I had just put a load of laundry in the dryer, the swamp cooler was working hard to give us some cooler air and then I smelled smoke. I my first reaction was to turn off the swamp cooler on my way to the dryer where I shut that off as well. I figured one of them had to be the culprit. Just so you know, I don't trust our swamp cooler and I usually don't trust dryers. I stayed by the dryer for a long time trying to see if it was the source of the smoke. I just couldn't figure it out. Shaking a little bit and worried that my dryer was the villian I walked back into the living room trying to see if I could smell the smoke from somewhere else.

Our front door is open a good portion of the day sometimes as the kids go in an out. They had just come in a few minutes prior to my smelling smoke. I walked outside and it was more than evident that the smoke was from out there and not in my home. The smoke comes from the fires in California. I had heard the smoke comes this way but the last time it "came" a good wind from the north blew it a different direction. I think I'm over the shaking. I turned my dryer back on. My swamp cooler was put back to work and I will rest a little easier knowing my house won't burn down.


Maxwell had been sick last week. He was sick enough that he couldn't even breast feed. I was grateful to have the feeding tube so I could put some food in him. It kind of backfired because he couldn't keep any food down, or not much anyway. In my effort to nurse him back to health or at least help him feel a little more comfortable I decided to offer some water by spoon. I had figured that his throat must be raw and dry and since he couldn't breastfeed he needed something to help his throat feel better. I was quite surprised that he seemed to enjoy it. By enjoy I mean he wanted it. He opened his mouth and wanted more. He let me put the spoon to his mouth.

Maxwell seemed to enjoy the liquid from a spoon so I thought perhaps I would try food on the spoon. Talk about little resistance. He ate up. He ate, and ate, and by the end he would be tired and just want to close his eyes. Being sick had taken a toll on his sleep. However, Maxwell is feeling much better with only a little bit of the runs left. He can breastfeed again and he is eating quite well from a spoon. This turn of events was quite unexpected. I am quite grateful though for it. Now all we have to do is get him to drink from a cup and then the GI won't put the permanent feeding tube in. We are close on the cup. He will let me put it to his mouth every once in awhile, but not enough to get him to drink from it. Soon....perhaps....soon.