Our current weather situation is:
We’re in Springfield Missouri, in case you didn’t know that.
And as you can see, we’re buried under that big pink blob. And it looks bad.
Only, it’s really not that bad. In this case, it looks worse than it really is. We did get some sleet last night, about 1/2 inch, and school was canceled today as a result of slick roads, but the accumulation is more of a crunchy consistency at this point, sort of like walking on pebbles, than anything else.
But it’s a solid mass of pebbles. I just tried to scoop some up to take a picture of it in the palm of my hand, but I couldn’t do it. In fact, the only thing I could do was scratch the surface – it’s solid and it’s slick. Since we’re not supposed to get above freezing today, I’m predicting school will be canceled tomorrow as well.
This is what my world looks like right now, right this minute as seen from my back door:
When I was standing outside to take this picture, I could hear the dreaded soft tinkling of ice falling – it’s sleeting right now. There’s nothing quite like that tinkle sound as the ice falls through the tree branches and embeds itself into the earth. It’s a flat pinging sound and Missourians are all too familiar with that sound. It’s a hard, solid sleeting though as opposed to a more wet consistency and it’s not really sticking to the trees but falling more like, well, pebbles.
This is typical winter weather for us. We don’t get snow very often, but we do get ice. Which is much worse because it’s hazardous to drive on, and heavy enough to snap tree limbs and cut power lines. We’ve now had an ice storm for the past three years – 2007 was the worst (it shut our city down for two solid weeks), last year we had one in February that lasted about a week, and now this year. It looks like it might not stick around very long though because we’re supposed to start warming back up on Thursday.
I Twittered about trying to locate our birth certificates yesterday. I went up to the bank to check our safety deposit box and I found all of the guys’ certificates, but mine wasn’t in there. I seem to have a problem with keeping track of my birth certificate, for some reason. I’ve already requested two copies.
However, the husband suggested I check one place at home and I did find it, so now our next step is to take our paperwork up to the post office and start the ball rolling on our passports.
Of course, that will have to wait until after this ice melts. And a day the boys get out of school early because the office is only accepting applications until 4:15 and that doesn’t give us a lot of time after school to drive across town.
I’m keeping a record of everything I eat. Not for dietary purposes but because my digestive problem has gotten out of control. Apparently, I’m eating gassy foods, which is not helping my problem.
I’m keeping this record for two reasons: 1. to pinpoint exactly what types of foods are giving me problems and 2. IF it gets to the point where I have to go to the doctor, it will expedite the process because they will ask me to keep a record anyway.
I’m also going to try Chamomile tea, something called Charcocaps (I love their little bloated cartoon characters, that’s me, exactly) and do a better job of taking Lactaid with my dairy intake.
I know some of you are shaking your heads and saying, GO TO A DOCTOR ALREADY, but I just can’t do that until I’ve exhausted all of my possibilities.
One – because I’m stubborn like that.
Two – because I’m honestly not sure if a doctor is what I need at this point (I’m getting older, my body is changing *ahem* and I just need to learn to roll with it).
Three – because I don’t want to spend an insane amount of money for them to tell me to do what I’m trying now
Four – because this way I can say I’ve already TRIED all of these options before they tell me to, therefore speeding up the process
Five – I’m not the sort of person who turns to a doctor before exhausting all of my personal options first.
I promise, if I feel like I’ve exhausted all of my possibilities, THEN I will go to a doctor. Until then … I’m gritting my teeth, handling the discomfort and trudging forward.
Speaking of health issues, my husband sent me a link to this article yesterday:
Obesity ‘Virus’ Spreads Like Common Cold, Scientists Say
Obesity can be “caught” as easily as a common cold from other people’s coughs, sneezes and dirty hands, scientists said Monday.
The condition has been linked to a highly-infectious virus which causes sniffles and sore throats.
Nikhil Dhurandhar, an associate professor at The Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in Baton Rouge, La., said the virus, known as AD-36, infects the lungs then whisks around the body, forcing fat cells to multiply and also causing sore throats.
“When this virus goes to fat tissue it replicates, making more copies of itself and in the process increases the number of new fat cells, which may explain why the fat tissue expands and why people get fat when they are infected with this virus,” Dhurandhar said.
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.
I think this is just an excuse to classify obesity as a disease so people can once again not take responsibility for their personal choices.
This just STEAMS my broccoli.
Which is ANOTHER food I can’t eat because it gives me problems, thank you very much.
Yes, I’m cranky because I’m hungry and gassy. Humpf.
We had a really busy weekend, where do I start … ?
If you didn’t catch it 
Carnival told us we would have to have passports. Apparently, beginning June 1, 2009, the government is demanding a passport from all US citizens on this type of trip now. When the husband and I took our last cruise, in 2000, all we had to show was our birth certificates and our driver’s licenses, but now, that won’t fly – or sail, as the case may be. 🙂
The husband dragged me out shopping Saturday. *shudder* We had to go out anyway to get our grocery shopping done, but while we were out, he really wanted to try and find himself a leather jacket. And being the end of the season he figured we would find a good deal. 
One more thing and then I’ll shut up …
monday morning meme
Okay, picture this – you’re trying to entice new readers to your blog. But they only have time to read one of your blog posts. Which blog post would you direct them to? Which of your blog posts really shines and says something about your life? Which blog post are you most proud of? Now take that blog post and 
