I am finally doing some cleaning.  I am finally feeling like I have enough energy to care to clean.  So much more should be done right now, but at least I can say everything is vacuumed (have I mentioned lately that I'm disappointed with the Miele's ability to pick up dog fur?) upstairs and down, the other flooring is hand scrubbed, the toilet bowls are all tended to, laundry is caught up (and away).  Even the glass on the french doors got cleaned today and some of the grime that I've been noticing on the basement side of the door to the basement stairs has been scrubbed.

Progress.

Cleaning also should take care of some germs, which is, of course, on the forefront of minds as of late.  I've heightened my caution a bit.  I know we should do this regardless of the state of illnesses going around so maybe it will become a more stringent habit, but as of last night if you walk in my house the first thing you need to do is wash your hands.  It's a good strategy for Avery coming home from school, returning from the grocery store, and even when my Favorite Egg arrives from his workplace.

I think I also need to ask about the practices at school with regard to disinfecting toys and hand washing as they change diapers etc.  It seems like a good time to ask what the practices are and perhaps nudge them to take a look at said practices to improve them.

Last night after Avery came home I stripped her down and did her load of laundry (including school blankets, coat, and hat).  Part of that was inspired by hearing that two classmates went home early with a fever.

Too bad now that I get to sit down for a minute it is likely that Avery will be up from her nap soon - because I sure wish I could close my eyes for a minute.

Sinuses and ears feel better, that is probably a result of the antibiotics.  Still coughing.  My chest hurts.  I'm wondering when the steroids will do their thing.

I've been trying to go to bed shortly after Avery does to help fight this off.  I'm still waking up with a desire to roll over.  It's been a week and 2 days now, surely it has to be coming to an end soon, right?  I've not been doing much around the house as a result, I haven't even put everything away from the trip.

In other news I finally bit the bullet and ordered a new upright freezer (to replace the 23 year old one).  I also went ahead and had them order me a new dishwasher.  The one that is here works, but not great.  I wanted the silverware back on the door, but he swayed me into getting one that has a third tray on top for the silverware instead.  Fingers crossed that I like it.  It is an LG, which matches the other kitchen appliances, if nothing else.

My previous post must have taunted mother nature, because she decided to try and hose us up pretty good.  On the 7th we actually had enough snow for Avery to go outside and get her first sled ride in.  It wasn't a crazy amount of snow it was actually rather pleasant.  Maybe I was just in a good mood - because we were supposed to fly out later that day to New Orleans for a cruise!

I say supposed to because our aircraft didn't come in from Denver and the cancelled the first flight after 1pm.  Begin the scramble - no other way to flight out of the burgh in the right direction that day.  Nothing super early the next day to get us there at an appropriate/safe time either, so we needed to drive to Cleveland.  *sigh*  We got a rental car since our flights back were into Pittsburgh and set off at dinner time.  After going through a few scary AF snow squalls we arrived and got to our hotel (oh yeah, couldn't get a refund on the NOLA hotel that we were supposed to have been at) and were in bed by about 1am.  5am on the shuttle to the airport and we were off.

After we had settled on this arrangement we received word that the ship, Majesty of the Seas was going to be coming in late on Saturday, that we shouldn't arrive at the port until 3pm-6pm instead of our typical noon.  We had some time to shop after dropping out bags and enjoyed beignets at Cafe du Monde before heading to wait in an obscene line.  They weren't ready for us until closer to 5pm.

We had a slow start, but spirits remained up, we're ready for fun.  I went down with a cough, fever, and sore body on Monday.  That lasted two days.  I felt a little better on Thursday but the cough has stuck around and it's way worse at night.  My favorite egg went down two days after me with the same and noted how horrible he felt - I guess I must have done a good job suffering silently or he just didn't hear me.

Flight back my ears gave me hell and then the sinus pressure set it.  Today I feel a bit dizzy and less hopeful than I was on Thursday.  I went to the med clinic tonight.  I now have prescriptions for antibiotics and steroids - or at least I will tomorrow, the dang pharmacy closed 20 minutes before I got over there.  *wah*

All sick aside the trip was still good.  We had a great time and Avery loved being with her cousins.  Our stops, in reverse order... Cococay is beautiful and I can't slam the major overhaul even though it means what it used to be is no more.  We spent time on South beach  and then went to the kids splash zone and the swim up pool bar.

Nassau was also nice.  As a first, we took a taxi to a beach - Cabbage beach.  It is supposedly their nicest beach.  It was pleasant enough, but how do you compare it when you then go to Cococay?  Too many pushy vendors for me to say I loved Cabbage beach.

Key West was nice, but it was a bit of a short day, so we didn't have much time after the walk to the Southernmost point and a stop for a bite to eat.

Majesty of the Seas was in surprisingly good condition.  These way older ships are a bit wonky in layout and design, but once I re-familiarized myself with where I was going we were good to go. The kid's play space was a good size.  The room was a matchbox and she still has the clingy shower curtains instead of the plastic doors.  It was remarkably clean and I didn't notice a ton of things needing fixed.  The food was good.  The service was excellent.

The amount of sleep I got due to being sick and earnestly sleeping when Avery did actually had me feeling the most rested I've felt in months.  Too bad I'm losing it a bit now w/ the stuffy and restless sleep.

The heat has been turned OFF at my house for the past 24 hours, on February 3.  I just had to take a moment and celebrate that this was a possibility.  I'm loving this "winter".  I should have gone for a walk yesterday while the sun was shining and it was nearly 60.