The house of plague and some racing

Look how healthy and happy we all are...completely unaware of the plague creeping up on us.

Look at David all happy and Megan all not covered in snot and vomit.

She was just about to start a bout of pink eye in this picture.

Look at Kiernan trying out his Opa's gherkin recipe.

See Megan and Pax being goofballs together?

Then I got a call from mom. She'd had a fall at work down some steps. She hit her back and sprained her ankle and couldn't drive and was at urgent care.

I went and got mom and gave her a few meals in bed and life carried on.

David and the kids carved out some fine looking Pinewood derby cars. Kiernan's was so thin they were afraid it would split.

Megan started throwing up and kept throwing up most of the night.

She was delighted despite her pains when David offered to go in and sleep in her room. This has never happened before and honestly with her poor little body just wracked as it was one of us would have gone in anyway but she keeps telling to story in delighted wonder "He said would you like me to join you?".

She was the first sick and quickly recovered.

Furthermore in woodworking news David got a new knock off Gibson that he decided to customize.

With mine I wanted a Jimmy Page replica and that is what he is making me. This one on the other hand is what he would have done given a design hand at Gibson.

Much ergonomic sculpting is afoot in Kuehnertland.

I even managed to keep up with my New Years resolution of giving the dog more walks. On this idyllic looking jaunt she decided to roll in a pile of manure and came back happy and as stinky as she has ever been in her life.

Kiernan started getting sick. We took it easy and played games and slept alot.

He discovered a deep love for telestrations.

David worked on his guitar and started coughing alarmingly.

I made a big family meal of blaukraut and Special-K roast and comforting rolls.

Some of my friends and family marched in the Womens March. I am proud of them.

We cleaned up vomit and prepared birthday presents in the theme of space and NASA.

In the morning we met with Kiernan's best friend and went to a fun pool.

By that evening he had a high fever and was throwing up.

It was the night before Kiernan's birthday. He started throwing up.

Then the grown ups got sick.

My head hurt so badly I could barely move and I made it to a minute clinic. I was offered antibiotics. I am so afraid of taking antibiotics after my allergic reactions a few years ago. So I didn't take them (they were only marginally recommended) but medicated heavily and took an entire week off of work recovering.

While I was recovering the kids took 3 days off school, which made recovering a bit harder. David even took a day or two off work, which means we have no vacation time again...boo. He got the stomach bug.

We shut him away from humanity for a day and a night and he emerged weak and pale and fit for human companionship later.

We coughed and vomited and moaned at each other. Some of us were better and some of us were worse depending on the day and the better ones took care of the worse ones. 

On his birthday Kiernan stayed in bed and didn't have a party or a cake but he had some games and lots of peace and it was what he needed.

I had to cancel his birthday party. That sucked.

His uncle Chris dove up and dropped off some presents though and boy did he love that!

I had a hot-bean sock and lots of tea and croaked out happy birthday.

Megan wanted to help me feel better so she took moms ankle wrap and tried to heal me.

After a full week in bed on Thursday morning I got up. I had pink eye.

Mom wanted to go check out a new outlet shopping center so I bundled into the car when she picked up Megan and rode along.

They had a cool playground and I have decided that we must take Kathryn and Yoshi and Erena when they come in the middle of February.

On friday night there was Pinewood Derby car painting.

There was a fair amount of weight adjustment at the last minute to get everyone up to (or close to) 5 oz as possible.

It was car registration and check in that night but Kiernan was not feeling up to going out so I took his license picture myself and mom drove me over to register.

Both cars passed inspection and we left them in the lot for the big race on Saturday.

Saturday came and Kiernan was feeling better.

We all went to the races.

He got to be color carrier for the opening and closing ceremony and he was very proud and respectful.

He got to race his car and was very excited.

Megan got a little nervous in the lime light.

He gave her very sweet brotherly reassurance.

Their cars did so well!

He held the track record for nearly the whole morning.

He wound up 2nd over all but its enough to get him to the regional finals again this year.

He ate pizza and played with his friends and was not overwhelmed by noise or attention.He had one small incident with the overall race winner who decided some smack talk was in order.

Kiernan is not a great one for smack talk. He asks why dose that kid hate me. He will not be convinced that smack talk is a thing separate from hate and it is hard to see.

To his credit the older boy did eventually realize that he was scaring Kiernan and said just kidding good game. I think it was a good reversal and that the return to sportsmanship was to his credit.

It was still a little rough.

After that Kiernan got quiet and I wondered if he were sick or if the confrontation had just deflated him.

Turns out he was sick.

He spent the rest of the day and well into the morning of the next flat out with fever and stomach cramps.

Then I finally got the stomach bug and went down like a rock for 24 hours.

I am still recovering halfway into the next week.

Oh gracious!