Home from Vacation

Just home from a family vacation to Pittsburgh. On day one of our journey, just after crossing into Ohio and taking our first hiatus at a rest stop, 8-year-old exclaims in amusement and delight, "Look Mom! You can buy a spoon of Ohio!" I laughed, thinking back to all of the "treasures" that my sister and I used to find at rest stops and various gas stations along the Indiana/Ohio/Pennsylvania Turnpikes as we ventured from our family home in Illinois to The Family Home in St. Benedict, PA. I thought then that I might chronicle all of the boys' discoveries and musings and write a funny blog about our journey upon our return home. I suppose I could still do that, and although it was a good trip in many ways, I find that we're all a bit weary, and my writing doesn't feel very "snappy" at the moment. Instead, we're all distracted by our post-vacation funk-

10-year-old has the strep throat. Okay, well, the doc-in-the-box who took the in-office throat culture says that it isn't, but a viral infection instead. The swollen lymph nodes all around 10-year-old's neck, the tonsils so swollen he keeps gagging, and the not-so-pleasant odor tell me otherwise. I guess we'll just wait for the doc to call us back and tell us that the lab culture does indeed indicate strep, and now, three days of pain and no medication later, we'll finally get a prescription--you'd think we've been through this exact scenario before--like, um, five times in the last year? So, he lays on the couch, sucking down popsicles and watching a Harry Potter marathon.

8-year-old is reading his way through the heat. Mad at Mom and Dad for not allowing him to play baseball at noon in the triple-digit weather, he has succumbed to his baseball books and baseball on the Wii.

Determined husband is outside in the triple-digits trying valiantly to finish the siding on the house before he returns to school in a week. He doesn't "wanna hafta" but, I think he is most weary of this project hanging over his head. And I'm most weary watching him.

And me? Feeling done with summer, not ready for school--only because I have things to do to prepare yet--and just generally a bit fussy. This is a familiar place for me--My body says rest, my mind doesn't like to otherwise it gets itself into trouble, and a few weeks off yet from "normal life" returning. Hm. Must be home from summer vacation . . .