The Spoon Theory

I read THIS story today. I'd love to copy/paste it here, but the author asked that it be linked and not reprinted.

If you replace lupus with fibro then you have me. I feel exactly like this. It is so hard for people to understand chronic illness when the person doesn't look sick. This story really illustrates the way I feel most of the time.

WHAT A WEEK!

And Woo Hoo!!! We have POWER!

First, we had a fabulous weekend at the lake. Doug and I went with friends of ours, sans kids, Friday-Sunday afternoon. We had a FABULOUS TIME! We ate and drank our way through the weekend. We went dancing. We played cards. We had donuts for breakfast Sunday morning on the boat! It was a fabulous weekend! Although it POURED down RAIN!

So we came home on Sunday evening at 6pm. At 7pm the power went out. The power came back on THURSDAY afternoon at 2pm! The people across the street had power. The people behind us had power. We did NOT have power!

So thankfully my FIL had a 5000 watt generator. We put $20 a day in that baby, and locked it in the garage at night. We ran our refrigerator and freezer, alternately all day. We gave an extention cord to the neighbor so they could run their refrigerator.

We also did 1 load of laundry. Because between 6 and 7pm Sunday evening I started a load of wash (so Doug could have clean cloths for work this week!) AND did you KNOW? That a Whirlpool Duet front load washing machine, once it starts the cycle and the door locks, the door DOES NOT OPEN if there is NO ELECTRIC! So my clothes were trapped! But we plugged it into the generator and did the load. Otherwise, we took care of the food.

We did all right though. We have a gas water heater, so were able to have hot water. We have city water, so had water period. My in-laws do not have water when there is no power since they have a well and need to run the pump. We have a gas stove. I was able to use a lighter to ignite the burners. I could not figure out how to ignite the oven though. But we had a full tank of propane on the grill, so that was great!

We had a package of batteries from Sam's leftover from camping last June. So we had plenty of batteries for the flashlights. I scrounged up candles. Did you know that when you think a candle stub will burn out, it will still go for another hour or so? I learned a lot of stuff while the power was out.

1. I do NOT have wash and go hair :::snort:::

2. It is hard to play cards by candlelight.

3. It is all the way dark in the house at 7:30 pm. By 9pm, people are TIRED and WILLINGLY go to bed!

4. We rely way too much on electronic entertainment!!

5. I missed the internet a LOT!

We tried to school. Isaac and Allen did much more than Jordan.

6. Algebra takes a LOT longer when you can't have the kids watch the lecture CD. And my boys are using Saxon AND TT. One each. Twice as long for me!

Monday they did school. Tuesday they went to my in-laws and worked like dogs for 8 hours cleaning up trees and limbs. Wednesday Jordan went to the cabin to get the chainsaw for my dad, and then he and Isaac went to the Blue Man Group concert. So no school for him that day. He isa falling way behind. Not a great way to start his last year of school!

Next week we are taking the week off to go to the lake. One last Hooruh! before the season is over. Then the 29th is Isaac's 16th birthday, so no school. But come the 30th, we will be hitting it HARD!!!!

So that's us the past week or so. How about you?

Long Time No Blog!!!!

So what have I been up to?

Well, we finished our 11th year hs'ing in May.

We celebrated Allen's 14th birthday! Where does the time go? My baby should NOT be 14 yet!!

Doug is adjusting to his new job. He likes it. After a year I am finally getting used to the yucky schedule of him only home on weekends, but I treasure those weekends!

Dad put the cottage up for sale! After 10 days they had a buyer, but the deal didn't go through. So for now we are enjoying the lake a little bit longer :)

In February I was really struggling with depression, and in a fit of craziness I posted on the Sonlight forums that I was going camping, and would anybody like to go with me?? Well, people did! We just got home (pictures coming next post) from Cook Forest, PA last week and we had a fabulous time! We were joined by 10 families, 9 of which we had never met! We had a BLAST!!!

I am continuing with the fibro clinic and am starting to feel somewhat normal. I am taking 23 different meds, creams and supplements daily. Four times a day I take a variety of pills and powders and creams. I have lost 12 lbs.! and was starting to feel less exhausted (and then I went camping and I am still recovering LOL) and I no longer stuggle with depression \o/

One of my Grams has been diagnosed with terminal uterine cancer. She just found out last week, with no signs or symptoms. Six weeks ago she was dancing 6 hours a night and now she cannot get out of bed. She has decided not to do traditional treatment, and is consulting with a natural doctor who works with cancer patients out of FL. She is going to eat a raw diet and do a detox and pray.

My step-dad is dealing with atrial fibrullation? and is in the hospital right now. Please keep him in your prayers, also, and my Mom too.

Doug and I are still going dancing as often as possible!

I am planning a trip to visit my new friends in PA and VA in July :)

So that's what's been happening my way. How about you?