Thursday, February 14, 2008

Hum Drum

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated anything here. I've even had a few people ask about it. And that's a little embarrasing...being questioned as to why you're so behind on a volunteer project. So what's my excuse? Not much going on? Bored with the whole blogging thing? A recalcitrant urge to shut others out of my life? No. Not really. For the past three weeks, we've been one of the following things:
a) sick
b) incredibly grouchy (we're talking a 10 day grouch spat. no. ari, not me. jeesh.)
c) sick again
d) exhausted and irritable (me this time)
e) out enjoying life

Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been all bad. Except for that dose of stomach flu we all came down with. Good God. I haven't been that sick in over 20 years...well, self-induced sickness (compliments of tequila) doesn't count. Oh, and that bout of incredible crankiness on Ari's part (I swear he turned evil for a while) wasn't too pleasant. But otherwise, things have been cruisin' right along here.

I'm getting a rhythm down with this whole cooking-shopping-and-feeding-my-family thing. And I don't resent it like I used to :). I've actually started to bake again and, thanks to a Cookin' Mommas of San Diego group, I've started to enjoy my mess-making time in the kitchen. Ari and I have a nice little social, get-out-and-explore routine...which clearly involves being exposed to several bugs, germs and mayhem-inducing viruses. Several people from back home have pondered at why we keep getting sick. Everyone just assumed that since the weather was nice all the time, then we'd be healthy all the time. Well, suffice it to say, the two (pretty weather and sickness) are not mutually exclusive. Ari, and by default, his parents, have been sick a total of 6 times in the 6+ months we've been here. This drives Sascha up the friggin' wall. He's not used to feeling poorly. Sascha was recently chatting with someone at work about this and they said this isn't status quo (a lot of people have been sick here this winter). One theory floating around is that it all stems from toxins released in the October fires. I'm doubtful, but it's nice to know this isn't "business as usual."

This past week has been a stay-at-home week, with Ari battling his second sickness in a month. This one's just a nasty cough with a runny nose - and he's pretty beat, lots of naps. So we're taking it easy hanging out in the driveway and playing with some water-filled Tuppeware, sorting laundry in the bedroom, playing with his books and animals, or "cleaning" (he spends a good portion of his day "cleaning"). The slower pace is actually kind of nice. I thought we had to be all "go-go-go" in order for him to be happy because that's what he has always seemed to need. But I think even he liked the slower pace...just hanging out with Mom. Our big thing this week was going to Home Depot for a field trip in the garden department. He likes to sniff the plants. And I finally bought a couple of house plants and planted them in little pots while Ari played with water in the driveway. It's amazing the difference a little green will make in your house. Just that one little thing makes it feel more like a "home" and less like a box.

Reading back over this, I'm thinking, "Why on earth am I publishing this? It's boring as hell." But such is life, I guess. It can't all be rocket ships and wizards. Sometimes it's just Thursday.


Post-water-play organization.
Ari "cleaned up" on his own. He stacked and organized the cups and emptied the Tuppeware. I didn't touch it, all I asked him to do was "clean up the water".

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