Today

I really wanted to put up a *good* post. Let you all know that this is really not getting me down. It's hard when I use this as a daily outlet to give the full picture. The news day to day has tended toward the bad... crisis management. But we're not breaking down. The good news is that crisis management is my skill set.

So in some perverse way I'm stimulated and functioning at my best.

Overall our house is a happy one.

Happier than most.

Mr F and I like each other. And we are in a really good place in our marriage. We're not letting outside stress turn into inside resentments.

And that is saying something.

We're on the same page. And we're making plans.

A lot of things have sucked in the past few years. But in someways they've freed us up... some literally and some mentally.

Having taken this chance to come here... and having it bomb out underneath us... but having it (surprisingly) strengthen us instead of weaken us... I think it has given us the courage to risk even more.

If that makes sense.

So maybe things will all fall into place. Maybe they won't.

And that's okay. Because maybe that's what we need to take the chance on making our own happiness.

Maybe what we need is to step up and choose for ourselves.

Maybe.

In time.

For now I'm making cookie dough for the girls to roll out.

I promised.

And they're holding me to it.

And The Universe Answered

A few days ago after enduring in a week and a half...

- discovering mold all over a basement & garage (and all over our stored belongings ruining many items)

- getting food poisoning

- having Putty die

- taking Baby to ER for severe allergic reaction

- Kid catching lice


I asked WHAT NEXT?


And in answer came the reply...

"10% paycut"


If you've been reading long you know that after all the cuts Mr F has taken at his current job in the last 10 months we are now at a 25% paycut.

That means our mortgage is now just about 60% of our take home pay.

That's not a good ratio.



I didn't panic when he told me. Instead I went to the kitchen to stir the soup and started laughing.

Because what else can I do?

I feel like I've been cast in a movie.

And I'm really hoping it's a comedy and not a tragedy.



We're still waiting on "Project Operation Change".

So there is still a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

But it seems that we are most likely a month or two from knowing how that will turn out.



If it doesn't...

we're selling our house (because we'll have to).

And we're buying an RV.



And you can't stop me.

Footsie

This Week The Plan

Alright so I'm running a bit behind what with all the delousing and all.
Good news is that I haven't had any babysitting the early part of this week and I've been able to just focus on taking care of business. I think I've got a good handle on the lice for now.
I've also gotten started on my batch cooking and have been putting up one thing each day this week.
We also got the basement and garage pretty squared away mold-wise and I've been able to get back to my workouts. So this week has been a veritable pleasure compared to last week... even with the nit picking (literal) I put in 3 times a day.


Menu:
Sunday - Sausage & Onion Quiche w/ Tomato Soup
Monday - Beef Stroganoff w/ buttered egg noodles & peas (batch cooking)
Tuesday - Asian glazed salmon, fried rice w/ broccoli & peas
Wednesday - Chicken Soup & rolls (batch cooking)
Thursday - Tomato & Meatball Soup
Friday - pizza
Saturday - Potato & Leek Soup (batch cooking)


When I'm making a batch meal I try and make enough for 5 dinners. I serve one and then freeze the others.

The beef stroganoff was pretty good. Kid said "I hate to say this but the meat doesn't taste very good and is dry." But then she ate two servings. And Baby only ate the meat... so.... mixed review. The taste was good... I think we're just not all about the crockpot meat cooking... it does sometimes leave you with over cooked meat. I wish I had used a cut of beef with more fat & connective tissue. This is sounding like a bad review... it's not... we'll happily eat it 4 more times. I just like my old traditional recipe (Joy of Cooking) that just calls for sauteing the meat better than slow cooking it.

I'm making my own chicken soup and potato leek recipes... so I know they're good. I'm also going to make a big batch of rolls and shape them and freeze them so they're ready to get baked the day I want them.

I also made a big batch of Gingerbread Waffles. These are really good. VERY gingery. Next time I might take that down a notch but that is just a personal preference. This recipe made 18 waffles at about 200 calories each.

I'm also going to make a dozen egg & english muffin sandwiches and wrap them and freeze them this week. Mr F & I both really appreciate having a quick on the go breakfast. On days when I'm sitting it is very hard for me to eat breakfast let alone make it. I've just got too many people coming in and out at the same time.



Off to the library... more to come!

Oy. Spoke too soon. Kid is back home with lice. Not actual lice. But they found another nit which sent her home... along with half her class. Ridiculous. So I'm keeping her home the rest of the week. I can't have her continue to get reinfected everyday... and I don't want her to have to keep getting sent home (talk about shaming). The kids aren't even having lunch time they are all (the entire school) standing in line and getting their heads checked at noon. This is obviously not working since almost every kid in her class has been sent home twice this week already... and they've all been medicated (which we can't repeat for 10 days... and which I'd prefer not to repeat if possible) and nit picked several times a day.

I'm Just Going To Cut To The Chase Here

And tell you...

"I HAVE LICE!"

Yes you read that right.

Just when I thought there was no feasible way that my bad week filled with random crap could be followed by another bad week filled with random crap...

Boom.

Lice.

Everywhere.

I knew that for the last week there had been a lice outbreak at Kid's school... but... like everyone else I really didn't think too much about it.

Then this morning her school called to report that she had nits and needed to be picked up. I was met in the parking lot by another classroom parent there for the same reason. It appears they do twice daily head checks... that's how bad it is.

So instead of having a fairly easy Monday... a day I had hoped I'd get to use catching up on things from last week and recovering from the weekend's 2000 loads of laundry from Project Mold Removal... I ended up spending 8 straight hours stripping beds, vacuuming mattresses and pillows, couch cushions and carpets. Washing heads with toxic POISON (redundant? sue me) and then painstakingly picking eggs out of Kid's 3 feet of ultra fine hair (too fine for the comb!). I spent 3 hours on her hair alone. And then I did 8 loads of laundry. EIGHT PEOPLE.

Meanwhile my head was itching like MAD. I assumed it was psychosomatic since it started as soon as I heard the word lice.

Nope.

I've got them.

I can't begin to tell you the level of awesomeness I'm now feeling.

Before today I had absolutely no idea what went into delousing. It is no fucking joke.

And now on top of everything else I need to strip my bed AGAIN since I just laid down to read to Kid before bed. I've just recontaminated my own pillows!!! And tomorrow I'll have to do it all over again!

Seriously people... what next?!

WHAT NEXT?!!!!!!

Your Life Sucks Here's Ten Bucks Giveaway

If you were diligently reading ALL THE WAY through my weekend post then you know I've decided to give away four $10 giftcards over the next 6 weeks.

The thought is that while I can't change the world, and I can't change your life, heck I can't even change my own right now... I can make you (okay only 4 of you!) smile and hopefully feel a little Furious love.

The problem is that how much your life sucks is completely subjective. And I'm not sure how I'll go about choosing winners. I mean I'd hate to take someone who is already hurting and then say "Oh you thought you're life sucked before... guess what You Lose". That seems somewhat horrific. So I'm still thinking about it.

And I have time because I've already picked today's winner.

Me, Only Better you are the first winner! Email me (mrsfurious at hotmail dot com)!

Last week I put up a post asking people to share their own "my life sucks and is falling apart" stories and Me, Only Better left a comment that really stuck with me. I could feel her level of despair and I wanted to be able to do something... just a little something... to make her day brighter.

It was that comment that inspired me to do this series of giveaways to begin with, so it's only fitting that she be the first recipient.

Since she's Canadian (yes giveaway is open internationally!) and there are no Targets (how can you survive?!!) I've thought of two other options: iTunes & Gap Options card (good at Old Navy, Gap & BR). Let me know which one you'd like!

THE NEXT GIVEAWAY WILL BE OCTOBER 19TH!!!!!!
So if you're thinking "But Mrs F if only you knew how miserable I am... I would have won this" Hang tight... you'll have three more chances!

Never before has having your life suck felt so good.

Morning Pleasantries

Mrs F holds Kid by the shoulders and says...

"You need to sit down and eat breakfast.

You are acting like this because you didn't get enough sleep. Tonight you'll be going to bed much earlier.

Now sit down and eat.

If you keep acting like this you are going to... (desperately thinking of consequences)... regret it."




As Kid walked out the door this morning, I kissed her and said "It's been a real pleasure". Mr F snorted.





P.S. My labels are broken. In case you were wondering. I usually use them as a continuation of my post. Well it turns out you can only do that 2000 times. I'm trying to think of how to handle that. Until then I'll either be label-less or reuse some.

I'm Really Going To Miss This

Sorry... can't get it to upload vertically. Turn your head.

Translation:
"I will not go to Home Depot Dad."


You and me both Kid.