the blog -- in remission

Wow...time sure flies when you're sick and miserable. I'm wondering at what point can a blog be "officially" considered to be "in remission?"

Did have a (somewhat) valid "excuse" for my hiatus: been feeling so wonderful since... hm... can't remember... right around Christmas I think it was. Started feeling just a little bit "draggy," then "under the weather," and have been in the "quite a bit crummy" stage since the 31st of last year. It's not been "death-warmed-over" bad yet (other than last Wednesday), but I just can't seem to get any better... or even drastically worse. Very annoying -- as I'm not a limbo kinda guy. I prefer wellness and being healthy, but would much rather be sick and blowing chunks for a few days than draggy for weeks on end. Going to try sleeping more at night, napping at lunch, and eating vitamin C and Zicam like candy; perhaps I'd better lay in a supply of Tums just-in-case.

Other than this lingering minor illness, I'm great. Have been working as quickly as possible to attempt to re-wire the new assistant pastor's house. Would like to finish before I leave so that they can move in by the end of the month. Of course, my neighbor, the project manager, wanted it finished the day after I started, but I've tried to explain that wires can't be run, and boxes can't be hung if he hasn't finished putting up the walls. He does get obnoxious and annoying sometimes, but working with him has been a great learning experience. I can now do a lot of the high-end fancy-dancy stuff I've seen on TV. Things like "stomp" a ceiling, put a "knockdown" or "splatter-dash" finish on walls (and ceilings), install archways made out of drywall, and install eye-catching profiles to enhance regular crown molding. I think later this Monday morning (after I get out of bed and start work) we're going to do a "tray" ceiling. What I really want to learn how to do are sunbursts -- hopefully, he won't start on those while I'm gone.

Think I mentioned vacation time this year will be spent in PA. All 5 of us will be flying from Ft Lauderdale, direct to Allentown on Wed, 9 Jan, and returning Mon, 21 Jan (technically there are 6 of us, but we haven't told the Varmints 3 they will become the "Varmints 4" next July). We're primarily going to visit my in-laws in Coopersburg, but my wife has friends all over that area. Come to think of it, thanks to college, so do I. Anyway, we'll hopefully be making the trip up to see my sister in Clarks Summit, and also heading west to meet Timberley. Supposedly, the weather will be "nice" for at least the first week we're up there... and a "PTL blessing" that would be: our children's wardrobes consist mostly of shorts, t-shirts and sandals, with a few long-sleeved shirts and bib-overalls thrown in for emergencies. I personally enjoy the comfort of bib-overalls, but will admit they're rather inconvenient for toddlers that have difficulty making it to the potty on time. After potty-inconvenience, my wife's biggest problem with them is the wonderful fashion statement -- she cringes when I reach the bottom of the "work-pants" drawer and the only thing left clean are my overalls. =)

Perhaps our greatest challenge of the up-coming week is the privilege of flying with 3 children, aged 4 3/4, 2 1/2, and 2 1/2. I'm hoping it will be less adventuresome than flying with 3 children aged 3½, 1, and 1. (As I get older, I've found I still enjoy being adventuresome, as long as it's the more convenient variety... where each individual is capable of self-reliance.) That last plane ride found my wife pulled aside for "further screening." I initially found this quite funny, until I realized that it would then fall to me to get 3 children, 2 car-seats, 1 double stroller, and our combined total of carry-on baggage, "blankies," and an assortment of "stuffed critters" through the security checkpoint single-handedly. On a score of 1-10, I rank a solid "2" in the super-mom category. As you can imagine, everyone with a view was thoroughly entertained -- and I'm still wary of TSA agents.

I suppose I can now go to bed (so much for an early start on that). I was waiting for Tank to make his nightly foray to the potty. When I sleep, a full-sized dump truck could drive thru our house and I wouldn't know it until the next day. So to get to Tank first (and let my wife sleep) requires I find something to do until he's up. Tonight "something" was (finally) blogging. If I don't post again before we leave, it's possible this will be my last entry until after the 21st: my in-laws use dial-up.