Storm Sense

I live on the East Coast - and I always live on some coast - The Hubster is in the Navy - it kind of makes sense. Anyway, we are currently waiting to see exactly what Hurricane Earl will do. I am not terribly concerned... i grew up in Hurricane Alley (Charleston SC) and have been prepping for storms for my whole life. So has TeenDream. You just make sure you have bottled water, batteries, non-perishable food, and toilet paper. then there are a few extras that a wise woman makes sure she has on hand: baby wipes (for bathing if the water goes), more TP than you can shake a stick at (just because you REALLY don't want to get caught short), and brownies - the brownies should be self-explanatory.

Before a storm there are certain things you should always do:

Spray for bugs.... use a good indoor outdoor spray - trust me on this. Storms are aphrodisiacs for bugs... I call it the "Oh my God we are going to die let's do it" phase. They do it, goto ground for the storm, give birth and die. Two or three days after the storm you are overrun with a million little bigs... Nasty.

Do all your laundry. You don't know if you will lose power and water - it is better to lose those two things AFTER your clothes are clean. Take if from someone who washed he clothes in a garbage can after a typhoon..... do your laundry.

Wash your dishes - same thing as with your clothes.

Put clean sheets on the bed - even if it isn't clean sheet day. You will love yourself for it

Bake those brownies, cookies, whatever.

Make sure you have plenty of propane or charcoal for your grill. If you lose power you can cook the perishable food in your freezer - don't tell me you can't cook a turkey or ham on a grill, or muffins. biscuits, and pizza. you can do it - I have - but only if you have what you need to run the grill.

Charge everything!! Phones, hand held games, dvd players, iPods, laptops - whatever. Particularly if you have kids.... that should be self explanatory.

DON'T freak out. There isn't anything you can do about the weather. You can evacuate - and some people have to - but other than that just work on being calm. If you freak out then anyone you are with may do so as well. The only ting worse than an adult freaking out is two adults freaking out.

Become familiar with the terms "Cone of Uncertainty" and the 1-2-3 Rule. They are basically the same thing. They show you the potential range for the storm.

Remember that in the past few years weather has become "sexy". Really?!?! Yep. Jim Cantori and the rest of the Weather Channel peeps are really working on making weather sexy and dramatic. Well, weather is dramatic enough, thank you very much. Watching somebody stand outside in the middle of a storm has become part of our lives these days.... And Weather guys and gals are turned on by their jobs - they want you to like it too . They want you to see that their job is vital, sexy, and dangerous. I'll go with the vital. I'll even go a little bit with the sexy. Dangerous?!?! Only if you go out in it - and they do. Take what they say with a grain of salt..... just remember to be prepared.

Anyway - 125 mph winds don't scare me after doing the typhoon thing in Guam. Our wind gauges (on the AFB there) broke at 185 and that was BEFORE the eye wall got there.....

So, come on over Earl. We are ready. See you when you get here....

Tiaras Are Important

I have a tiara collection. This started several years ago when my mother gave me the book - The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love. I loved it. I laid on the sofa in my chef pants and toe socks and read it in one sitting. I immediately saw the need to have my very own tiara. I carried myself to Wal-Mart and bought the fanciest Barbie tiara there was. It was the first of several to grace my head. I have a purple fuzzy one that is also a favorite. I used to wear these around the house, laughing at myself as I vacuumed or mopped. A tiara, i have fond, is a very empowering object when worn with the right attitude.

Life got in the way during the last few years.... the tiaras were relegated to closets, drawers and under the bathroom sink. Seeing it now it is all very sad, this tiara decline. Maybe I have lost my sense of fun somewhere in the parenting/wifing/daughtering I have been doing... not to mention all the volunteer things I added to my plate.

So, this morning, while cleaning (and I mean thoroughly cleaning) under my bathroom sink I found a tiara or two - the original Barbie Tiara and the Tiara of Purple Feathers and Fuzz... both fantastic! I put on the Barbie Tiara - it has "jewels" - and proceeded to continue on task with a light heart and a happy face. Some serious power to get a happy face when cleaning - that is a guarantee!

So, the beasties watched me with some concern, sniffed The Tiara, and sat back, reserving judgment.

I continued to clean and toss things our with a lightness that surprised me.

As I hauled stuff to the trash and recycle bins neighbors who were driving by honked and waved... I, naturally, waved back. i noticed some people were laughing and just put it down to everyone is having a great Friday. Right up until I walked back into the house. The Beasties were giving me that "What the heck have you been doing outside without us look" with the added "and in that get up too". GB actually looked embarrassed to know me. SO I, not knowing how to interpret that look immediately, decided to take them out in the back.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror over the mantel... hmmm, yep - still had on The Tiara. I smiled a little, then I smiled a lot!! Fantastic. I don't care who sees it. I don't care who knows that I occasionally run around in a tiara. Maybe if people see that they won't be scared to get their own... and they better 'cause I'm not sharing!

In Memory of Brian Mouring

Last week one of my son's school mates died. He was swimming in NC and was hit by a wave. They searched for two days before finding his body. He was 20.

I haven't known this man as long as some, nor as well as some, but his faith, and that of his family... their closeness and true friendship.... has helped guide us all.

I have many Brian stories... all of us do... but the one that stands out the most follows. TeenDream was a sophomore, Brian was a junior and they were on the soccer team. Mama had come up for a game and we were loaded in her minivan. I had several boys and Brian was among them. One of the boys said "let's pray". Brian, who was seated in the rear intoned "tattoos are of the devil" and all the boys giggled. TeenDream said "Dude, my mom has a tattoo." Brian, never one to miss a beat, then intoned "Body piercing are of the devil". TeenDream said, as all the rest giggled, "Oh Dude, my mom has a tattoo." There was dead silence for a second or two, then from Brian we heard "Mrs. Witte is of the devil."

None of the boys breathed, waiting for my response. Mama and I burst out laughing... after all, it was a natural progression. The boys joined in and later Brian approached and said, "No offense." and I laughed and replied that he would have been a fool not to take the opportunity.

i will always remember that day. They were young, happy, and full of life. Untouched by death.

Brian Mouring will be missed.

How a Fibro Flare Starts....

Stress... that is the answer. Too much stress all at once, combine it with inability to sleep through, and you have the makings of a flare.

I have one starting.

There is a large fiery pain located under my left shoulder blade... on most people this is bilateral. For me, it is usually one side or the other. I have nerve damage in my neck and right shoulder that inhibits some pain sometimes. It is weird.

I can't sleep through the night - not even with medical assistance.

I have a headache that won't go away.

Muscle relaxers will just increase the pain in my hips - the one that runs down my legs.

Vicodin will just make me not care that I hurt. That is good in one way but bad in that I am worried about doing anything when I take it because I might hurt myself worse.

So, right now it hurts to move my left arm in any way. I have my elbow pinned to my side as I type this. I drove to Popeye's for TeenDream's lunch (he is weeding my flower bed) and I won't be driving again for a day or two, or three.

I am going back to bed. This will give me more stress as I have so much to do. It is a cycle..... one I don't like.

Fibro, it sucks.

A Little Whine with His Cheese

I love The Hubster. He is a really neat guy. Really. But he is half way around the world and has a cold. He is whining. He is half way around the world and tell me that he is a snot factory. He has a headache. He is sneezing a lot. His eyes are watery. Okay.

He has a Z-pack. He has Sudafed. He has a COLD. A cold.

I love him. He is whiny. It really is funny because he is a big guy - strong, stubborn, intelligent. I know why he is whining. He is getting up every day and acting like he isn't sick. He is doing everything exactly the same and has just added in taking the pills. No extra rest. No vitamins. No nothing. Just the pills.

And, I'm not there to take care of him..... hand him vitamins and juice, bring him supper in bed, run him a warm bath, rub his face and head and neck....

Of course, he won't admit that. He won't admit that he likes being babied every now and again. He grumbles about it when he is home and I do it but I know he secretly loves the way I care for him when he doesn't feel well.

So I am getting "I am a snot factory and I hate the world" e-mails. And I'm sending back "Oh baby, I hate it for you... are you getting enough rest? Are you drinking plenty of juice? I hope you feel better soon". What else am I supposed to do?

I hope this cold is over with soon.... i am running out of cheese....

Dreaming....

I dreamed last night instead of having nightmares... it was a nice change. Unfortunately, I dreamed about my closet. Really?!?! I couldn't have dreamed something cool like flying? or being with The Hubster on a tropical beach? or receiving an Academy Award? Aren't dreams supposed to be about the extraordinary instead of the mundane?

To be honest it kind of sucked. No, scratch that. It really sucked. My closet.... I would have hoped that if I was going to have a dream abut my closet that maybe, just maybe, it would be cleaned, organized and full of spectacular clothes that were hung or folded according to color and style. Nope. It looked like it always does. No designer dresses. No fantastically great clothes, just my regular stuff. The shoes were good, but they are good in real life too so that wasn't a change. The clothes weren't even in smaller sizes... I can't even get skinny in my dreams. See, it sucked. Not a nightmare but whatever.

Don't get me wrong, I love my closet (it is a big walk-in that is full of clothes) and I am blessed with a husband that doesn't complain (too much) when I add to my wardrobe. But it is a closet - not fantastic enough for a dream. Not full of fantastic clothes just full of my jeans and shirts and skirts.

The one thing that this dream did bring me is the understanding that I really need a trip to the lingerie store.

Oh, I guess it was a good dream.

Sleeping Alone....

Okay, first off, the title is all wrong. With the beasties in the bed I am never alone. It should probably be "Sleeping When The Hubster is Gone" or "Battling the Beasties" but "Sleeping Alone" is what flowed from the fingers so that's what we get. handle it.

First, when The Hubster is here sleeping is not a problem. I get situated first, then The Hubster and the beasties battle for position. It really is kind of funny. I sleep on my side. BB cuddles up in my belly area and puts either his head or his butt under my chin. If it is his butt I turn him around. GB like to sleep behind my knees but The Hubster likes to curl up behind me so this is when a fight usually ensues.

The Hubster makes me hold her while he gets comfy and then we let her go. At this point she is very grumpy and gives us her mean puppy glare.... it isn't effective but it seems to make her feel better. Then she climbs up on top of us. It becomes interesting when she starts wiggling and rolling back and forth and sliding deeper and deeper in between us. The Hubster and I both kid of giggle to see what she does next. Once she has wormed her way in between us she starts to turn and push us apart.

Now, one of two things happens.... either The Hubster rolls over and I roll with him, snuggling up to his back (which the dogs do not seem to mind) or we just shift apart (which the dogs prefer). I usually snuggle up behind The Hubster, unless it is late spring, summer, or early fall and then he just puts out too much heat to snuggle hard. When we don't cuddle GB is VERY happy because she starts out next to me and then oozes across the bed to cuddle with "daddy". BB stays with me.

Now, when The Hubster is gone it is a whole different story. Both Beasties are very demanding. BB likes to sleep under the pillows - really?!? - so I have to make him move to his regular spot under my chin and GB thinks she owns the whole bed. Truly - she will sprawl her little body out to take up the most room in the most inconvenient place. They will growl at each other and grump to themselves when I make them stop. Once I settle for the night, if I move they give me dirty looks. If I roll over BB will heave a HUGE sigh and kind of slide/ooze over me until he is back tucked under my chin. GB just tries to stay very still when I start to move, then she makes herself heavy as if that will stop me from rolling over. It is an adventure.

Then there are the teens... who come into my room at any time to see how I am. They will just climb up in the bed to chat. I don't discourage this as I think it is important that they know they can bring their "stuff" to me at any time. Sometimes, if there are girl teens in the house for the evening I will end up with one sleeping in the bed with me. This I don't mind either but it is a weird surprise in the morning.

So, I never sleep alone. Never. I always have company, whether human or beastie. As bothersome as it sometimes is I kind of like it. Actually, I have tried to remember the last time I did sleep alone - I think it was 2002. Sigh... I don't even remember what that is like and I'm not too sure I would like it n ow that I am used to all the company.