Almost Perfect

Just read an awesome book by a lady called Kelly Denley who decided after having 8 kids, that she wanted to head back to school to do her HSC. After getting through that with 97.3 her family seemed to be struggling at school with so many issues that she & her husband decided they would throw everything into their cars & travel around Australia to improve relationships within their family & create some memories for their children. As someone who has just had to cancel their holidays with a camper trailer it was a little sad/bittersweet to read it these holidays, but also inspiring & made me laugh & cry. There is nothing better than a  great biography to read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BOOK!!

Now, back to blowing my nose again...

P.S. Been so caught up with my own miserable cold that I just realised Miss Bon looked very flushed. She's been in with Dad in the studio & has been complaining about how COLD it is today. She's got a huge polar fleece dressing gown on. Just took her temp - the poor darling is running a fever of 39.4. No wonder she looks so dreadful, she's shivering with a fever. She's just curled up on the lounge now with a DVD of the Muppets to sooth her. Last night she didn't sleep until 1am. When I got up for a toilet break I heard sobbing & she said "I can't get to sleep, my leg aches". She fell down the ladder to her bed the other night so I just thought that perhaps she's broken something in her foot or it's bruised after that? I got out the heavy duty pain medicine for her & a chocolate to help it go down & she was so desperate to sleep she knocked it all down - very unlike her to take medicine without kicking up a huge fuss. Maybe it was all her joints aching with this cold she's got. (Dad took her in to his work yesterday & she was out in blisteringly cold winds on some play equipment - rolling my eyes! I'm sure that contributed!!) Off for another cuppa now & to keep an eye on her. Hot Chocolate & Kermit. What could be better when you're unwell!?

Camping in the rain...

I'd like to say I was calm, happy, relaxed, enjoyed every moment, was Mrs Positive, full of laughter etc etc etc...(uggg) but to be honest I was cold, miserable, whiney & not much fun to be around...then there was the afternoon where I totally lost it, yelled at the kids (after they had been bickering all day) & yelled "THIS IS THE HOLIDAY FROM HELL"...David got out of bed - yes, he'd been sleeping all morning & then had gone back to bed after lunch leaving sleep deprived Lissy to deal with the unhappy tired wet kids - & realised that I needed a break & he drove into the town to get some things we needed. However I spent the time writing a very nasty diary entry about walking to get the car serviced the day before & how on Saturday I'd wanted to have a "rest day" (ha ha, maniacal laughter...AS IF!) but instead had been walking up & down the highway to sort out car issues & packing the hundreds of things you need when you go camping...but I won't get started on THAT. 

D took long service leave this week & was determined to take the trailer down to Kangaroo Valley. Rain started setting in Sunday night & the reports said it looked like rain all week...but we still went. The highlight for me was a glass of wine Monday night, & heading into the local shops Tuesday for a home roasted mug of hot coffee that was made in a place called "Jack's" - it was the best darn coffee I've had in AGES. Like my sister said, I like my creature comforts now that I'm heading toward the big 4-oh! I would trudge off to the toilets through the mud fantasizing about a little cottage somewhere with a fireplace, or some sort of heater. Did I mention the fact that the local wombats - nocturnal - decided they liked to crawl under our trailer & scratch their muddy backs on the edges & then poop everywhere???? Especially about 3am. More uggggg. However the kids & I did like feeding all the ducks who loved the rain. There was something lovely about throwing out bits of old bread for them. Bonnie tried to be very fair & made sure they all got some, from the grumpy alpha males up front, to the poor little young ones up the back who were lower down the pecking order...

I also am in the middle of weaning off some steroids so I'm stiff & sore enough without being out in the elements. This poor old body feels like it is getting ready to pack it in. My wrists & hands are so sore today. Not too sore that I can't type but it's hard to do much else. I went through box after box of tissues with my cold before we left & SURPRISINGLY I still have my cold? Can't imagine why...

But out of love for David we all headed off. We had a few laughs along the way. But if I hear the song "Mahnamanah" ONE MORE TIME I'm going to turn into a crazed Muppet! (This is Eric's favourite song at the moment. It was cute the first hundred times, then each rendition started to become like fingers down a blackboard...) There's no food in the house now that we've arrived home & Mount Washmore is growing in the laundry. Thank goodness for our dryer...& there's no sign of SUNSHINE for at least a week? Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

(Serious muttering under breath about whether I will be going away these coming winter holidays...or going out in that trailer again...5 weeks until the next school hols...)

Deep breath...tomorrow is Friday & there is Preschool for Eric & school for Bonnie. I'm going to calmly take them & then crawl into bed & rest with books, coffee, tissues, good music & the phone will be off the hook. If anyone dares disturb me...well, consider yourself warned. 

Please excuse this not-very-happy post. I'm off to do another load of laundry...or TEN...