Cramping My Style in QUOTIDIEN

Strangest thing started about 3 weeks ago. Muscle cramps. In my feet. My hands. My rib cage! My neck muscles.

I increased my Potassium intake (I do take a diuretic for my vestibular issues), started taking Centrum Silver, and take a B-complex supplement. I also drink a Gatorade or Powerade every day - and have a banana with my lunch.

Well, it persisted, so I went for blood-work last Wednesday. TSH, electrolytes, CBC, Potassium were all checked. Though I think the TSH showed up low (.53) for me, I'm told I am within normal range. All other values were normal.

So now, we're doing a Sed-Rate (check inflamma tion in body) and Aldolase (muscle/liver damage check) blood tests to find out what this cramping is all about. I am not closed to the idea that this could be stress related.

Meanwhile - went to Springfield to visit hubby's brother. Road-trip with the daughterling was relatively pleasant. She is, after all, a teenager. While in Springfield, I used some of the proceeds from the sale of the Jeep, to bring my little Daewoo up to speed, in the radio department. We had to NOT listen to music because the buzzing from the speakers drove us bonkers. I picked a Pioneer radio, and Alpine speakers because Dave and I always agreed that they were the only ones for us.

The guy who installed it was so pleased with himself, telling me he'd programmed it for me. I turned on my radio - and there was NO DEPTH to the sound. Nothing. He had it set on 'church lady' mode with no bass. Was great for talk shows, but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay this kind of money to listen to the likes of Rush Limbaugh!

So while daughter ate her dinner, I RTFM'd - and found the BASS, baby! I turned that sucker on HIGH, then selected some tunes. O! M! G! My car was trying to bounce out of her skin! It took a bit, following a frantic adjustment, for my eyes to settle back into their rightful spot! I'm glad to say that the radio (programmed to illuminate PINK) is 'in the pink' and I can now drive while bathing my very soul in classical piano music to my heart's delight.

I also purchased some pink, chenille seat and steering wheel covers, much to Anne-Marie's dismay. "But Mo-o-om! These are GRAAANNNNNYYY seat covers! You're SUCH an old lady."

"I'm sorry, but when you sat your butt down on that seat, did it burn off a layer of skin? No! It did not!"

I'm learning that single-parenting sucks. Forty-seven hours per week, I come home and meet myself at the door. Once I'm in the house, there's laundry, and housework. I'm EXHAUSTED!

My plan? Sit in my messy house, drink my Strawberritas, and not touch another damned thing until morning!