Frustrated

After an itchy day and night, my leg is starting to calm. I'm not sure how the ants managed to crawl inside my liner, but the red bumps are all the evidence I need. My liner is comfortable right now. Hopefully it will remain that way as the temperatures and my activities increase during the day. 

The temperature outside is supposed to remain warm but pleasant, so Scott and Robby will go back up on the roof. They are going to put a tarp over the fireplace to keep it protected during the rain. Once the fireplace has dried out for five full days, a chimney stone sealer will be applied to the bricks and the grout. According to the Chimney Specialist, "Nothing will get through that layer."

I really hope he is right. The persistent leak is going to start to damage the wood of our new roof if we don't have it fixed soon. I can't believe this project is taking so long!

Eaten Alive

This week hasn't shaped up as we planned. On Monday I ended up covered by a biting ant tsunami, forcing me to streak down the road in an attempt to flee. Yesterday we discovered that our chimney is still leaking, despite thousands of dollars of work and countless hours of Scott and Robby toiling on the roof. I saw the rain start to cascade down the inside brick and I just broke down. 

While I was holding my chocolate filled tampon box (my secret stash that I keep guarded in the bathroom) while sobbing in the bathroom, I felt like I reached a new low. I washed my face, grabbed some towels and started to mop the floor. After photos were taken and the rain was dried, Scott and I scoured the internet for new solutions. We have calls in to a few different chimney repair companies. Hopefully somebody will be able to help!

This morning I woke up with an itchy and inflamed rash on the outside of my residual limb. I am assuming that it is a pain remnant of my ant encounter, but it could just as easy be the result of mosquitoes. Whatever bit my limb, they treated themselves to an all-you-can-eat-buffet. My leg is covered!

I expect today to be uncomfortable at best. My liner is only making the itching intensify, and it is driving me crazy! Any suggestions to deal with the itching?

Ant Tsunami

Yesterday is one of those days that will become infamous in our family. I didn't anticipate a memory-making day, but sometimes the universe just aligns. Unfortunate for me, yesterday will probably be retold for generations.

After days of heavy rain, the weather was finally clear and comfortable. While Scott was working on the chimney (which is still leaking), I took the opportunity to take Friend on a long walk. On our way back into our neighborhood, I stopped to pick up the mail. Because of the weather, I haven't picked up the mail in several days. (Our mailbox is approximately 1/4 mile from our house).

I opened up the mailbox and saw a few ants on a package. No big deal. I blew them off, bundled the mail in my arms before Friend and I headed back home. We took about 5 steps when I was overcome with pain in my arms. My arms were covered with thousands of tiny black-biting ants. 

 

The ants were pouring out of my mail bundle. They were scurrying faster the more I tried to wipe them off. They were quickly moving up my neck and down my cleavage. For little faces, they have a nasty bite! I felt like I had stepped into a horror movie. I threw the mail and I began to run.

 

Or, at least I tried to run. The ant tsunami was too much. I ripped off my dress off and ditched it (along with several thousand ants) in an attempt to get rid of the bugs. 

 

It turns out I wasn't wearing a bra. I wasn't planning on streaking down my little road. Yet there I was, living the dream. I had become a one-legged "soft" framed middle-aged woman, awkwardly trotting naked down her road while frantically wailing and brushing her arms and neck all while screaming wildly vulgar expletives. 

 

Who knew ants could cause so much pain and embarrassment?

Excuse?

The weather this past weekend did not cooperate with my "relax and play outside" plans. Instead of blue skies and a bright sun, we received dark skies and torrential rain. Oh well. We played board games and watched movies instead of riding bikes and picking wild berries. We had fun, so that is all that matters.

When I wasn't busy with the kids I was binging Breaking Bad while working on some projects. I have seen the entire series at least six times, yet I find myself stopping to watch whenever it is on TV. The quiet days allowed me to get ahead, which I know I will appreciate as new summer adventures unfold. 

A new week is starting, although I'm the only one in the family who seems to be functioning under the parameters of a calendar. There is no doubt that the boys, including Scott, are all on vacation mode. They wake whenever they want, do what they want throughout the day and enjoy their time off. With no real responsibilities, it's easy to lose track of the days. 

Or perhaps I'm just making an excuse for them.