Hospital-ity

My front door needs a sign reading, "Plague House," decorated with a skull and crossbones. Note to readers: IF YOU COME INSIDE, YOU WILL GET SICK. Brother-in-law and mother-in-law have stayed two days later than planned, while BIL heaved and hoed in our guest bathroom. They ship out tomorrow for FLA, after which you may glimpse me through the window (BUT DON'T COME OVER!) in my Hazmat suit, sanitizing the house.

I think it was Valentine's Day when this crazy ride all began with my illness I assumed was food poisoning. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING OVER, PEOPLE. YOU'RE NOT INVITED. After I bounced back, N got it. Then D and AC got it. Then my dad (visiting from ALA). Then my BIL (visiting from FLA). Then our babysitter (visiting from down the block). Then our nephew (visiting from Jersey). NO MORE GUESTS. Forgot to mention my pink-eye and the handful of family colds within this six week span. Oh yeah, and major surgery for one of the dogs.

Nine weeks until beach vacation. Nine weeks until beach vacation. Nine weeks until beach vacation. ...

p.s. I got some work done against all odds this week. MIL watched the kids while I went to Lowe's to get some garden supplies. Lesson learned: if you want good service, go on a weekday morning. And wear a tight sweater.

p.p.s. Should I be upset that the orthopedic surgeon did not look at the MRI films or even read the MRI report I brought him today? He assigned me some stretches and a return appointment in 6 weeks. Believe me, I'm fine with stretches.

Rare Moment to Catch Up

Where to start where to start? Parents arrived Friday night, bearing gifts. For my birthday, my mother painted me the most beautiful, and I mean the MOST beautiful pastel portrait of my boy N. It's from a photo she took at Christmas of him eating oatmeal at their dining table, a large cloth napkin tied as a bib around his neck. I remember that morning well. His back is to the plate glass windows letting in the morning sun. My mother is infinitely talented. Unfortunately, her eyes have been troubling her lately. It has been a mixed bag to have her as a role model, since there is basically nothing she can't do and do well.

Then there were the presents for AC, whose birthday was Sunday. Many fun and pretty things for the one-year-old girl. We spent Friday and Saturday getting ready for Sunday's big party, then, Sunday morning, my father woke up very ill. So ill, in fact, that none of us wanted to risk inviting people into the house to meet his germs. After I called the guests and delivered the bad news, Mimi, Daddy, big brother N, and I gave AC a small celebration with cake and ice cream.

In other news, my dog W walked on all four feet today for the first time in, oh, seven or eight months. I took him very slowly about twenty yards. He had his left rear patella repaired two weeks ago, and I took his stitches out Tuesday. His incision looks great. We go back to the ortho vet the first week in April. Here's hoping he'll be healed soon.

D and I are off to see Pilots--wait--that's Pirates of Penzance tonight. Should be loads of fun.

Blogus Interruptus

Sorry I've been scarce. Ye olde washboard and mangle have been overworked dealing with the side effects of the family yakfest. D and AC are on day three and are still poorly, but N and I are so far glurge-free. Saints presarve us.

The bionic dog's newly re-routed knee-cap groove is healing nicely. Thursday's surgery added one more piece of metal to his already magnetic anatomy--the newest pin holds a piece of bone that had to be moved.

My parents arrive for a visit tomorrow night, and AC's first birthday is Sunday. Party that afternoon. The ILs arrive the following week. Can you say, GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?

In the interest of getting more shit done around here, I'll let Tess Gerritsen do my blogging for me. Today she's written a damn fascinating entry on how she arrived at her latest novel's title. I agree that THE MEPHISTO CLUB is a great title, and the novel sounds like a fun ride.

Anne Frasier Has Another Winner on the Way

I won a contest at Anne Frasier's blog recently, and just received the most incredible prize in the mail. It was the video book trailer DVD for her upcoming novel, PALE IMMORTAL. The book will be out in September, and I plan to buy up a copy as soon as it's available. You should too! Meanwhile, have a look at the video HERE. Also in the package was the self-titled debut CD by The Chambermaids, who provided the soundtrack for the PALE IMMORTAL video. Her two kids are in the band, and her daughter directed the PI video. Talented family!

While you wait for PALE IMMORTAL's release, have a look at Anne's other books.

One Flu East, One Flu West

I'm not a very fearful person, not typically paranoid. But this bird flu thing has been pecking at the back of my mind. If we can't deal with an urban hurricane catastrophe that had been predicted for years, then how the hell are we going to manage a nationwide outbreak of a potentially fatal disease?