Just add sunshine...and beer

I have been riding a low of late. Maybe the end of 2007, with the diabetes and the whole leg thing, was a bit much. I get rather crabby on the days that Matty goes for a ski, and I wander around the house trying to keep one eye on the boy and the other on the "to do" list in my head that always reads Greek to me.

I go back to work tomorrow. Parts of the last three months had been bliss and other good things, but perhaps, most of all, I need discipline in my life again. I need to focus four full hours on the work in front of my face. (I still will only work part time for the wonderful ANRF. I will seek an apprenticeship to help Peter roast his coffee beans as soon as I can haul my butt up the Black Sheep's rickety wooden staircase).

In short, lately I have been scattered in the extreme, and I think that this has contributed to the crabbiness. There are many, many loose ends - laundry, a disorganized house, a leg that sort of works, appointments to be made, taxes, a rental that needs showing, a child that needs chasing, blah blah blah, and all this has been driving me crazy.

BUT, the best thing that happened in many months, happened today:

We went for a play in the snow.

Wyatt put on his downhill gear and skied down a wee slope with all the glee and joy a nearly 3 year old could muster. He was a star. We were a happy family. Mood improved.

I snowshoed for nearly half an hour. It was the most physical thing I've done since the surgery back in November. Mood more improved.

Matt and I had a beer in the snow. Mood most improved.

Just add insulin...or sugar

We went down to Childrens (there is no apostrophe) Hospital LA to meet Wyatt's diabetes doctor, nurse, and nutritionist. The team were wonderful. They kept asking if we had any questions and gave us the assurances that we were going down the right road to good diabetes control. The new protocol will just involve more finger sticks to check blood glucose levels and a few more insulin shots to "cover" the carbohydrates eaten during snacks.

The boy cheerfully gave two vials of blood for a thyroid antibody and Celiac Disease test. Fingers crossed he is fine in those departments.

CHLA is a behemoth of a facility and is like a well oiled machine. Matty, ever the engineer, appreciated that.

Seeing all the families and kids with varying degrees of conditions and difficulties made us grateful that we can do easy things to make the boy's life a healthy and full one.

Babbo, Pedal King of Bishop

and if he ends up a poor musician, you can blame the family.