Frustrations, muscle spasms, and need to sleep a lot

This has been a horrendously difficult day, both physically and mentally. I've been on the verge of tears since this morning. And once again, it can all be traced back to my webhost. Add the pain from recent spine surgery and the picture becomes clearer.

I've wanted to switch to another host - one which would provide some semblance of customer service - for some time. I've not taken the chance that Tripod/Lycos (my nemesis) would register my domain name properly since they do so little properly that I've been registering it myself with NameCheap for years. Well, this year, Tripod caught that and decided to boot my site. They gave me two days notice.

Except that they will not release the authorization code or unlock the DNS code to do so. They will also not respond to emails, as usual. They do not provide telephone support.

So, my website is down. My email is down. And I have no hope that either will be back up anytime soon.

Several of my friends with more website building experience than I have have explained how simple it should be and that there should only be an hour or two of interruption. That I should just be able to dump Tripod and move to GoDaddy and be back up and running quickly. They've never dealt with Tripod/Lycos.

So, today, none of my meds are helping with muscle spasms or pain because I'm so stressed out. I want to sleep but can't. I want to take a shower and wash my hair, but can't because I can't raise my arms up over my head.

I'm going to write today off as a feel-sorry-for-myself day and move on.

Since Tripod is only open for business about 30 hours a week, my site may be back up and running sometime after Christmas, or New Years, or Easter.

In the meantime, if you'd like to contact me (DON'T SPAM ME OR I'LL SEND LUCIFER HIMSELF AFTER YOU! I'm in no mood to be messed with!), you'll need to use hutchlj@yahoo.com.

After almost 5 years of putting up with Tripod's crap because it was such a hassle to move my site, I truly, truly, understand why some go postal.

And hubby will have to drive me to have X-rays of my neck on Saturday so I can take them to my neurologist next week. Hubby will have to take time off work to drive me there, too. I haven't felt this trapped since I was 8 - the old tractor or my horse always got me where I needed to go.

To top it off, our Louisville family is falling by onesies and twosies with the flu, so dear hubby and I will probably be BBQing steak for our Christmas supper. Hope son can be home. He's always got a few friends who'd like a good meal.

Tomorrow has to be better.

Oops! Forgot to post yesterday

How did I forget to blog here yesterday? My mind must have been flushed along with my now-working-again intestines. So much potty talk here. Sheesh.

Our trip to Louisville for Christmas has been canceled. Seems my Jeffrey, our much-loved son-in-law, is down with the flu. In a household with two adults and 5 kids, three dogs, two cats, and two goats, bugs get shared quickly. Nick was also home because he was feeling poorly. School was out due to snow. Daughter is attempting to stay well enough to work (she's the major bread-winner) and to pick up the two youngest at pre-school on her way home.

They came for Thanksgiving two years ago with 3 sick kids and one sick adult. I'm not up to doing that again. Dear hubby and I have both had our flu shots - which are medically mandatory for me, along with the pneumonia shot.

Our 2300 square foot home, which is usually large enough for the whole crew plus friends is beginning to feel very small. And that's with just the dog and me here. Michael is taking me shopping tonight to fill the list daughter sent, and to get me out of the house.

One year, about six years ago, I broke with tradition and didn't buy socks for everyone in the family. Daughter had a snit-fit as she headed to the store. Everyone complained. We didn't realize what a big deal it was.

It seems I've also created some sort of tradition for buying grown son underwear in August. Have no idea how that started, but he starts the man-talk in July about needing underwear. He's perfectly capable of going to the store to choose and pay for his own underwear, but says it just isn't the same thing.

They never really leave home.

Never.

On another note, I started reading Hope Clark's manuscript yesterday. This is the agricultural suspense/thriller she's shopping to agents. It's good! Hear ye, hear ye, o' agents of marketable authors! This one is worth a read!

This blog is worth the read just for the meta tags. HA!