Got up this morning, earlier than I wanted to - to my kidlet thrusting a flashlight in my face and ordering me to look at the back of her throat... White, pus-y patches on a red, red background. Yep. The dreaded Strep throat. I know Strep, because she gets it every spring.

I called the doctor. Usually I would wait until tomorrow for doctor calling, but since I've investigated OCD, and found that a lot of OCD'ers get much worse with a strep infection - I thought I'd freakin' HURRY and get her some antibiotics. I love my health clinic. They work all weekends and all holidays - for the same $10 co-pay...

We toddled off to the doctor - half an hour after waking up. Grrrr. No coffee. No nuttin. He was wearing a surgical mask! I guess he's more than a little concerned with the old SARS epidemic.

We got a throat culture and antibiotics. The pharmacy is at our supermarket, so while the pharmacist was filling the prescription, I went grocery shopping - still before coffee. Thank God for Starbucks...

Now, we're home. I haven't showered yet. I don't want to shower. I want to go back to bed. But I can't. I have to perservere and visit my mother in hospital, and go over my residence hunting with her and my brother. Basically, we can't afford any of them. They're ALL $1900 - $2400 per month. Well, except for the one that's $3500 per month... If she would agree to go the the one I contacted on Friday, that would rock. But I know she won't. One of the directors of a place, suggested that my mom could still live on her own - but be equipped with one of those "panic" things to wear around her neck. That way, if she took another fall - she could push a button and the paramedics could find her. That way, all we'd have to do, is find her a bottom floor apartment to live in - cheaply - and convince her to give up driving around town, utilize the "cabs for old farts" program our city offers, and order her groceries by phone... My brother is considering - sort of - having her live with him in a 3-bedroom place. Frankly, I think that arrangement might kill them both. Sure, she's old and frail and whatnot - but underneath all that - she's an unpleasant, bitchy, manipulative woman with more issues than Dubya has enemies. I wouldn't wish her on anybody.

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Last night, strep throat and all - the kidlet went to the Sadie Hawkins dance, with a date! Oh my gawd, my baby had a date with a boy!!! I'm not all that sure I like him. He's a combination big geek and ladies man. I didn't know whether to hug him or bitch-slap him... But she likes him well enough, and they looked adorable together. They both wore all-black - she had died purple streaks in her blonde hair, and he had died his red hair, black for the occasion. She called me from the ladies loo - to tell me that he'd kissed her. Her first kiss! Not sure how I felt about that either. But she's almost 16 and it's only her first kiss. Hell, I was smooching and making out at parties and such - since I was about 13. It's just weird thinking of some pimply faced boy, kissing my daughter. Especially one who seems to be full of the old blarney...

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Well, I'd better get to cleaning this stye. All housework and laundry and mom activities must be finished by 7:00, so I can sit back and whine and grimace over the ridiculous Brian and Justin reunion on "Queer As Folk". How many ways can I say "Meh"...?

April 27, 2003