up next: bryophyta souffle!

This picture isn't entirely reflective ... because the hill isn't nearly as long or as steep as it feels in my life at the moment ... but this picture of my child trying to muster the strength to get to the top currently represents me well enough.



I came down with the flu on Sunday afternoon at approximately 11:35 AM. I remember the time, because I sat down with Henry to read a book, just before lunch, and it immediately felt like my body was under vicious attack. No one has had a virus as crippling as what I'm experiencing which means that either my immune system is in very bad shape and/or things are about to get really ugly around here.

When it hit me on Sunday afternoon, Charlie suggested I take an aspirin and go to bed. Which is precisely what I did. Although neither of us knew at the time it would be three days before I'd get up again for more than five minutes. Sitting down to write this post has been the longest I've been out of bed in 60 hours and will probably require a two-day recuperation.

During my "sick time" I've been laying in bed with my laptop while working on several projects that are all due at work. Everything is due. Everything is urgent. Nothing can wait for me to recover from this heinous virus. Last week, I was at the office one day from 7:30 AM until midnight. The next day, I was there again at the crack of dawn. (Gee. It's no wonder I'm sick!)

Then there are the school activities and the home activities. Both are too numerous to count.

Yes, we're abundantly happy.

But we're also struggling to not go abundantly nuts.

Fact 1: Charlie and I are seriously evaluating every facet of our lives and trying to figure out how we can get back to a more simple time. Or rather I am. He gives me a glossy-eyed stare whenever I start to talk about quitting my job, buying a house elsewhere entirely outright, and growing our own food. Because, come on! What is life really about?

Fact 2: This busy, busy insanity coupled with general life imbalance cannot be sustained for an extended period of time.

Fact 3: This is our life WITHOUT organized children's sports. I shudder to think how adding soccer practice, swim team, ballet or gymnastics on to our daily routine would impact us.

All this to say, don't be too surprised if we suddenly withdraw from society, move in to a tent and I write a book about the 101 ways to prepare and serve moss.