I Think They Secretly Like When I Can't Talk

I keep saying how ready I am for summer break, and I am, but really I just want it to be Mother's Day weekend. We haven't take "The Wanderlust" out of storage since we returned from Spring Break. Sigh. We have a Mother's Day trip planned which makes me happy. Camping is what I ask for each year. "The Wanderlust" just knows how to relax me. How to make me let my hair down so to speak and kick it back. It also brings us together as a family on that weekend. I love family time. 

Last Wednesday morning I woke without a voice. Well, I had a voice, but barely. When I did talk (whisper) heads turned. As the day went on the strain of using what little vocal power I had was giving me a dull headache. I tried clearing my throat with small forced coughs...ha, just made my throat red and raw feeling. I refrained from using the intercom and stuck with the phone. Even that was a strain. But you know I'm the kind of employee that believes I have a duty to perform, that people depend on me. I either have to be in the hospital or my head over the toilet bowl to justify staying home. By the time I got home I flopped on my bed exhausted and napped for two hours. 

D called to give me unsolicited, but welcomed, vocal cord care instructions. Then suggested my lack of voice could be stress induced. Hmmmm between work and her...quite possibly could be stressed induced. However, I'm thinking pollen. 

D is in the final days of college campus life. The four great years she has experienced and the hard to leave woe is tugging at her heart strings. Adulting on the cusp of life for her is scary. I've pretty much gotten the brunt of her moods and stress. I don't always nod and smile and offer some June Cleaver-esque advice. I pretty much go with a light dose of Joan Crawford. Keeping it real folks! It's good there's that little thing called unconditional love or we'd be grasping each other around the necks. With each passing day D checks something off her stress list. By 4pm on Sunday the stress pot's boil settled to a low simmer. Hopefully today a sense of relief and accomplishment was felt deep in her soul. (Story to follow in the coming days.)

I am now on day five of no voice. My good friend says when my voice is rested and I can manage to talk that I sound like Mickey Mouse. Like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey. She insisted I say "hot dog" to her kids to prove she is indeed correct in characterizing me. Her kids laughed agreeing with their mother. Whatever! I just want my voice back!! And my college child to hop off the stress bus! 

I guess we all could us a little "Wanderlust" in our lives.