Random Ramblings of a Sick Mama

This morning I awoke to the sound of a fire engine honking its horn. You know that sound, right? Whoever came up with that was a genius - it scares the crap out of me every time I hear it, and not just because the first time I saw a fire engine as a kindergartener at a demonstration in our school parking lot, I was scared to death that the firemen were going to choose me to be the kid they used to demonstrate proper usage of the Jaws of Life. Anyway, the fire engine wasn't that close - probably on the freeway - but I instantly knew why it was honking. Because nobody around here knows how to drive! I can't tell you how often I see people simply step on the gas, rather than get to the right, when an emergency vehicle comes up behind them. And then, of course, the fire engine, cop, whatever, has to honk or use their siren to say, "idiot, this is a REAL emergency, move yer damned vehicle out of the way!" I saw this happen on the freeway last week, and there were at least three cars in front of the fire engine. They did not get to the right even though people in the lane to their right responsibly moved to the next right lane.

I often wonder how the emergency vehicles make it anywhere in time. The ones whose drivers know where they're going, anyway... the ambulance that took me to the hospital last May after I passed out got on the wrong freeway and had to backtrack to get me there. Good thing I wasn't actually dying.

As for home these days, we live in a sick house. Slipshod was sick most of last week - feeling extremely tired, his voice going, that sort of thing. Drinking lots of water and tea, which is really odd behavior for him. But good, of course! But, also of course, he went to work every day last week. The only thing he turned down was the Saturday job he was supposed to help with. Yeesh. Unfortunately he didn't get any better over the weekend. Happily, today he is taking care of himself by staying home. Unfortunately, yesterday I woke up feeling like crap on a platter. Happily, even though he felt awful too, Slipshod took good care of me. Brought me lemon tea and water and meals, went grocery shopping and bought me lots of fresh deli-made soups and stuff from Whole Foods. Yum.

Unfortunately, we *think* that Sweet Pea is sick too. We can't be sure because she says she feels fine, but she is acting strangely. I think that her behavior as described in my "Worst Mother Ever" post may have had something to do with being sick on top of being tired. She has had a couple more meltdowns since then, thankfully at home, though ("I don't want a kween diapah - I want to keep my pee-pee diapah!"), and is actively avoiding her daddy, which she often does when she doesn't feel good. Last night she was struggling and being such a wiggly thing while I was trying to brush her teeth - and she hurt me while wiggling out of my lap - that I handed the toothbrush over to Slipshod and left the room. When he finally got the toothbrush in her mouth (after extensive explanation of why I had left and that she really needs to listen to me and not struggle so much), he called out to me that there was blood on the bristles. That has never happened before, so it freaked me out. I looked and looked in her mouth but all her teeth looked fine, and I didn't see her gums or anything else bleeding anywhere. I have NO idea what that was, but thereafter had guilty feelings that her throat is in such bad shape that it's actually bleeding. But that's got to just be me freaking myself out, because if her throat hurt that badly, I am quite certain that she would not be cavorting around like she usually does, chatting and singing all day long, or eating normally.

Anyhoo, yeah, we're pretty much doing a lot of sitting around here, watching a lot of TV and movies, groaning every so often, and drinking and napping a lot. The house heat is set at 69 degrees but Slipshod is wearing a very warm chamois shirt over his T-shirt and sitting under a blanket. I think it feels fine in here, but what do I know, I'm seven months pregnant. I'm always hot.

Hope I get to take a shower today. ha ha!