Slacker.

I am such a slacker. It's been almost two months since I've posted anything. Honestly, the only reason I'm posting anything now is because I feel guilty. So much has been going on and I haven't shared it with you all. (Okay, if you're on my Facebook, you know some of it. That's worth something, right?)

I'll start small. I showered. I smell like cherry blossoms and Pert Plus. Yesterday, I did not. Since last Wednesday, I have smelled very much like a convalescent home. You see, my lovely loonies, last Wednesday I was putting Theron on the bus and bent to pick up the cat before she bolted out the door, which started a chain reaction in my spine that brought me to my knees and made me beg for painkillers.

Now, I am usually very stoic, especially regarding my back pain. Bulging, herniated and ruptured discs are just part and parcel of my life. Sciatica? Yep, got it. Muscle deterioration? That too. Official diagnosis? Degenerative Disc Disease. I'm a walking house of cards just waiting for the big bad wolf to huff and puff and blow me down. Apparently he sent a cronie this time and, boy, did she deliver a whopper. However, I am medicated and it's helping, although it's really put a hitch in my stride.

In other news, the neighbor's daughter (friend of my daughter) has been having some kind of breakdown. Her grandfather was very ill and we didn't think he'd make it. Then a boy started sexually harassing her at school, bringing back memories of a molestation that happened years ago. Then, to top it off, she became the target of one of the nastiest bullies at the school. It was too much to handle and the poor child just shattered. She's getting the help she needs, which is great, but it's thrown some things into sharp relief for us.

Erilyn is 10, and a brand-new 10 at that. The neighbor girl is almost 13. Three years might not seem like a lot, but right now it really is. Erilyn isn't into boys yet and she hasn't outgrown some of her little-girl hobbies and behaviors. To make matters worse, she's a geek. She loves computers and books and video games and so on. She's not an athletic kid, although she is active. This neighborhood is all about bike riding, soccer, baseball, football and whatever else the kids can think up. We're working on getting Erilyn to ride a bike since it will allow her more freedoms, and that may be the key to bridging the gap. In the meantime, she has an amazing best friend who is only a few months older than her and is into all of the same things. Thank goodness!

Forgive me, folks, my mind is a bit frazzled. I know that there's more to share but I can't seem to pull it out of the fog. I'm sure I'll remember later.