What is it with me?

* Covered in a blistery, very itchy rash of sorts. First I thought it was maybe a sun allergy (I do take a med that makes me more sensitive). Still a front-running possibility. Maybe heat rash? Poison Ivy? We've been ruling everything out. So, it's the sun thing or good, old fashioned hives. What I have thought all along, but it makes me feel better to actually believe I COULD have the chicken pox a second time, even when the first time was horrendous. I may just tell people that when they stare at me like I have the plague. My mother, of course, will deny it vehemently. She witnessed the first explosion when I was in grade school.

* We bought a house.

* Old Willie Nelson out here at the park is trying again to quit smoking. Whisper prayers for him. He really wants to quit. His 14-yr-old grandson really wants him to quit and live a very long time, husky voice and all.

* Sorry, did I leave you hanging on the house thing? Well, we bought a 10-year-old repo double-wide for less than what we payed for our last car. Bought it. Cash. Outright. It's ours. Granted, it's still sitting on a lot in San Antonio, but will be out here in our field as soon as we hire a mover. Of course, don't get too excited. We won't have any electricity.

* Michael has been substitute teaching on top of his other little parttime "Do you want fries with that shake?" job. He loves it and the kids love him. He is getting called a LOT. With the multitude of subs, there aren't many who want to work junior high or high school. And men? They're a rarity.

*What? OH, the electricity thing. Thought I had told you all about this giant pain in the ars little glitch. You see, not only would we like to power our home (living off the grid would cost more than the house - trust me - I CHECKED!), but we also need to have the county cooperative install a security light in the area. It's dark out here in the boonies, and most people don't want to spend the $20 a month to slowly pay for a street light which will not be directly on their property. Only (here's the glitch), to run the lines and put up a pole, it would require them shaving off the front of EVERY SINGLE TREE along the easement of our park property. Um, nope. The cool part is that the coop guy didn't even make it an option. He REFUSES to do something so awful. GO COOP GUY! Luckily, there is a very empty piece of land adjacent to us, where they could cross over, run the lines, and cross back. Easy peasy. Just have to get permission from the owner of this tiny triangular strip of property ... aaaaaaaand, the guy refused. Yup. Refused. Said we could pay to bury it (note: double the cost of running lines on poles, and we'd have to pick up the tab). No plans to develop this property anytime in the next TWO DECADES. Yes, he said that. So, while we and Coop Guy are still looking for alternatives, we own a home, which is sitting in a parking lot in San Antonio, which really doesn't matter much because it wouldn't have any electricity if it were here.

* Thankfully, we have several people in our lives who are also trying to come up with some creative electrical solutions. Stay tuned. Or donate solar panels. Or a windmill. Whatever you prefer.

* There is some water damage to the house, so I will get to replace flooring for the first time. No, not like putting down a little vinyl. I'll be cutting and piecing in new plywood and THEN doing the easy "weekend project" stuff. I'm actually very excited. Unless, of course, the first time Michael uses the master toilet, he falls straight through my repaired floor to the ground. Then it would lose its "I am a Super Woman" appeal.

* We will be surrounded by plenty of hunter green carpet and floral wallpaper, and I SO DON'T CARE! I have avoided throwing myself a pity party. I suck up and deal. However, I must say it has been really hard not having our family under one roof every single night. It's okay, and it's working, and it's not like we can't see each other just a few feet away through the windows. Still. It is very disjointed. As a mom, it just bothers me. I look forward to talking about our family dwelling in the singular instead of the plural form.

* Today is our 14th wedding anniversary. We both remembered - yesterday. We have made an agreement that we will celebrate our 15th WITHOUT any major transitions, life changes, or newness of any kind. It will be bland, boring and completely predictable. Ahhhh. That sounds so nice.

* Must go slather myself in Sarna now.



(photo by Jay Lopez)