I had stuff lying everywhere from recent purchases earlier this week that left me too tired to put all but the basics away.  I had four or five sacks of canned cat food on the floor outside the kitchen door and, today, those were organized by flavors and put in the cupboard.  That made a huge improvement.

I persevered with the kitchen and filled the dishwasher and washed the big items by hand and left them on towels on the bar to dry.  Then, emptied the dishwasher and put those dishes and the items on the bar away. 

I had purchased some minor fall floral decorations earlier in the week and the sacks holding those things were all over the dining room table.  I arranged the stuff in a "how I think I want it to go" pattern (still with price tags affixed!) and set the fall flowers (in a white casserole dish with handles) on the marble glass chest in the foyer.  Then I arranged fake apples (red & green) and oranges in an oversized, very large cylinder glass vase.  I will add some fall colored leaves and florals to fill in the gaps where the fruit doesn't meet.  The fruit also has price tags stuck to it, but at least things aren't spread everywhere on the dining room table.  Then, I wrapped a few little gifts for a friend of mine - the one who turned 50 yesterday.  I feel bad that things will be late, but being sick left me no choice.  I had actually purchased stuff WAY back BEFORE I got sick!  The wrapping paper box and ribbon box had been sitting on the table for most of the week with the floral stuff.  Things look more orderly now!  A vase of fruit with leaves and flowers stuck in the top and a fall candle burning.  It won't be long before it all looks "right" again!

I had new clothing items that needed to be washed before we wore them.  Those things had been sitting on a chair by the kitchen bar for almost the whole week.  Long denim skirts from Old Navy for the girls and I, 2 school uniforms, 3 black sweaters, and several uniform blouses.  I did Jesse's laundry, MY laundry, and those new items.  It took me all day - but it's all done now.  We've gradually moved from children's hangers to full size hangers for the girls and it looks like I'm going to have to buy more hangers.  The supply is dwindling!

I fixed a simple dinner of baked chicken breasts that I put a Mornay sauce over when I served, some flavored rice with vegetables in it, and a tossed salad.   I had made 4 loaves of Amish friendship bread yesterday and that was our dessert.  Cinnamon bread and chocolate chocolate chip bread with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The girls helped clear the table and, since the dishwasher was empty, clean up was a breeze.

Rissy vacuumed for me today.  I still can't be around the dust or exert energy to push a vacuum through the house.  Rissy even went to the guest room and our bedroom and did the den twice.  She's been watching Emily vacuum and has learned how to empty the canister when it's full of crud.  Looking at the cannister of crud, and realizing it has to be emptied 3 times whenever we vacuum the whole house, makes me think we must be the most filthy people in Oklahoma!

I will tackle the older girls' sheets and the master bed sheets on Monday.  There is a wrinkle in the bottom of MY side of the bed that drives me crazy each night.  If you don't understand my wrinkle problem, please refer to my last Thursday Thirteen post!  Anyway, I think the culprit is the mattress pad is pulling up off the mattress and taking the sheet with it.  The elastic seems to have stretched around the sides and it just doesn't stay put after 2 or 3 nights.  I will look through the Penney's catalog for a new one, as this one from Target or WalMart isn't doing its job.

Of course, I'm exhausted tonight.  But, it's a good feeling.  I don't have as MUCH clutter haunting me!  I think I'm going to lie down in bed (the one with the wrinkle on the bottom of MY side!!!!!!!!!!!) and either watch HGTV or start a new book.  This afternoon, while resting in between chores, I finished the fourth and last story from one of my Reader's Digest books.  Now I'll pass it on to Tangi, then Stephanie. 

What to read next????

I have no plans today except Luci's medical appointment at 4pm.  Having no plans doesn't necessarily mean a free day.

My day yesterday was free until a 2pm appointment for Annamarie.  She took a shower (she's been taking showers without help for most of this year) and I went into the bathroom to be sure she had the shampoo & conditioner rinsed out of her long, thick hair.  Imagine my shock when I walked in and found her taking a shower with no shower curtain!  I don't mean she forgot to put the plastic liner inside the tub, I mean the curtain and plastic liner were scooted back to the opposite end of the tub from the faucet and shower head!!!  Puddles were everywhere.  I'm not exaggerating.  Not a wet spray on the floor, but puddles.  I bit my tongue and cleaned up the mess.  She is the child with a serious developmental disorder.  No sense in asking "why?" she did what she did.

I hadn't had much sleep the night before last.  The doctor gave me a cough/decongestant pill to take morning and night.  I have SEVERE insomnia problems and can't take Benadryl (to help me sleep) with this lung congestion, it dries up my lungs.  Against my better judgment, I took the cough/decongestant pill and promptly woke up 2 hours later.  Decongestants are stimulants and not conducive to a sound night of sleep!  I was awake from 12:30am to 3:30am and then dozed again for a few hours with the cat (Stormy) on the sofa.  I felt HORRIBLE yesterday.  Our therapist was running over an hour late and, despite leaving the office to pick up some corrective shoes for Rissy, I had to wait FOREVER in the reception area.

Last night, I didn't take the cough/decongestant pill and only took the prescription he gives me to sleep (which has NEVER worked - but, he slightly increased the dose this week) and I fell dead to the world around 8:45pm.  Of course, when I woke up at 4:30am this morning, I tried to fall back asleep but realized I was awake for good!  I got up around 5:20am.  I'd like to say I was productive, but I couldn't be.  Rattling dishes would have awakened Luci.  Sitting at my desk (located outside of Luci's door) and cleaning this mess would have done the same. 

I ended up watching Fox News and heard about children's cold medicines being recalled because parents weren't measuring the doses properly (rolling eyes) and children have died;  AND, the fact south & central Mexico now have flights that take people to cities in north Mexico for our American equivalent of $30.  The point is to help them get to the border so they can illegally cross into the U.S.  The air fare costs the same as the Mexican bus fare, but it's a "more comfortable" and faster trip.  People only buy one way tickets.  Oh yeah, ALSO . . . there is a recall for Banquet Pot Pies (and I think other frozen dinners by Banquet) tainted with e-coli.  They FDA is checking to see how safe our food REALLY IS from terrorists.  (again, rolling eyes)

I was at Wal-Mart earlier this week, picking up a few things, and I found a long, black, moleskin skirt by White Stag.  When I tried to pay for it, the register refused to ring it up and I was told it had been recalled.  I don't know if the seams hadn't been knotted at the ends, if the fabric's dye contained lead (one of China's biggest exports these days!!!), or if the waistband was laced with e-coli.  At any rate, I'm sure it has to do with another terrorist plot of some kind! (REALLY rolling eyes)

With all of this important news under my belt this morning and NOTHING to do until Luci's 4pm appointment, I can't help but wonder how my day will unravel.  Maybe "unravel" is a poor choice of words.  How about, "unfold"?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesse left earlier than "bright & early" this morning to get started mowing.  Seriously, the moon was "setting" and slight glimpses of pink sunlight were on the eastern horizon.  After having one cup of coffee and going out to the kitchen for a second cup, I found he had fed the cats (the older one cries and cries until he's fed - very annoying, but he's almost 20 years old!!!) and let them out in the backyard so they wouldn't bother me while I slept.  Sweet!

Today at 2pm, I have my "every 3 months" check-up and Luci has her monthly check up at the same time.  The "lady doctor" I've been seeing for my lung problems said to have this doctor check my lungs today (they're in the same clinic) (the doctors, not my lungs!).  I feel lots better; but, of course, I felt lots better a week ago and then plummeted!  Luci has had a cough for a month (since the last time she saw her doctor) and I can't tell if the ragweed is all that's plaguing her or if she might have something wrong that requires antibiotics.  She's very whiny and "fussy" and I feel like she's regressed with all of the progress she's made behaviorally over the past few months.  She's still nothing like she used to be (those HUGE fits several times a day) and it might be that she simply doesn't feel well.  So, we'll have the doc check her out.

Emily is coming this morning for a few hours to clean the back of the house.  After the chocolate milk spill on Sunday and my carpet cleaning exploits, Rissy polished all of the furniture in the front of the house and I cleaned the kitchen counters and sinks pretty well.  That mainly leaves the back of the house needing bathrooms cleaned  and everything dusted and vacuumed. 

My Rubbermaid bin by my desk remains empty and probably will stay empty today since I have Emily coming this morning and the doctor's appointments this afternoon.  The job feels so close to being done since I can touch the bin from my chair as I type!  Most of the papers in the pile on the floor are so old, I doubt I'll need them for reference; and, there are lots of large things like empty binders and 2 hymnals that can be put somewhere else (like where they are supposed to go!!!!) to help the mess.  I've been good about paying my bills online and filing the paperwork immediately.

Not much of anything exciting to write about, but then again my days are pretty much all the same.  My weeks are very much the same, too.  Mundane routines aren't bad things.  Since I was NOT being able to get up and do those routine things for such a long time, I find I appreciate them NOW more than ever!

Before I end this . . .

A few days ago the girls and I were in the car (probably going to a doctor appointment!!!) when Rissy turned to me and asked, "Mom, what does 'a family being barren' mean?"  WHERE oh WHERE does she come up with this stuff?????  Most children ask (first), "Where do babies come from?" - but, not Riss'!!!!!  I mentioned the conversation to Jesse and he thought she heard the phrase on TV.  Probably so, but she picks out the most curious phrases to delve into!  He said, "Don't be surprised if she asks, "What's a fixed rate mortgage?" since there's been so much talk on TV recently about house sales! 

She surprises me all the time with her "brightness" (for lack of a better word) and it's hard to tell when she has a halfway understanding and when she is picking questions out of the sky.  We went to dinner last Friday night (a treat from Jesse) and she had almost immediately completed the crossword puzzle on the menu.  Since I've never instructed her on how to work a crossword puzzle, you can imagine how my eyes almost bounced out of my head and how far my mouth dropped.  Then, as she filled in the last two answers, I saw her flip the menu over and copy the answer from the backside!  Whew!  I was worried, for a second, I had a baby Einstein!

Yesterday wasn't a "down time" day for me until sometime after noon!

The girls were getting breakfast and chattering away like squirrels when I heard the older girls raised voices saying, "Ohhhh, Luuuuuuciiiiiii!!!!!"

"Uh oh," ran through my head and I came to the kitchen table area to find chocolate milk not only dripping from the chair onto the tile floor, but (what looked like) a thrown glass of milk into the den's white carpeting.  There was no way I could NOT clean it up immediately or even wait until Jesse got back in the early afternoon.  We're talking chocolate, sugar, and milk on white carpet. 

As I cleaned the mess up around the table, my peripheral vision saw Annamarie at the other end of the table wiping and wiping and wiping at something.  I forced myself not to look at her busyness and believed she had just tipped some milk out of her cereal bowl.  No such luck!

When I was done with glass cleaner and the wet (with water) sponge mop on the floor (I figured glass cleaner with water was the least toxic chemical for my lungs to inhale), I saw that she too had spilled her chocolate milk.  But, Annamarie (known for taking the biggest piece of food or grabbing the biggest handful of chips or candy) had poured the *largest* glass she could find in the kitchen of chocolate milk; which now lie all over the table, placemats, inside the cracks of the table where the leaves join, dripping through to the trussle base of the table, etc.  She was so busy watching me clean Luci's mess - she hadn't paid attention to her own dishes.

My next task:  I cleaned Annamarie's milk up, too, after crashing down the edict that the children were now banished to the back of the house NOT to cause another "accident."  This is the second time this week Annamarie has spilled a treat.  Earlier in the week she had a strawberry malt she dumped (2/3 of it) on the placemat and down the table, chair, and floor.  This is odd and bizarre because chocolate milk is a rarity in our home and malts almost never appear because of the cost.  Also, I don't usually stock those things because of my diligence to keep our family eating as healthy of a diet as possible.

I HAD to get out the carpet shampooer before the mess dried in the den.  I knew this wasn't part of "taking it easy" or "down time," but I felt I had no choice.  I got the water and solution ready, plugged in the machine and found that not only was it NOT throwing a proper mix of water and cleaner . . . the self-propelled mechanism didn't seem to be self-propelling!

I cleaned the machine (got the cleaner/water mix in better shape) and never figured out the self-propelled problem - so I pushed and pulled my way through the den.  I cleaned up the machine and put it away.  Then sat on the sofa in the other living room and melted.  I melted my anger, my discouragement, and my tired body until I felt more relaxed . . .

then allowed my children to come out of the prison to which they had been banished.

I gave them all a thick slice of bread (no toast, as I wanted no crumbs) and told them to eat it and promised them I'd do something more exciting for lunch.

I tried hard to do nothing the rest of the day.  Stephanie wanted to come over and do a couple loads of laundry and have dinner with us.  Saturday night I had invited her, but suddenly it didn't seem like such a great idea.  But, I told her to come on over.  Jesse was great!  Bought 10 Junior Whopper Burgers from Burger King (I added the cheese) and we had Bugles with them and a fresh banana cake I had made up from my own little creative head.  A dinner for seven only costing us $10.00!

I don't know if I'll get to that Rubbermaid tub & desk clearing job, today.  I'm sure it will all still be here in its state of disarray on Tuesday (or Wednesday)!  While Jesse is gone, a lengthy shower with lots of warm water on my back sounds very enticing and so much more important than clearing my desk!

Jesse said he'd take the girls to lunch, so I should plan to have lunch by myself.  I think that leaves me with a bologna sandwich or a can of soup.  Oh well!  Quiet (again) sounds very appealing!

I'm off to the shower before someone calls or knocks on my door!

Jesse took the girls (it's almost 4pm and they've been gone since 10:30am) to run errands, go out to lunch, check out a mall in another city, and he even picked up granddaughter, JanaLyn.  I have been home alone this whole time. 

I loaded the dishwasher and ran it; and I washed the larger pieces by hand.  I turned on the dishwasher.  I had an early lunch.  I have leftovers planned for dinner.  Then I did it . . .

I did NOTHING all day. 

I forced myself to sit on the den sofa and start a book and then looked through a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  I actually felt drowsy; which means, if I had more quiet time, I might be able to take a nap like *normal* people!

I decided to clear my desk into a Rubbermaid bin Monday.  I also had a million things enter my mind BEFORE I got ready to do nothing, but chose to put every thought on the back burner.

I don't know what Stephanie did with JanaLyn being gone and Stephanie being alone today;  BUT, *I* did it.  I stayed down and did nothing. 

It actually wasn't bad!

Well, the doctor said my husband was right, my daughter Stephanie was right, Tangi was right, Emily was right, Reba was right . . . I guess everyone has been right except for me!

My little "cold" was quickly turning into bronchitis.  I say "quickly" because she said with my "weakened condition" (oh brother - rolling eyes!!!) things can turned "bad or serious" overnight.  And, they did.

Tangi, Emily, & Reba have all been telling me they were worried I've been doing too much.  I have felt absolutely fine until this annoying drippy nose started, then made a tickle in my throat that made me cough until I was hoarse, and then "the cough" began Thursday and settled into my chest by Thursday night.

She said Jesse was right in that I am exposing myself to too many places that contain everyone's germs.  That's normally okay for a healthy person, but not when your respiratory system is "compromised" (rolling eyes again).  Jesse even mentioned concern about my going into Luci's daycare to pick her up - a place I hadn't considered covered in germs.

She said Stephanie was right when she told me to schedule "down time" and I should "make friends with down time" because it's good for me.  The doctor said, what Lori K said (so I guess Lori K was right, too), that it takes up energy to heal and I need to not spend that energy being up if my body is needing to be down.  The fact I have taken a couple of naps this past week (something I am rarely ever able to do) should have been loud and clear call to me.  It wasn't, I guess.

So, I'm forced to think of MORE ways to simplify my life.  Thanks buana for the timely advice!!! 

I was VERY blessed by being given free samples of some killer antibiotics and antihistamines.  I take them at night (since the antihistamine causes drowsiness) and after one dose, last night, I'm feeling tons better than yesterday.  I'm sure this is one of those new $13/pill antibiotics and, for that price, I SHOULD feel better.  It's used for pneumonia and severe bronchitis.  I guess she wants to prevent those things.

I was feeling not so much discouraged yesterday, but rather disappointed, by her explanation of what's happened to me.  She reminded me I had a very serious and severe lung infection for a long time (thus confirming my fear of almost needing to be hospitalized) and she told me that even after feeling 100% again, it takes at least (sometimes longer) 30 days to be fully well and our immune system to be built back up. 

I felt sheepish for not taking my recovery more seriously - much like someone on a diet who weighs in in front of a group and has gained 20 pounds and tries to tell everyone, "I really didn't eat that much!"  I don't feel like I've done that much work, but (like counting calories) I guess every chore has "points" and too many chores adds up to the reverse of what I'm trying to accomplish.

I cleaned the bird's cage today.  That's what I picked as a chore absolutely having to be done today.  It can't be healthy for her OR us.  It's done and she's singing. 

Since it bothers me so much, I think tomorrow I'll bring in an empty Rubbermaid bin and clear my desk area (and all that has stacked up on the floor around it) into a box with a lid.  If I can't see it, maybe it won't bother me so much and it will all be together in one box should we need something that isn't filed.

Since I'm feeling much better today than yesterday, I am yet once more encouraged.  Encouraged, but hopefully a tad smarter about how much I do and how long I spend in places with people.  If I'm not careful, I'm going to turn into Michael Jackson - a germophobic!

Off to the shower.  I have to take Luci to her 4pm appointment, today.  Until then, it's "Down Time" for me!

Rissy finished one of her textbooks yesterday.  She's ready for "harder stuff" now, she told me!!!  She's diligently trying to finish her arithmetic book so she can start the new one.

Next week, I'll be keeping Luci home with me and she will be part of our homeschool.  She can work on drawing shapes and basic letters.  I have lots of preschool books, so I'm not worried about keeping her busy.  I hope she enjoys learning.

Annamarie has gone about as far as she can in her arithmetic book and we need to quit it for a while.  I think I'll pull out the preschool sequencing books to give her practice.  You know?  You look at 3 pictures and have to put them in order of how things would happen.  She needs the most help in that area, the reading and math will come later (if at all).  AND, she is actually picking out words here and there, so flash cards might also be helpful.  And, believe me, I have a TON of flashcards!  With Annamarie, I have to look at what she is most interested in (or excelling in) and THAT'S what I teach.

Last night, Jesse wasn't here for dinner and said to eat without him because he wasn't hungry.  So, I asked the girls what sounded good and Luci jumped in with, "McDonald's"!!!  I thought the other girls might say, "Noooooo," but they chimed in with, "Yeah!  McDonald's!"  So, McDonald's it was!  Annamarie and I got a 99 cent double cheeseburger and Luci and Rissy split 20 nuggets!  TWENTY!!!  I think Annamarie enjoyed her burger more than I enjoyed mine, but I'll say the "majority" of us were happy with the meal!  Of course, WHEN Jesse came home, he wondered what was left from dinner - he was finally hungry!  ARGH!!!  Sometimes, I can't win!

Tonight I'm making a casserole that is new to me.  Reba brought it when I was sick.  Lean, seasoned hamburger pressed on the bottom of a pyrex dish, I'll add mixed vegetables next, and then a layer of some type of cream soup & grated cheese, topped with tater tots.  I should be able to pull that together easily without a lot of prep time.

Emily will be here later this morning to help with the house.  The girls are getting their own breakfasts and getting dressed, right now.  Time for me to hit the shower!