Swine Flu, a Missing Hamster and a Power Walk

Sometimes you just have one of those weeks, and last week was mine.  First I lost all access to my original A Native In The Sun blog, then, after diligently saving her money, my daughter bought a hamster that escaped a few days later after the top to the exercise ball came off while he was in it, my youngest son got the swine flu, which meant cancelling a weekend getaway with my husband, a week home from school, lots of TLC and several trips to the store for our staple sick food and drink around here, popsicles, saltine crackers, 7-up and Gatorade.  It also meant cleaning.  I  purchased a large can of Lysol and plenty of Clorox wipes.  I washed clothing, bedding and towels daily, along with cleaning floors and bathrooms over and over.  I wiped things down relentlessly with the antibacterial wipes and I put a box of them in every room.  The computer keyboard and mouse are like new.  Although I am a normally a neatnick anyway, Iast week I kicked into overdrive in the cleaning department.  I don't think my house has ever been sanitized this well. 

One day as I was wiping things down yet again, I said to my son that I think that maybe we are all so busy cleaning everything that we will lose our immunity to germs, and he told me that I certainly would because I clean more than anyone he knows and way more than necessary.  He wanted to know why he had to wipe things down every single time he coughed and sneezed, anyway?

During the week I didn't take any power walks or go to my yoga class because I was, quite frankly, pooped.  I have trouble sleeping when the kids are sick, so I spent the late nights creating a new blog (this one) and catching up on paperwork, etc.  I was too tired to exercise and really didn't care.  

Thankfully, my son is back to his funny, feisty self this week- I love a child's amazing ability to bounce back from things wholeheartedly.  To celebrate, I took a wonderful, 4-mile walk this morning and although the mugginess and humidity were so thick you could cut them with a knife, it was exhilarating.  Freeing.  Liberating.  I cranked up the i-pod and fell into step with nature and the music, oblivious to everything else.  What a great way to start the day, clear my head, and let everything go, appreciating that things are returning to normal for now in our home.

By the way, my daughter finally found her hamster, alive and well.