Can I have a side salad with that, please?

Good afternoon.  I've just been out grocery shopping with the girls.  We were loooong overdue for a shopping trip, so we went into a dollar store, bought a cart full of pet food bags, and then went back in for a cart full of other household supplies.  Then we went to the grocery store and bought a cart and a half of groceries.  This is life with two adults and four teens/pre-teens and two big dogs and some cats.  We shop every other week, and we'd missed one trip.  Now we're ready for the next round of illness.  I sincerely hope there isn't one.  Every day of recuperation increases my chances of not being dragged down as far next time.  This is the game we always play until spring.  I could be well for the rest of the winter, sick every day, or anything in between.  Maybe I won't get sick right away.  There might be a snowstorm, though.  It's snowing and blowing outside as I write.  The palm trees are really swaying in the breeze out there.  It might be just as well we shopped today.

I am so tired.  Even though I know I've been sick, I was surprised at how this short trip exhausted me.   I had trouble focusing on conversations with clerks.  People would say things and I wouldn't hear them.  By the time we got home, my knees were shaking.  I've been starting to move around more this last 24 hours or so.  And I'm still down eight pounds from a month ago.  Last night I suddenly decided to eat everything in sight.  I'm proud of myself--everything in sight was chicken and rice and salad and beans and one piece of carrot cake, so at least it was fairly healthy. :)  Then we went out for pizza for lunch today and I was surprised again at how hungry I was (especially after last night).  Had a salad and diet soda with the pizza at least.  I've been craving salad with every meal.  Guess I'm just trying to get my strength back.

Even the girls were tired.  I've never seen them like this.  They're never tired.  Ever.  Everybody here has had such a rough winter so far.

I'm going to go put a few more groceries away and then sit back down again.  I'm really feeling good.  Had a couple of asthma attacks today, but it wasn't too bad.  Slept through the night.  Now, with any luck, I'll just stay home for the next several days and continue to recuperate.  Maybe I can start to actually feel well one day.

See ya later.