Almost done!

Hi, everyone!!

ugh.

I'm not that fucking cheery. You know this.

I don't know why I even typed it, but now I've exerted the energy, and I don't want to delete it.

It's almost New Years, and to be honest, I just can't be bothered.

We have been on the run since Christmas Eve. If we were not physically going somewhere, we were getting ready to go somewhere or we were getting ready for someone to come here. Do you remember what I said about hating the rush-rush-rush? Yeah.

We had a nice Christmas.


For about two hours.

LovelyGirl had a high time opening the presents that she had already puzzled out or picked out herself. The only surprise in the lot was the full collection of Studio Ghibli movies.

Purveyors of such remarkable films as "My Neighbor Totoro"

"Howl's Moving Castle"

and "Porco Rosso".

I highly recommend all of them. I have never seen one that wasn't absolutely amazing. They've been overdubbed by American actors, so it's super easy to watch, and the stories are usually a lot of fun.

OldMan got hot sauce.
Yep.
Different sauces in the ridiculous scoville-unit range.
And underwear. It's a tradition.

The skivvies, not the sauce.

I had only one gift under the tree this year, and it was a new beater for my stand mixer. I'd asked for it several months ago, and was very happy to see it. However, OldMan also sponsored a new cage for Charlie. That may seem lame, but since I used to pay for my animals out of my own pocket, and now OldMan is having to finance my endeavors, I'm just grateful. Plus, parrot cages are fucking expensive! He couldn't very well order and wrap it, since he knows fuck-all about requirements, so he just told me to find the one I wanted and he'd help pay for it. And I know you're all pining for the Charlie post, and it's done, somewhere, but I typed it up and now I can't find it.

Also, OldMan sponsors my entire life these days, and while I was vaguely sad about not having presents under the tree, the Amazon and book store gift cards stashed away in my stocking were WELL BEYOND what I'd expected. Hear that, OldMan? Thank you. On the interwebs.

I also got a sprouter from my sister. I don't want to get into what it is or why I wanted it, but if you're familiar, you'll know how awesome it is! I've got some bean sprouts starting to peek out and already a tray full of alfalfa sprouts! The birds and I are enjoying it a great deal. OldMan just likes to laugh about the things I choose to play with.

Currently, I have a house full of people and OldMan and LovelyGirl both have the flu. Not the 24-hour stomach flu, the Walking Dead kind of flu. The kind where your eyes swell and you cough and sneeze and try to inhale in a way that actually allows oxygen into your system. Neither of them can breathe properly, and all I hear is a cacophony of wheezes and coughs and subtle moans. I made fire soup for them in hopes of helping to clear out the sinuses, and it works for awhile, but unfortunately, not long enough. Also unfortunately, I have never been able to make small batches of soup or stew. I don't know what it is, but I always have GALLONS of it. Even the kind that comes out of a can, I end up with leftovers.

LovelyGirl is on the end of hers, we think. She's been sick since Christmas Eve. Her eyes are a little less bloodshot today, and she can actually talk beyond a whisper, and, more importantly, she can swallow again. For the last couple of days, even that was asking too much. I was beginning to worry about dehydration, but she's guzzling juice today, so I believe we are past the worst of it.

OldMan is toughing it out here on day two of his go-round. He thinks if he goes to the gym, he'll recover, but he's pretty much relegated to whatever chair/couch/bed he's near right now. He can stand long enough to have a shower, and that's about it.
Poor guy.

Meanwhile, my brother in law and his wife are here, too. Not sick. Sickeningly healthy, to be honest. I think they're headed out tomorrow, and I'll be kind of sad to see them go, but all I can really think about is the fever I've got and whether or not I'll be able to hold it together until after breakfast tomorrow. Beyond that, everyone else is on their own. I feel the impending doom of illness settling upon my head.

My eyes are hot.
My shoulders hurt.

and I'm just fucking tired.

I'm having soup and then going to bed.

With a large dose of nyquil.

and maybe some bourbon.

and hot tea.

and a shower.

Or maybe I'll just lay here at my desk and hope someone finds me before the smell gets too bad.

The rest just seems too much to think about.