Endless Quest for Knowledge

apologize for absence from blog ... has been busy week ... spent all of yesterday in Mobile with a friend who is about to enter the insane world of infertility via Dr. Inge's office ... got to go back and see all of my friends there, which was wonderful ... makes me miss them even more. today was Wal-Mart day ... have learned valuable lesson about post-hurricane errands ... endless lines at check-outs of whatever store I'm in provide excellent opportunity for learning. For example, I learned today from certainly credible tabloid that Whitney Houston's teeth have fallen out due to methamphetamine use and also that Jessica and Nick are now living apart, which apparently is "for the best" according to a trusted friend of Jessica ... ah, knowledge: I do yearn for it.
from the "moving on after the hurricane" department: the roofers are putting on our roof even as I write ... is nice but rather loud ... not complaining, though, as am grateful our new roof is going on so quickly ... still, is a bit frightening when house shakes and sounds as if someone may be about to fall through ceiling ...
ok, must cut writing short ... continue to hear mysterious cat growling noise and cannot determine source of sound ... must investigate.

Wal-Mart Math

alrightee, just returned from a trip to Wal-Mart and have some thoughts about the 20 items or less line ... the last time I checked, 25 DID NOT MEAN 20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had three items and was rightfully in the express line, but the 2 people ahead of me both had more than 20 ... and yes, I was counting, petty though it may be. When you are in one of a million lines with about 15 people in each, the express line becomes VERY important ... ah, the lovely post-hurricane life continues.

Big Rigs

Ok, how about a report from hurricane world?? The report involves yesterday, which was an interesting day as some days are. I left the house intending to go to the thrift store to drop off several bags of clothes, etc. that I collected while cleaning out over the last week or so ... headed out to interstate, where I immediately spotted a huge pillar of smoke over the road ... had to drive through heavy smoke and saw fire in the woods. (feared would have to evacuate for whole new reason) Nevertheless, I pushed on through all the traffic and went to thrift store. Now as I am relatively new to this whole pregnancy thing, I am still learning that hunger strikes quickly and often without warning ... I found myself in the throes of hunger as soon as I left the thrift store, so I headed to a gas station that has a Subway attached to it ... turned in looking forward to a wonderful veggie sub to hold me over while I finished errands. Alas, I accidentally turned into the truck entrance, which wound around the gas station ... figured there must be some way to access Subway from truck entrance but absolutely NOT ... drove back into an enormous lot FULL of about 50 eighteen-wheelers ... people were washing their trucks, putting gas in their trucks, etc and wondering why I was there ... could not see exit from truck world so ended up winding around and around and through all the trucks, sort of like some sort of HUGE obstacle course ... was too mortified to actually go to Subway as figured people had seen me so continued on. Decided to get sandwich on way home but not before stopping for eggs at grocery store ... HAVE MERCY. store was packed ... each check-out had about 20 people waiting in it, but I got my eggs and moved on through ... had to push way through just to exit store, but people were nice, even guy with "Girls Gone Wild Staff" t-shirt on. Came home and ate sandwich as by now it was almost 3 PM ... am learning to adapt a bit to new world ... trick is to leave house with absolutely NO expectations of getting home at any certain time. Either that, or begin producing own food from woods out back, learning to make own medicine, etc. so never have to leave house again ...

Gimme A Break

ok, post-hurricane life is getting a bit old ... feel a small break from all the debris, hideous traffic, etc. is needed soon ... nowhere to go to get away from it, especially since going anywhere takes about 4 hours. miss life as it used to be, and I know my individual life wasn't too disturbed as I still live in my house, etc. but wonder when (if ever) life will be close to normal again ... also wonder where Hurricane Wilma is going???

Body Snatcher

has been gorgeous weekend here and have spent much of it watching football (cable still with us) ... best football news of weekend: Mississippi State did not lose because they did not play!! while watching one of the games on ESPN discovered how incredibly distracting little informational ticker at bottom of page is ... could not peacefully watch the game because was constantly trying to read and absorb all news and scores from bottom of screen ... wasn't good situation as could not seem to get pertinent info while trying to keep up with ticker. for example, could announce to Anthony the score of some SEC game but did not quite pick up which particular game it was ... think perhaps ticker should be controlled by some button on the remote where you can view it if you want or make it go away ...
have also been reading pregnancy books this weekend and have deemed many (not all) should be outlawed for being too scary and depressing ... will NOT read anymore about labor and delivery until much further along ... have felt that lately sinus problems have picked up but imagine my joy to discover this congestion will likely be with me on and off for the remainder of the pregnancy (due to swelling of nasal membranes in response to high levels of progesterone and estrogen in body)... at least for this weekend have had two thoughts on pregnancy: wow, what a miracle this is and wow, WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Hoopla for Mini-Me

in our huge pack of books, magazines, coupons, etc. I got from my OB last week just discovered Target baby registry catalog ... is such fun as comes with own stickers so can mark items we feel we need for Jack (or whomever) ... am just realizing how much hoopla is required to keep up with such a tiny person ... who knew?? now fear house will not hold all necessities for Jack ... therefore am in serious cleaning out mode, throwing out old magazines, pictures of people I don't know, etc. will get house into organized streamlined affair to prepare for arrival of mini-me ... however, am not so stupid as not to know that baby will come right into house and poop in the middle of all new hoopla ...

Welcome Back Cable

do not want to jinx current situation but cable has returned for the moment ... however, while waiting for cable to return to our world have been watching movies on both DVD player as well as VCR ... has been lovely except that now VCR is in Spanish mode. do not know why but when play is pushed the word "lectur" comes up ... assume this is Spanish but do not know as took French in high school and college ...

Cruel Intentions

ah, the cruelty of our new world ... yesterday was outside working in yard with Anthony, and neighbor came to tell us cable was back on ... sure enough, got inside just in time to watch Mississippi State game, which they lost (in my humble opinion, factors contributing to loss: poor quarterback decisions, too many three and outs tired out the defense, and the painful-to-watch self-destruction in the fourth quarter) ... shortly after end of game, cable went away and has not returned. leads to deep philosophical question: better to have had cable and lost it or to never have had cable at all?? hmmmm .... must add that "Lost" has completely and totally captured us and is phenomenal show which totally fills void left by cable's absence.
now onto pregnancy update: received STACK of magazines, etc. at OB appt. Friday and was reading about 4th month as am currently there ... to quote magazine, "like a scuba diver with his oxygen tank or a space traveler tethered to the mother ship, the fetus floats effortlessly in the amniotic sac ..." the MOTHER SHIP?!?!?! Is that what I've become after 3 1/2 years of trying to become pregnant?? a ship?? understand description but is still harsh to think of self as a sea vessel, much less one that could hold scuba divers and astronauts ... have begun referring to baby as "Jack," for no reason except we're testing out the name as in "scuba diver Jack" or "astronaut Jack."

Traffic or Bust

have resigned self to fact that rest of life here on the Gulf Coast will be spent dealing with traffic on Highway 49 ... had dentist appt. this morning, which of course required a bit of frantic searching for dental floss at home so would appear as if flossing were an integral (and regular) part of my day when arrived at the dentist ... traffic not too bad at this point ... had OB appt. this afternoon, and traffic by this time was HORRIFIC ... people driving like maniacs trying to get around standstill traffic. was worth trip to dr., though, as now have 4-D ultrasound picure of the baby ... not normally done this early but ultrasound tech. wanted someone to practice on. baby's arms, hands, legs, feet, and head are very visible ... can't stop looking at picture as is absolutely miraculous. certainly beats early lightbulb picture ... could even see baby's heart fluttering on the monitor during the ultrasound ... and no, to ward off the question on many of your minds, NO WAY to tell the sex of the baby yet ...

Lines of Lines

had minor post-hurricane victory yesterday ... made it to haircut appt. with 10 minutes to spare ... managed to avoid debris-moving crews without any trouble ... hooray!! have decided that our new post-Katrina world is made up entirely of lines. lines of traffic, check-out lines in the grocery store that extend out into the aisles, lines at the pharmacy, lines to just get out of the store, lines of people waiting on cable, lines to get gas, etc. day-to-day existence bears no resemblance whatsoever to old life ... am trying to adapt but is not easy. and yes, I am well aware my adjusting is very small compared to those who are adapting to life without a house, a family, etc. (again with the constantly changing emotions ... ) to change subject, am still feeling really good ... no more naps and have lots more energy now. and still (knock on wood) no morning sickness!! have heard no morning sickness means you're having a boy, but who knows ... more importantly who cares?!?!

Post-Hurricane Insanity

(**technical update: due to comment span, I have enabled a new feature on the comment section called word verification ... if you want to leave a comment, you can still do so, but the word verification prevents computer span from getting on the comment page. It simply means that before your comment is posted you will be asked to type in the word you see ... only a live person could do this, not a computer.)
now onto a not so lovely day ... have had self-pitying and self-absorbed kind of afternoon. had haircut appt. today (very excited about this as has been several weeks since last haircut due to hurricane and was looking forward to some sort of normal event) ... set off for other side of town where salon is located giving self PLENTY of time, or so I thought. ended up in non-moving INSANE traffic for miles followed by numerous roadblocks due to crews removing debris which led to navigating maze of one-way streets and dodging work crews. arrived at salon 25 minutes late and knew would have to re-schedule ... wonderful hairdresser was so nice so re-scheduled me for tomorrow morning. have plans to drive to salon after supper, spend night in car to avoid traffic and be there in plenty of time for appt...

Bye Bye First Trimester

Update on post-hurricane life at my house: garbage was picked up on Saturday (our pick-up days are Wednesdays and Saturdays), and we still have no cable ... however, we have purchased the entire first season of "Lost" and are watching that (REALLY great show so far.) have heard various stories about why cable is out and have also learned it is not our whole neighborhood that is without cable, just our street ...
have reached official end of first trimester and have had last progesterone in oil injection ... happy time but a little strange as now feel am going along without estrogen patch/progesterone support ... sure feeling is normal ... am now realizing pregnancy will result in new person living in our household. have been told by lots of friends who are parents that life as we know it will never be normal again ... is said with some smugness if completely honest :) feel friends are glad we will be joining the leagues of perpetually exhausted and strung out parents ... perhaps will be glad to join the club.