Cold weather, again...

This image is going to be on my new business cards.

Just when I thought all this cold was over, we're supposed to get a BIG storm on Friday evening. Good grief. All I know is I saw a pair of robins flying around as I pulled into through the alley. I couldn't believe it and made a big fuss about it...both my gals must think mommy is a bit crazed for Spring (I did start making up Spring songs to Christmas melodies like "Hurry, Spring time we're all ready, time to see the leaves on trees, flowers and bees...").

Then, just when we started to feel better from our colds/coughs and so on, we got a mild flu. Norrie did the worse wet pants I've seen in awhile, Lydia threw up in the sink and me, I didn't feel to great either. I don't know if it's because we're around more kids now (at school, Children's Museum, etc) or just from the markets/library/etc. Just really annoying.

But like I said, it was a mild form as I fell much better. I must have known something was up because I needed 7-up and haven't had soda in 6 months or so. We all seem to be better now. Even Jon was feeling icky but only had a light case, thank goodness.

It's not easy taking care of kids when you're sick and I was a big grump, let me tell you. It's hard to be patient, when you just want to zone out or sleep. Also, I wanted to do some artwork but ended up having to tend to their needs/attention and just felt frayed instead of giving.

Did I mention that Jon left the gate open the other day and Mr. Nelson got loose? It was about 2 minutes of panic when I realized he was barking from the way front of the house...I was wondering why he sounded in a different place of the yard. I ran to the back door and saw the gate wide open. Sure enough he'd gotten out. I started yelling at Jon (his fault for not checking it was closed) and he was running around trying to get his shoes on to go and grab Nelson. I ran to the front door and guess who was on the porch? Nelson! I couldn't believe it. I opened the door and prayed he wouldn't run away. But as soon as the door opened he walked right in. I still can't believe it...it was a huge miracle as Bichon's are known to run away. I guess the old saying by Richard Bach applies well here: "If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were." Kind of hard to do this...at least for me. I tend to want to squeeze tight or hold on too much. But I'm learning...

Being the winter and that it's an especially cold and long winter, I've been reading. Finished the final Harry Potter book. Oh, my that was good and I can see a prelude to a whole other series as well. Though, this book ended wonderfully and had me on the edgeg of my seat most of the time as well as crying all over the place. Loved it. I may re-read everything from book 1...On the totally opposite side of books, I'm now reading "Christy" by Catherine Marshall. This is a great book...I read it (too quickly) as a young person recommended to me by my mom. I admit I didn't understand a lot of what happened in the book. Some of the concepts, behavior, culture just went over my head. Now that I live in a place close to where the book takes place, it's a strange connection I feel towards it. Some of the scenes feel like a description of places we've walked through...cathedrals of trees above us, the cold, snows, the tendency of ours to romanticize the past but the reality is quite different and so on. I just felt so touched by many passages. Even though there is a definite religious aspect, the realism makes these spiritual passages more understandable and why people hope and go on trying to do works that will make some lives better even in the midst of utter poverty and hardship. Very touching and inspirational. I think this is the same copy my Mom gave me, so many years ago. :) Thanks, Mom!

Well, Easter is coming. I can hardly believe it...I hope it will be a good one and I especially hope, it will be warm. I think the ground was frozen the last time. Oh! I just looked at the calendar and Spring officially arrives on the 20th! Great!

If I had any energy I'd work on some paintings right now but as it is, I'm tired. We finally made the turtle bread (I think it was a tad too salty). Also, I found out today was Wednesday. I thought it was Thursday. You know you're tired/sick if you can't remember what day it is. Ah, well...tomorrow will be better and I hope to have more energy. I still can't believe it's only Wednesday...I even tried to go to my allergist on the wrong day (Tuesday)! lol! No wonder they were closed.