Smiting of the Gods

I awoke just now at exactly 1:10 am, fearful of what will happen the next morning.

You see, how perfect it is, in the midst of this health crisis that has turned my life upside down and that of all my children and especially my wife, that we have to add a little extra just to make it more interesting. I speak, of course, of the Smiting of the Gods.

I mentioned in a previous blog that things, in a rash, suddenly started breaking. En mass. First our freezer got smitten, then our dryer, then both toilets full of poop and absolutely unable to be unplunged, so if there was a number two in our future or our children, it was loading the car up and driving to an Express mart three miles away to do the deed. Luckily, we have a lot of boys who can pee outside like the dog.

Me with dead phone

The Gods were still angry, and our flat screen TV in Angela’s and my bedroom went next – Poof – and for no discernible reason, and why stop there: our internet router, that bulletproof deliverer of fast internet – suddenly turned flakey and lost connection about three times a day, meaning: I had to reboot it as many times. Not huge, but in the kids eyes, howls and, “Dad, the interest isn’t working again.” What could be worse? Still, it has to be replaced.

Well, the toilets were both plugged again, and did I mention I’m glad I have boys, and lets get another plumber in here, which we do, because there’s lots you can fudge and find a work-around and just live with, but not two toilets full of poop and unplungable and unflushable.

The season would not be complete if I didn’t mention that we ran out of heating oil and had no heat for five days. Luckily, the weather isn’t that cold (35 degrees Fahrenheit) and we have space heaters running all over the place, so no one is suffering. Still. We could get an oil delivery now but there’s a $225 extra charge, and they only deliver to Cato on Tuesday, so we can wait.

All this, though, causes another even bigger hardship: I have to get all the documentation and paperwork ready for a NY home energy assistance program named HEAP, and they of course want everything. Birth certificates for everyone, one month pay stubs for everyone who brings a nickle into the house in wages (my kids), etc. It’s hard getting all this together when your brain isn’t broken, torture when it is.

The refrigerator is leaking, but hopefully that’s not a big deal. It will do that mostly in the summer – there’s a trey in the back that fills with water and has to be emptied. Hopefully this being full in winter is not a bad omen.

We still have a land line of sorts with a cordless phone to take calls. Smitten, though that hasn’t worked for a few weeks, so its not a new smiting but still – it had to be taken care of. I just replaced it yesterday.

I seem to be forgetting something. I’m sure I’ll remember it once I publish this blog. That is, if my laptop is working and I am able to hit the Publish Button in WordPress.

What else can break? The sky is the limit. I may stay up all night because, if I fall asleep, I know something will break the next day. I live in fear.

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www.activechristianity.org

Update

Just a quick update, as several have asked.

I’ve been in something of a Bad Head Weather Pattern for the last eight days or so. I am absolutely fine as long as I don’t move my head; when I do, we set off a 9.2 Earthquake, and I walk around saying, “Oh, my head!”. So my strategy is to stay still and carry on. It’s not the most exciting life you can possibly live, but it’s where we are for now. My balance is if anything, worse, and my hand movements are less exact.

Me at DD with my oldest son — high point of the day getting out of my room, and we had great fellowship together!!!

Still, I am able to get around, which is fantastic. Just to get out of bed by myself, use the bathroom without assistance, and be somewhat mobile is a gift of the Gods. I remember a few months ago thinking if I could just be that mobile, what else could I ever want. But you know how we are: I am mobile but also in this weird head weather pattern, so of course we forget how far I’ve come and want more. It’s human nature.

With all this going on, you would think other areas of our life would cooperate, as we do have enough going on already. Well, it is not so. In the midst of all this, the dryer died. Not only that, but our freezer got smote which meant lots of food to cook up. Don’t things come in three? Both our toilets would not flush and were totally plugged – not a good situation with a household of seven. Even worse, I should mention there was water everywhere downstairs, all the way into the laundry room, which meant all the clothes there had to be carted to the laundromat and washed.

So, not only does my dear wife have to take care of me, but she had a huge mess to clean up. She is a jewel.

And then there is just life to keep up with, even if you have Brain problems. Bills have to be paid, college applications filled out for the kids, something in the mail has to be filled out for someone etc. None of this goes away just because the weather report in your head is bad. It’s life and it has to be attended to.

In other exciting news, I am watching the World Chess Championship, where a Norwegian, Magnus Carlson, is defending his title against an American – an American, believe it or not. Some may compare this to watching the grass grow, but if you’re a nerd like me, it is every bit a rush as when an SU Basketball player pulls a quick move under the basket and with great form somehow dunks the ball, and hangs on the hoop for effect to boot. That’s what a great chess move is like.

I also have a nice setup where I can watch movies and Youtube videos, so don’t feel too sorry for me. I like history, and if you want to know anything about the Byzantine Empire, I can fill you in on all the details. I have an Amazon Echo and can ask her to play “It’s a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong and she does – or pretty much anything I ask of her. Technology; it’s really great. And I have lots of time to give attention to the Word and Prayer, but of course I have to get this donkey engaged! It seems like we can find time for everything except what we really important in life.

In other news, my beard (which I never wanted) is still growing and all our animals have yet to leave, like when the kids get older and move out. A dog, three cats, two goldfish and something else – I forget what. How did I get here, I wonder? My weight is stable but way too low, so my real goal in all of life is just to keep eating. Life becomes very simple when that is what it’s all about.

It is one thing to take all this when it is new, and you can feel good about yourself because it hasn’t sunk you entirely, but when it goes on and on and starts becoming how we live, it is more difficult. It gets old. Still, God’s Word has not changed, has it? And to complain? How disgusting!? What right do we have? I’m just glad to be alive!

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https://activechristianity.org/

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