Are we there yet?

Today feels like the day that will never end.  It has been jam packed with panic, chaos and stress.  Lots of last minute surprises the kind that no one enjoys. 

I didn’t sleep well last night, between my bladder, my shoulder and my Gator I was up and down.  I managed to squeeze in a short nap this morning before all hell broke loose. 

Gator yelled out like I never heard her do before, I thought for sure something was wrong.  Yeah she was loosing her voice or so it sounded like.  I gave her some food, she got some water and then did some additional talking.  Finally all settled in and off to dream land.  Nothing like that food coma.  She has since woken up and is asking for me to come up but work was calling. 

I’ve got a person leaving today and they just asked for more time so I have to sit here a bit longer.  It makes no sense to run upstairs and then back down.

Top it all off my tail bone is bruised.  That comes from long periods of sitting.  Looks like its time for a new chair but I really don’t want to spend the money.  If I actually give into this I will go for a Serta.  They make a big and tall line and it’s got cushion for days, the most comfortable office chair I have ever sat in.  Problem is they start at $300 and go up.  I know that if you really get into good seating you can spend in the thousands of dollars.  I’m for sure not interested in spending that amount of money. 

I did get bored last night waiting for bedtime to roll around.  I watched the first episode of Night Court.  That was a show my grandfather loved.  I see the appeal now but back when I was a kid when it was on there was no appeal.  I also watched the first episode of St. Elsewhere which has Howie Mandel back when he had hair.  A young Denzel Washington and Ed Begley, Jr.  Lots of good actors.  What a blast from the past that was. 

It’s down to freezing here and there is drizzle.  I still have to round up the trash and push it out.  That should be a not fun trip.  My hands are so dried out, I guess between the weather and frequent washing it’s bound to happen.  I don’t like hand lotion something about the greasy feeling on my hands just doesn’t appeal to me and never has.  I use it but very sparingly. 

Not sure what I will watch tonight to pass the time but I am eager to get away from this machine.  I know I will be having White Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Bacon for supper and am very much looking forward to that, even if it’s just a TV Dinner it’s really good.  Tomorrow will be Friday and of course April fools day.  I don’t know if anyone will pull anything but I probably will mess with at least 1 person.  The first of the month always is a busy time for me.

I am seeing a lot of people leaving and this Great Resignation Movement I think is still very much in full swing.  There are some really good people leaving and it’s kind of sad but hey everyone has to do what is right for them.  I am still looking here and there but I do think overall that I will likely stay put.  It is risky to make a move but it’s not like I haven’t done it before.  It’s just now there is so much riding on my income it makes me put a bit more thought into it, especially since if I would fail there isn’t a net or anyone that would rescue me.  Sometimes the devil you know if better than the devil you don’t know, as the saying goes. 

Happy Friday Eve and I hope all is well in your world.  Talk again soon. 

Rainy Wednesday

By the title of this post you know what the weather is like here.  Going to be that way today and tomorrow.  When it rains and is overcast those are great days for sleeping in.  Shame that I had to get up for work. 

In checking my schedule for today there isn’t much on the books for today.  However, this morning has already been a busy one.  I figured an hour tops and I would be able to go back upstairs but that didn’t happen.  It’s about snack time but no word from on high (Gator) so I am continuing to keep to myself here in the basement. 

There is a boring meeting that I need to attend in a bit and after that my day is clear/free of tasks.  That doesn’t mean something won’t come up but I don’t have plans to hang out down here to wait.  I plan to spend the rest of the afternoon upstairs away from the computer unless there is a need for me to do work.  I will be watching and I am sure there will be something that will require my attention, that’s just how my luck runs.  However, if I am wrong then I get the benefit of being away without anyone knowing.  Sort of like money for nothing.

Yesterday I was really super bored in the afternoon so I went seeking out work and found a task that would help a colleague.  He was super behind on closing out support tickets.  He wanted to try to close them in bulk because you are supposed to be able to combine them when they are similar and then can batch close them all at once.  Nice concept but I deal with each ticket individually as I don’t know how the batch close thing works.  He had 70 plus items when I started.  When I left he was down to 21.  I managed to get that down this morning and he’s got like 7 now, which is much more manageable.  There were some request that I avoided on purpose as they were sticky wickets and I didn’t want to get tangled up in a mess.  I’m helpful but I don’t want to take on drama.

Now that is done and I am caught up with my morning I am bored again but that will change in a bit when I get into this meeting. 

Gator woke me up a couple times last night but I didn’t bother to get out of bed.  There was plenty of food left out for her before I went to bed and I made her eat it.  She isn’t happy about things like that but when forced she gives in which is far better than starving.  She was pretty eager to see me roll out of bed this morning and grab her a fresh can of food.  She loaded up, drank some water and then made her way to the bedroom for a nice slumber.  I’ll admit I was kind of jealous. 

I’ve got a haircut booked for Saturday but no other real plans for the weekend at the moment.  It will likely be the usual weekend stuff.  Not sure where I will venture for food but I am mulling that over. 

Hope all is well in your world I am back to the work thing.  Tuesday’s are rough going in but I love how I feel when I finally get home.  There is no problem with sleep, I pass out pretty quickly.  I can’t believe I used to keep that schedule 5 days a week for years and still had problems sleeping some nights.  Wow.  I guess my age has finally caught up with me.  Talk with you all again soon. 

Traffic … ugh

My little girl woke me up a couple times last night, once for food and once to announce that she used the litter box.  Nice surprise was waiting for me when I woke up.  Her system is back to normal on its’ own I haven’t given her anything so that’s good news.  Just hope that it lasts. 

Speaking of the little darling, she expected me to sit with her and hand feed her breakfast this morning.  I didn’t have time for that.  I wound up picking her up and placing her on the floor next to the food.  She was like a vacuum cleaner and I put out one spare can since I wouldn’t be there all day long.  She ate part of that and then made her way into the bedroom and climbed into her bed.  I checked on her a couple hours ago and she was still sawing logs.  I guess she got herself into a food coma.  That’s all fine by me. 

Traffic was a little heavy this morning and while voice assistants told me to go a specific way I followed only to find a traffic snarl.  I wound up turning around and taking a different route.  Not exactly the best commute this morning but at least I got here with plenty of time to spare and I am safe. 

Working away my lunch time and getting ready to go into a long meeting.  Plenty of work bouncing my way on what otherwise seemed like a clear and free day.  I thought I would be bored but that is so not the case.  I am sleepy and ready for a nap. 

Looking forward to going home, eating some BBQ and enjoying the evening with my little girl.  Then we will get up and do it all over tomorrow minus the commute.  I picked the best day to come in because it’s going to rain here all day tomorrow and that will suck.

Hope all is well in your world time for me to scoot.  Take care. 

Monday, Monday

I had a strange night.  I got ready for bed, watched TV, got sleepy.  Eventually got in bed and watched TV.  Realized that I was super drowsy and turned the TV off and fell asleep.  That was around 10p.  I was watching 20/20 from a few weeks ago about the Heaven’s Gate Cult.  Gator was comfy in her bed and was counting the minutes for me to fall asleep.  I was slightly worried about her when I finally drifted off. 

The time was 11:30p and I was suddenly wide awake.  The house was silent but I heard some strange voice just before I woke up.  Thinking maybe something was wrong with Gator I checked on her and she was awake but in the living room.  I sat with her for a moment, she didn’t quite understand why I was up anymore than I understood it myself.  My phone also failed to switch over to do not disturb mode so I was getting email alerts while I was awake.  I quickly fixed that. 

I returned to my room and watched more TV thinking that eventually I would fall asleep.  I yawned and felt tired but not tired enough to sleep.  I gave it some time but wound up getting out of bed and taking another sleeping pill.  It was around 12:30a before I turned the lights out.  Gator once again had joined me and was laying in her bed.  I turned the TV off and said good night, she started crying for food I told her there was more out in the hallway and that was it. 

I think but am not 100% sure that I woke up again around 3a but it was brief and I went right back to sleep.  Woke up this morning at 6a and went back to bed until closer to 7a and then as much as I didn’t want to get up my bladder commanded me to do so. 

I started my day and happened to glance at the litter box as I made my way to the kitchen.  There was another surprise waiting for me.  I was pretty happy.  The water fountain needed a slight touch up but it seems that perhaps Gator is over the hump or perhaps she ingested some of the laxative from yesterday.  Either way I was very pleased. 

Logged into work to get the clock started.  The sooner I start the sooner I can call it a day.  As of this moment there isn’t much going on.  I have a couple of meetings and unless something else breaks that will be the day.  I am no longer on call and very happy about that.  It’s like a new found freedom but it will be short lived for 2 whole weeks. 

I had pizza last night but wound up not eating the whole thing.  It wasn’t as good as I was expecting.  I have a couple pieces left to consume whenever.  While I was waiting for the baking process to complete I was pacing around the kitchen.  I happened to pick up the bottle of the laxative that I got for Gator and at the very bottom it says if you have kidney disease do not use unless under the supervision of a physician.  That didn’t give me a comfort feeling.  Since things seem to be going in the right direction at the moment I am holding off before feeding her more of this.  If I do go back to using it the plan is and always has been to use a tiny amount.  Within a couple days it should be very obvious if this product is needed at all or if this was just a slump from some dehydration.  I also didn’t give her fluids as she seemed fairly well hydrated.  Perhaps later in the week. 

Thanks for reading my boring mundane Monday post.  I am not looking for any drama but if something big happens, I hope it’s good/positive.  Otherwise I will be here in my Monday fog cursing the day.  Looking forward to Tuesday even though it means I will need to get to bed earlier and get up earlier I enjoy my trip into the office.  Something about getting out is just good for the soul. 

Here’s hoping that you have a great day and that your Monday is off to a good start.  Talk with you all again soon. 

Sunday

Ah here we are the day just before going back to the grind.  It’s a love/hate thing for me.  I love the fact that I have another day of freedom from work but I hate the thought that tomorrow is Monday and back to the old grindstone.  I like Friday’s when work is done and Saturday’s there are no better days of the week unless it’s a holiday or I am on vacation.  In case you can’t tell I am not all about work.  Shocker, I know!

My little furry friend woke me up once during the night and then she thought I needed to be up to get to work.  I gave her some food both times and went back to bed.  While I was able to go back to sleep the first time, when it was what would have been my normal time to get out of bed and get moving, I just laid in bed and watched TV passing time away. 

The clock turned over to 8:30a eventually and that is when I got moving.  Checked my phone and nothing important was waiting for me, which is good.  I put my name on the wait list at my local Cracker Barrel, got my medicine, got dressed, said my goodbye’s to Gator and headed out the door into the cold cruel world. 

I arrived at Cracker Barrel and waited my turn in line and once I told them I was a mobile check in, they sat me right away.  I got a cute young buck for a waiter.  He was great with service and the food came out semi-fast.  He was also nice to look at.  There are plenty of new faces there and several hot guys to watch, which makes being there even more enjoyable.  When I got towards the end of my meal I asked for another soda and he brought me this giant to go cup filled with ice and soda.  I didn’t really want a to go cup but I wasn’t going to leave it behind either.  It wasn’t easy to lug this thing around and on the walk to my car my hands were freezing from holding it.  I had to switch hands multiple times but eventually I got to the car and could get it into the cup holder. 

The next order of business was working on flossing.  Something about Cracker Barrel Sausage parts of it always manage to get stuck in my teeth and it hurts.  I spend a good portion of my meal trying to resolve this problem on my own but rarely does that work and Floss and some elbow grease always does the trick.  Sort of like pulling out a splinter, once it’s out it feels so much better. 

On to the grocery store and after that bit of fun I came home.  I still have a little more than half of a tank of fuel so I opted to skip the fill up today.  I can easily make it to the office and back on Tuesday based on the amount of fuel I have today.  If I happen to change things up and venture out I can always stop for gas so no worries. 

After putting the groceries away is when I passed out the food I spoke of in my earlier post to Gator.  Then we sat in my chair and she fell asleep while I watched TV and then entered into some coma state where I would wake up and then manage to fall back asleep.  Eventually she woke up and cried out which woke me up for good.  She got up, I got up and fetched her another can of food.  While she was eating and eventually went back to bed is when I started working on cleaning the house and her litter box.  Got all of that done and then headed down here to post. 

I started off the last post with the intention of writing about her and then bringing it current with the happenings of today but the more I wrote about her the more that post became it’s own thing.  Hence why your getting an extra post. 

My grocery store appears to have stopped carrying Tombstone Pizza.  It’s either that or it’s part of the ever growing supply chain problem.  I found a sausage and pepperoni pizza from another brand and plan to have that tonight for supper.  Yes the whole pizza.  Once I get started eating it’s like I must consume the whole thing.  Which is odd because if I go out for pizza I don’t eat nearly as much in one sitting. 

I plan to catch a technology podcast this evening and lounge for the rest of the day.  There are a couple of cleaning tasks that I could do but it’s nothing that can’t wait.  So I will enjoy my Sunday while it lasts. 

Last night I rented Licorice Pizza on Amazon.  The movie was bizarre to me but did have some funny parts.  No real nudity but I did get to see Skyler Gisondo take his shirt off so it was worth the $6 I spent.  He was the reason why I wanted to see the movie and he is in a little bit of the movie but his character fades out.  Now I can check that off of my bucket list. 

That’s all I know at the moment.  Going to do some surfing on the web and then it’s back upstairs to be with my little girl and the TV.  It’s a nice sunny day out but it’s deceptively cold.  Great day for going for a ride in the car but I do think I’ve done all of the running I am going to do at least until Tuesday comes. 

Hope that you enjoy your Sunday and that all is well.  Talk with you again soon, take care. 

Gator’s New Problem

I’ve done a fair amount of research into the constipation issue that Gator is having.  Not all that uncommon with older cats.  I am not a vet and this isn’t medical advice just what I have gleaned from scouring the Internet.  Dehydration and Kidney issues are a couple of underlying causes but there are more.  Fluids, Additional Water Bowls, Canned Pumpkin, Flax Seed and/or Laxatives' are common treatments for this case.  Cats should go at least one time per day but some cats go twice a day.  It’s important to monitor your feline friend because if you approach 3 days with no activity it’s for sure time to see the vet.  The longer the problem exists the bigger the emergency for the cat and your wallet might be really mad at you not to mention your poor cat.  Cats were designed to catch mice and consume them. The thought of that is gross but it’s nature. A mouse is about 70% water. 

Last night as I was lying in bed waiting for my sleeping medicine to kick in, I heard Gator in the litter box.  I got up and she left me the worst but best present.  I was so happy.  Two long days.  She was really packing away the food so my thought was eventually it has to come out.  I was to the point where I thought she may need some help and was about to reach out to the vet if things didn’t change.   

I was surprised to learn today when I went grocery shopping that the store I visit doesn’t carry Canned Pumpkin.  I couldn’t find it in the app or on any shelf where I thought it should be.  I didn’t ask anyone but that was my deduction.  You can however purchase it on Amazon (no surprise to me).  

In the past when this issue has come up with other cats the vet always said to get Mira Lax.  I never was forced to purchase it before but figured that now might be the perfect time.  That stuff is expensive, especially as you go up in quantity.  I was able to get an off brand that was slightly cheaper than the name brand. 

The store had the chicken that Gator likes so I grabbed that up.  Along with some Salmon and Shrimp in gravy that I figured she would enjoy.  When I got home I opened a can of chicken and the intent was to sprinkle a little of the laxative on top of the food and then mix it in.  My shaky hands wound up spilling more than I intended on to the plate.  I mixed it in and needless to say her nose sniffed out that something wasn’t quite right with this dish.  She ate a little bit so maybe she got a tiny dose.  If you can get it past a cats nose then your usually in good shape.

I plan to give her some fluids later in the day and have noticed that she has started to drink a decent amount of water over the past day.  I will continue to keep a watchful eye on her and if need be get her to the vet.  I think were going to wind up there sooner or later and blood work for sure will be one thing that they charge me for.  I am actually interested in knowing how she is doing but I still have a fear that I won’t exactly get good news but that it won’t be overwhelmingly devastating news.  My suspicion is that her Kidney disease has progressed a bit (because of the steroid she is on) or that this IBD/Lymphoma is flaring up, which is causing some dehydration and thus this new problem.   

The articles that I found did say that stress can play into this, so if thing have changed at home try to make as big of a stress free environment as you can.  The only major change that might be considered stressful for her is the fact that I am back to work and leaving the house one day per week.  The rest of the time I am working from home but just not next to her side.  I may switch that up and spend some additional time upstairs when things are in a calm state and I am bored.  For a couple months while I was recovering from COVID she was able to spend the bulk of the day in my lap, sleeping the day away and I get how not being able to do that could be stressful for her.  That said, she knows when I am home and when I am not.  When I am here all she has to do is ask and I will pass out food, when I am gone I leave an ample variety/supply out so she can’t go hungry.  Cats are not all about change, much like people.  However, as humans we know that life doesn’t stay the same and that things change sometimes for better and sometimes for worse – adjusting is just part of life. 

In conclusion, as of this moment I don’t feel that she needs urgent medical care.  I am going to monitor her, step up the fluids and use a small amount of the laxative mixed in her food to try to help combat this.  If that doesn’t work or things get worse then my only other option is to take her to the vet.  Based on her behavior the fact that she is still eating, drinking, bathing and seeking me out for attention tells me that she isn’t shutting down or preparing for death.  She may feel a bit run down from slight dehydration and hopefully the fluids will help perk her up a bit.  I’m not kidding myself into thinking that she is going to live forever but my hope is that we can get at least 1 to 2 more years together, anything beyond that will be a welcomed surprise to me.  In mid June she will be 18.  I know that things can change at any moment, given her age.  My hope is that were together for as long as possible while her life still has quality.  If/when we reach the point where she no longer has quality of life then it’s time to rethink things.  I will always do what is right by her, that’s my job as her owner and part of the responsibility I have, plus it is part of the promise I made to her mother as she was dying. 

I have not all of the money in the world and in younger years taking care of so many of them (cats) as health issues presented proved to be a true financial burden at times.  However, I’ve always done what is right for the animal and not necessarily what was right for my finances or emotions.  Money is one of many factors that go into any decision about the healthcare of my cats.  I love/loved them all and while I have a couple of regrets I know that I have provided an excellent life for all of my cats. 

Gator is extra special because she has the honor of being the last one.  The last link I have to her mother, the life that I used to have and the last one that I have the pleasure of caring for from the moment she was born.  I was in my 30’s when she arrived in the world and now I am 50.  She just like all of the others have been my family or kids as I refer to them.  My point being that time passes by all too quickly.  One minute your young and care free, the next your old and then your not here anymore.  Most certainly the longer you live with someone or a pet the more it hurts when they die.  I’ve chosen to give up or put on hold part of my life because of cats but in return I have been rewarded with their company and companionship.  I think I am richer in many ways (not financially) for making that choice.  I don’t really want to think about life without my little girl.  If I can manage to go on when we reach the day that she leaves me then I will have much more freedom and flexibility.  Perhaps I will travel or go on a cruise like I want to or who knows maybe I will do that as well as move.  I don’t know how I will react and if I will rush out to get another cat but I certainly am not in any hurry to find out.  I want to enjoy, savor and cherish each and every day that I have left with this girl.  The future will be addressed when that time gets here, which will be way too soon even if it’s 10 years from now. 

Perhaps I read a little more into this situation than was there but I know her better than anyone on the earth and I can tell when something is wrong.  I don’t want her to experience any pain or suffering not even for a second.  She is an innocent little girl and more importantly my innocent little girl.  I may not have all of the money in the world but from a cats point of view she and her family hit the motherload of all jackpots when they landed in my life.  Room & Board, Food, Water, Medical Care, Toys and attention all given for FREE as well as unconditional love, no cat could ask for a better life.  That’s something I am extremely proud of. 

The beat goes on and hopefully Gator will go a little more than every other day when it comes to the bathroom and perhaps feel a little bit better.  I will for sure keep you posted. 

Lay Around Saturday

I was up a little bit later than normal on Friday night and that didn’t sit well with Gator but she permitted it for a while.  Eventually she raised enough commotion that I climbed in bed and that made her happy.  She went off to sleep and was no longer concerned about me. 

However she grew hungry in the middle of the night and woke me up for food.  She also woke me up at what would be our normal time to get up and get moving.  I fed her again just to keep with the routine.  She has taken in a lot of food but has yet to put anything out.  I am concerned but keeping a watchful eye on her.  As much as I don’t want to admit it I believe that we have a problem.  My hope is that this is something short term that won’t require a visit to the vet but if were into next week and this continues then it’s time to go in, despite the fact that I might not get the greatest of news.  She is drinking water and that has picked up a bit and I’d say that her appetite has picked up as well. 

I laid around this morning but eventually got in the shower and then got dressed.  I went back to laying around for a couple more hours but then got up and got moving.  I hit up the post office for one lousy piece of junk mail that I threw away at the post office.  Then I hit up the BBQ place I was at a few weeks back.  It wasn’t what I really wanted but I was struggling on making a decision.  The food was good and I made sure to order the larger portion because chances are pretty good that will be the only real meal that I have today.  I had a couple of Oatmeal Breakfast Squares and a soda earlier this morning to kick off the day.  I am not really hungry at all. 

I hit up the pet food store and my those shelves are bare.  The cashier told me that the food is on back order.  It’s kind of been that way since the pandemic started and the supply chain issue surfaced.  I thought we were out of the woods but apparently that is not the case.  I have purchased enough food for her to make it through the week.  I will peek at the grocery store to see if any of her regular favorites are available there.  Looking for Chicken and Mixed Grill which have been very common and not an issue to purchase but for the last couple weeks.  I don’t have high hopes of finding it but it doesn’t mean I won’t look.  I like to keep her appetite going because if that stops were into deeper trouble waters.  Feeding her a random variety so she doesn’t constantly get the same thing seems to have worked well for 17 years and I don’t see any reason to change things up now, despite the fact that I can’t get all of the flavors that she is used to we still have some variety. 

I’ve nodded off a few times with Gator in my lap, I just settle into a program and before I know what hit me I am waking up.  It’s like who turned out the lights!  I guess my body is more tired than I realize and I am under a different kind of stress now between work and Gator so I am probably going to be sleepier.  As long as I am ready to go on Monday morning that is what matters most. 

I had thought about getting the newest iPhone SE that was just released but am glad that I held off.  I didn’t know it wouldn’t support mag safe charging.  I’ve been using that forever and don’t want to give it up.  The last version (which is the present phone I own) of the iPhone SE that was released a couple years ago supported it, I figured it would be carried over.  Apparently if you want all of the features Apple wants you to pay full price for one of their other models.  I am comfortable with what I have, just wish that battery life was better but that seems to be a constant thing on most every phone these days.  The one feature I really don’t want to lose is the home button and you can only find that on the iPhone SE now unless you have an older model iPhone.  I don’t like face id but I know that at some point I will have to probably cross over and make the change.  It won’t be easy when it happens and I will probably be looking for a home button for a long time.  Sort of like when car manufacturers took away the shifter from automobiles and replaced them with rotary dials or in the case of my present vehicle a push button gear shift.  I loved the gear shift but with advances in technology things change because it’s either more secure or cheaper for the manufacturer. 

I’ve got my laundry drying and am waiting for the buzzer, then it’s back upstairs to be with Gator.  I did dishes last night so I am in pretty good shape.  Tomorrow will be the usual breakfast out and trip to the grocery store.  Debating if I want to get gas or wait another week.  I’ve got plenty to get me by for the one day I go in but I’ve got this thing about keeping a full tank, regardless of what time of year it is.  I just pay closer attention in the Winter months. 

Hopefully, you are enjoying the weekend and getting things crossed off of your do to list while having time for yourself to unwind from the past 5 days.  One more day to go and then it’s back to the grind.  Take care and we will talk again soon!

We made it again

  This week went by faster than I thought it would but there have been some moments when there were lulls and things got boring.  Kind of like where I am at when I am making this post.  Gator bellowed out and I went to feed her, that was an hour ago.  I took a little break from work until my phone started going crazy again with messages that brought me back to working again.  Now that all is under control I can hopefully make this post. 

Nothing really noteworthy to report.  Gator is doing okay, looks to me like her water consumption is down which would explain why she would be dehydrated.  I still have my eye on her.  The one thing about feeding her wet food is that there is water in there, just not enough to sustain without supplementing with her drinking on her own.  She woke me up last night at 2a and I passed her some food and went back to bed.  She is back on her medicine again.  We spent some time together last night for a bit with her lounging in my lap.  I really enjoy that time, she seems to be able to let down her guard and just melts like a stick of butter into the most deepest sleep and relaxed state, short of a medically induced coma.  It makes me feel good knowing that she can relax when she is around me and it’s something I like to observe. 

Caught up a little bit on some regular TV.  Managed to pass out watching TV when I was done with the work day at 4:30p but I slept just fine.  Had a Chicken Pot Pie for supper and finished with a leftover piece of Carrot Cake.  The pot pie wasn’t the greatest but that cake sure was good. 

Trash is out and was picked up by the noisy trash trucks at 6a sharp.  It’s a cold day out so I am waiting for it to warm up a bit and at lunch time I plan to go fetch the can.  The wind is supposed to pick up this afternoon but other than that it’s just a cold overcast day.  Looks like the lawn has come to life and is growing.  Won’t be terribly much longer before the grass guy shows up. 

Got a couple things going this afternoon work related but outside of that the day is just wide open.  Glad it’s a calm day thus far and hope that trend continues.  On-Call hasn’t been bad but I still have to get through the weekend.  That will be the only good thing about Monday is that I will be done with that task for a couple weeks. 

I don’t have any solid plans for the weekend, other than taking care of the usual tasks and trying to relax a bit.  I’m sure I will venture out to eat just not sure where to go.  A new burger place came to town that also does Fried Chicken and it’s based on an old car theme so I have them on my list of places to try.  I just don’t want to be there during a crowd or back log. 

Hope that you have an enjoyable weekend and that all is well.  Talk with you all again soon. 

Thursday

Wow, it’s almost the weekend again.  I am waking up at an early hour (reluctantly) and I am really tired when the day is done and haven’t had any issues with falling asleep.  Last night I managed to fall asleep while watching TV and that was just after the work day was done. 

I am surprised but after the 4 day week I had yesterday I was able to catch up with 2 months worth of work.  Now it’s on to the daily struggles that arise.  Yesterday boss man said that perhaps one of my monthly reports can go away or at least be trimmed down, he doesn’t want people spending hours gathering data.  Kind of wish I knew that last week when I was working while having a knot in my shoulder from poking around to get this data.  Still if the report can be trimmed or even go away that would be most helpful to me. 

I skipped Gator’s pill last night but she got her evening before bed meal.  I knew full well that she would wake me in the middle of the night and without fail at 3a she came in crying.  I got up and fed her.  I checked the litter box and it was the same as before I went to bed.  I looked again this morning and there was new activity, so that pleased me but I am still guarded.  I think that she had some problems again.  She will get her pill tonight but I skipped last night to help to try to give her kidneys a bit of a break. 

It’s cold and rainy weather here, the perfect sleeping & napping weather.  Looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday morning if my little walking furry trumpet permits that.  Hope that all is well on your end and that your doing good.  Talk with you all again soon.

Gator Concern

As I was working on my breakfast yesterday morning Gator was having some litter box trouble.  It’s not the first time I have noticed this albeit infrequently.  I got concerned about it because I could tell that she was in some discomfort and struggling.  Eventually as they say, things worked themselves out and she was doing much better. 

Needless to say I worried about her all day long.  I did some research and learned that dehydration can cause the issue she was having.  So can changes in environment , stress and not getting enough fiber.  I gave her a full dose of fluids last night, after looking at her.  It appeared to me that she had some mild dehydration.  She wasn’t terribly happy about that and really doesn’t like to be poked with a needle and neither do I. 

A full dose of fluid should take a few hours to be absorbed but her body gobbled it up pretty quickly, which is also not a great sign.  She is still doing all of the normal things like eating, drinking, asking for attention and bathing. 

My fear that I am trying to block out is that her kidney issue has gotten worse and were on the down hill slide or that there is some other major issue going on that hasn’t fully manifested it’s self.  I really don’t want to dig into this further because of the fear of bad news.  Conversely it might be something that if its’ in its infancy we might be able to get ahead of. Regardless of what I want or don’t want if it’s obvious she is in pain or discomfort that doesn’t pass quickly then she will get medical help.  The last thing I want is for her to be in any kind of agony.  I think the world of all of my pets and never have wanted any of them to suffer, even if it means we have to part ways.  

At the end of the day she is 17 years old and that is a wonderful ripe old age for an indoor cat to live to.  She has had a wonderful life and like it or not we all have expiration dates.  My problem is that I don’t want her to expire at least not for a couple more years if possible.

Right now I am monitoring her and keeping a watch on her behavior.  If things improve that’s great and I can relax my worry but still remain guarded.  If things continue or get worse then like it or not I will have to dig into the issue.  Getting a vet appointment I expect to be difficult to get to see a vet that I like & trust.  However, I know that I could always bring her over for blood work as a visit would likely include that and that is where they would gather a conclusion from. 

The only real thing that has changed for Gator is the fact that I am not spending all day with her.  I am in the basement for the bulk of the day during the week, except for Tuesday’s when I venture off to the office.  During the week she can always cry out for a snack or attention and I will give in.  As for Tuesday’s I set out 3 cans of food for her so that she has the opportunity to snack throughout the day since I am not here to open food for her.  I also think about the small fights we have had when I worked on the stupid ceiling fan.  I’ve given her extra attention and let her know as much as I possibly can communicate that I love her.  I hope that this isn’t occurring because of me. 

It seems like when I have a hunch like this that more often than not I am right.  I mean I live with her and I know when something is not right or abnormal.  I kind of feel like when I vocalize my suspicions that makes them come true or that I am willing something into existence.  That’s probably not true but the mind plays tricks (not good one’s either) on all of us from time to time. 

I hope that this all turns out well and that her life doesn’t come to a rapid and abrupt end.  I really need her and lean on her more than she knows.  Fingers crossed for the best outcome.  I will keep you posted.  I am headed up to see if she is interested in a snack.  She hasn’t said anything but it’s about that time.  She did wake me up this morning and ask for food, which is annoying but for sure a good sign. 

Talk again soon!

Ugh, Monday

Boss Man is back and we had a conversation to catch up.  It wasn’t fun but it only took a 1/2 hour.  From that a meeting was born for a bit later this afternoon for everyone on my team to catch up on a new system, it’s primarily for my benefit.  Hopefully, I will luck out and that will only go for a 1/2 hour. 

I got a good news email (work related) about a pressing issue that sounds like it will be coming to an end this week.  No one really had/has enough balls to stand up and force accountability like I do.  That is frustrating to me. 

Outside of one of the reports I do at work I am pretty well caught up.  That probably means this week will drag on because I am not super busy like I was last week.  Here’s hoping that isn’t the case, I like the days to fly by and to feel a sense of accomplishment.  I just don’t want to be on fire crazy rush, hurry busy. 

I had a good news phone call (personal) at lunch and got my discounts for my TV and Phone renewed for another year and got an additional $5 off which is the best discount I have ever received.  Of course prices are higher than ever and they only go up.  The sad part is that I will need to do this dance again in 12 more months but at least it’s out of the way now.  My bill will be all kinds of messed up for 1 to 2 billing cycles but after that everything should fall into place.  Normally it only takes 1 bill to catch up.  They also give you this way high estimate to scare you but when the bill arrives it’s always much lower.

Gator hollered for me this morning around 10a, which is about snack time for her.  I went up and saw a truck parked in front of my house and a man in the back yard.  I believe this was my neighbors friend who is giving him an estimate to take out all of the trees in back.  The guy wasn’t here long.  I chilled out a bit with Gator for about 30 minutes and then went back to the fun because it was almost time for the meeting with boss man. 

Outside of the normal day to day stuff, it’s a fairly calm day.  I hope that is the overall echoing theme for the week.  Tomorrow I will be in the office.  I look forward to the travel and different scenery.  Doubt that I will see anyone but that doesn’t mean I won’t be walking around looking. 

Had White Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Bacon for supper last night.  It’s a Devour frozen dinner but it’s really good.  Tonight I will be having Turkey, Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes from the grocery store ready prepped meals.  Perhaps a Chocolate Muffin and some Mint Chip Ice Cream for desert.  Then get my lunch ready for tomorrow and hope that I will be able to enjoy my evening w/o any work interruptions, since I am on-call. 

It’s another nice day here today.  Sun is out and while I was having lunch today I was telling Gator her mother would love today because the sun is out.  She loved to bask in all of it’s glory.  Then again most cats love sunshine because of it’s warmth.  Tomorrow it’s colder and rain moves in for a few days along with cooler temps but not unseasonably cool. 

Hope that you had a great day and all is well.  Talk with you all again soon, take care!

Happy Spring

When I woke up and headed out for breakfast it didn’t feel anything like spring but as the day moved forward the temperature has warmed up and it for sure feels like Spring now.  I’ve had the windows open a couple times.  I am sure that I will be sneezing soon enough but the cool breeze that was coming in felt so good. 

I’ve been able to accomplish all of the tasks that I had been putting off for a while. My lower back is killing me from my ladder adventure yesterday but hopefully it will clear up soon. 

Laundry is done, just waiting for my whites to dry which shouldn’t take long.  Then it will be back upstairs to be with Gator and spend the evening away from a computer. 

Sitting in front of one of these things all day kind of takes away the fun of sitting here to play on one.  However, today I am just doing what needs to be done and this post is about as much fun that I will have with a computer today. 

I decided that I will start my week by working from home on Monday.  I plan to go in on Tuesday.  Probably work the rest of the week here at home but I may change my mind and go back in on Wednesday.  I’ve shared my plans with Gator but not 100% that she totally understands. 

I got surprised when I looked at my grocery store receipt.  They charge $1.00 for a small can of Fancy Feast.  That is one hell of a markup.  I can get the same thing for less at the Pet Food Store.  However, I was also surprised to see a 1/2 Gallon of Ice Cream go for $8.00.  That seems a bit much even if it is Edy’s Grand.  The grand part comes from the dough she is raking in.  Actually it’s a Nestle company. 

That’s all I know for now.  Hope that this is a good first full week back considering boss man is back and I will be on call.  I figure if I made it 4 days last week without him I should be fine.  It’s just the BS meetings I will have to sit through that I despise.

Hope that you had a great first day of Spring and that your doing well.  Take care and we will talk again soon!

The rest of the week

I worked from home for the rest of the week.  I accomplished quite a bit and am proud of my efforts.  My body feels like it took a beating from all of the sitting I did and it hurts when I get up.  Hopefully, the weight will start to come off with me going back to the office and having some activity (even if it’s only 1 to 2 days a week).  I know the issues with my upper back stem from posture and being in front of a computer.  I need a daily massage and that I think would help keep things in check but that’s not something that is going to happen. 

Thankfully the weekend is here!  In looking on social media I saw an ad for a local place that has a sandwich that is part cheeseburger and part grilled cheese.  It looked so good I had to check it out for myself.  It’s in an economically challenged area and the place has a decent business but most everyone that comes in the door looks run down or old.  The food was good and fairly priced.  I only have 2 complaints.  1 their napkins are so small they could be tissues.  2 I got fries when I clearly ordered Onion Rings.  I didn’t voice any complaints, just ate and left.  It’s not some place that I think I will go back to but I suppose if I get a craving then that will change. 

As I left traffic was a huge mess and I needed to go left but it was far easier to turn right and then turn around and double back.  I could have just kept going and taken “the long way” home but really wasn’t in the mood to go for a drive.  I came across this hunk on a motorcycle.  He looked really fine but we never made eye contact, I just got a good look at him when I pulled up beside him.  So that was a plus of the trip. 

I haven’t been getting the best sleep with Gator needing food in the middle of the night and then my insomnia kicks in.  So it’s up for a few hours and then eventually back to bed.  That is perfectly fine for a weekend but it doesn’t fair the best for me when it’s a work day.  I push myself through but it’s not easy and the older I get the harder it is.  My body craves sleep just as much as it craves sugar and oxygen. 

I watched a couple YouTube videos and thought I figured out where I went wrong with my ceiling fan remote.  I really want the original remote back in working order.  There are a possibility of 200 security codes that could work.  I climbed back up on the ladder and got the remote wired up.  I tried all 200 and damn if none of them worked.  It’s like when I pressed the button to pair the remote it’s almost like it was a self destruct button.  I don’t have the owners manual and can’t find any help on-line.  Sometimes you have luck and can get a PDF of the manual.  I am fairly certain that I’m missing a step when trying to pair up the remote.  For humor I hooked up the replacement that I bought on Amazon years ago that has sat in a box.  That damn thing didn’t work either.  I gave up and just wired the damn thing back to manual operation with the pull chains.  I am disappointed that I can’t get the original remote to work.  The fan and light kit look great in my room and I remember when the 2 of us (me and my late spouse) installed it.  I’ve got the original box the fan came in and check in it but there is nothing but Styrofoam blocks that held the fan in place.  I am tired of climbing on a ladder and trying to make it work.  My back and feet have taken quite a beating.  I some how managed to make the operation back to whisper quiet which was also one of my goals so I suppose 1 out of 2 isn’t bad.

There are plenty of after market remotes for sale on Amazon and you can even buy new fans with remotes but right now it’s just not worth it to me to put anymore energy into this project as it involves manual labor and while it’s fairly straight forward it’s just not my cup of tea and I am taking a huge risk that I will seriously mess something up and for that reason alone it’s best to just leave well enough alone, at least for now.  Gator isn’t terribly happy with me because we got into it again today when I was trying to work on this silly thing.  We have since made up but I don’t like upsetting her as it’s not good for her overall health and longevity. 

I am doing laundry and soon will be doing dishes.  I got a shower this afternoon after I gave my back sometime to calm down from the stress of being on the ladder.  Then ventured out for cat food, mail and hit up that new place to eat.  I also filled up my gas tank at $4.09 for a gallon.  It’s cheaper at a local station than it is to go to Sam’s Club.  I could have waited to cross the river when I went over for work but I hate the hassle of getting off of the freeway and then back on.  I don’t have a comfort feeling it’s not a great place to get out of your car even though gasoline is cheaper. 

Tomorrow will be back to my usual Sunday routine of eating breakfast out, grocery shopping, coming home and doing some cleaning and getting ready for another week.  Boss man will be back.  I will also be on call and I hate that, your time is not your own because your a slave to your phone all week long.  If I do ever wind up switching jobs one of the many things I will be looking for is something with no on call.  That’s kind of unheard of in IT but it does exist, you just have to look for it as it’s not easy to find.  Just like back before COVID looking for remote IT work was next to impossible to find but now it’s common place for damn near everything. 

Hope that your enjoying your weekend.  Things at least for now seemed to have turned the corner for me.  Depression is a thing of the past because I have something to look forward to, even on the days that I work from home.  It seems like I start my day and am so busy that lunch rolls around.  I stop to eat and then go back and before I know it the afternoon is gone.  Being busy helps a lot.  Hopefully, this positive trend will continue for me.  I don’t really want to go back to 5 days a week in the office but I really have a sinking feeling that it’s around the corner.  For now it’s just one day at a time. 

Time to put my laundry in the dryer, head upstairs to do dishes and spend sometime with my little furry girl.  I do have plans to give her a dose of fluids either today or tomorrow, so I hope that turns out well.  Plus I need to take care of myself with cleaning tasks that I have put off.  Cheers for now, take care and we will talk again soon.  

Sore

The work I did on my ceiling fan really has me sore.  I wanted to go back to the office today, yesterday was a lot of fun and I was really looking forward to another day.  Never thought I would say that about going to work.  Anyway, Gator woke me up at 3a and it was such a struggle for me to get out of bed to grab her a can of food that I knew there was no way in the world I would be going in today.  I moved the alarm up and tried to enjoy some extra sleep. 

I am still digging out from the pile at work and it’s probably going to take me the rest of the week and even then I don’t know that I will be fully caught up but should have the vast majority of tasks and things completed and updated.  Reports are the other big thing on my list and I don’t expect they will be done this week.  They have waited this long so what’s a little longer? 

Had an easy commute home last night and saw 5 vehicles that were the same as mine.  That never happened before, I’ve seen 1 or 2 here and there.  I scared Gator when I got home, she was in a deep sleep and didn’t hear me bellow out when I walked in the door.  As soon as I walked in my room and made the slightest noise she sprang to life. 

We (Gator & I) had an enjoyable evening and spent time together.  She is permitting me to work in the basement and I think she is enjoying having the upstairs to herself.  I am about to break for lunch and then I will be back down here slaving away.  Looking forward to the end of today. 

I plan to spend the rest of the week working from home.  Hope to return to the office 2 days a week but I am really only pushing myself for 1 day back as that is my bosses expectation the last time we spoke. 

Hope all is well in your world and that your enjoying your day.  Be well and take care!

Quick note

I made it back to the office today.  Got up at 6a, actually 5:50a thanks to Gator.  She was hungry.  I left her 3 cans of food because I was concerned that she would be hungry and since I am not there to feed her I didn’t want her to go hungry.  I’ve checked on her once and it appears that she is all snuggled up in her bed and fast asleep. 

We had a bad day yesterday, she was nipping at my heels and I was trying to get work done.  An unexpected project with my bedroom celling fan.  I yelled at her a couple times because I was frustrated.  She waited for me to come up from downstairs last night and after I gave her medicine and food she didn’t bother me for the rest of the evening.  I had to sit in my room and watch TV by myself.  My back was killing me and I wasn’t up for long, so that was good.  I hate the idea that she might be mad at me but apparently if she was it’s all over now because she wasn’t shy to wake me up. 

I flew to work in a 1/2 hour and normally it takes an hour.  You can still tell that the pandemic has many people working from home still.  I am supposed to be in the office tomorrow but I am thinking about working the day from home, kind of depends on how I feel.  Need to break for lunch. 

I’ve been on the phone but mostly sifting through the 3 thousand plus emails that I got.  I am down to 1, 285 as of now and I am no where close to done.  Today is pretty much a wash in that nothing meaning full will get done but hopefully that isn’t the case all week.  The boss man is out so I am enjoying the time away from him while it lasts. 

Hope that your all having a great Tuesday.  Talk with you all again soon! Be well.

Long Drive

Yesterday I made the hike to the new restaurant that I have been wanting to try.  It was a 3 hour trip (1 hour and 30 minutes each way) and the food was horrible.  I’ve got something checked off on the bucket list but it’s not a trip that I have plans to make again, at least not to that place.  I saw a pizza place that looked interesting but it’s a long hike to make for something that I can get in my own neck of the woods.  I saw the old pie place while I was there.  The signs are still standing and the place is vacant.  I don’t know why they decided to close that location but if they would have stayed open they would have gotten me for a sit down meal, a slice of pie and a soda.  Then I would have left with at least 1 pie and some bakery items.  I never went there without dropping $50 to $75 and that was all food items.  The gas was separate.  As it was the trip I made was $17 in food and $39 in gas, not exactly cheap but it was nice to see some different surroundings and to not have to worry about anything or anyone bothering me. 

My stomach was upset the entire trip home and for most of the evening.  I didn’t want to eat anything else.  The drive zapped my energy level and I wanted a nap.  I haven’t been sleeping the best and I do hope that changes quickly. 

I got a note from my doc and submitted it to work.  I doubted they would take it since it sited the fact that I still have a cough but not to worry, I got confirmation everything is good and my return is on track for next Tuesday.  I made an in person appointment to follow up with my doc in May so we can take a peek at my normal blood work and I can get a couple other issues that are lingering addressed if they don’t clear up by then. 

Made it to the pharmacy finally to get my medicine this morning.  Had breakfast out, filled up the tank and grabbed some bakery from Sam’s then back home. 

I got a call yesterday from my tree trimming guy who I was just about to give up on and he has plans to be here on Saturday.  I just met with my neighbor to talk about the Oak tree that borders our property and I have a green light to get that cleaned up.  We chatted about some of the trees in the back yard that borders each of our properties and he is working on quotes to have them chopped down.  That will easily be a $5 to $7 thousand dollar job.  There is another guys property that is affected so we would be splitting the cost 3 ways to make it affordable.  I should be hearing more in the next couple weeks, I am not in any hurry because everything on my property is still alive.  It’s when they die that trees are more likely to fall.  Still these are pretty tall and we have had a couple of close calls.  The last thing I want is for any of them to fall and cause damage or worse yet injury to someone.  Just part of the joys of home ownership.

I completed re-watching Queer As Folk the US Series again.  I think I’ve done this like 3 or 4 times now.  I own the complete series on DVD but since I have Showtime I just streamed the show via their app on my Roku.  I think about how many Sundays we would gather in the basement to watch the show, it is something we did as a couple.  I can’t help but think of my late spouse when I watch that series it was part of many of ‘the good old days’ that I refer to.  I know the show has since been rebooted but it’s done with none of the original cast and there are new characters.  I am all for a reboot but bring back the original cast to continue to the story where it left off.  I don’t know that will ever happen.  Reboots also don’t often last a long time. 

I’ve got Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday left before my world goes back to some state of normal.  I am eager and apprehensive at the same time.  I want to go back but I prefer to do it on my terms, meaning that if I get tired I could take a nap or if my sleep is interrupted I could call the day off but that’s not how the world works.  Fortunately we are still in a hybrid work mode and I hear that most people are only in the office 2 of the 3 days that are required, the rest of time is spent working from home.  It does sound like this summer if the pandemic stays on track and cases are low that we will have a full return to the office and eliminate work from home but that is all speculative.  People will revolt just as they did when it was announced we were going from 2 days in the office to 3 days in the office.  Now that everyone has had a taste of remote work the good majority of people don’t ever want to go back to the office.  I’m fine with a couple days.  I need an area where I am able to concentrate on work and not have to worry about the cat or run to the fridge because I think I am hungry.  Isolation ultimately isn’t good for any human being.  While we have all proven we can do a full time job from home there is something about getting out that is mentally good for one.  I am pretty much isolated at work and don’t have many people that come walking into my office.  I get more phone call and email traffic.  However, since I have been away people are engaging my counterpart more and more.  I’m fine if he gets some of the direct contact I had before, just so long as we keep each other in the know.  Playing catchup is what I am most apprehensive about but I am fairly certain that things will fall into place with time and work on my part. 

I have already proven to myself that I still have what it takes.  We had a problem with a bunch of access cards that are going to expire later this year.  I took an hour of my time in the evening to form a query that would give us the data so we know who’s card needs to be adjusted.  I did this mostly because I saw my boss had setup a recurring meeting that went on for weeks on end for the entire team.  That’s part of the BS that I have no tolerance for.  Let me work it out and between me and my counterpart we can knock this out next week and then the meeting can be cancelled and we can all spend our time doing something much more productive.  Our boss is a meeting happy person, he schedules more meetings on a whim because he thinks we need them.  He creates work and draws things out when it is really not that complicated or needed.  Just get a couple people to work together and the tasks can get knocked out quicker than having to involve God & Country.  Ah well at least he will be off for the first week of my return after that I have to grin and bare it so to speak, hopefully he has calmed down some but based on what I have heard thus far it doesn’t sound like that is the case. 

Part of the reason why I have tried to run away from home for a bit this week is in the hopes of getting Gator used to the fact that I won’t be here full time.  She seems extra super clingy and I do worry about her.  It’s comforting and nice to watch her melt like a pat of butter on a hot stove when she is in my lap.  She stretches out and falls into the deepest slumbers, snoring away.  Based on previous experience she is just behaving as an older cat would.  She doesn’t show any signs that she is trying to shutdown but I do often worry about that to the point where the fear sometimes outweighs the reward of the time I still have left with her.  Since I wasn’t feeling the best last night we skipped her medicine and that has made her extra hungry today.  I have been really diligent with her medication and she isn’t terribly happy when pill time rolls around but it’s always followed with a can of food so there is some good with the bad. 

Not much else going on at the moment.  I plan to take tomorrow as an off day, meaning stay home all day and loaf.  Saturday I will get back out and do some running after the yard work wraps up.  I hope that your doing well and comfortable.  Be well and I will talk with you all again soon.   

Adventures of Tuesday

I woke up at 5a from a strange dream.  Gator was there to beg for breakfast.  It is very rare for me to be awake and for her not to beg, chirp or otherwise clamor for my attention.  Now if she happens to be asleep that is another story.  I grabbed her some breakfast and used the restroom.  Then fired up the TV and waited to get drowsy again.  By 6a I was ready for bed.  Had to place Gator in bed with me and we slept together for a couple hours.

I hauled myself out of bed at 9a and took Gator with me.  Of course she got more food.  I made some of the last of the Cinnamon Cream of Wheat that I have and took my medicine.  Called my co-worker to chat a bit more and learned a couple of other things as well as helped him solve a problem.  My brain isn’t quite as rusty as I thought it was.  I guess it’s the years of experience and working closely with the same set of systems, you get to learn and memorize stuff so it’s kind of like riding a bike. 

Made it to my haircut appointment.  There was only one barber on duty and she was swamped so I had to wait for a bit.  Not a problem.  I checked on my prescription which still wasn’t ready yet.  It was so cold outside that I went back home.  Sat with Gator for the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon.

I got out around 3p and hit up a local restaurant for some Cannelloni (not sure if I spelled that exactly right) and instead of a salad I got Italian Chicken Noodle Soup.  It was pretty good for my lupper (lunch and supper combined).  I was full and once again retreated to the comfort of home. 

Picked up my Amazon delivery, which was the new camera.  Sat and watched some more TV and then Gator wanted supper so I fed her and used that as my excuse to come downstairs.  I have more laundry going.  The camera is all setup.  I requested my back to work note from the doctor and made an appointment to see him in May.  Got my personal email box all cleaned up and backed up.  Made a short list of tasks for tomorrow and ready to grab the laundry and head back up. 

I am trying to get through the week without making any grocery purchases so that I can start fresh on Sunday as I normally would.  Not much luck thus far on getting my sleep schedule in shape but I have a few more days to continue to work on that. 

Not sure about the price of gasoline in your neck of the woods.  Here it went from $3.58 to $4.40 overnight and who knows how high it will actually get.  That will be the next thing that people cite about wanting to work from home, they can’t afford the gasoline to go to the office.  It won’t be cheap for me but I will get by some how, things always seem to fall into place.  I’m sure the price of gasoline is directly related to the Ukraine war, what a mess.  I feel so sorry for those people and this is something that could have easily been avoided and something that can be stopped at any moment but I don’t know that will happen anytime soon, fingers crossed.  I really want to make this trip to the new restaurant this week but the wear and tear as well as the cost of fuel are making me want to reconsider.  If it doesn’t happen this week then I don’t know if it will happen for a while.  Turns out this place has been around for 2 years and I just found out about it while I have been out sick because of boredom and doing silly google searches.  

Still a bit apprehensive about my big return and that will continue to fester until the day of the event, I know my nerves and sleep schedule will be off for a couple days but right now I have every confidence in the world that it will all fall back into place it just takes time.  With all of the catchup I have to do I am certain that my days will fly by quickly.  The longer I am away the harder it is to go back, it’s always been that way for me regardless of where I worked or how old I was.  This too shall pass.  Ugh I just thought about the fact I have to change my password, that always takes me a couple days to come up with something so I will be thinking about that now.  It takes about an hour to change it across all of the various different servers, systems and portals that I have to login to.  I made a list so that I don’t miss anything and we have added a couple of new portals while I was out so there is more fun waiting for me. 

Hope that you had a nice Tuesday and are comfortable.  It’s supposed to be a slightly bit warmer tomorrow but we have another winter event that looks like it will happen on Friday.  I am in the mood for a bit warmer temperatures but that will only usher in grass cutting season.  I like the off season (aka Winter) because it doesn’t cost me any money but even so I don’t like long sleeves and jackets as well as coats.  Give me short sleeves, short hair and keep it comfortable not too cold not too hot and I am happy from a weather perspective. 

Cheers for now!  Take care.

Hello

This is my last week off and then I go back next Tuesday.  I found out today in chatting with a colleague how messed up things are and what clusters are brewing, which didn’t excite me at all.  I also found out that our boss should be on vacation next week so I will have another week without him and that made me smile.  I need to get with the doctor to get a note that releases me.  I would just as soon start my return on Monday but HR indicated that my benefits for leave don’t expire until Tuesday so might as well take what I am entitled to. 

I have mixed feelings about returning but in the end I know that it’s the best thing ever for me.  Getting back into a routine and having something to occupy my mind and cause me to think and deal with other issues instead of vegging out.  The depression from isolation is pretty bad and it’s by far the lowest I have ever been.  I think about the future and the thought of returning to work gives me hope and something to look forward to.  I just pray that nothing in my personal life falls apart the last thing I want to do is ask for time off.  Of course I have worries mostly about Gator.  I am concerned for her ability to get used to me getting back in my routine.  She spends the bulk of the day attached to me and boy does she eat.  I broke down and ordered another camera today for my bedroom since that is the other place she likes to hang out.  I like the idea of being able to check in on her when I am away and having the ability to listen and talk to her is comforting and may even comfort her.  I don’t expect to be physically in the office more than 1 to 2 days per week but it will be a huge adjustment for both her and I.  I can control myself I have little control over her, just have to hope for the best.

I went into the office last Thursday evening and it was a quick in and out thing.  I got my laptop working again and got out of there.  It was late enough that I didn’t run into anyone other than the cleaning crew and of course building security. 

Earlier on Thursday I grabbed a bite to eat at a local BBQ place that I visit on occasion.  They had a college volleyball team in there eating lunch.  It was all guys and I managed to find and fall for one of them.  I did my research when I got home to find out his name.  He’s 6 foot 9 inches tall and has red hair like me.  He’s way younger than me and this team was out of state so the chances of us actually crossing paths again is slim to none.  He looked at me and I am not sure if he noticed that I was drooling over him.  I looked up the game and watched a little bit of it via TV, I know nothing about Volleyball other than it’s a ball that goes back and forth over the net.  It was boring and after about 15 minutes I gave up.  An average game according to my Alexa is said to last an hour.  Wow that’s a quick game.  This guy has been in the forefront of my mind for a few days. 

I have managed to whip myself into shape today.  I laid around for a while because I woke up at 5am for no reason at all from a very strange dream.  Gator was right there waiting for me and asked for a bite to eat.  We were up for a bit and then managed to fall back asleep for maybe an hour.  I’ve been going ever since.  Today was the first time I left the house since last Thursday evening when I got home from the office. 

I grabbed some cat food for Gator and gas for the tank then came home.  I unloaded and put the food away.  I set out for a road trip to the new restaurant I found and had a bad feeling but left anyway.  The feeling that I shouldn’t be doing this and needed to be at home really overcame me the further I traveled to the point where when I was around 30 miles away from home I just turned around and came back.  Not exactly sure why I got that feeling but I have been doing laundry and watching TV with Gator. 

Eventually I came downstairs to pay more bills, file away paperwork and sift through my personal inbox.  I got some paper shredding done that has been on my to do list for a while. 

I need to grab the laundry and head back up, make my bed and then feed Gator her supper.  We will watch TV and eventually go to bed.  The agenda for Tuesday is a haircut and picking up a prescription (if it’s ready).  I think if I feel okay and don’t have any bad feelings that I may try to hit up the new restaurant tomorrow.  I will also likely be chatting with my work colleague.  He is more than excited for me to return and has left me plenty to do.  As for the rest of the week I need to get with the doctor for a note that releases me to return, need to chat with the grass guy about trimming my bushes since the guy I had lined up last year has never shown.  Other than that nothing else planned other than working on getting my sleep schedule adjusted.   

I feel overwhelmed at the thought of going back with all there is waiting for me but I just need to take one task at a time and do what I can.  There is plenty of daily stress for my team on projects that are being worked on that have fallen short because of technical problems and it sounds like everyone needs a vacation.  It also sounds like everyone is ready for me to come back.  Lots of people are asking about me and concerned, hearing that today made me feel good.  I also know that some people just want the dirt but there are others that genuinely care.  I hope that all of this works out well and that I am back in the groove quickly. 

That’s where we are.  I hope that your doing well and staying comfortable.  Talk with you all again soon. 

Pushing

I had to push myself a bit today but I eventually got out of bed, got a shower, took my morning meds and headed off to grab breakfast.  Then hit up the grocery store.  I didn’t buy much at the store because I am planning on making a Sam’s run for bakery and more soda.  After the grocery store I mailed a letter and then headed home. 

It was a hot one today and unseasonably warm for March.  Unseasonable temps are now just part of the norm.  You never know what your going to get.  One day it’s high and hot and the next lower and cold.  At least there is no snow in the forecast. 

I sat with Gator after I got the groceries put away and once we got comfortable she let me know that it was time for her lunch.  Her frequent meals are something I worry about when I get back to the office, regardless how many days of the week it is.  Eventually that number will be back to 5 but I don’t expect that to happen until Summer or beyond.  Digressing, I watched a movie called Time Freak (it starred Skyler Gisondo).  I fell asleep in part of it because I was exhausted and had a full belly.  I woke up and we finished that, then watched The Binge for the second time. 

I was planning a road trip to a new restaurant today and also hitting up Sam’s.  Both of which are on the list for tomorrow.  I saw while I was at the grocery store that Steak N Shake has the dining room open again.  That’s something I have been waiting for and now it feels like society as a whole is getting back to normal.  Mask mandates in my area for the most part are a thing of the past.  I do wonder/worry if they will come back and if there will be a surge in COVID cases again.  Sorry, I digressed.  I hit up Steak N Shake for supper.  Man it’s all new, there are no more waiter/waitresses, they were replaced by self service kiosks.  You place your order at a touch screen computer, pay and then get your own drink, straw and napkins.  Then you figure out where your going to sit and wait for your number to be called to go pick up your order.  There is no more silverware it’s all plastic now.  I made a mistake in placing my order, which wouldn’t have happened if I could have spoken with a human.  I do not like the automation.  I know it’s fast food but they always did a good job of disguising that a bit with warm and friendly service.  I wonder if they are still doing breakfast?  I guess I will have to discover that on my own or ask at a later time.  Right now I don’t have plans to go back anytime soon.  I ingested way too much grease and opted to skip a shake. 

Back home and I re-watched Pulp Fiction.  I watched a live chat with Tyler Hendrix on Instagram.  He’s a family medicine physician and very good looking.  Gay and partnered.  It was interesting to hear him talk between medicine and his personal life.  I know it was done as a way to help drum up business and there is nothing wrong with that.  He’s got a decent business plan in that he has an office but see’s all of his patience via telemedicine so he doesn’t have the risks associated that a typical in person physician has with germs and/or getting sick.  That was a great way to break up part of my evening. 

I had to come log my expenses for the day, cool down a bit (its hot upstairs) and do some minor web surfing.  I have kept watch on my e-mail at work and there is no shortage of cluster-fucks brewing.  I am very apprehensive about my return and feel overwhelmed and I have yet to dive in.  I have given thought to just walking away and not returning, I wouldn’t be able to sustain my expenses on my own for more than 3 to 6 months and then would need a source of income.  I honestly don’t miss the BS, the meetings, the work or really any of the people.  I kind of feel like a fresh start would do me good.  It’s not a smart idea to just walk away and I know that I would be hard pressed to find a job that paid as much as I am making now, plus I would be starting over so I would be giving up seniority.  I’ve got 2 more years and then I will get my next bump in vacation.  However, the thought of not going back is more than appealing.  I need to get my laptop back on the network because I have missed lots of updates.  I have to go into accomplish this because my certificate for VPN expired and the only way to renew it is to physically be on the corporate network.  I am planning on going in either on off hours like 7 or 8 at night or to show up on a weekend.  I will probably be there much longer than I want.  My goal is to get the cert updated and then get out of there.  I know that updates will automatically push so that is where the challenge comes in.  I really don’t want to see anyone since I am still on medical leave and shouldn’t be there in the first place.  However, if enough time elapses my laptop will automatically be deleted from the network and then it’s a mess to get it sync’d back to the network.  Because I am addicted to money, in particular the amount of money I am earning at present I have plans to return.  I do worry that the first major road block I come to that I will just throw up my hands and scream fuck it and walk away.  Being free from corporate BS, rules and how I have to alter my speaking as well as the freedom to sleep in, take a nap or stay up late has been very enjoyable.  Getting back to ‘normal’ or some sense of it will be good for me.  Work in many ways is my life blood just as much as Gator is my life blood for without them I have no purpose.  I believe it will all come together and after the initial shock has worn off it will probably be like riding a bike, you just jump back on and keep on moving.  It’s not going to be fun or easy because I am out of shape but then again, Rome wasn’t built in a day. 

I forced myself to shave last night, that was the first time in weeks that I did that activity.  I like facial hair but when it starts itching it’s got to come off.  I look good with about a weeks worth of growth and can push it to two weeks if need be.  After that it’s either time for a trim or a complete shave.  I am used to being clean shaven.  The next activity is to get a hair cut.  I should also schedule a COVID booster but I have mixed feelings about that.  The haircut will happen as for the 3rd jab I don’t think it will happen but I may surprise myself.  I know for sure I don’t want COVID again so there is some motivation/incentive for getting the booster. 

Well it’s getting late and time for me to get ready for shutdown time for me and for Gator.  If I can manage to stay up until midnight and give her a couple cans of food she is pretty good about letting me sleep until 7a.  Of course my days of sleeping in are numbered and I am trying to work back to my old routine so it won’t be such a shock to my system.  Also factor in Day Light Savings time will be in effect when I go back.  Wow timing is everything. 

Hope your well and safe.  Talk with you all again soon!