Fecklet really has quite a mild case, thank goodness. He’s been quite cuddly and wanting attention, a little itchy and easily frustrated, but he’s not miserable. He’s eating well and sleeping well and enjoying baking soda baths. We’ve been reading books, listening to Winnie the Pooh, and watching Animal Planet. Yesterday he ran around the garden for a bit.
So he’s pretty well, considering. I, on the other hand, am going totally bonkers. I’ve had to cancel his sessions with his child minder and at nursery, so I haven’t had any good blocks of writing time. My story is going round and round in my head and the more I think about it, the more I’m convinced it sucks. After having written 12,500 words the previous week, I’ve written about 1200 in the past six days.
Rock God Husband is on tour, so I haven’t had more than a few fleeting moments of adult company since Saturday. We haven’t gone to the supermarket, so have been eating through our supplies, and have run out of wine. (Yikes!) I have left the house twice in three days—once to get milk, and yesterday to go to the post office. Both times, perforce, I’ve had Fecklet with me. I could have tied him to the sofa I suppose, but I didn’t think that was appropriate. I’m funny that way.
I made the mistake of mentioning to the man in the post office that Fecklet had the chicken pox. (It’s not readily apparent; all his poxes are on his torso.) He gave me a dirty look and said, “You shouldn’t have him out of the house! That is catching!”
Thank you, Post Office Man. I already feel like I’m on the verge of slaughtering an entire village with a chain saw because of isolation (NO BEER AND NO TV MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY—in this case, it’s NO WINE AND NO WRITING MAKE JULIE GO CRAZY). And now you’re making me feel guilty, too?
Thank God I didn’t buy wine while I was out. Can you imagine the guilt if I’d been caught hauling my child out of his sick bed, spreading germs willy-nilly, in order to buy booze?
Anyway. I ordered groceries online and they’ve just been delivered. (Wine! Cheese! Fresh fruit and vegetables to ward off scurvy! Did I mention wine?) And some friends whose children have already been pox’d are coming over to visit in the next few days. And hopefully the pox will be scabbed over by the end of the week.
On a much more cheerful note, Nina Harrington has put up some photos of my signing on her blog.
chicken pox is most infectios before the spots appear. Once it’s scabby they’re no longer infectious. Glad he’s feeling better.
Hold a pox party! Invite friends’ children over to catch it! Hey, it’s what we did in the eighties.
Hugs, Julie. You will get through this, and may I point out that you ALWAYS do the “the writing sucks” bit at this stage? So you don’t suck really
It’s what we did in the seventies too, Kate – except I never caught it. Panic stations when my eldest caught it the week before littlest was due (pointed DH to the BMA encyclopedia when he asked why I was panicking so much. He started panicking at that point, too… Luckily the blood test said I was immune)
S’right, Julie. I couldn’t work out why EVERYBODY came to visit me when I had chickenpox. Most popular I’ve ever been, really.
Raising a glass to you, m’dear.
You go back and tell that shop keeper that the infectious stage is passed. And get your bottle of wine. Glad the little fella is feeling a bit better.
I know the feeling of being cooped up, littlest had his tonsils out a couple of weeks ago after months and months of tonsillitis. He goes back to pre-school on friday morning, I love my children being at home but when it’s just me and ma boy he is very clingy and needs lots of entertaining! which is great but it’s got to the stage where it’s hard to ignore all the other bits (housework, coursework, writing) that have been ignored.
I read this and laughed. read it aloud to my mother in law and she laughed (especially about the guilt for going to buy wine bit). Then she was talking to a friend last night and THEY laughed about it.
Laughing because I think we could all relate. Hugs to you and fecklet and we’re glad you’re re-stocked.
Hope little man is better soon. Looks like your signing went OK and was fun to do. I see you’re in the pink now!
LOL, Kate and Kate and Jan, my friend brought her daughter round yesterday and since she hasn’t had the pox we encouraged the Fecklet to kiss her at every opportunity!
Lorraine, I think the only way to cope is just to forget everything else and be Mummy. But I find that difficult to do, too.
Donna, it’s good to know I amused your entire family.
Mr Post Office Man needs a good poke in the arm!
Julie. Internet grocery shopping is the best thing in the world. I have paid Ocado an annual delivery and always buy wine when I need to reach the required spend so never run out. Sheer genius!
Writing and motherhood are such a hard balance because they’re at such opposite ends of the spectrum. My childcare arrangements recently fell apart and I find myself really cranky trying to fit in time to write. I’m going to have to sort something else out soon as I find I’m a much better mother, wife and person when I’ve had some ‘me’ time.
Lacey—a poke in the arm or possibly a large hammer to the knee.
Carol, I *heart* internet grocery shopping. I’m sorry about your childcare. It’s very difficult and I totally agree, a happy woman makes a better mother, so I hope you get some time to yourself very soon. How about suggesting the DH takes the boys for a treat on Father’s Day?