I was speaking with a business associate earlier today, and he asked me what my plans were for the weekend. I told him probably not much, since everyone’s sick, it’s basically been a snotfest. He laughed and asked if I thought there could ever be that much mucous. I said it’s actually more than their body weight. I don’t know how this happens.

Ava’s been in good spirits despite the rivers of yellow and green boogers. You can see a smile in there if you squint. She’s a trouper. We’re probably just playing pinball with the germs, bouncing the sickness back and forth between all of us. We’ve all heard about what happens when your child starts school, but we never thought it would be like this. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but Gia started just a couple of weeks ago, and it’s been downhill ever since. I don’t know what kind of mutant strains are lurking in that school, but they’re no joke.

We’ve been told that Gia’s the one going around hugging everyone. I wonder if a full body suit and a gas mask would offend anyone.

Barely noticed the summertime. I think it came around for a few days, long enough for me to throw our air conditioner into the living room window and run up one electric bill. I’ll have to rip it out of the window before we get the house powerwashed. Despite all the global warming, the A/C was almost more trouble than it was worth this year, and it feels like the hot weather’s history. Maybe the change of seasons is partly to blame for Ava’s refusal to let us sleep. She’s been waking up throughout the night, screaming at the top of her lungs, which seems to be her standard procedure for letting us know she’s either uncomfortable, or wants something, or who knows. She’s got one of those screams that can shatter a human skull. I’m surprised the neighbors haven’t called the cops yet. If we were still living in our apartment, I’m sure we’d have been visited repeatedly by now. It must sound like there’s torture going on, and in fact there is, but we’re the ones getting beaten up.

On the bright side, Gia seems to be enjoying preschool. It’s almost a month already. So far so good. I think she’s the only one getting any sleep at all.