Link of the Day: Colleen's Y2K rant made me laugh out loud.

This Year and Next

Both Tab and Stephen feel worse today. Stephen's high fever is back, and he was coughing so hard this morning that I began to worry that he had contracted bronchitis, like Daniel. Realizing that today would be the last chance for him to see a doctor until Monday, I called the pediatricians' office and got an appointment for 9:15 this morning. As it turned out, his lungs were clear, and the coughing is simply part of his upper respiratory symptoms. So, essentially, I spent $10 for a co-pay for an unnecessary visit. Oh, well. Better to know for sure.

The pediatrician did say she thought that Stephen and his brothers have had the flu this week, based on my description of symptoms. "Generally, we don't see high fevers that last for days except in cases of flu," she said. This contradicts what I heard at our appointment on Monday. I had asked that doctor whether the boys had the flu, and he had answered no, that it was just a simple virus.

I'm inclined to believe the pediatrician we saw today, although it doesn't explain why Tab got sick and I didn't. We both got our flu shots at the same time back in October. One of those mysteries of life, I guess.

4:30 p.m. Like the rest of America, it seems, we have a low-key New Year's Eve planned. Tab's mother is going to spend the night, and we're allowing Daniel to stay up to midnight this year. He is taking a nap right now in preparation for his late night.

I wish I could say I'm excited about tonight, but for me New Year's Eve has become a day like any other day. And frankly, I'm sick of all the hoopla surrounding this particular New Year's celebration. Not to mention the tired arguments about when the millennium actually begins, 2000 or 2001.

Tab is a little down today. I think it is partly because he has not been able to accomplish what he had hoped to get done this week because of his illness. I think he's also a bit dejected because nothing much has changed for us this year. For the second year in a row, we didn't bother sending out a Christmas letter because everything is the same: Daniel is in the same school, Tab is in the same job, I'm still doing freelance work for the Press, and (worst of all, as far as Tab is concerned) we are still in the same house.

While I understand his frustration, I don't share it. At least, not completely. Yes, we've been stuck in neutral this year, but I think we're preparing for some major changes in the year 2000. So while I'm not excited about the New Year's Eve festivities, I am quietly elated about the coming year.

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