It wasn't so much the fact that I'm on my fourth cold in five weeks, or that this one involves the sore throat from hell, enough green goop in my lungs to make the props department at Nickelodeon jealous and periodic loss of voice.

No, it was the realization yesterday afternoon that what I thought was an eye reddened by hayfever was hurting, not itching, and allergy eye would probably be affecting both of my eyes equally instead of just the one giving me a distinctive Popeye squint. What I had here was pinkeye. THAT was the final sour cherry on top of the pathetic sundae that is my health lately.

I... don't even know what to write any more that isn't plaintive mewling about the general level of disease in this house. I mean, I could talk about swine flu (which is to say, write about the general level of disease outside our house), I suppose, but I'm mostly avoiding the majority of coverage on it on the theory that if Philadelphia turns into a danger zone we'll be warned about it, and in the meantime all reading about it would do is make me engage in obsessive pregnant hormonal fretting (and given that I'm about to have a newborn and have no choice about giving birth in a hospital, it's really best that I avoid that avenue of thought unless I need to).

Most of what I'm doing these days (besides oozing from various orifices) is sewing. Lots and lots of sewing, all by hand. I'm not sure why nesting for me should take the form of patiently sewing millions of stitches by hand, but I find it soothing, it can be done while I languish on the couch and it's certainly useful. So far, I've made: three dresses for K, a new sling, a cover for the cushion to our papasan chair, covers for new pillows for the rocking chair and am currently at work on some diaper liners. My realistic goals for before the baby is born are a few more dresses and a bunch of cloth wipes. My hormone-fueled not-so-realistic goals involve elaborate hand-sewn toys and swaddling the house in cloth. After I finish gathering lots of twigs and leaves and arrange them to my satisfaction, of course.