You know that feeling?

[Skidmore]

The one you get in the pit of your stomach. Not quite a knot. Not quite nausea. Not quite the jitters. The sweaty palms, stare-at-the-ceiling all night anxiety with fully fledged flights into the land of Whatcouldhappen.

Well, I have had it for the past month.

The primary has been a draining experience, and really will not be finished until August. It's overlap with the general election, now really begun, is unnerving. Set against a backdrop resplendent with disasters, war, and a downward spiralling economy, we all perch on a precipice.

On a personal level, we are living in Waterworld: The Prequel. Unfortunately, the flood zone is not a nicely turned Hollywood plot but a screamer with an unimaginable ending for our region, our state, our family. My husband currently is spending long days trying to pump the Iowa River out of buildings along the river front and back into its channel.

On Friday, I am taking the Greyhound to Chicago because our two year old granddaughter is scheduled for neurolgoical tests. She began having seizures a couple of months ago and an eye exam this week detected asymmetrical pupil dilation. We are hoping that she does not have a problem she cannot outgrow or cannot be treated. We're worried.

The trip to the grocery store today put the final shine on the tension. We purchase conservately and don't buy processed foods. We cannot survive like this indefinitely, and, I daresay, we cannot survive as a nation in this economic climate.

In the meantime, I'll keep the scream clenched firmly behind my teeth and my eyes trained forward, hoping that the nation is there with me in November voting for change. Hoping--yet another feeling.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. A change is gonna come

as the old song says. Yes, right now it is tense. I feel it a lot where I live. People are restless and upset, and business is down--people can't afford to do what they used to do. But I'm seeing glimmers of hope--like the friend who shared garden produce with me yesterday, and thanked me for the blueberries that I had picked for her, which were a gift to me by the owner of the orchard. If we remember our humanity, and work together---we will enter a new world, I think. Maybe not as rich or materialistic, but one filled with hope and an energy for change that we haven't seen since JFK inspired us nearly 50 years ago.

[Bluerthanblue]

2. ---

:hug:

I do know -

:hug:
you aren't alone.
peace~
blu

[elizfeelinggreat]

3. Stress takes a toll

Try to take care of yourself.

:hug:

Don't stop hoping; there are a lot of people like me hoping along with you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. There is a mexican saying that fits

there is no ill that last a hundred years, not anybody who will stand it

The end to our nightmare will come

I cannot predict the form that this end will take, but it will come

Take care of yourself

[MichiganVote]

5. Well here's my last 30 days Skid

I've been layed off, the four year old $700 washer broke--for good, the boat we purchased last year damn near sunk because some asshole who winterized it last Fall didn't connect the hose for the water cooled engine-ergo-the water was pumping into the engine well---barely made it out of that one-BUT-in our rush to get it out of the water we broke a light on top and of course, the speedometer needed replacing last week. Ok so let's move on. The sprinkler system was not working-$70 later that is now fixed for the small piece of plastic that came out of nowhere in the closed system.

Remember those strong midwest storms last week? The basement flooded--a week later we're still working with Servepro. Fortunately the insur. company will fund the $3000 worth of damage. In the course of handling the backyard flood/digging a trench around the house the cable wire was cut. Had that repaired.

Yesterday brought a scare that the crankshaft on one of the cars might be cracked. Ok for now. But the phones went out this morning. Back on by 2pm. Is our luck turning you ask?

Well not quite. The full time employment that I lost has been returned to me on a half time basis. What with gas at $4 a gallon, I should barely clear a profit. I'd like to invest my profits like the oil companies but somehow George Bush and his McSame cronies don't agree with me.

But you know what? I would gladly have all this over worrying about a grandchild. Good luck and prayers and I hope all works out for you and your family members.

[smoogatz]

6. I share your sense of anxiety.

We've been very lucky here (touch wood), weather-wise and in all other regards, but it does feel that we're on the edge of the precipice, as you say. I've had that feeling for months now and just can't seem to shake it.

Best wishes to you and your family: we'll be sending our most positive energy to you and your little granddaughter.