Living Out of My Car

Yes, I am one of 400,000 people without power with Com Ed saying it might be days before it comes back on. I used to joke that I live out of my car because I am always in it driving someone somewhere or going to a game somewhere. I was an idiot to have it so good and say that. I now know what it feels like to live out of your car. I have garbage bags full of dirty clothes that I am washing at my sister's or mom's because I really was not ready, after playing baseball all weekend, to not have power. I have bounced from sister to sister and then spent the night at my parents' house last night. I also used to joke with Leo when the house was upside down that we live in a dump and now...well...it smells like a dump. It is hot and sticky and muggy and one of my lovely children forgot to flush the toilet (or thought that because we didn't have power, they couldn't) so I am not exaggerating...it smells bad. This was not a great time to be on the "no carbs" diet because my refrigerator is stocked with meat and produce. We did borrow a generator (thanks, KJ and JJ) but it ran out of gas and so Leo had to walk me through starting it. Nothing makes you feel more inept than when you are not prepared for times like these. I finally did get it started but only after sweating more than I did when I was in labor with Nico. I need the power to come back on soon otherwise I am going to have to lug around the boys treatment because I don't want them going more than two days without it.

I just want the world to stop for a minute so I can get my bearings and feel human again. But the world does not stop. Tommy had camp this morning at 9 and I had to walk him in wearing what I slept in because I had to rush from one place to the next (even better is that the coach is someone I went to junior high with). What is the opposite of the "luck of the Irish"? That's what I have. The opposite. I tried to go to a McDonald's drive-thru but the first one had a line out to the street and I would have been the car blocking traffic. The second one, I entered only to be met with large pieces of the parking lot torn up and a bulldozer looking to tear up the piece that I was on. Nico had camp at 11:00 so I had to drop him off at a friends so that when I picked Tommy back up, I could leave right away for my sister's. On the way there I stopped to get cash but there was a guy there fixing the ATM so I couldn't and now have no cash on me.  Belle has tennis that she is missing because it is at 12:30-1:30 and I don't want to sit in a hot house  waiting for her to be done. She has tumbling tonight which she has already missed so much because we were gone and then she was sick. I wasn't able to check my email and when I finally did, I saw a lot of emails about upcoming baseball practices or games (one from Leo...you'd think I would know and not be aggravated but no) and I want to scream, "I HAVE NO POWER!!!!" I want to say, "Sorry, I know the world doesn't stop but ours does and we won't start functioning until it comes back on so you'll have to do without us until then."

I could feel that overwhelming feeling after the ATM and instead of letting it get to me, I made the twins tell me all the ways this situation could be worse and why we should be thankful.and you know what? As corny as that is, it worked. I am at my sister's house and the kids are going to swim. There is a pizza in the oven with my name on it (No power and no carbs doesn't work) and if my luck turns around, Gia might nap on the swing again so I can read. Life could definitely be worse.

I want to thank everyone that has offered for us to stay with them or do anything for us. A huge thanks to my sisters for letting me hang with them during the day and my parents for letting me crash there at night. Unfortunately what could be a great bonding moment is lost because they are on vacation but maybe that is good because everyone has a place to sleep. Another huge thank you for all the friends that are sharing custody of Nico so he can still go to camp. Thanks for looking out for him and helping me out! The next post I'll do is when I have power.