Monday, March 24, 2008

Home Again, Home Again





I've been gone since Wednesday and missed everyone on the Playground more than I expected! But I enjoyed visiting with my family and watching my children do the same.

Before I left, I came down with some kind of virus that gave me a painful sore throat. But I went ahead with my plans anyway, because my Mom and the kids would have been extremely disappointed if I cancelled. It will go away, I reasoned.

By Friday, I had no voice. When I tried to talk, my words came out all croaky and broken. This presented several challenges.

Since the hubby stayed home to work, I was the only disciplinarian present. (Grandparents don't count, because they've forgotten discipline exists.) Do you know how hard it is to make kids behave or give the simplest of instructions with no voice? Whispers don't carry a lot of weight. As a matter of fact, Little Man started whispering back at me. :) I finally resorted to growling at them when they misbehaved, but it didn't have much impact either.

Also, Friday night was the extended family get-together. So I spent the night surrounded by dozens of people I hadn't seen in two years, but could barely make myself understood. At least I got to listen to them talk to each other.

I still have no voice. Laryngitis is a weird thing. I guess I didn't realize how much I talked before this (my hubby is choking with laughter right now, I'm sure). I didn't appreciate how much I enjoyed sharing my thoughts and ideas through conversation, or used my voice to give directions to others. As a writer, words are important to me. Being without them, even for a few days, isn't fun!

If you lost your voice for three days, what would you miss saying the most?

Angel

15 comments:

Jill James said...

I lost my voice this week too. I got sick at Disneyland and couldn't tell anyone anything. The hubby had to tell the ride operator how many we were and the kids had to order food. They were all laughing that I couldn't yell at them. LOL

Cheryl said...

I think the thing I would miss the most saying it "I love you" to my husband and family.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

I lost my voice for about a week during my senior year of high school. I had to wear a sign around my neck at work (Hallmark) that said "Welcome to Hallmark, my name is Andrea and I have largentitis. How can I help you?" Then of course, my super conservative government teacher used that opportunity to goad me about women's place in the home and all that to watch me blow my top and start yelling with no sound coming out. I got back at him by signing him up for a men on men love catalog list. Only fair. :)

What would I miss saying...? Hmm... I'd probably miss talking to my animals. DB can figure out what I'm saying, but they'd just run around crazy and not go outside like I would normally tell them to.

Problem Child said...

The world would certainly be a quieter place if I couldn't talk. I'm sure some folks would sign up for that, though.

How could I "squee" with no voice?

Barbara Vey said...

If I lost my voice for a week, I'd have to stay in the house. It would absolutely kill me to be around people and not be able to get my 2 cents in. :g:

Anonymous said...

Well, seeing as how I'm famous for being bossy in my quarter of the universe, I'd miss bossing. :)

Lynn Raye Harris said...

I really need my voice to yell at my rotten cat. If I couldn't yell at him, he'd really misbehave. And since he's a one-cat wrecking ball, a lot of stuff would get broken.

And then there's the hubby. He lives here with me, but I swear he doesn't know where anything is (or how it works). It'd be a pain to have to show him everything. :)

Playground Monitor said...

I have the crud too and can hardly talk. I need to call the company I called twice last week and who still hasn't emailed me a parts list for my backyard patio gazebo veranda. It's going to be hard to rip someone a new one sounding like a frog.

Between croaking, blowing my nose til it's raw and trying to cough up a lung, I just had a swell Easter.

Katherine Bone said...

I had laryngitis for nearly a month once and during the Christmas holidays too. Not fun! I sympathize with you, Angel. Get well!

What I'd miss most? Being able to talk to my two oldest who live on opposite sides of the country and would be unable to understand me or see my facial expressions.

Katherine Bone said...

Get well, PM. :-) Good luck getting the parts for your gazebo!

Sassy said...

If I lost my voice for a few days I'm sure friends and family would thank their lucky stars for the silence. I would miss reading to my two kids at night and our tucking in routine would be messed up with out the back and forth banter over who loves who more.

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Grrr, blogger ate my post.

The only way I maintain control in my house is with my voice. It wasn't pretty the last time I lost it. Chaos. Anarchy.

Hope you both get better soon, Angel and PM!

Instigator

birdzilla said...

You better believe it. Instigator is the only one that has a prayer of control in our house.

The only thing that listens to me anyway is Jack the dog. The rest of the animals generally are running the asylum.

I can not even get a goat to behave most of the time.

Angel said...

I seem to be better this afternoon. Not quite as much cracking and I can speak above a whisper, but I still sound like a man. :(

I love how most of us maintain control around our house with our voices. Guess there are a lot of things about motherhood (and even wifehood) that are universal. But the hubby would agree with Sassy's family. He's sorry he missed most of the days of me not talking. :)

Angel

birdzilla said...

I have to make an adjustment to my earlier post.

Pokey Joe also listens to me. See, he is a little over 4 and one half feet tall. Large goat, big baby. He has got to the habit of literally stepping over the fence.

As long as I see him and give a stern call, he comes back without trying.

Wish the girls (and the wife) at times would do the same :)