Lost and Found

May I just say it has been a day? H left this morning early for a trip and he grumbled last night he was staying in Chicago at Loft A. I asked him what that was and he said he had no idea. I suggested it might be an overflow hanger at the air port, he told me not to give anyone any ideas.

So we were up early, him dashing off to catch a flight and me dealing with a sick E and a distraught L. E came home from school with a hurting ear and he was up in the night for support care and snuggles. L has been missing her most treasured possession, Babalicious, her bunny. The bunny with a hole in its ear and who is more gray than white. She went missing over the weekend and we have not been able to find her.

So I dressed the three of us, managed a breakfast and then we took a trip to the neighborhood park before school to see if she was there. No rabbit. So we went to school, while I held for the pediatrician's office, securing a 9:30 am appointment. I went into school with her and we pawed thru an impressive collection of sweatshirts and jackets, but there was no little bunny.

Seeing as I had not brushed my hair nor put on make-up, thinking I could come home after the bunny recon mission, I looked a site as we arrived at the pediatrician's office. I will say at least I had on a nice pair of capris and a sharp black 3/4th length sleeve sweater. I was not in old Yoga pants and one of H's T-shirts.

The new doctor with the practice saw us and confirmed my suspicions, ear infection in BOTH ears. Ugh.

So armed with a script for antibiotics we stopped at WalMart to get my mother some tube socks. She is in a walking boot, that goes to her knew, given her broken foot and nearly sprained ankle. She needs the socks to keep her foot warm and prevent any rubbing and chafing of the boot.

Then to her house, where I gave her the socks and parked E on her sofa. I took her list and was off to pharmacy, and two groceries.

For reasons I do not understand the antibiotic was free at Kroger. I did not ask questions, I just smiled and nodded.

Went back to my moms, fed us all lunch, watched some tv and snuggled E and then off we went, coming home.

Once home E wanted to nap, so I got him settled looked at the clock and well hell it was almost time to go get L from school. Ugh.

So I swallowed my pride and with grace and humility called my neighbor, who agreed to pick up L. Whew. I then called school and let them know of the change.

Then I made the executive decision to be truly needy and called my other neighbor who takes dance lessons at the same place as L at the same time. She agreed to take L to dance lessons. I just could not see having E there for an hour while he is feeling poorly. On a good day he is a handful during this hour.

Then I just got them tucked in and I am going to bake a cake.

The best part of today? After in little windows of opportunity, I have been combing the house searching for this ratty rabbit. While packing E's suitcase for the trip to grandpa and grandma's this weekend, I move his blanket and low and behold in a basket snuggled up with E's puppy is Babalicious. We were roaming the park this morning, while she slept peacefully all covered up and warm.

So in the midst of seeming chaos, my mom got to spend some time with E and I learned that I really do need to just ask for help when I need it and if you look long and hard enough, what is lost will be found, where you least expect it.

Drivers Ed

So H, as a pilot, has to go to ground school once a year and then to simulator training once a year. Basically he is being retrained or being offered a refresher.

The last time I had a refresher for driving a car, well let me think, um, yeah never!

Clearly no one else on the road has had one either. I swear in the last week I have been cut off, honked at for not turning left on red, honked at for not turning left into on coming traffic, honked at for stopping when the green arrow faded on a rainy evening in the dark - so as to not be in the middle of a huge intersection and yes, oncoming traffic. I have been yelled at for yielding to a pedestrian in a CROSSWALK and almost hit while walking my bike across the street in a CROSSWALK with a sign, that for the picture challenged means yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk. Google it.

I am the first to admit, I am not the best driver in the world. I took out the neighbors mailbox on 7-7-07 (search the blog, that was a crappy day for me.) I struggle with parking and backing up, I sometimes forget I am driving, so busy thinking about whatever idea is dancing in my head, but I also tend to error towards the side of safety. If I think I can make the left, I do and if not I wait. I am never in that big of a hurry as to endanger the lives of my kiddos or someone else.

I think you are more likely to get killed driving your car than flying an airliner, so why is it then that H has to do all the retraining and refresher classes, we get our drivers license at 16 or 17 years of age and that is it. Honestly I am astonished there aren't more accidents.

Saddle Up those Fish?

So I will admit it, I like to watch Top Chef on Bravo. I stayed up last night to watch the "all new" episode at 10 pm and wish I had not bothered. It was not that exciting and frankly all those chefs, who took fish, to cook in the back country on a Dude ranch need their heads examined.

Who eats fish in the desert? What cowboy, camping eats fish, other than the fish he or she catches?

Duh?

Part of being the Top of anything is, knowing what is appropriate. Is it any wonder the guy who won served some smoked meat with polenta. Well Boy Howdy, that sounds like camping food to me. Hello - we camped in an RV and I did not bring fish. I would have cooked some if we caught any, but taking fish and trying to keep it cool is nuts - in a desert.

I was under impressed by this episode. Just saying...

Gut Check

I had a great work out yesterday. I am back to the weight and percentage of body fat I had before I glutened myself at Easter. It has been a long battle back and has meant even more dietary changes and the addition of some probiotics and other supplements to balance my gut out.

I have had to give up eggs and coffee (for the most part) in addition to the long list of other don'ts. That said I feel better and the few times over the summer I willfully ate eggs, I felt like a MAC truck hit me, so needless to say, lesson learned, eggs are out.

My trainer wants me to think about seeing a holistic physician he has been talking with. I think, as much to test her as for my benefit. I told him I had no problem, giving her a spin, as my family doctor has very little to say on the matter, other than I am healthy. Well ok I am healthy, but when someone comes to you, somewhat suffering from self induced "food poisoning" the last thing they want to hear is that they are healthy.

I felt really strong yesterday and had a really solid workout. I have no doubt that these muscle testing test are accurate, because when I am not at my best, my upper body work out is for the birds, but now that I have detoxed and am feeling better, I could bench the bar for 3 sets of 15 and not almost kill myself.

I hope now I have found a balance and can continue to grow and build on my strength.

I have ruled out running any long distances, I just cannot eat enough to cover those additional calorie needs.

I have basically adopted a vegan diet with meat a few times a week. My gut seems most happy with that approach.

So it is Yoga, spinning and lifting.

For now.

Let them listen...

So today L went to the gym of her school and watched President Obama's speech. She went with her two friends, who are Chinese American. She reports that only three kids in her class went. She thought more had been given permission to go, but instead choose recess.

In her school distract parents had to write permission slips, in order for their children to be allowed to hear the President of their nation speak.

I made it L's choice and wrote the permission slip accordingly. It is a free country last time I checked and she is a citizen. The US grants citizenship based on physical place of birth, for the most part. She has a passport and has gone and voted with me in almost every election since birth.

I cannot believe the TA-DA over the entire speech thing. Since when is listening to the President of the United States, encouraging you to stay in school and do your homework subversive. It is a honor that the President took time out of his busy day to address the future business and social leaders of the United States.

I wonder how many of the parents who were so outraged over President Obama addressing the youngest citizens of this Nation allow their children to watch Britney Spears half naked on TV and take their children to High School Musical movies and the like. How many of them expose them to all the commercialism that is our society? I am not saying it is wrong, but I fail to see how those pursuits are any more or less harmful, than letting them hear their President speak.

It is not like Chairman Mao was speaking. (Which might have been entertaining, seeing as he is dead...)

H's mother hid in the cellar on a weekly basis in Nazi Germany. Hoping to avoid being carted off to a work camp at best or assaulted at worst as a young girl. Her crime, being Catholic and having a father who refused to join the party.

We live in a democratic society, founded on the principals of healthy debate and room for disagreement. I get that some people are unhappy we have an African American liberal democrat as a president, but you know what, tough SHIT. In less than four years there is a remedy for that. Get off your ass, run a better candidate and VOTE.

Did I bitch and moan about Bush, yep. Did I tell anyone they should not listen to him on television, nope! But I did rock the vote, put a sign in my yard and VOTED, when it was time!

All this bitching and moaning, sounds like sour grapes to me.