things are as they should be

So I'm at the point where thinking ahead is causing sufficient anxiety to make me want to throw up. That's not hyperbole, either. (Packing up your whole house by yourself while single parenting will do that to a person.)

But I visited a dear friend today, a friend who always provides very helpful advice (and chocolate). What she said brought a measure of peace to my mind: "Things are as they should be." I think it's going to be my new mantra. So I'll be getting rid of "By the power of Greyskull... I have the POWER!"

yet another reason to avoid pot pies

From nyt.com:

"Increasingly, the corporations that supply Americans with processed foods are unable to guarantee the safety of their ingredients. In this case, ConAgra could not pinpoint which of the more than 25 ingredients in its pies was carrying salmonella. Other companies do not even know who is supplying their ingredients, let alone if those suppliers are screening the items for microbes and other potential dangers, interviews and documents show."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/business/15ingredients.html?_r=1&hp

YIKES.

8 more days

8 more days in Texas, then we're off to the Great White North. Since I'm not letting myself think about the sad aspect of this change (or any aspect, truth be told, I'm just packing and occasionally getting online, watching Frasier and going to bed), I'd like to thank the following sponsors who have helped us get this far:


*every fantastic person from our neighborhood and church who came to pack, paint, and keep me company

*my family, for their supportive texts, phone calls, packages,

* the good people who produce these items which make up the bulk of my diet:

*patient friends who read this blog even though it is really self-absorbed as of late

swine flu + wedding = one quiet woman

I'm in Arizona now for my sister L's wedding (accomplished as of last night, congratulations, you old married lady! Check out her husband's awesome wedding day cartoon here). A few days after our arrival, a dry and sore throat turned into a full-on infection with a fever, cough, vomiting, etc. I'm going to claim it as swine flu because that's so much more exciting than the old-timey influenza. Bound and determined not to miss the big day, I booked it to urgent care in search of Tamiflu. Once they heard about my symptoms, everyone in the clinic immediately donned a mask and created a 10-foot perimeter around me. Their reaction was comical and probably overblown. They actually sent me to the ER (STAT!) for a "swine flu swabbing." Which did not occur, although an hour wait in a freezing cubicle did, followed by a chat with a doctor. He wanted to know if I came to the ER after reading about the swine flu (a bit of a porcine reaction, I thought--sorry). Anyway, long story extended, I got my Tamiflu and got better VERY soon and made it to the wedding, health intact but voice entirely GONE. Needless to say, I was fairly silent at the reception and completely inffective as a mom. (The sharp reprimand doesn't have much power when delivered as a whisper). I'm told my Loretta Lynn-style hair was killer, though, and that's all that matters.
Unrelated but quite amazing: our house is getting attention like it's a fire sale (which it is, essentially). We had one SUPER-low, even insulting offer. We're going to hold out for the big money, at least enough to cover our closing costs. dh rented a house in D-town (I can call it that now); we're making progress! Just need to get that voice back so I can talk to the realtor.