So the past week or so packing/organizing at Casa de Chaos has ground to a halt. In part it was due to unfulfilled promises to do the dishes pitch in around the house, and in part it has been due to our current role as plague rats. Yes, everyone in Casa de Chaos is sick, and not just the sniffles and runny noses (though we have those too, Thanks Allergies). We all have the stomach bug that’s been sweeping our town, except we’re so lucky we didn’t just get it once, but twice! Two weeks ago Rico and I were both struck with persistent stomach problems that made us really glad we have two bathrooms, and half the monkey population soon followed. We felt mildly better, but Monday the Eldest Monkey was sent home sick. Tuesday morning he and the Second Banana both woke us with white, gooey, projectile vomit, and missed a day of school. Having dealt with this before right before and after Little Miss Monkey was born, and a couple of times since, we were ready for the worst, but Wednesday they were back to their normal selves and we thought we had dodged a bullet. Wrong.
Little Miss Monkey waited until Rico had the night off to start her Exorcist impressions, and completely unable to deal with vomit, he woke me from a secure slumber to remove couch cushion covers to wash while he cowered in the corner and I held Miss Monkeys hair back. The poor baby was so sick (and still is) that she had to sadly revert back to pull ups and spent two nights (the time the vomiting is worst) sleeping on a pallet in the bathroom floor. Being the awesome mother that I am, I slept right next to her, just across the doorframe in my bedroom floor. That was Thursday. Friday brought about a resumption of symptoms for Rico and I, and later that night the Littlest Monkey was struck low too. Seriously, at this point I have to buy stock in Desitin, because we’re going through so much. Through out all of this, no one has run a fever at all. Seriously. Little Miss monkey hit 99 degrees once, otherwise they are all normal, just feeling like crap.
Rico has been working despite being sick, but is not much help in the kid department (though he’s kept the handheld devices charged so when kids are bedridden they can still be entertained). The monkeys are on on the mend to some degree, acting like they are feeling better, and the flow of undesirable material from bodies and into toilets is slowing. But this Mama Monkey, I am beat. Like, I’m behind on the laundry, again, and exhausted. The dishes haven’t been completely done since this sickness began, and my house is starting to drive me crazier than usual.
On the bright side, I’ve been able to read a ton of blogs that have me really excited about our move. The hardest part is going to be figuring out how to prioritize our improvements. The Handmade Home has lots of great crafts, designs, and ideas, I highly recommend it. Also, Virigina over at http://www.livelovediy.com/ has done an awesome job renovating her 1970’s home. Check her out for ideas and inspiration, or if you’re just a renovation junkie like me.
In my own home, I’ve come to realize there are three areas that I alone am going to get under control to ease the Chaos a little. One is Laundry, and as soon as I’m better we’re going to go on a big purge and also find a new way to store things. The second is paperwork. Most of our clutter is paperwork, and it’s just got to get under control. The third is the dishes. Rico’s been swearing he’d pick up the difference there, since doing the dishes is the fastest way to make my back seize up and leave me unable to walk (part of being 6 feet tall and having been in two major car accidents). That hasn’t happened yet, which mean I’m going to have to bite the bullet (and some ibuprofen) and get us caught back up again. Wish me luck.
All in all, I feel like death warmed over right now, and the only times I remember feeling worse were after my car accidents and when I had the killer flu back in 2011. Seriously, just writing this has worn me completely out. I think I’m gonna take my cup of tea and go lay back down.
Hope you don’t catch this bug, and have a great week if you’re out there reading.
Casa de Chaos 