If you have to cry, go outside.

Please forgive my blogging slacker-dom at the moment.  We are currently nomads, and like someone wandering in the desert, I don't have the time that I'd like to perch with a cup of tea and ponder things and write about 'em.  We are between homes and between lives at the moment, and settling into our halfway house of sorts in Maine.

As is usually the case in life, I have things working for me and things working against me at the moment.  Let's recap, shall we?

Helping me:

1) Husband = moving rock star.  Again, should lawyering not work out, he has a promising future as a barista/professional house organizer/mover.  Powerful combo.

2) My parents' house is a haven.  My mama's healthy, delicious cooking and the view of the ocean are making things right.

3) Kell on Earth.  Bravo TV, you are my rock.  I am feeling a touch bitchy at the moment, and watching this uberbitch in action is strangely soothing.  I'm also loving that her new book is called "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside." Tell it, sister.

4) Beach Pea Bakery.  Perfectly made espresso, check.  Warm baguette stuffed with caramelized onions, mushrooms and cheddar, check.  Thank you, Beach Pea, for making my morning bearable.

5) Lack of winter weather conditions.  We packed and loaded two car loads worth of things yesterday, drove 3 hours, and unloaded.  Had it been raining, snowing or wintry mixing, I would have totally lost my mind.  Instead, it is sunny and a toasty 30 degrees.  Thank you, Old Man Winter.  Thank you.

6) I'll be seeing both of my sisters and some of my closest girlfriends this week.  Just the thought of it makes me exhale a bit.  Thank God for my homegirls.

Hurting me:

1) Sick baby.  He's got a cold and he is ten kinds of fussy.  He's enjoying throwing food from his highchair, arching his back and crying, and sliming me with his little snots to express his displeasure.  Poor little dude. Have I mentioned that I've had it with being sick this winter?  And let me tell you how fun it was to take him to a strange pediatrician in a strange town this morning, sans proper medical records.  The receptionist looked at me like I was a truly unfit mother.  Awesome.

2) My neck.  I think I pulled a muscle in all the loading and unloading yesterday and I am in some serious pain today.  It is making everything just a little more difficult and trying every ounce of my patience.  This photo is what comes up when you do a Google image search for neck pain, and it really artfully illustrates how I am feeling today.  Just ouch.

3) The state of my personal belongings.  Some in Vermont, some in Maine, some in Boston.  Some in cars, some in boxes, many in Tupperware bins.  As such, Mac laptop = with me.  Mac powercord = in husband's car with him.  Sick baby = with me.  Sick baby's medical records = with husband.  Outlet covers = in Vermont.  Living room with literally 20 outlets in it = where I am hanging out with the baby and his tiny, curious fingers.  Sigh.  It will all come together again, it is just quite literally a pain in my neck right now.

Sometimes listing things is really helpful.  It wasn't until I sat down and took stock that it became so clear that the good outweighs the bad here 2 to 1, even with my neck spasming and the baby slowly turning into a human mucus ball.  Onward and upward!  And thanks for your patience with me in the meantime.  I'm off to channel my inner Kelly Cutrone and show the rest of the day who's boss.  If you have to cry, go outside.