roses (at $4.00/dozen)
2 Abel Grand 2 Horace Vernet
2 M. de H. Amande 1 Boieldieu
1 Marquis of Salisbury 1 Pierre Grillon

5 roses (at $.060 each)
2 Mons Norman 1 Elise Boelle
1 Eugenie Verdier 1 Marie Baumann

2 roses (at $0.75 each)
1 Rev. J. B. M Carrim 1 Mme. Noman

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overwhelmed

2011-02-14T23:20:32Z

I'm better enough to go back to work tomorrow, but tired and tottery enough to be overwhelmed by the things I have to deal with there, notably the 35 high school students showing up Wednesday morning (until this afternoon, I was expecting 20, which is much more manageable). Then it's Girl Scout cookie delivery week, and planning for next week's meeting, and houseguests next weekend, and the 25th I fly to Texas for a wedding.

I ate protein today, though!

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Still Effing Sick

2010-11-07T14:21:16Z

I have now reached the stage of draining buckets of mucus from my head. Day NINE now. So over it.

In better news, we watched a NOVA about Amiens and cathedrals in general yesterday, and then built a pyramid out of a box, and got out David Macaulay's Cathedral, so I am feeling like a good parent encouraging educational play.

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Sick. Behind. Bad News.

2010-11-05T13:33:15Z

I took yesterday off work and was in bed, mostly actually sleeping, until 3pm. Yes, I am honestly sick. I am at work today, though sneezing and coughing my fool head off.

I am feeling very behind at work and in life. Luckily I am working this coming Sunday, so I have 8 hours of sitting at a desk with nothing to do to get caught up, right? Must plan: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Girl Scouts, and write 10,000 blog posts for work.

In bad news news, mr. flea is really not going to get a permanent job at his current workplace. His contract ends next august, and he did not get an interview for the job that has been posted, and the other job that may get posted is also not a good fit for his skills and background. So far he has applied for a permanent job in Dublin and is working on an application for another post-doc at Georgia Tech, which would mean evil commuting, but would let us keep the kids in their current school and so forth. Our goal is no more post-docs unless they mean we don't have to move; permanent jobs okay if they mean moving. But damn, moving with kids is so disruptive to them. Never mind the whole home ownership problem. Worst-case scenario is unemployment as of next September; next-to-worst case scenario would be mr. flea in a post-doc someplace far away and me living here with the kids. That would suck. Let's not have that, please, okay?

In good news I bought both kids flame Vans via Zappos and they came yesterday and Dillo is so in love with his it's darling. He outgrew his flame chucks, and Casper's skully vans-style sneakers were literally falling apart. And I paid for them out of ebay sales, so I win at frugality.

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some sweet things

2010-10-28T16:04:03Z

Last night it began to bucket down rain, and the kids begged to go outside and play in it. So on went the knee-high rubber boots and waterproof raincoats, and out went the kids and mr. flea. They returned 20 minutes later literally soaked to the skin - underpants and all, mr. flea poured water out of Casper's rain boots - but very happy. They went around the block and unclogged two storm drains that were full of leaves and backing up puddles into the intersections.

Once towels, shower and bath, and pajamas had ensued, Dillo went to the fridge, got some grapes, and called out, "Who wants to watch a Nature show and eat grapes, raise your hand!" Who could say no? Well, me, at least until Casper finished her homework, but then we watched a show about wolves which they had all watched the previous night. Dillo was very emphatic that the main wolf died of a broken heart.

In less sweet news, mr. flea has strep throat. He woke up out of a sound sleep at 5:30 to announce, "I'm going to the doctor!" He had strep ALL THE TIME as a kid, and his ability to call it when he gets it now is pretty good.

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