Éire go Brách!

Green, of course, for today, even though I don't really give a rat's patoot about St. Patrick's Day. I didn't even remember to put the kids in green clothes today. It's not that I have a disdain for the 'holiday' so much as a complete and utter lack of interest.

Health report: Status for all five of us continues to be crapola. As for myself, I have thrown my neck out from coughing (handily having a Thermawrap on hand for that) and have coughed so hard I peed myself more times than I can count today. Yes, I'm serious. Yes, I'm sharing that. I'll be embarrassed about it tomorrow. Right now, I don't care. Welcome to my world.  Rob is miserable and coughing nonstop, and the kids are in the best shape right now, although more on that in a bit.

After the kids were both sent to their respective schools, I jumped in the shower and woke up Sophia. She likes to sleep in, most days. We quickly got dressed, had a little breakfast, and hopped into the van. I forgot my cell phone, which turned out to be my fatal mistake.

Our first stop was my psychiatrist's office to get yesterday's mentioned meds refilled. Stability is mine right now, but only as long as I take my meds exactly on time, every single night. Miss and I'm screwed. So I absolutely had to get the scripts today.

Only, when we arrived at the office, Soap and I, there was an ominous-looking sign on the building's front door. Upon closer look, it turned out that all power was out in the building for the rest of the day. Great...  I entered and was immediately greeted by a security guard who asked where I was going. When I told him, he shook his head and said the elevators were out, the stairs were closed because they were completely black, and no one was working. I explained the situation, and he agreed to lead us upstairs by flashlight.

Well, the receptionist was there, and apparently she had called after I left  and left a message about the darkness. My doc had left, but he had taken my file with him and could see me at his other office, way down near Chloë's dance studio. Well, okay. What choice did I have?

We went. I didn't know where I was going, so I did that annoying left-lane-slow-crawl that upsets everyone behind you, even though you don't have a choice, to find the address. Finally, we found it, parked, and made our way upstairs. We found the office, and it was... locked. LOCKED. And dark. And no one was there. Sonuvab----!!!  I was pissed. Seriously. Pissed. Listen. I have other things to do, too. I have a life. My time is also valuable. I expected, when I was sent to the other office, for him to actually be there.

But, of course, I didn't have my cell phone on me to call and complain to the other office and find out when he'd be back, so I had no choice but to leave - not before doing a quick swirl through the parking lot looking for Dr. Pal's car (I know it) to see if maybe he was there, but not there, taking a lunch or something, you know? No sech leck.

So we left. Sophia kept hollering from the back that she wanted Arby's (Arby's? Huh? We never go there, except for mystery shops, which I'm no longer doing, and even then it wasn't that often we went, was it?), but we were near the party store, and I had party store shopping to do. Much too much, it turned out. I hit the Cars section  for Jack's birthday, and pulled cups and plates and napkins and favors and treat bags off the shelves. Then I hit the Easter aisle and took a bunch of things from there to make up baskets for the kids. Wowee, I spent about three times what I'd planned. Hate that. But it was done, at least.

It was getting down to the last half-hour before Jack's return from school, so I decided to stop at Arby's and get the most nutritious thing I could find on the menu (pecan chicken wrap, with apples and grapes), and head home.

Surprise of surprises, Rob's banged-up car (oh, I think I completely forgot to tell y'all he got into another accident the other day!!! He's all right, but his car is not... sigh) was in the driveway when we returned. I didn't think about why that would be - well, I thought maybe they finally sent him home sick - I was just so happy he was home! I toot-tooted when we pulled in, for some help with all our packages and our baby girl, and he and Jack greeted me at the front door.

Huh? Jack? What? Apparently, his school and Rob called me about 57 times to come and pick up the poor child, whose nose was running like crazy (eh, I'm not impressed by that) and also who was coughing like crazy and crying about coming home (okay, okay).  So Rob had to leave work, drive the hour home, and come get him from school. Big OOPS on my part. I'm rarely without my celly, and the one time I forget it, here's what happens. Argh. But let's not cry over spilt milk, shall we?

So we ate lunch, and I checked email, and did a little knitting, and generally waited for it to be 1700. Chloë came home, and we sent everyone down for a nap, since they all sorely needed the R&R. Once they were gone, Rob and I arranged all the goody bags for the party and made up the Easter baskets. That was fun. He hid everything in my closet until the weekend.

At 5, I got back in the van to take the cookie money over to our troop leader. I still can't get in touch with the last 5 or so people, so I had to write a check to cover their amounts. Bloody hell. At her house, I thanked her again for bringing us dinner, and then I told her I needed help with something else. Before I knew it, I was in tears, telling her about "the cancer thing" and asking if she knew whether any of the other mothers were stay-home moms, because I was having surgery and Rob can't take leave, and I was going to need help with the kids getting off to school. She was very comforting and understanding, and right away she plans to assemble the troops to help me. I'm very reassured by that, much as I hate to ask for help, especially on such a large scale. We'll see what happens. I'm under the impression that hysterectomy recovery isn't going to be something I can suck up and manage by myself this time.

So. So, so, so.

After that, I drove to Farm Fresh - the grocery around the corner from our house - to order two cakes for Jack's birthday party. One for taking to school, and one for our little party at home. We can't have candles at school, and I figure it's not so nice to light them on one that's already been half-eaten, so there we are. Two cakes. The decorator-guy was a bit puzzled as to why I wanted two cakes, exactly the same, so I had to explain. A-ha.

I picked up some bananas and dish soap and a few more things and spent only $27 and change. It all fit into one paper (because of course I'd forgotten my canvas totes) bag. I think that's a noteworthy first!

While at the store, Dr. Pal called and said I could either meet him at his far-away office at 7:30, or I could see him later in the week. Weeell, later in the week wasn't going to work, so 7:30 it was. Rats, shoot, darn. I wanted to be home for the night.

I asked Rob to throw in the stuffed shells and artichokes earlier than planned so I could eat before going, and then I did a little more knitting and little more emailing, and then I ate, and then I left. (Isn't that exciting? You love it when I post all the mundane details, I know you do.)

Goodness, his other office waiting room was TI-NEE. Four chairs, all full, and me just standing there in all my chubby glory while everyone tried not to stare at each other and wonder what mental defect each other possessed. (That one lady was a kook, I tell ya. KOOK with a capital K.)  Finally, everyone else left, and he brought me in. It was the usual five-minute appointment:

He: How are you doing on your medications?

Me: Good!

He: Good, here are your scripts, see you in 8 weeks.

The end. So efficient. Except I left without one - but it's the one to help me sleep, which I've been without for the past month or so, and I'm not too worried about it. I don't miss it other than, you know, not being able to knock right out.

Home again, again. The rest of the night, I just knitted like a fiend to finish the first panel of my cottony blanket, while watching the series premieres of Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor (that last one only because nothing else was on that interested me).  But I did finish my knitting, in between painful-to-the-neck and pee-worthy coughing fits. See?

All folded up

The extended version

So, that's it. I'll put that away and start something new for the wee babies tomorrow, I s'pose.

Have a good evening!

Fin.