ProudMary

I think I'll go for that massage now

When is that Dyson guy going to invent a coffee maker that won't get completely clogged with a single ground, causing it to erupt in angry burning hotness all over everything everywhere?

Anyway.

Cap'n back on premises:    check. 
Niece back home:    nearly check.
Children on antibiotics:    two.
Business intact:    check.
Inches of snow:    10
House on the market:    check.
Offers on the house:    one.
Serious offers on the house:    zero.

It occurred to me yesterday that before we did this, before we ditched our jobs and moved to the country to do our own thing, that I carried an unspoken assumption that once I left the city I would somehow acquire all the spare time and sanity that I ever desired.  Instead, there are more plates spinning, and zero time for moi.  And still, I couldn't actually tell you what actually fills my day.  Kids, yes.  Customers, yes.  Cleaning, yes.  It doesn't sounds like much, but boy howdy, it's a lot. 

So, yes, the Cap'n did a knock up job in the city and was back in record time.  And my niece visited to help pick up the slack and was incredibly helpful.  If I could snap my fingers and have anything right now, it would be a 16-year-old daughter who is so thoughtful and eager to help.

Last week poor BabyEve came down with a nasty case of RSV, and nearly landed in the hospital.  For four days she just sort of checked out...distant gaze...nothing sweet, just misery.  She's doing much better now, and it's amazing to have her back. 

Whilst hovering and fretting over BabyEve, I knew Poopies had Yet Another Virus, but figured it was business as usual.  I knew he was carrying a fever, but figured it was just a new cold settling in, and would pass like the others.  I knew he had been coughing for awhile, but honestly, we're all always at some stage of a cough.  It wasn't until his eyes got all pink, puffy and glazed and he stopped eating that I realized something was up.  The Cap'n took him to the doctor yesterday and apparently got a few raised eyebrows at the severity of the Pooper's illness.  I feel so bad, he was really sick.  To be fair, BabyEve's illness was far more dangerous, but it pulled all my attention and I forgot about my poor little guy, quietly festering in the corner.  Poor.  Little.  Sweet.  (and now skinny) Pooper.  Ugh.

Solo Mio

So, somehow it happened again.  The Cap'n packed it up last Tuesday and headed down to the city for another stint as Renovation Man.  This time for only a couple/few weeks, we'll see.  It's apparently going really well, lots of good progress. 

My end is a bit harder to manage this time around.  Although Poopies is way better company than he was a couple of years ago, he now realizes that his Daddy is missing, and so looks to me for extra support, though I'm stretched a bit thin these days between BabyEve, the business, the ice storm we got this weekend, and the ungodly awful flu I came down with the day the Cap'n left, of course.  Yeah, Tuesday night was one of those harrowing nights you don't soon forget.  I had this crazy fever, chills, clingy boy, crying baby, and I couldn't even stand up to get either one of them anything.  Thank god for breastfeeding, at least Eve was covered.  Poopies got a chocolate muffin tossed at him for dinner, so he was pleased.

The reason for the madness is that we're actually getting rid of the house in the city.  Putting it on the market and hoping to sell it by June, partly for tax reasons and partly to help finance a better living situation up here.  Yes, I know the housing market is in the toilet.  Yes, I've already been thoroughly counseled on what a bad time this is to sell by nearly everyone I've told.  I know.  But, the NYC real estate market is different from the rest of the country and the house actually hasn't depreciated at all, it's just about the same value it was probably about a year ago.  So, that's my rant.  And, with all the Cap'n's good work, the house actually is quite beautiful and the perfect steal for the right person.  Given the neighborhood, I'm very sure people will be happily surprised once they get inside.  I'm actually really sad to see it go.  It has finally realized the beauty I always knew was there, but never got to live in.  I only got to enjoy the cockroach and the squalor phases.  It seems a shame to work so hard to shine up a little gem and then just leave it behind. 

So, yeah, it's been hard.  It was impossible not to get that familiar knot in my stomach when the Cap'n drove away at 4 am.  Even though I know this is for a much shorter time, I just assumed I would never have to return to those days of lonely, blank survival.  The sickness and ice storm were just icing (ha!) on the cake. 

But, my salvation arrives tomorrow in the form of my lovely niece from Texas.  My generous sister was gracious enough to loan her out to me, so not only will I have an extra set of hands around, but I'll get to know my niece a bit too, which is really cool.