The Elysian Fields

We have failed for one more week, and here, we're just moving into it.

Rachel and Justin both have a stomach bug, and Brandon slept until 10:00am, making it very likely that he has something Not Quite Right as well.

We continue to not have a single week with all of us healthy.

On the way back from Justin's birthday dinner, Rachel got sick in the car, leaving us pulled over in a falling-rock zone, with both Deb and Rachel at risk of getting flattened by motorists who refuse to leave the lane they're in, even when the other lane is clear. Thankfully, that didn't happen, although there were some close calls, especially when Rachel almost backed out into the highway. Later that night, Justin got hit with it suddenly, which is unfortunate - a not-so-fun end to an otherwise good birthday.

Deb has once again decided I'm on too many medications and need to get a second opinion. I'm loathe to do so because: 1) time; 2) money; 3) many docs have been trying to get me to go on blood pressure meds since I was 25, so it's not realistic to expect them to suddenly say: "Naw, you're fine; 163/112 is perfectly normal for someone on four blood pressure meds, it's not really a concern." Different meds may help, but this doc is already messing with the mix and seeing what happens, so going somewhere else would mean starting over, and repeating all of what's been happening so far. Deb also insists I'm on 15 meds, thus greatly reducing my impression of her as Someone Who Can Count, because I know that 15 != 3 bp pills + 1 allergy pill + 1 nose spray + 1 daily inhaler + 1 rescue inhaler + 1 OTC heartburn med (which I'm not, actually, currently on, because I finished the 14 day course but am waiting to see if it's still needed; the price of said OTC meds is what started her off.) Then again, you can't argue with her, as was proven the other day when she shouted "Woah!" and I did, and the car backing up into us almost hit us until I noticed him and floored it, thus moving out of the way, which we would have been, if she hadn't shouted.

The kids are outside doing some of their outdoor chores. Deb was saying they're not good at such tasks, and lack the discipline to do assignments on their own, so I developed these little "collectable chore cards" and I give them four a week each, and they have to get sign offs every Sunday. With the exception of two grass-trimming chores which are reserved for Justin, they get to choose which ones they do, and they get to choose when. The first week worked great, although they did do most of them on the last allowable day. Second week, they went on vacation for three days, and Deb decided I should extend their deadlines. Third week, they were sick, so I extended another week at Deb's request - truth was, Justin was too sick to do his, Rachel just didn't, but she is younger. So this past week, Justin's friend is over for several days and nothing gets done in the first two days, which leaves today. Deb is trying to get them another extension, which will go to great lengths to teach them the responsibility of getting something done on time.

Brandon has been a bit cranky lately, and Deb decided earlier this week that she needs a vacation. She took Justin's friend home today and is supposed to be staying away either all weekend or just for today. She's called 4 times to complain about her car. I am going to try to get her a new one in Fall of 2006, but she is convinced hers won't live that long - of course, she was saying it would die "any day now" five years ago. She stopped by, and her cousin's husband looked at and determined it was the transmission fluid leaking, and told her to get some, after filling it up. Later she called and asked why D would have told her to get transmission fluid when he gave her a bottle of power steering sealant and poured it in where the power steering fluid goes. She hung up on me when I failed to be able to provide an instant over-the-phone solution to the car problems and/or what to do on her vacation (without, as she says, money, a car, air conditioning, or a drink). And apparently the communication problem is all my fault.

Part of Brandon's crankiness is, no doubt, due to the rather prolific blooming of teeth in his ten month old mouth. He's got five visible in a quick grin, seven if you look closely, and I'm sure more are on their way.

Okay, some long weekend, eh?

- Wife and kids came back Friday after spending a few days up in MA with my parents; I wound up coming home 2 hours early with flu-like symptoms

- Wife decided that some stains on the carpet were My Fault (they certainly look to be) and that I am Hiding Something about how they got there - I have no idea, but I plan on shampooing the carpet to clean them up. No matter what I tell her, however, she will remain Convinced that I am Hiding Something. Would be easier and more fun if I actually had Something To Hide.

- Mowed the lawn on Saturday

- Spent most of Sunday morning watering all the trees

- Spend most of Sunday afternoon on the hammock, snoring loud enough to cause the neighborhood bears to make large posters about noise pollution and start marching in protest

- Actually saw the bird that's been making the faded screech from the back edge of our property - a falcon, and a fairly large one. Complete identification hasn't happened yet, and the sound files I've listened to don't match up in the least. Leaning towards a merlin.

- Wanted to go see what the dryer vent pipe did - when I had cleaned it out, I ran into a tough twist part way through and I kept forgetting to go look. I still haven't looked, as I was distracted by my brand new indoor swimming pool. Water was bubbling out the top of the tank, around the outside of the fitting for the pressure relief valve. I drained the tank, flushed it a bit, and almost instantly was rewarded with even more bubbling and frothing, this time around all of the top fittings on the tank. Can't be good, especially since the house is only 2 years old.

- Took a cold shower - no, a hypothermia-inducing shower - on Monday, and packed up to go to a picnic at Deb's cousin's house. Deb and Rachel are both sick, didn't want to take them, but they both insisted. Part way there, Deb reminds me I was supposed to bring a beverage for myself. A little bit later, while listening to some choral, patriotic John Williams stuff, Deb decides that if I ever get opera tickets, don't get any for her, and I should take someone else. Later, she said it was a pathetic straw to break the camel's back, and that she hadn't intended it as a dig for me, and I should have realized long ago that she likes absolutely nothing that I like, but hey, I realize it now. So she told me I should go ahead and call and order a divorce today. So we drove around for an extra hour or so, because I couldn't make up my mind whether I wanted to get out and walk, go home, or go to the picnic. Think of the children, she says, as she tells me she doesn't love me at all, and I obviously don't love her or I would just shut up and do what she wants. I finally decided to go to the picnic - which I would have done a lot quicker had there been a shred of compassion from her, but she only knows anger. One of her comments had to do with my inability to communicate - this from the person who answers "We need to talk" with "Leave me alone" or "It won't help" or "No" or something else similar and often less polite. And then she goes into her "It's all me" sarcasm, which I never say, but it is her defense, even when I'm talking about things I need to change about myself. Of course, it is all her, because we can only listen to music she approves of (which is not much, and excludes anything I pick out), because we can only talk when she wants to (which doesn't happen because she doesn't like to talk), because I'm always the one to compete with her and she has to win, because she is - I'd say undiagnosed, but it's not rocket science - clinically depressed and the only thing she can see is how it all revolves around her or relates to her.

- Watched Boston's fireworks and made up the 2 hours of work from leaving sick on Friday (which upset her because I always get to be sick, and she never does, and she just got back from vacation, and wanted me to take the baby); Rachel talked with my mom on the phone, which pleased both of them

- This morning I showered outside, using the hose and a Gentle Shower setting; would almost have been pleasant if the sun was out, but better than inside; of course, I had to finish up inside, but no signs of frostbite or hypothermia! =)

- Left Brandon in charge of the household, as Justin is now sick, and both Deb and Rachel seem worse than yesterday