Nine days! (mostly)
This past weekend was the younger M's double b-day getaway with her best buddy (also an April b-day) to Great Wolf Lodge south of Olympia. The original plan had us sharing a large suite (2 bedrooms and a living space with a pull-out couch and rollaway) with T's parents, T, M., the elder M., R., and myself, along with two extra (also teens) guests. So, five adults, four teens. Ha. Woo.
We were to leave Saturday AM to get there early. All night Friday, poor M. was horribly ill all night long, with a 102 fever and a worn path to the bathroom. Me, the girls, and the other parents left at noon, with M. and R. taking it easy here to see if M. recovered at all....but no, it was not just a nicotine jones. R. drove down later in the evening to be there and help out so M. could heal at home in the quiet comfort of the homestead.
M. is just now today almost able to stand up without getting dizzy. Goodness. Younger M. had it a week ago. Folks we visited recently were just recovered from it. Then the neighbors had it last week. I really really hope it doesn't make a deeper footprint here.
Our visit to GWL wasn't horrible, mostly. It's a very commercial place, like Wild Waves only indoors. Warm. But very very noisy. Mostly all night and day, both grown ups and kids. I did go down my first EVER water slide. I fear water covering my face, disjointed noise, unexpected movement, darkness, disorientation (near-death barely pre-birth experience?). Experienced all of that and fortunately my clenched fingernails didn't pop the floatation device.....my voice is still scratchy today from screaming.
M. and her friends had a great time. It's a more little-kid oriented place, but there were enough families with youngers/olders that they had enough peers at their level to smile and talk with & plenty of watchful grownups around. :)
2/3 of The Briar Patch isn't smoking after over a week. R. broke down and got a pack for work last week but he isn't smoking here. I admire his cutting down (3 cigs a day versus a pack) & am glad he's not making it tougher for the homestead by indulging here.... I had a couple Saturday evening (more for the sneak of slipping into the dark parking lot out back at a family place?) and hated both the experience at the time (taste, smell) and the taint for hours afterwards. I'd desired doing it but was deeply disappointed with the result. And the elder M is doing great finally and is sleeping so much better.
I'm still working out regularly and plugging along on the job-search and TCC certification enrollment. There is an incredible amount of paperwork for jobless folk to "go back to school".
Now, if it will only Stop Snowing???? Puh-leeeeze? (We have had, for the past many hours, hail, snow, rain.....arrrrg!)