Sunday, September 20, 2015

then the radio died

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Well it's been a trying week at our house. David had one of those super painful sore throats that wakes you up in the middle of the night, and now I've come down with it, too. On top of that, I had a severe flair up of interstitial cystitis, the chronic condition of the urinary tract that I suffer from. Really exciting stuff, I tell you.

Normally, I can manage the IC because I generally work from home. I don't really have a choice, because it flairs up randomly, for long periods of time, and it can be completely debilitating. But this past week I was filling in as the language arts teacher at a fantastic outdoor middle school around here, and it was tough. I love the school, I love teaching, and I'm always grateful to have part-time work to supplement writing, but it was tough.

Then my computer exploded in the middle of the night when I was listening to an audio book. One of the worst parts about IC is that you can't get any sleep, but audio books help pass the time and counter the loneliness and stress of the whole situation. But then my computer exploded around 3am and I just at there, looking at it and thinking, "Well, what now?"

The astoundingly good news is that the geniuses managed to salvage the hard drive and save my photos, but the bad news is the computer is a piece of toast. It even smelled like toast, sort of, when it exploded. If you've ever considered donating to the wilder coast, well, let me just state that we're experiencing some serious mechanical failure on this end. I gathered some sea glass from Golden Gardens on my last visit from Seattle, so for the next few weeks I'm bringing back the sea glass necklaces as a thank you.  (As well as the handwritten card. #makemoremail, yes!)

However! We're chugging along here, it's not all doom and gloom. I heard about a friend of mine who recently found twenty dollars lying in a field which reminds me that any moment, your luck could change on a dime. Yesterday I ate pancakes for dinner, which felt decadent- just decadent! And another small miracle- I found a splinter in my finger this week, and David offered to pull it out with a needle and I wouldn't let him and instead went to sleep, and in the morning it was gone. Magically, gone.

Something else I enjoyed this week were all your comments on the mystery prize monday post. If your ever up at night and your radio dies, I recommend reading these comments. They'll make you feel a little more normal, and calm, and sort of soothed but also sort of in control. I love it. I'd like to create a post out of them and I think that I will this week.

And finally, I have to delay this week's Mystery Prize Monday. I've teamed up with dig and it's going to be a good one, but we're just too sick over here right now to make it happen. It will be up next Monday. I'm sorry about that, but when it comes to mystery prizes, I like to abide by this lesson.

And now, this week's winner!

Kristen, I know the feeling. You've had so many incredibly adventures in the past few years that I've enjoyed following, particularly the Grand Canyon, you've earned a little rest and a big pile of books. You'll have no scarcity of opportunity for adventure in the coming years. I just wish I had met you earlier in Seattle so that we could have shared some. Please email thewildercoast@gmail.com and we'll get you all sorted out.

Thank you for reading. I hope you had a lovely Sunday and I'll see you later on this week.

6 comments:

Katie said...

How funny ... last week I was reading through old posts and just felt this compulsion come over me to make a donation. Hope the computer situation gets worked out.

Anyway: I re-read your letter to the readers, and wanted to say thanks for all the wonderful posts. There are so many that have moved me and I've kept them bookmarked on my computer so I re-read them whenever I need some inspiration, or when I need a smile, or when I need to feel as though someone else has felt some of the same things I have. Love reading your blog, and I hope you all start feeling better over there soon.

Karen said...

Hope you are feeling better!

Anonymous said...

Never let the magic smoke out of your electronics! Bad, very bad.....
Hope some other special magic comes your way to make up for it!

Anonymous said...

Ugh. What a rough week. IC is so, so awful. Hope you're the other side of it now!!

(I'm still thinking about the vile man in the van. WTF. Its like you stumbled into a live action South Park -- I hope his story arc has a just end).

Aimee said...

Get better soon - we have just come out the other side of a 2 week flu so I feel your pain.
Hopefully the computer will be replaced and you'll be back up with the audio books soon. blooming technology huh.

xxxxx

Alice said...

I feel for you with the IC. Although it's not the same thing I have been passing kidney stones since I was 21. Last year I got an 8mm one stuck and needless to say it took 2 ED visits, a lithotripsy, 2 urtereoscopies with stents, a kidney infection, and 6 months before all of that sucker was out. Anything with the renal system SUCKS. I hope you feel better soon!