Snapshot

Let me give you a quick snapshot of my last 48 hours. There has not been one time when Todd has left town, be it for business or pleasure, that has not left behind some odd excitement for me to endure. This week has been no different.

If I really want to give you a complete picture, I have to actually back up to before he left on Monday morning. Last Thursday, Beebs came down with the stomach flu and couldn't keep anything down, or in, until last Saturday. Keep in mind that it was also my first week back to work after my surgery and we were closing on both houses on Friday. Actually, we were completely homeless for about 2 hours as we lost possession of the old and gained possession of the new. Thankfully, Grammy stepped in and kept the sick kiddo while we worked through the move on Friday and Saturday. (Insert here: many, many thanks to the people who helped move, begin unpacking and feeding us - we couldn't have done it without you all, truly!)

Fast forward to Monday morning, Todd has left for an out of state business trip, Beebs is recovered and everyone is trying to get into our temporary routine for the rest of the school year. We head into town (yes, we get to use that term now!), running late for band and start the day. Meanwhile back at my beautiful new home - EGADS! Throughout the day, the entire garage has been covered in dog vomit and diarrhea with a smell like nothing I've ever encountered before, and let me assure you, after 15 years between child care and developmentally disabled adult care, I've smelled many, many putrid things. I mean, it filtered out to the driveway and beyond the closed garage door! Apparently pond water and a city dog don't mix very well... Of course, I have no idea where to find a hose at this point since we've lived there 2 days! Thank goodness my dad came to my rescue and brought me a hose and helped me flush out the garage! I then quickly fed the kids and took Sis back into town for softball practice. The boys and I hit the grocery store, picked up Sis and headed back home.

In the midst of unpacking the groceries that evening, we lost a cat. Some of you know Ginger and her darty little self and might assume it was her, but you'd be wrong! Fat Boy somehow got out. Of course, I didn't realize he was missing until I heard a cat fight at 10:00p.m. and finally found him under the enclosed deck around 12:00a.m., scared stiff - literally. I couldn't get him out so at 12:30a.m. I gave up and went to bed. He spent the night out there and by 5:45a.m. he had a friend who had joined him. I again tried to get him out, with food, with sweet nothings, spraying him with water, with swear words - nothing worked, so I left for work. Again, my parents came to my rescue while I was at work and dad removed a section of the lattice and mom sacrificed to fingers and a shirt to rescue him.

After that, Tuesday night had to be better, right?!? Ummm... wrong. Dinner served, kids bathed, lots of handy work done around the house - everything was going great, until 10:00. I started to feel a little nauseated, so I decided to hit the hay. At midnight, I bolted straight up, mouth watering and knew I better not stay in bed. I had the full effects of Beebs stomach flu until about 4:00. I was able to fall asleep until 6:00 and then had to get up to take everyone to school and head in for my last day at work. There's no calling in sick on your last day and when you don't have the luxury of bus service for the kiddos!

We ended the night with one more bout of pond water repercussions for the dog, but that's it. I mean, that's a pretty uneventful last 48 hours, right?