Lateshoes

One head of cabbage (chopped)
One yellow squash (chopped)
One zucchini (chopped)
One clove of garlic (chopped)
2 thingies of organic chicken or veggie stock
Some chopped parsley and chives
1 BIG can of organic diced tomatoes
Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
Shredded parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top

*Optional for my meat eating readers- organic smoked sausage (chopped)

Dump everything in a pot, cover and cook on medium for up to two hours

I’m now on Day 6 of The Stupidest Cold in the Universe. Each new day brings with it another exciting new symptom.

Day 1 – Scratchy, phlegmy throat
Day 2 – Stinging, burny throat, swollen glands, massive headache
Day 3 – Irritated throat, watery eyes, excessive sneezing
Day 4 – Blurred vision, insomnia, slight sniffles
Day 5 – Really blurred vision, completely insane dry cough that made my brain feel like it was getting totally bitch-slapped by my skull
Day 6 – My head and chest are a safe haven for extremist goo. Number of tissues used: approximately 900. Today, I’m a total “mouth breather.” Sigh.

Total cold medicines purchased: 5! (Theraflu Day, Theraflu Night, Sudafed (WORTHLESS unless I decide to develop an awesome Meth habit), Delsym Cough and Tylenol Allergy Multi-Symtom.

I cannot believe I am sick again. I could feel but, tried to ignore all of the signs on Saturday: the excessive throat clearing, the watery eyes (It’s allergies, I told myself. It’s just allergies), the dry cough, the sneezing, the dizzy feelings, the slight nausea.

Sunday morning, as expected my throat was on fire and my head felt just like this. I hate to use internet cliches, but wtf?

I’ve been meaning to talk about this, but things have been crazy and sad around my house lately, so talking about my conversion to pants seemed, well – stupid.

So, let me get the serious stuff out of the way, so I can finally put my focus back on triviality where it belongs.

We lost one of our kitties last week and it was hard. Very – extremely hard. Too hard to talk too much about in a whole lot of detail, but I can tell you that he was sick for a very long time. He had Chronic Renal Failure (something that first cropped up around Christmas two years ago). When he started showing signs right after our wedding we began aggressive treatment and force feedings. A few months later he started eating on his own and within weeks was fat and fuzzy and all better. We hoped it was gone for good, but – it wasn’t.

Right around our anniversary he stopped eating and started losing weight extremely fast. We took him to the vet again and administered treatment in the exact same way as before. It was rough. He would seem better for a few days and then go down hill – then get better – then get worse. He just never got back to himself. I can’t explain how sad, painful, stressful, horrible (etc..) it is to watch a pet go through something like this and I truly hope none of you ever have to experience it first hand. On the advice of our vet and our own conscience – we had to let him go. It fucking sucked beyond all sucking and writing about it now is making me get teary at work so…moving on.

In other related bummer news, Lars has been extremely sick for the past few months. The first diagnosis was gastritis, but the medicine he was prescribed hasn’t helped at all and upon further research today, it’s seeming more and more like gallbladder disease …or at least something other than gastritis. He’s going to the doctor again tomorrow and I’m just hoping we finally get some answers so we can get him feeling like himself again. He’s been feeling awful and it’s really hard to watch one of the usually-cheeriest people in the world feel like shit 24/7.

Ugh. But, in happier news – I’m totally loving pants! Who knew they were so easy to put on in the morning? Who knew they kept you so much warmer in the winter? Who knew that they shaped my butt so nicely?? I mean, seriously – a lot of my life may be in the toilet right now, but at least my booty is fly.

I’m sitting in the MultiMedia Center, typing on a foreign computer to pass the time while waiting for yet ANOTHER meeting. I absolutely love my job and have never been happier to do something for 8 hours a day, but would someone let me do it?! Ugh. It’s my own fault – I agreed to be on these committees – because that’s what people who want to get ahead do – and I know I wouldn’t even have the sweet job I do now – without being a committee-bitch – but, STILL.

I’m tired. I’m sick and I’m cranky and I’d rather have trolls nibble on my girl balls then go to another meeting right now.

This weekend was such a bust. All of our good intentions to FINALLY sand the floors went out the window Friday night when the sniffles, headaches and body aches began. I’ve made all sorts of commitments in my head to get tiny parts of the project done during the week – I could easily start filling in the holes, repairing the messed up planks etc… but, will I?

What it all boils down to is this: I have to finish this bloody project – my brain needs a place of peace and beauty to detox. I’m so tired of the constant loop of plan, avoid, guilt, plan, avoid, guilt. So. very. tired. I want time and brain space to be creative again. I want to write things, make things, sing things – but all of that energy is bogged down in this one place and I’ve got no one to blame but myself.

Of course all of this could just be the Theraflu talking. Shut up, Theraflu!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6i2WRreARo]I’m sorry, but Neil LaBute’s remake of Wicker Man – rules. I’ve been sick for two days, not doing much more than lying in bed and moaning – but, this morning, like a honey-sweet gift from God, The Wicker Man was on HBO.