And I Thought The Great Equalizer Was Snow

In my last post, I stated that snow was the great equalizer. Boy was I wrong! The Great Equalizer is the dreaded stomach virus.

The strain that went through my house was awful. Rocky brought it home almost two weeks ago. I had planned a day of getting the "minor" chores done --- dry cleaners, bank, replace Rocky's favorite sweatshirt because of the laundry accident, and post office. But the world was working against me. I went to the first bank, yes, in and out in five minutes. Post Office, down the street from the first bank, in and out. At the second bank, 3 miles away, I needed to replace the missing Passbooks for the boys and make a Federal Tax deposit. I replaced the passbooks, but couldn't make the tax deposit because I needed the forms from the accountant. The accountant had mailed it on Monday and I should have received it on Wednesday, but it hadn't arrived.

I needed to hunt for the mailman. Be careful on the beautiful snow, it is slippery! Stop at the house to use the bathroom, shovel the steps and the walkway. . OW! I cut my hand on the snow shovel! Bleed, bleed, bleed all over --- I don't go back in the house, because I have already locked the door and I need to find the mailman. I search the neighborhood, near and far. I get a call from school they need me to pick something up. I head over there, as I go down the main street, I pass the mailman. Damn! I make a U-Turn, follow the mailman, flag down the mailman, I explain my story and he gives me the mail. Thank you, thank you! The forms are in the mail!!! Back to the second bank, stand on line again. Thank you! Do you have the red lollipops anymore? No. Oh.

Now for the "replace Rocky's favorite sweatshirt because of a laundry accident". The snow is falling faster now and getting deeper. I hop on the "Turnpike" to go to the "second nearest" Kohl's, because the nearest Kohl's does not have the sweatshirt (I checked there the day before). I am five minutes away from the store and the cell phone rings! "Hello, this is Nurse Lois from school, Rocky just vomited in the hallway. Can you please pick him up?" AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!! Five minutes from destination, and 35 minutes from school, decisions, decisions! I decided if I don't get Rocky's sweatshirt we both will be miserable. So I run into the store, get the sweatshirt and head back up the "Turnpike". I made it back to the school within a half hour of the nurse calling.

Rocky was happy about the sweatshirt, but the poor kid was in sad shape for the next forty eight hours. Life was wonderful by Saturday morning, Chip was going to the Boy Scout Klondike up at KMSR (it was too cold to camp, so it was just a day trip --- Negative 8 degrees, when the boys arrive at the camp) and needed to leave the house at 5:30 AM. Super Mom strikes again! I rise and make Chip a warm hearty meal of scrambled eggs. He arrives back at 7:30 PM and is pumped after a great day in the outdoors. We all hop in the car and head up to the mountain house, because Rocky has religious ed in the morning up there. There are flurries when we arrive and all is right with the world.

Three AM --- Lights are on! "MOM!" is being heard from the bathroom! Chip has the virus now! Like I said earlier, it is nasty! Poor Chip tossed his cookies and then some! He was out of commission for two days also, although he didn't miss any school because of the holiday (MLK Jr Day). No religious education that day either because of the eight new inches of snow.

Tuesday, January 20th, our 44th President was sworn in to office. Most Americans took time to watch all or parts of the pomp and circumstance. That evening, the boys and I had a full plate and I needed the assistance of Fred to complete the "activities" of the night. There was a basketball game, boy scout meeting, a visit to another boy scout troop by the WEBELOS and somewhere in there dinner. Fred was in charge of Rocky's basketball game. I was taking Chip to the boy scout meeting and then off to visit the other troop with the rest of the WEBELOS. The house phone rings at 5:00, "Hi Gemmie, I'm not feeling well, I've got what the kids had." Oh, no, poor Fred!

Then I think, "Oh, no poor Gemmie, how do I get everyone where they are supposed to be?" Then it hits me. It's time for "SUPER GRANDMA!" I pick up the phone and call my mom, "Mom could you please take Rocky to his basketball game?'' And of course "SUPER GRANDMA" does!

Fred makes the one hour drive home without soiling the car or leaving his mark on the highway, but he is out of the game until Thursday. Thursday comes and goes, still Gemmie is fine. On Friday, Fred takes the boys to Chip's basketball game and religious emblem meeting and I am off to a "meeting" for the Carnival that is going to be held at the Middle School. The meeting is just an excuse for the ladies to get together and have a little wine and snacks (and a little talk about the Carnival).

Well I was sucker punched! I was having a great time and then I went to excuse myself for the evening and the virus snuck up on me and hit me right in the gut! It was the worst night I had had in a long time. After the stomach retching, the pain in the muscles started and the worst headache you could imagine took over. It took me until this morning to feel somewhat human again.

Snow gives you a fresh look upon the world, but a nasty stomach virus humbles us all!