Update on Gator

Looks like the fluids kicked in, she appears to be in better spirits.  Appetite still fully intact.  She has continued to ask for food, which is fine by me because I can’t eat her food or can I? 

My nerves have soothed a bit.  I just took a huge step and got a new iPhone (I got the base model iPhone SE 2022 in Red) from Apple.  I stuck with this because it’s budget friendly at a whopping $429 (plus tax).  My Mophie should fit it as well from the research I did.  Of course it will be delivered on Tuesday, because I guess I’m not meant to go in on that day.  If all goes well might go in on Wednesday or just work from home for another week.  Here’s where I’m spending part of my bonus!

My whole rational in buying from Apple was to avoid a $35 charge for activating the phone but no matter what you do AT&T is going to get you.  I’m sure the activation process will be a nightmare considering the port and port back process.  However, this should be the final thing I will have to do with AT&T for quite sometime.  I don’t typically have interactions with them regularly. 

I’ve had a nap and some lunch.  Time to grab the laundry, head back up and put it away.  Then just lounge around with Gator for the rest of the evening.  Hopefully, she won’t be too demanding or picky.  I’d like to close out this day on an upbeat note.

Talk with you all again soon!

Going Back

Hey everyone – It’s been a crazy weekend. 

I got to see Un Coupled in fact I watched it twice.  Once on Friday and then again on Saturday.  It didn’t disappoint me and based on how it ended I think there will be another season but I don’t know that for certain.  NPH has a great behind.  He was mostly skin and bones though in front which is not appealing to me.  I mean you need some meat on your bones, not a lot but something.  If you were on the fence about watching this, I’d say go for it.  There are 8 episodes which are a 1/2 hour each.  You can easily finish it in a day if you binge it. 

I ventured out to eat on Saturday.  I wound up at the Mexican place, which isn’t where I had planned to go.  I always like to check on Gator when I am away.  Sadly I had 1 bar of service, my VPN stopped working which means all internet traffic came to a halt.  I disabled the VPN just in case work tried to reach me via email, I doubt that the message would have come through but I wanted to at least give it a fighting chance. 

I guess I learned that old lesson, “you get what you pay for” the hard way.  Mint Mobile is great but their signal strength in certain areas isn’t the best.  They ride on T-Mobile and I found out why the price is so low.  I really had no choice but to go back to AT&T, which is something I wanted to avoid.  I tried to sign up with Verizon but they couldn’t beat the rate I had with AT&T and all of VZW’s plans are unlimited, they don’t have a data limit plan like 4GB. 

I found myself stuck in the nightmare that is porting a number.  Mint made it pretty simple but sadly I didn’t have all of the information so I had to call them a couple times.  You need a transfer PIN and your Account Number.  The only way you can get either of these is via Customer Service in speaking with a human.  The first guy I talked to was a dick.  He knew good and hell well that I would need my Account Number to transfer but he only gave me what I asked for which was a transfer PIN, which is what caused the second call. 

Once I ported back to AT&T I got everything back the way it was when I left, which was nice.  Only problem is that because of porting back I lost the ability to get short code messages.  These are codes from your bank or 2 Factor Codes.  I couldn’t login to a couple of accounts.  I literally had to call about 20 times and it wasn’t until around 2a that I finally got someone that knew what they were doing and she fixed it.  I learned of the problem when I tried to transfer my YouMail setup and in going back through the activation process.  I managed to break my YouMail so I am back on carrier voice mail for the time being.  I expect that my YouMail issues will be sorted out tomorrow.  I don’t really need that service but I like their product, it’s much more robust than carrier voice mail. 

My next issue is with Amazon.  I had 2 deliveries yesterday but the carrier managed to deliver one of my items to someone else.  I have no idea where it is and I really don’t want to go looking for it, that’s not my job.  You have to wait a full 48 hours before they will issue a replacement.  Thankfully it’s nothing critical and/or expensive.  I really wish they would let UPS do their deliveries they are the shipping carrier I have the least amount of problems with.  Amazon & FEDEX both seem to have issues getting stuff to me.  DHL does a good job but almost no one uses them anymore. 

My next biggest problem is Ms. Gator.  I gave her Friday night off of her medicine.  Saturday I forgot to give her the Probiotic powder.  She had some bowel issues and also managed to throw up.  Funny thing as soon as she puked she was asking for more food.  I was reluctant but gave her some Fish & Shrimp.  She gobbled that up.  I was up pretty late between AT&T and her I was a mess. 

This morning I managed to wake up at 6a after going to bed around 2:30a.  I am honestly not sure how I am functioning but I am.  I found Gator by the water fountain.  I gave her some breakfast which she ate and then retreated to the couch where she asked me to feed her again.  I stayed with her for a bit as she managed to gobble down more food.  I also filled her up with some fluids.  I don’t know how much her body actually absorbed because some of it leaked back out.  I kind of wish she had a one way valve I could connect to but that is just a wish.  I know that it’s probably an error on my part.  I let her rest and I went out for breakfast and hit up the grocery store.  I found a bunch of food for her in addition to all of the Chewy stuff.  I am well above my limit for storage for cat food.  I just have a feeling that she is going to die on me and leave me with all of this food, I thought that with the first Chewy order as well. 

Seriously she has scared me to death.  When I came home I found her passed out cold by the fountain.  I couldn’t tell if she was breathing but I looked at her eyes and thankfully they were closed.  It takes muscles to keep your eyes closed, they naturally pop open once you die, at least for cats and dogs.  I tried to be quiet but managed to make some noise and she was startled awake.  I got her to eat some more food and eventually move away from the fountain.  It needed to be changed, I got that task done pretty fast.  I sat with her again and she ate more of her food. 

I hated to but I had to come downstairs to start laundry and I had pending tasks at work that I put off for as long as I could.  I got those done.  It’s time to swap the laundry over to the dryer.  I am going back up to be next to her.  She will probably want more food, which is fine for me.  As an insurance policy in case she would stop eating I got 2 jars of baby food, it’s a cheap insurance policy and can get you out of a jam.  Gator has yet to stop eating and I don’t want that process to start now.  All of Momma’s family is tough to get their appetite back once it’s gone.  I do think that Gator is a little closer to checking out but were not quite there yet. 

Friday night I wound up removing a good portion of the fur from her tail.  It was all full of oil build up.  This happened once before.  It’s not fun for her or for me.  She also usually gets sick the next day now that I think about it.  I stopped because I got tired of hearing her scream at me and I already had a handful of fur, I figured if I kept going she would have a tail with no fur and that’s probably not good.  It all looks fine now.  Nice and shiny.  No oil build up.

I know this is old hat but she is an old girl and she is eventually going to wear out on me.  Neither one of us are in a hurry for that to happen.  However, I can’t help but think to myself about life without her.  That is going to be a most difficult time as I will be without any animals and I’ve had a cat in my life for more than 20 years.  I just keep praying that I am prepared for when it happens.  It’s not a case of IF.  There is no real great way for that chapter of my life to come to an end.  I just want a chance to be able to say goodbye.  I think she knows I am doing all that I can and she is pushing all of my buttons and tugging on all of the strings she has so tightly wrapped around my heart.  She is all I have left and I think she likes taking advantage of me.  It’s fine I want her to have the very best life she possibly can, she deserves it. 

Well time to publish and get back to her.  Maybe I will collapse a bit to take a nap, it’s been go go do do and I am really emotionally tired.  I can’t help but share a thought I had earlier today.  Instead of winning the lottery I’d like to have the opportunity to start all over with Gator knowing full well that I would have at least 18 years would give me a lot of comfort.  Yeah I know I can always get another one after she goes and I very well may but it won’t be Gator.  They are all so unique just like a person with a personality, they have their quirks, likes and dislikes. 

Hope your enjoying your day.  Monday will be calling soon enough.  Take care and be well.  

Busy Friday

Morning and Happy Friday!  I hope that you have a great day.  It’s going to be a busy day for me, lots to do at work today and my stress level will be slightly elevated but I have no doubt that I will get through this day. There are more projects and work in my future so today is a bump in the road, much more stress awaits in the future.  I suppose at least I have something to look forward to.

Last night while I was getting ready to consume the last of the left over (horrible) pizza I got a pop up that one of the gay doctors I follow was going live.  I hadn’t seen him in a very long time and was wondering about him the other day.  Turns out he just took some time off from social media.  I get that can be stressful as well as time consuming.  In any event he did his live because he wanted to talk about Monkeypox.  Turns out that it spreads via skin to skin contact, so you don’t need to have sex with someone who is infected to get it.  That means that this isn’t a Homosexual disease.  You could brush up against a person while standing in line at a concert, in line at a restaurant and become infected.  The good doctor indicated that it could also potentially be spread similar to COVID through droplets in the air.  Considering he wanted to bring some awareness to the matter I felt I would do the same.  Below is a screen shot of what I found on Google that confirms spread via skin to skin contact.  Another point the good doctor made that caused me to pause for a moment was the fact we just dealt with (and are still dealing with) a pandemic.  You’d think that we as a country (USA) would be better prepared for the next Endemic or mass out break of a virus.  That is a very good point. 

In other news I saw an article last night about NPH’s new series Uncoupled that launched today on Netflix (8 episode series).  There is a Dick pic in the show and NPH had input as to what his characters Dick looked like.  He is apparently proud of what he is packing.  Well I say if your so proud then why not use what you were born with instead of some Hollywood enhanced made up Dick.  Hey I am just happy I get to see his rear end.  This truly will be my treat for this week and I can’t wait until this day is done so I can tune in and tune out life if only for a short while. 

Gator was driving me a bit nutty last night after I went to bed so I had to remove her from my room.  I know that she was hungry but I gave her food and she decided she didn’t like what I put down.  Kind of like a parent to a kid, you don’t like supper well then I guess you will go to bed hungry.  She was chomping at the bit when I woke up.  I barley could use the bathroom, she was really crying up a storm.  So much so that she followed me to the kitchen just like when she was younger and her and her siblings would jockey for position to see who could get the first bite.  I got her taken care of.  She got some water and ate only part of the can.  Then retreated to the couch.  She waited for me to get dressed and then I fed her from the couch until it was time for me to come down and start my day.  She seemed quite pleased with herself and with me.  Now she is most likely in a slumber from a food coma.  That will only last so long and then it will be time for lunch.  Thank God that the food I ordered her from Chewy will be here today.  That should help keep her happy and me off of her naughty list if only for a short time. 

Cheers to the weekend.  I hope that it’s a great one for all of us!  Bye for now. 

Then there were 2

Last night I was fortunate enough to see the Raccoons.  I had pretty well given up that they had moved out.  Momma is down to just her and 2 babies.  The slow one who likes to lag behind is still around.  They all walked off last night to the neighbors fence and then heard or saw something and all of them came running back.  They waited and eventually walked off again but went in the opposite direction.  It was still dusk but I guess everyone was hungry.  I hope that they got something good to eat and made it back to home base.  Gator was watching them with me, I think she is interested in them.  For all I know she hears them.  This was the best way for the day to end, it made me feel good.  I am still tempted to feed them but I am not. 

Gator’s next order of Chewy will be here tomorrow.  I am looking forward to it, right now it’s difficult to find the right mix of food to give to her.  She only woke me up once last night and oddly enough she was sleeping in my room.  She did try to rouse me an hour early from bed but I resisted, I wasn’t able to go back to sleep but I wasn’t quite ready to get up.  I was up from 3a to close to 4a.  I had a dream that I saw an old co-worker and then I woke up.  After that it was difficult to go back to sleep.  The co-worker I am speaking of passed away a couple years ago but I still think of him often.  He had a lot of knowledge.  Might have had something to do with me marking 8 years yesterday, not sure. 

I saw Mom’s Night Out last night.  It was a pretty good movie and I found it on Starz.  They have a lot of gems that I have never seen before.  It’s included with my TV Package so I figure might as well make the most of it.  There still is very little on that I am interested in so evenings are always a hunt to figure out what to watch.  YouTube is getting a little old but I do still watch some videos. 

Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day but I am looking forward at the end of the day watching Uncoupled with NPH, I hope that it is as enjoyable as I am expecting.  I saw the trailer and that’s why I have high hopes for it. 

I’ve got a restaurant in mind to hit up over the weekend.  Kind of depends on how I feel if I will actually go there or wind up talking myself into something else.  I have some lingering feelings of being unwell but I don’t really have any symptoms that I had earlier in the week.  Hopefully those feelings will dissipate over the next few days.  

I got the doc to send a short term script for my Sudafed to a local pharmacy.  Damn it all if they aren’t out of it as well.  They are trying to get more just like the big mail order pharmacy.  Amazon sadly doesn’t carry the strength that I need, they have a slow release 24 hour version and I may wind up switching to that in the end due to availability.  My body is used to the 12 hour version and I don’t get sleepy from taking it like I did when I first started.  My hope is that both the local pharmacy and the mail order one will be able to source the medicine and fill the prescriptions.  I’ve got another weeks supply and then I will be hurting. 

It has been a very busy morning with plenty to do.  Now that has worn off and I am caught up I am sleepy.  Partially from being up in the early am hours and partially because my bodies default behavior when I am bored is to sleep.  A nap and lunch sounds good.  I had a great Braunschweiger Sandwich yesterday and plan on making another one again today.  It’s rich but very good.  Nothing like when I was a kid, that was the stuff to get.  I went to work with one of my many step fathers one Saturday and there was a deli across the street from the store he worked at.  I remember walking in there and getting a Braunschweiger Sandwich and they knew what they were doing.  It looked horrible but I ate it and turns out that was THE BEST sandwich I have ever had.  I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since but nothing comes close.  It was the meat and the cheese they used, super fresh and ultra quality. 

I was able to view my paycheck this morning on-line and yeah that bonus is on there and it looks really nice.  Can’t wait until that slides into my account.  I am going to save some of it.  You never know when you will need your rainy day fund. 

That’s about all of the blabbering I can muster for now.  Hope that your doing well and looking forward to the weekend.  Take care, stay hydrated and be safe. 

Man Candy

 

Back at it

Tuesday I was pretty well good enough to go back but between Gator & the Weather Radio I was up most of the night.  It didn’t take me long to decide to scrap Tuesday.  I of course peeked on both days at work later in the day to see what I was missing.  I also saw an opportunity to step in on each day and help out with one issue.  I stayed silent as long as I could.  Monday I got away with not saying a word and Tuesday I had to out myself that I stepped in and helped out.  There is no harm since I was helping and not hurting, even though when your sick most people don’t work at all, I like to help.  I mean in the end it all pays the same.

I don’t exactly feel 100% more like 90%.  I’ve just got this feeling of being unwell.  My sore throat is better but I have an occasional cough now.  I think whatever this is or was has been pretty well beaten up by my immune system (which is a huge surprise to me).  I just hope that the rest of it goes away so I can go back to feeling 100%.  I didn’t bother to test for COVID because my nose is dry, I figured with no nasal secretions the test would be a waste of time.  I think this could have easily been a mild strain.  I have had some headaches, which I rarely get.  There was also a fever associated with it but that appears to have passed.  I threw some Chicken Soup at it and might do that again for good measure.  Lots of fluids as well.  Water on Monday and plenty of Soda on Tuesday. 

Speaking of pay, I got an email yesterday that I am getting a large bonus on my next check.  By the time Uncle Sam takes out his share it won’t be so large but it’s nice to get extra money when your not expecting it.  I mean I knew a bonus was in the works but had no idea when or if it would be approved. 

It took me a good portion of the morning to get caught up.  Friday is a big day where there are a lot of people leaving and also since it will be the last working day of the month I have some people who got promotions that I need to take care of as well but can’t do that until it’s late in the afternoon or even into the evening. 

Today I finally placed another Chewy order.  I had been promising Gator since last week and finally got around to it this morning.  Once again it’s a lot of food and I spent more than last time.  Chewy is great for speed but I don’t like it overall because you can’t get 4 of this or that, you have to buy a whole case of 24 cans.  Once again I have no idea how in the world I will be able to store it all.  I still have left overs from the last order but we are getting low on Duck.  They also don’t have the Chicken in that line which was disappointing but I suppose you can’t have it all.   I am giving some thought to hitting up the pet food store over the weekend just to see what they have in stock, although it’s not a requirement since all of the food I ordered today should be here by Friday based on my past experience. 

On to my cell phone experience.  Turns out for spam/call blocking Hiya was much more effective when it was added at the carrier level.  I got a fraud call yesterday (it went to voice mail) but I had to take extra steps to ensure it was blocked in the future.  I opted to ditch Hiya since it really wasn’t working.  I gambled and got something called CallControl.  This works similar to how Hiya worked at the carrier level in that my phone doesn’t ring when I get spam or fraud calls they are just handled.  I like that part but I wish there was a way to tell what actually came in.  CallControl is a couple dollars more per year than Hiya but since it actually works I don’t mind paying.  They have an appliance you can also attach to your home phone to get the same level of protection but I’ve got my home phone forwarded to my cell phone so I never miss a call, not that anyone other than work or spammers actually calls me but once and a while it happens.  The only thing I miss about AT&T is the level of spam/call blocking that I had, which is the main reason why I stuck with them since I discovered Mint mobile last year.  I won’t miss their inflated prices and surcharges which is why I left.  They always had some fee that was increasing or being implemented.  They took me to the cleaners for years but now that I no better I am doing better.  It will be odd to not have a cell phone bill to pay but I am sure I will get used to it soon enough.  I’m more interested in the final bill to see how it shakes out if I owe them anymore or if it is as I suspect they actually owe me since they bill a month ahead.  I know if I owe them they will want their money right away.  If they owe me no telling how long it will take to get the check in the mail. 

On a different note I am running super low on Sudafed.  I checked with the mail order pharmacy and turns out they have it on back order so they can’t fill my prescription, even though they have been holding it for a few weeks.  You’d think they would plan ahead but apparently that is using common sense, which isn’t so common anymore.  They already charged my credit card but since they are trying to fill it they won’t be giving me any money back just yet.  I have a message into the doc to see about getting a script called in to the local pharmacy, I think I will be stuck going this route but only time will tell. 

I am looking forward to Uncoupled the new Netflix series with NPH in it.  He shows some skin but it’s only his ass.  However, that is the part I am most attracted to and seeing it in the flesh will be nice.  It’s a whole new series and it’s scheduled to be out on Friday.  I will be binge watching this weekend.  I have no idea how many episodes are in the series but chances are good I will finish this in one or two days of watching. 

This past weekend I watched it’s a Mann’s World.  It’s a documentary series that followed the lives of David and Tamela Mann as well as their family.  Season 1 was free with Paramount Plus.  Season 2 costs like $1.99 an episode and there are 8 episodes in the series.  I don’t want to buy or even pay to rent I would rather it be included.  I thought I could outsmart the system by trying BET Plus but that failed, they have the same offer Season 1 was free but Seasons 2 costs.  This is old TV that I am just now discovering.  David Mann is known for playing Mr. Leroy Brown in Meet The Browns (TV Series and Movie) and has been in a good portion of the Madea movies from Tyler Perry.  The guy is just plain funny, even though he never says a cuss word.  His wife Tamela played his daughter in the TV Series and Movies - Cora Jean Simmons (Daughter of Madea).  In real life Tamela is a Gospel Singer.  The whole Mann family is interesting.  At the time the series was filmed they lived in Mansfield TX a town I never heard of but it appears that it’s a suburb of Dallas.  The house looks stunning and it would be way too much for me but I wouldn’t mind staying there for a week or two.  It’s more like a Mansion than a house.  If I took Gator with me, it could easily take hours to find her but I know when she got hungry she would make herself known.  She’s got great lungs still for being 18. 

Speaking of 18, today marks my 8 year service anniversary at work.  I can’t believe it’s been so long.  I have never in my life worked this long for one employer.  I have motivation to get to 10 years because on the big years like 5, 10, 20, etc. they pay you $100 for each year you stayed.  They make sure to make up the taxes so you get exactly what they intended for you to get, which is $100 for each year.  Kind of nice.  Money isn’t everything but it is the reason why I am working.  If I had an endless supply of money, I know that I could easily find other things to occupy my time.  Lord knows I wouldn’t have any issues with being lonely everyone would want to be my friend, to sleep with me and all in the name of money.  I’d like to try that on for size as I think I could spot the fakes but then again some of them do a damn good job and are difficult to find.

I’ve got a meeting to run to.  This day has sure been fast moving.  Here’s hoping that the rest of the week is easy with little to no stress.  It’s my on-call week (minus two days) so I have to be available even when I am not working in case something comes up but normally all is quiet. 

Hope your all doing okay, staying cool and safe.  Thanks for stopping by!

Death

I woke up in the middle of the night with a very dry mouth and a very sore throat.  I got up and got a drink but that didn’t help much.  I was able to get back to bed.  I have a slight neck ache and my throat of course is very sore.  I also feel like I might have a low grade fever.  The first thought I have is oh no not COVID again.  I haven’t taken a test and honestly am a bit afraid.  However, I don’t feel nearly as bad as I did when I woke up with COVID back in January.  Perhaps this will pass in a day or maybe two. 

Saturday I was at home most of the day.  I got out to get the mail and got pizza.  I did myself in with Double Pepperoni as there was a bit too much grease.  Between that and the sauce it got to me and I didn’t feel the best.  I only ate one slice, had a salad before as well as a soda.  Dropped $40 and don’t think I will be going back there next time I want pizza.  If I do I won’t get double anything.  I at least took an anti-acid pill before I went because I knew there sauce would get to me.  Came back home and that was the day.  Watched TV and loafed. 

Sunday I got up had breakfast out, hit up the grocery store, topped off my tank and then came back home.  I’ve been here ever since.  I had a very long battle yesterday with AT&T.  We broke up and it was quite difficult.  Years ago there was fraud with people randomly being able to switch your phone to a different carrier.  AT&T put protection in place and I opted in.  Well this port protection is next to impossible to get removed.  Customer Service said they couldn’t do it, someone from Loyalty had to do it.  Then I heard Mobility Tech Support had to do it. Then and finally then I got to the Fraud Department who was actually able to help me.  The person verified it was me, then had to call me on my cell phone to confirm that I really wanted to remove fraud protection and port my number.  I did that, we hung up and back to the original call.  He was able to then remove the protection and I ported away.  They did try to keep my business but turns out I was already on the lowest cost rate plan they offered and it worked out to a little over $50 per month plus taxes and fees – which easily drove the bill into the $60 mark.  They tried but couldn’t beat Mint Mobiles low price and were astonished and amazed that I found something so low cost. 

Mint mobile is where I am at now.  It’s great I’ve got the same plan I had with AT&T and paid for a year of service up front, they do charge tax and have to collect the 9-1-1 fees so it worked out to about $200, still that is not bad at all considering it would have cost me much more in the long run with AT&T. 

Once my number ported I had to call Mint to reset my account as I couldn’t get any incoming calls but that was an easy fix.  Next it was up to me to figure out what to replace Active Armor with to combat spam.  I opted to go with Hi-Ya which is the same service AT&T was using and I got it for a lower price.  It’s not tied directly to my account but rather to my phone.  I needed one additional layer that was tied to my phone line and for that I went with YouMail, which is a voice mail service that also combats spam calls.  They have a free tier but I paid for a year of service because that was the way to get the best discount.  Everything is in place, setup and working. 

I started this little venture around noon and didn’t get finished until about 4p.  Most of my time was spent with AT&T calling, getting transferred, calling back and calling back and calling back until I eventually was able to wiggle free.  I’ve got 59 days if I change my mind and I can go back if I want to.  After that I would start over as a new customer if I wanted to go back. 

Mint is powered by T-Mobile.  I don’t know that I will ever be with a major carrier again.  If something would happen to Mint my next choice would be Visable which is a company powered by Verizon.  You get unlimited for $40 per month but if you can bring some friends with you it can be as low as $25 per month.  Verizon has the strongest signal in my area.  I wanted to try Visable but tihngs went side ways when I tried to take them for a test drive.  They wanted a credit card number, which they said they didn’t need up front.  I spoke with support which is via chat only and was told that they wouldn’t charge the card but it was needed, which turned me off. 

Gator as you can well imagine wasn’t happy with me because she wasn’t getting any attention. I also think she might not have felt the best but since I am taking today off I think she will be a little happier.  I am sitting on the couch next to her and was feeding her.  This large spider just came crawling up next to me and I smashed it.  Not happy about that.  This is the second time in two weeks I have seen a spider on the couch and I am ready to throw it out. I don’t want Gator to get bitten or even eat one of them.  I think a Spider was the undoing of her mom and I don’t know if she could or would survive a bite.  I also do not want to find out. 

I ran out of time yesterday so I didn’t have a chance to vacuum but I will be doing that today, which won’t exactly please Gator but it will me.  I hate bugs in general they all belong outside and since I am inside I feel they should leave me and everything that is inside alone.  Speaking of bugs no more mice kills.  I found out that they produce a litter of 5 to 11 at a time.  No wonder they multiply so fast.

Well time to publish this and clean up the spider ick and then rest up.  I don’t want to sleep a whole lot today for fear that I won’t sleep tonight.  I really want to get back to normal tomorrow but that all depends upon what my body says.  I guess it’s a good thing that I had no plans to go in this week. 

Here’s hoping that the rest of the week can be more normal for me.  Stay cool and be well. 

TGIF

I am so glad today is Friday.  It’s been a really long week.  Last night I worked with a vendor that was supposed to call me in the morning.  Turns out that call didn’t come in until 4p and he worked until 8p.  That made for a very long day for me.  I was so happy when I finally got to shutdown!

Today has started off a little slow but I have already had an urgent request.  It was due to failure on the part of the person making the request so of course I was supposed to drop everything and make it an emergency on my end.  They asked for the moon and I did the bare minimum.  Another thing I caught was a mistake that a colleague made, trivial but none the less it cause me a little bit of a headache. 

The light bulb on my desk burned out finally after something like 3 years.  It was a florescent bulb that behaved like a traditional light bulb and I didn’t realize the brightness I got from it.  I went to replace it with a regular bulb and damn it’s dim now.  I will get used to it eventually but just not happy. 

Gave away some money this morning by paying bills.  Never a fun task.  I had some difficulty with the banks websites as well as my own money software.  Perhaps it’s a sign that I shouldn’t be working today.  If only I could just take the day off but sadly I’ve got a couple things in the hopper that require my attention. 

Got another mouse last night and of course I found that out this morning.  Maybe they will all migrate to the basement hit the traps and this nightmare will be over with.  I don’t know that I will be that lucky but the heat I think is causing them some stress, which is fine by me.  I just want them gone and never to return.

I heard some odd noises and went up to investigate.  Turns out a neighbor is having tree work done.  In the process Gator managed to wake up and I got conned into feeding her a mid-morning snack.  She got fluids last night.  She got some food just before bed and didn’t bother me until 5a this morning.  I was able to stall for an hour and a half and then had to get up because she just wouldn’t be quiet for anything. 

Thinking of pizza for Saturday at a local place, I can incorporate that with my trip to the post office.  I really need to get to Sam’s so maybe that will happen as well.  It’s just really hot outside and there isn’t any relief in the forecast thus far. 

I watched a series on Paramount last night called Missing, never heard from again.  There are multiple episodes.  Like the title implies it’s about people who go missing and are never heard from again.  These are all recent with in the last couple years.  Very strange circumstances.  The first episode is about a Florida Deputy that comes in contact with 2 people within 6 months of each other and magically they both disappear.  It’s pretty clear that he murdered them but it’s all circumstantial – there are no bodies and no concrete evidence to convict him.  It is compelling TV that I found quite interesting.  Between the vendor I was working with that the TV that occupied my evening.  

I am anxious to kick off tonight to relaxation city.  Doing what I want with not having to worry about waking up early or work.  Next week is my turn on-call so I will need to soak up this weekend.  You never know what lies ahead but I do hope it’s not too eventful. 

Here’s hoping we all have a nice weekend.  Lots of sleep, fluids and some good food.  Take care.

Money Grubbing Cell Phone Carriers

Hey it’s me again!  I’ve got a small mountain of work to tackle.  I’ve chipped away at part of it and decided to take a break, which I could foresee turning into a nap but only time will tell. 

I am not a huge fan of the paperless revolution but I have started to embrace it since it’s not going away.  I dislike it when it comes to bills primarily because there are alerts on your bill that you could easily miss, if you turn a blind eye and just pay the total.  I’m speaking specifically about my cell phone.  I logged into my providers app to check on my account and saw an alert that my rate plan was going to increase.  There was a $0.70 cent difference in my bill and I wanted to know about the rate increase.  I mean they aren’t just going to raise rates by 70 cents.  I called and talked with a human but they focused their efforts on the 70 cents and told me I had nothing to worry about with regards to my rate plan.  That’s when I logged in on my computer and started looking at past bills.  I went back two full bill cycles and there it was in small print, in the next two bill cycles your rates will increase by $6.  That doesn’t sound like a whole lot but I really want to divorce my carrier.  If it wasn’t for their superior ability to filter calls I wouldn’t hesitate.  My fear is that if I switch and take my number with me, the spam calls I get will actually get through and I will have a small mess on my hands.  Really want to avoid that. 

What to do?  Well I looked at rate plans that are offered and actually found one that gives me an extra gig of data and saves me $8.80 per month.  That defeats their rate increase and helps me out in two ways.  It’s a no brainer.  They really pushed the unlimited plans, which are sky high.  I had unlimited before it became a fad and it was at a good price.  When I took my present position I had to give it up so I could get a hotspot because back then you couldn’t have unlimited and a hot spot.  Sad thing is I’ve never used the damn hot spot but I keep it because I know if I give it up I will have a need for it.  Anyway back on point.  I made the change and then I get this summary that tells me my ongoing charges are going to be $20 higher per month.  I know that’s not the case.  They always paint the worst case picture by estimating the highest taxes, surcharges, etc.  It’s designed to make you freak out, which I kind of did at first.  However, once I remembered that fact I just have to wait and let it shake out over the next few months.  It would be great if they were transparent instead of painting the worst case scenario. 

In other news, I had a vendor working through my laptop for a good portion of the evening.  I finally had to call it quits.  I wanted to enjoy some of what was left of my evening.  They weren’t exactly on time to start with.  We are supposed to hook up again this morning but I think that will be another late night thing.  Very few people keep their word in this world but I am a sucker because I take everyone at face value until they disprove me. 

Sadly I found two more dead baby mice this morning.  They each got caught in a trap and it looked brutal.  That tells me I unfortunately still have a problem.  They seem to be impossible to get rid of.  I don’t really want to call an exterminator but I do think that is where this is headed.  My ultimate fear is that they will put down poison, the mice will eat it but Gator will capture one of them and then I’ve managed to kill my own cat by accident.  That’s why I’ve resisted using poison, I think that combined with a lot more traps will cure this but I also know from what I have read on line when you try to take this particular problem on yourself it does prove to be a daunting task and odds of success are very low without engaging a pro.  I can say that I am tired of it and want it to go away.  I am also baffled at how they are managing to get in.  Clearly I am missing something but thus far it’s not glaringly obvious to me. 

Another hot day, I thought today we were getting a break but turns out it was just for the early morning.  I was up with Gator last night several times and am kind of surprised that I am still moving at what feels like full steam ahead.  I need to check on her.  Were past snack time.  I also know she needs another dose of fluids and I am not looking forward to that.  Plus it’s trash day.  At least we only have one more day left and then maybe I will be able to relax a little bit. 

Hope all is well in your world.  Take care. 

Crazy Busy

There was a large flurry of activity this morning and what started off as a calm ordinary morning, quickly spun out of control.  2 hours went by before I had a moment to glance at the clock.  I like to be some what busy but not crazy on fire busy.  However, I made it through and kept some sanity. 

It was nice to get my extra hour of sleep even if my body wouldn’t permit it.  I woke up at 6a and by the time I opted to get out of bed because my bladder was about to burst it was 6:30a.  I found Gator passed out at the water fountain.  Not a normal place for her to be in the morning.  She bothered me once too often last night and I kicked her out.  I don’t like doing that but sleep is a necessary thing.  If I could run without it I’d give her more attention than she could possibly soak up, but then again it’s Gator were talking about and I don’t think there is such a thing as too much attention. 

Last night when I got home Gator was all passed out hiding her head in her bed on the couch.  I said hello and she sprang to life.  She was very happy to see me.  I got a chance to spy on her yesterday and could tell she forgot I was gone and missed me.  She managed but of course didn’t enjoy it.  We were practically inseparable for a couple hours and then she left me for the fountain. 

Outside of that nothing out of the ordinary.  I struggled to find something to enjoy last night but found a couple things.  One of which was a cat video, which was very enjoyable and even made me laugh a couple times. 

I’ve got a meeting this afternoon and I am also waiting on a vendor to call me so we can do a remote control session.  They are doing some work for us and need access to a system.  This is something boss man usually does but since he is out this week, it falls on me.  They said after lunch but couldn’t be more specific.  Hell 6p is after lunch it’s also after supper/dinner.  I just hope I don’t wind up waiting for this call all afternoon.  Waiting regardless of why is just something I despise.  Although oddly enough I’ve got the most patience when I am stuck in traffic, probably because it’s an unwinnable situation and you have no choice but to wait it out.  It’s not like you can press a button and take an off ramp to get around it or your vehicle suddenly sprouts wings and can fly away.  I’d gladly pay extra if I could get either of those features in a vehicle.  Then again I wouldn’t be the only one. 

It’s horribly humid outside today and I do not want to leave the house since I have no reason.  Other than I crave some freshly made food.  I’ve made it this far on frozen food so I suppose I will find something to enjoy from the freezer tonight.  I’ve also got my Cheesecake to work on.  Hopefully, I can stumble on something good to enjoy tonight on TV.  Wish me luck.  Stay cool and we will talk again soon.

Terrible Tuesday

Gator’s least favorite day of the week is here.  I didn’t broadcast that I was going in but she got the idea last night when she saw me getting my backpack ready and making lunch.  I told her that I just had to get out of the house I was going nuts.  We went to bed and then she threw a couple fits to wake me up.  The second one I was able to get her to leave the room and closed the door.  Of course don’t you know it that the cordless phone woke me up chirping with a low battery alarm.  That was my last interruption and I was able to get some sleep. 

It was a little bit of a struggle to get out the door but I made it.  Got to the office at normal time and just dove in head first.  The first few hours were busy and it was non-stop.  I’d start to focus on one task and then get interrupted.  Eventually I got caught up and that’s when I took a break. 

Got to see a couple people that I haven’t seen for a couple weeks and walked around a little bit.  Back at my desk and it’s boredom city.  I’ve got a couple meetings on the books for this afternoon but otherwise I am free. 

I’ve checked on Gator she has done some yowling, gotten some water and last time I saw her she was chilling on the couch.  She is probably napping.  I will check on her again.  I don’t talk to her because that just confuses her and she thinks I am in the house.  It’s kind of fun but honestly at her age she doesn’t need any confusion. 

I do plan to be home before 5p and that’s when this day will feel worth it.  I love that feeling.  Then I will be Gator’s for the rest of the week.  I am thinking of going out one night for pizza just to change things up.  Not sure what I will do or where I will go over the weekend. 

It’s been a couple days since I have seen the Raccoons.  Gator was on watch last night and didn’t say anything and I looked out just before I was ready to go to bed.  I sure hope they are okay but it is not unusual.  They are around for  bit and then leave.  By winter I will have two screwing to make more and the cycle just repeats it’s self.  I am fine with it as long as they stay outside and I am inside it’s all good. 

I am sure you probably noticed I made some slight changes to the appearance of the blog.  I had a Canadian friend who sadly passed during the COVID epidemic from something other than COVID.  She always liked the rainbow smoke hand picture.  I used to make changes like crazy but now not so much so it took me a little bit to figure out how to make the adjustments and get things to where I liked it.  Hope it’s enjoyable to you.  I will change it again when I get a whim.  It honestly kept me busy for about an hour as I was super bored. 

That I think will wrap up this post for now.  Hope that your Tuesday is moving along and your staying cool.  Hang in there. 

Men on Monday

- Seth Peterson (Helix) Porn Star

Bored

I took a computer break for the weekend.  I updated my bank book on Sunday and read a little bit of email.  Otherwise, I was upstairs with Gator.  The weekend seems like it was so long ago.  Gator had me up a lot on Friday night / Saturday morning.  I wound up sleeping a good portion of Saturday.  I did make it out to the Mexican restaurant.  I ordered something different which turned out to be a mistake.  It was cheaper than my usual order but didn’t taste as good and wasn’t nearly as filling.  The odd thing is they were out of Diet Pepsi, they said there was a shortage and it was really hard to come by.  Perhaps they are talking about the syrup version of for restaurants because you can walk into any store around here and buy it in cans or bottles no problem. 

I went out for breakfast on Sunday and ordered those Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes again.  They are advertising them on TV now and oddly I started craving them.  Not quite like the first time but they were good.  I was also starving, which doesn’t happen often.  I got up early and drove in the rain.  It rained pretty much all day long.  I thought about going out in the afternoon for a bite to eat but instead stayed home.  Just watched movies with Gator.

Got the cleaning and laundry done.  It was very boring and I was climbing the walls.  I hated sitting around doing nothing.  Funny thing when I am being paid it sounds great but when I am on my time it’s like the worst thing in the world. 

Picked up a cheesecake at the grocery store, after the pancakes it just sounded really good.  They didn’t have much in the way of cat food but I did get a few cans of Turkey in Gravy.  Gator is being extra picky since the flavors are limited to what I just bought.  She senses repeat now and isn’t eating as much of them.  She loves try to get me to open a new can.  No good deed goes unpunished, at least not in my world.  Still I keep trying in the hopes that my luck will change. 

Boss man is on vacation this week so it’s all quiet thus far.  I don’t really have much of anything on my agenda today.  That means it’s going to be a very long day.  I will keep my eyes open and lend a hand when I can, which is my normal way of operating.  I do plan on going into the office tomorrow and I am going to try not to make a big deal about it, in the hopes that Gator won’t throw a fit.  I won’t be going in next week because I will be on-call so I’d really like to get in tomorrow.  We have a new person starting in a different department but I need to do something in person for them before they arrive.  Otherwise, other than socializing there really is no need to go in. 

It’s going to be a super hot week here, we cooled off nicely overnight with all of the rain but now it’s back to the pressure cooker.  Glad I am on the inside where a machine controls my climate, of course I pay for that.  Speaking of paying I looked at my water bill for this month.  It’s based on usage for last month.  It was $5 it’s something I never really pay attention to.  The largest item on the bill is Trash and that is what drives the cost of the bill up but overall Water, Sewer & Trash is only $50 to $55 per month, which I think is really good.  I am the only one to consume city water.  Gator’s water comes from a bottle at the grocery store, I switched all of the cats to purified water a very long time ago and noticed that it decreased the amount of vet visits we had.  It’s pricy but not nearly as expensive as a trip to the vet.  As long as she is still drinking I am still buying. 

Here’s to what I hope is a great quiet week!  Fingers crossed. 

Jerry & Marge Go Large

I watched the movie Jerry & Marge Go Large on Paramount + yesterday afternoon.  It was really good and quite interesting.  I kind of wish that I new how to play the lottery just to win big one time, that would be enough for me.  It’s a great story and Bryan Cranston does a very good job. 

Yesterday also kept with the theme of the week where the morning was absolutely calm and nothing was brewing.  Then just after lunch everything caught fire and I felt like I was running with my hair on fire.  That only lasted for a couple hours and then everything just ground to a halt for no reason.  That’s when I opted to push myself away from this box with screens and go see my girl and find something else to do that was me related. 

When I went up Gator was passed out hard in my room.  I gathered up the trash that needed to go out and was quiet as I could be.  I got it out and came back inside.  She never woke up or was disturbed once.  I turned on the TV in the living room.  I was watching movie trailers to find something to settle into.  Once the movie started she woke up and came out screaming.  That was to let me know she was awake and wanted food.  I got her some, she ate a bit.  Then came to the couch and made me go back and get the plate so she could finish while being comfy in her bed.  She eventually went back to sleep. 

I got some Chicken, Broccoli and Pasta for supper.  When I was returning to the couch I noticed a small spider on the pillow I was sitting on.  I tried to kill it but the damn thing moved so fast.  I threw the pillow on the ground and then was able to stomp it to death.  Spiders are one of the small insects that can do major damage to a cat if bitten.  I was wondering if that is why perhaps Gator was feeling bad earlier in the week.  I searched for more of those damn thing but thankfully wasn’t able to find any of them.  I only see them on occasion.  I made sure that Gator got at least a 1/2 dose of fluids.  She seems a little bit more perky this morning. 

When bed time rolled around.  Gator was stuck at her water fountain which seems to be the theme.  I think she wants to watch for her friends (the Raccoon Family) and uses that as a guise.  It’s fine by me.  So long as they are outside and she is inside safe.  Eventually she made her way to my room, just about the time my sleeping meds were kicking in.  I gave her about an hour in my lap.  I was dosing in and out.  I got tired of that and I had to go to bed.  Of course I hit the bed and I was wide awake for a short bit.  She was a good girl and curled all up in her bed. 

I got about 2 hours worth of sleep when she started screaming that she was hungry.  Damn.  I got up and fed her then back to bed.  She let me sleep for a while longer and then started screaming again.  I got another can of food, powered up the extra White Noise machine and went back to bed.  She started screaming at 6a when the trash people were making their rounds.  Oh joy!  I eventually gave up and got up.  Fed her and had breakfast.  We had a little bit of time together before I had to head down. 

I’ve done all of my morning tasks.  We have a BS meeting this morning in a couple hours with boss man about a task he doled out yesterday, that most of us have already completed.  He will be gone on vacation shortly after this meeting so unless there is some emergency I think it will be a quiet day.  I’ve got work do to after hours but it’s minor and I could easily get away with putting it off until tomorrow.  However, I will get it done today so that it’s not hanging over my head and I can enjoy the weekend or at least try to. 

Still hot and steamy weather here.  Looks like rain on Sunday now instead of Saturday.  We cool down a bit over the weekend but go right back into the furnace next week.  I hear the Cicadas which means Fall is on it’s way.  Darker sooner and colder temperatures but we are a couple months out.  The Cicadas always give advanced warning.  I am looking forward to a little cooler weather where the AC isn’t required and the power bill can get a break as well as the equipment in my home.  I like natural comfort where it’s not too hot or too cold and you don’t need to do a thing to maintain the temperature, that’s my ideal weather but we don’t get too many days like that. 

Not sure what I will manage to stumble on to watch this weekend but hopefully I can find something good.  As well as get in some quality sleep.  Here’s hoping for a great weekend for all of us.  Based on how quiet thing are I think today is going to be one of those days that drag on but each second brings us closer to quitting time no matter how far off it is, eventually it will be here.  Hope your day isn’t as super slow as mine seems to be.  Talk with you again soon.  

Eye See You

Good Morning, I hope all is well in your world.  Happy Thursday!  I had nightmares last night about Bear aka Big Boy one of my cats that has been gone for a while.  It was like I was loosing him all over again.  I do think of all of my cat family on pretty much a daily basis and I miss all of them very much.  Not exactly sure why I had a nightmare.  I woke up to Gator asking for food and it was around 3a.  I fed her.  Then opted to get a snack and for some reason cold milk was extra good at that hour.  We spent a bit of time together watching TV and then I went back to bed.  Didn’t exactly sleep well.  Still kind of disturbed by the events of yesterday at work.  My curious mind wants to know what this guy did to get shoved out the door.  I mean he had to piss in or on someone’s Cheerios.  I still want to call and talk with him but I also see how that could go south or have adverse consequences for me.  Even though I would be calling on my own accord and not representing the company, it could be twisted that the company was bothering him.  I do not think that would be the case.  I am mulling it over but will likely just let it pass and probably always wonder.  Some questions don’t have answers or at least answers I am supposed to know.  He was a great guy and went above and beyond to do his job.  It’s kind of like a death and there is a mourning period.  My employer usually doesn’t make rash decisions especially when it comes to firing people.  Typically if it’s going to happen it’s because you did something wrong, you are in progressive discipline and given a chance to correct the errors of your ways.  Being in disciplinary action is usually always a clue your going to get fired, not many people escape that and that has always been the case no matter where I worked. 

One of my turkey day friends had Cataract Surgery.  I got a message this morning that things went very well.  They of course only did one eye and the other one will have to be done later.  He said that he can already see better.  My late spouse had the same thing done and he said it was night and day difference.  It was something he told me if I ever needed it to get it done as fast as possible.  Thankfully cataracts aren’t a thing for me because I am still “young” (despite feeling very old).  I do need to get my eyes checked and I also need a new eye doctor.  It’s sort of like cleaning out the gutters I keep putting it off but eventually I will get to it.  I can see fine and my A1C is well under control so I don’t believe there is any immediate threat.  I know vision problems sneak up on you sort of like a heart attack.  I will get to it but just am in no rush.  I hate dilation of my eyes and eye drops in general.  They make reversing drops but very few eye doctors give those.  Driving afterwards is a huge pain in the ass and I usually manage to make it home and take nap to sleep it off.  Then I am fine for the rest of the day.  The hard part is the drive home.  I’ve always been able to go to a eye doctor close to home and my options for that are dwindling.  Not a lot of them work on Saturday and I really hate taking time off to see an eye doctor.  Although I would need to schedule something because I don’t believe I would be able to work comfortably for a couple hours. 

Speaking of work, I’ve got a meeting in a couple hours with my boss and his boss for a minor change that needs to happen to my bosses boss’s mobile phone.  It’s one of those deals where my boss is making a mountain out of a mole hill.  So typical.  Then there is a vendor call later in the day about a product that I largely have nothing to do with but I need to be on the call.  Unless there are some fireworks like happened yesterday I think today should be fairly calm.  Then I only have to deal with my boss for 1/2 day tomorrow and his ass is on vacation for an entire week.  Thank God!  That is a much needed break for me and unfortunately it won’t be long enough but hey I will take what I can get.  I made a huge leap this morning that I thought would get many accolades but that didn’t happen.  I still feel good about what I did though.  Best thing is I got to look at my paycheck this morning.  I have a few extra dollars but nothing to marvel about.  It could buy a weeks worth of groceries for me, so I am not knocking it but taxes suck the fun out of money. 

I tried out the Savory Center food on Gator last night.  She went through 3 cans right off the bat.  She wolfed it all down and then asked for more.  Sounds like I hit a home run with her.  That makes me so happy!  She spent a large amount of time by the water fountain last night, it was a little worrisome.  I need to get her some fluids.  I trimmed her nails last night in the hopes it would help her walk a little better.  I haven’t seen her move that much to know if made the difference or not.  Some of those claws were pretty long.  She of course complained the entire time as if I was chopping them off instead of trimming them.  That is just something all of the cats have done.  It comes from trauma when they were younger and I had no idea what I was doing, there was some blood involved and I just think none of them forgot that.  Used to be when I had them all, I would start with one and everyone else would go and hide in the hopes that I would skip them.  The good old days!

The dread trash day is here, so today is the big push to gather it all up and then push the barrel out to the street.  The wake up call will come tomorrow morning at 6a when they make their rounds into the neighborhood.  Regardless of the day it falls on I never really like trash day.  At least when I was younger me and my brother took turns.  I loved it when it was his week and of course hated it when it was mine.  There was more trash then because of more people.  I had more trash here when my spouse and all of the cats were alive.  Just me and Gator we don’t generate much but it’s nice to get it taken away and have a fresh start. 

I resisted making any purchases on Prime Day.  However, they got me last night.  I wanted to watch a Patton Oswalt standup special and it was on Paramount Plus.  I went back to subscribing.  I got 2 months for 99 cents.  I went back to try to grab a subscription to Epix for the same price but time ran out on me.  I can get a 7 day free trial and then that is $5.99 but if I go through cable it’s $10 a month.  I just might do it because they have a ton of movies.  I usually watch when there is a free viewing weekend on cable.  I pay so much for TV including streaming services it should be a crime.  I like the old days when TV was free, granted you had less to choose from but the only cost was the electric bill.  That’s like the other day I was sitting waiting for my COVID booster and saw the pharmacy had a sale on “Smart Water” 2 for $5.  I thought smart water, yeah the smart idea was the business model of bottling water and charging for it.  Smart Water for the company not necessarily for the purchaser. 

Off to check on The Gator and take a little break before my meeting.  Hope you have a great day.  Stay hydrated, cool and safe.  Talk with you all again soon!

Hump Day - Eye Candy

Caught by surprise

Not exactly sure what happened but the guy that I wrote about in my earlier post that was leaving, well he was shoved out the door today.  We exchanged emails before anything happened and he told me that he felt like he out grew his position.  I can only surmise that he said the same thing to the wrong person or he actually did something.  Usually when people give their notice, my employer lets them work until that day.  I really want to talk with him to find out what happened.  I’ve got his phone number but not exactly sure if it’s right for me to be nosy.  I do feel bad about the situation but I didn’t have a thing to do with what happened.  I suppose the good news for him is that he gets some paid down time in addition to whatever vacation he had left. 

The FedEx man came just after I was done with my lunch.  One very large long box and one very small box.  I got them in and tore into them.  The cabinet is full and I’ve got plenty of excess food.  I sure hope my little will be happy.  She hasn’t had Chunky Chicken for a damn long time and it’s one of her favorites.  Plus the new food with the ‘savory centers’ I think will be a real hit.  It all looked so good I kind of wished for a second I was a cat. 

I got in a short nap and then had to feed Ms. Picky (speaking of the cat) and then I was able to munch on some snack mix and an Oatmeal Bar.  I really am not in the mood to eat.  Didn’t really want dinner last night.  Kind of unusual for me but I have to force myself to eat otherwise my sugar goes south.  Thus far I have always been able to rescue myself by eating.  It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for my system to normalize and then all is well.  It does suck away some of my energy and leave me a bit drained.  It’s just a situation I try to avoid because I know how unpleasant it is. 

Here’s hoping that there are no more surprises and that all goes well for what is left of the week.  Fingers Crossed!

Mr. Fix it

When we moved in to this place many moons ago it had a Water Softener.  One Winter Day the thing gave up the ghost and we had to get a replacement.  My late spouse installed that.  It was a day filled with cussing, fighting and some fun.  It doesn’t exactly feel like yesterday but I can remember the occasion rather vividly.  What happened to that old one happened to the replacement.  There was water on the inside of the tank where the salt goes.  It’s always been bone dry.  Last year when I filled this I noticed water in the tank and didn’t think much of it at the time.  Now that it’s about time to refill it again I saw the water and did some research.  I learned a couple of things that it probably was.  Before I watched the videos I just started tinkering.  By happenstance I wound up fixing it.  The float was stuck.  I had no idea what I was doing but I pulled the float module out and looked at it and then put it back in place.  I started a recharge and that takes about 2 hours.  That’s when I started watching the videos and kept an eye on the softener.  Within an hour the water was all gone.  I have looked at it a couple times since, and still no more water.  I can’t believe I managed to fix it, despite not knowing what I was doing.  Things just don’t work out like that for me, usually.  I am beyond thrilled.  It also makes me wonder if the same thing was wrong with the old unit and we really didn’t need a replacement, but I seem to remember that we called a plumber to look at it.  Anyway I am letting what salt is left dwindle away and then I will refill it.  I just have to use some caution when I fill it.  There is a hose line that leads to the tank where the float is.  What had happened is the salt knocked it out of whack when I was filling it and that was the cause of the problem.  You’d think they would design these things better but hey my little fix is far better than scrapping it and having to buy a whole new unit and then paying someone to install it and worrying about how to get rid of the old one.  This was my victory for yesterday!

I got to see the Raccoons last night.  It was pretty late and I was grabbing some food for Gator so I peeked out and I think they just got back from a trip out.  They saw something and scrambled fast to hide.  I still see 3 kids and a Momma.  They are all so cute and fun to watch from afar.  I kind of wish I could pet them and take care of them but I know they are wild.  They also appear to have fleas because they are always scratching.  

I checked on Gator’s food order.  FedEx said that one package would be here today and the other would be here on Thursday.  This morning that all changed and now both packages are supposed to be delivered today.  I am looking forward to getting it and letting the furry monster try some of the new food that I got her to see if she likes it.  I’m not sure where I will store all of this food but somehow I will manage.  There is enough that it should last for awhile.  I plan to supplement with a few cans from the store to keep up the variety but at least I don’t have to scramble to the pet food store to look at empty shelves.  It just boggles my mind that places like Wal-Mart and Chewy can get cat food but a big box pet food store has trouble.  I mean the grocery store in some cases has done far better than the pet food store.  I am up for one less thing to do on a Saturday!  It will sure feel strange and who knows I may just wonder over there out of habit. 

This morning I woke up to some sad news.  One of the guys that I like at work that does a great job is leaving.  He tried this once before and I and one other person sounded the alarm.  I think we inadvertently helped him to get an offer he could refuse and he stayed around.  I can only guess that he was made promises that weren’t kept or he is unhappy with the pay raise he got.  In any case looks like were loosing him.  We didn’t interact much but still the few times we did , he knew what he was talking about and it helped to make both of our jobs easier.  I like him to work with and I am sexually attracted to him but I know he’s straight and if that was enough of a deterrent were a million miles from each other.  He’s got no idea about my sexual feelings, I just keep those all bottled up.  Sex or Sexual feelings and work never mix well together.  Sort of like oil and water.  It might start off good but eventually it winds up in disaster.  That’s why it’s best to keep business separate from pleasure.  Plus your friends at work typically aren’t true friends, but occasionally you manage to make one or two of those along the way. 

I’ve got one meeting in a half hour.  This thing has been scheduled and rescheduled, this is the 3rd time and hopefully it works.  It is to train a new person and get them familiar with a couple systems my team works with, they will also work directly in the same systems.  I am training on one of them.  My micro-managing boss has already defined pretty much what I can and can’t say.  He is training on the more involved system and I know he will gab on the most.  What could easily be covered in 1 meeting he wants to make multiples because he loves to hear the sound of his own voice and he likes meetings.  Thank God he will be leaving for vacation early afternoon on Friday and be gone for a solid week.  As if that isn’t heaven enough his boss is also going to be gone the same week.  I think we should have a party to celebrate but that won’t happen.  I will however, enjoy the peace and quiet as well as the lack of meetings and the large amount of free time that I will have on my hands.  I could easily skip going in next week but really want to make sure that I am there so I hope that Gator permits me to leave. 

Thinking about the weekend since it’s around the corner.  I really am craving that Salsa and those semi-salty Chips from the Mexican place I was at a few weeks back.  I am probably going to venture there on Saturday for my lupper (lunch and supper combined into one meal).  At least as of now that is the plan.  Of course rain is in the forecast and I’ve got a clean vehicle, you know I will probably be traveling in rain with the luck I have. 

Last night I re-watched The War with Grandpa on Showtime.  I laughed at the same parts which was good for me.  Bad for Gator because I kept waking her up.  When that was done I got ready for bed and she eventually joined me.  I had to wake her up to get her to leave my lap so I could get out of the chair.  She stayed and climbed into her bed.  I woke up in the middle of the night and saw here there.  I woke up again towards early morning and really didn’t want to get out of bed but my bladder had other plans.  I found her on the couch and was as quiet as I could be.  I came back to my room and closed the door, powered up the extra white noise machine and lulled myself back to sleep.  I still managed to get out of bed 10 minutes early and she was waiting for me.  I said hello and she started screaming at me letting me know she needed food.  Which she got.  Then she came and drank some water while I ate my breakfast.  I wound up feeding her some of her left overs when she moved to the couch after I got dressed.  I told her I had to put pants on today because her food was coming.  I will need them tomorrow to push out the trash.  It’s been so hot here that underwear and a t-shirt is comfortable enough to work in all day. 

Hope you have a great Wednesday.  I need to take a quick break before I yammer on and this meeting sneaks up on me.  Gator probably wants a snack and I need to check on her.  Then it’s back to work for an hour and after that my day is essentially done until some odd task comes crashing in.  Yesterday afternoon they were one after another but at least it waited until I was done with lunch.  Here’s hoping that is the same for today. 

Take care!

Awake when I shouldn’t be

Yesterday was a normal day for Gator & I.  She started an uptick in her appetite in the early afternoon.  She sounded kind of congested which she does from time to time.  I broke out my mom’s stethoscope and couldn’t hear a whole lot the first time because that purr motor was running on high.  I got her to relax a little bit and turn the motor off.  I heard some wheezing and what sounded to me like crackling.  My concern was fluid retention in the lungs from CHF like her mom had.  However, she has no labored breathing, no swollen extremities and is was acting pretty much normal, other than plowing through cans of food – some full and most were partial before she dismissed them and demanded something new.  Worried?  Yeah I was. 

I placed my first Chewy order and it was not cheap, so I looked at Gator and told her she can’t die I just spent a small fortune on food.  There is some new stuff and I am eager for her to try it.  I didn’t setup anything recurring just a 1 time order and we will go from there. 

Gator got her water just before bed.  I was finally able to clean out her bed and man was it dirty.  A small dust buster got a giant fur roll out of that little space.  As I was emptying it I noticed that Gator was watching the Racoons.  I was talking and got a little loud, they heard that and scattered.  I went back to my normal routine and eventually I came back, they all came out.  Looks like there was 1 baby missing.  They all scampered off with Mom to go hunting.  It was the cutest thing. 

I eventually wound up in my chair watching TV and waiting for Gator.  She came in her own time.  She wanted of course food.  I opened a fresh can and put that in front of her but then she wanted nothing to do with it.  She came in and sat in my lap and passed out.  I hated to wake her but needed to get to bed after we were together for about 30 minutes.  I got her back on the floor and moved the food over towards her.  She was all stretched out on the floor and relaxing.  I went for a belly rub and that upset her, which it normally doesn’t.  She eventually curled up in her own bed and I went to sleep.  I think she senses my fear that I am going to loose her and she capitalizes on that.  I mean she had me surfing the net doing research.  

I told her a couple times that I was going into the office today.  I think she fully understands what I am saying and isn’t hip to the idea.  I mean I am not really hip to it myself but it is enjoyable for 1 day out of the week.  It takes a little extra effort and energy on my part to make it happen.  Part of that is ensuring that I get a good nights sleep.  Well that went to hell in a handbasket.  Gator made sure to wake me every couple hours.  She also stayed in my room for a good portion of the night and even woke me up early this morning from her bed.  I actually feel fine now but I was quite groggy and didn’t want to chance anything so I stayed home.  I think the princess is happy that she defeated me in my attempt to escape for the day. 

I would go in tomorrow (Wednesday) but that is when her food is scheduled to be delivered.  Yeah it will keep but I just as soon take it in as soon as it arrives.  I might go in Thursday (if I really feel the need) but most likely I will skip it for this week.  Next week for sure I will be in, unless she pulls the same crap.  I am not happy about not going in, because I know that there is the possibility that this will blow up in my face since I am really not up to par with what the requirements are for going in.  I am home more than I am in mainly for Gator’s sake but also because there really isn’t anything I can’t do from home and I think it is utter stupidity to require anyone to go to a physical office when that is the case.  I see both sides of the coin but I am partial to the worker and not to the company. 

That little ball of fur sure does toy with my emotions and causes me all sorts of worry, time and money but at the end of the day she is my world and I really don’t want to live without her.  I know it’s possible because I was living before she was born.  Eventually our time will come to an end and that right now is my greatest fear.  I worry for me and how I will cope & deal with it.  Each cat that I have lost has hurt slightly differently but with Gator being the last one of the bunch it’s going to feel the worst and it’s something that I want to keep at bay for as long as possible, so long as she is comfortable and has quality of life.  If her health declines to the point where her quality of life isn’t there, I am not going to keep her around just for my sake but I know I will want to. 

Apologies for the depressing post but damn that little furry girl knows how to play with my heart.  She is way smarter than I know.  I really feel this whole thing was orchestrated because she didn’t want me to go in but that could also just be a coincidence. 

Guess I should get some actual work done.  It’s meeting day and once that is done unless something else comes along my day will be done early in the afternoon.  Hope you have a great day!  Thanks for stopping by. 

Men on Monday

 

Quick Update - Pay Raise

I got a note shortly after my post this morning from HR that provided pay raise information.  I did pretty good this year and got a 4.30% raise.  Which is slightly better than what I got last year.  Unfortunately there is no bonus that comes with this pay raise.  Each year I’ve also gotten a bonus in addition to the pay raise. 

My boss called towards the afternoon and told me that he was submitting me for a bonus but it would be a while before we hear back.  I am sure I will get something but it’s going to fall off my radar since it’s a time thing, so it will be a nice surprise when/if it actually happens. 

I am making the most money I have ever made in my entire life and when I look at the money vs the bullshit I have to deal with, it helps sooth some but not all of my gripes.  Next paycheck with the raise will be out later this week and I am so looking forward to it. 

Got some eye candy coming up at the top of the hour and unless something else happens that should be it for the day.  Take care and we will talk again soon.  Stay cool and hydrated!

Monday go away

Good Morning … Back to Munday.  Tough to get out of bed this morning and start the day just because it’s the start of a new week.  Last Monday at this time I was KO from my wild night out on Sunday watching Top Gun 2.  My how things can change in a week. 

Got to spend more time with Gator and she came to bed with me, even passed out in her own bed in my room for a while.  She would wake up while I was watching TV past my normal time and cry out for me to turn off the TV.  Once I did it was pure silence until around 4a when she tried to wake me.  It worked but I just faked snoring and eventually lulled myself back to sleep.  She got frustrated and returned to the couch.  There was plenty of food out for her to eat but I honestly think she likes to see me jump and cater to her.  We did that dance last night over two cans of food.  She liked the second one for a while but then decided she was done with it.  She asked for more food and I went back to the first can instead of opening a fresh can.  With her food difficult to find I am really not in the mood to waste any of it.  I am already at the point where I think I might have to make a trip out this week for food.  I will certainly try not to have to do that. 

Nothing really noteworthy happened last night.  I had Frozen Lasagna for supper and it was good.  Tried some Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream from Turkey Hill.  My friend loves it and I learned my friend has no taste.  It is a watered down chocolate taste and I don’t like that.  I asked about Bryer’s and was told I don’t like that.  Well that is the good stuff in my opinion. Now I am stuck with this half gallon of crap that I thought would taste good. 

On the work front, I had two meetings today and one of them has already been pushed to tomorrow.  Now after my meeting at 10a I am essentially done for the day unless something pops.  Tomorrow will be a trip into the office and 3 meetings.  Ugh.  At least it’s only one day.  I will of course be concerned about Gator but she will likely sleep it all away, which is what I wish I could do.  We still have yet to hear anything about pay raises and that communication is due soon.  The first pay day of the month is approaching but pay raise communication has historically been late or delayed.  It’s usually given to us retroactive once we learn of our new salary amounts but it’s like there is no hurry to give away the money.  In one way I understand that and in another being timely helps foster better employer/employee relations in my opinion.  Once that news does finally leak out I suspect that there will be more people leaving because they aren’t happy.  I’ve had my eye out only one job recently appealed to me but it would be a serious cut in pay and it’s all in person work.  With those two factors in mind I quickly scratched that off my list.  Money is the only reason why I work.  Fringe benefits or benefits in general are nice but it’s the money that keeps me where I am.  in a few weeks I will celebrate 8 years at this place.  That is the longest I have ever worked at one job.  When I found this job I kind of thought that it would be my last and that looks like it will be the case, as the older I get the harder it will be for me to change jobs.  Not that it’s impossible but there are comforts and liberties that I have that also make me reconsider for those times when I want to leave.  If I found a place that would either match or exceed my salary I would seriously consider leaving. 

Speaking of work I peeked at my Social Security and it looks like I will get the most money if I stay working until age 70, that’s another 20 years.  I am tired today I can only imagine in 20 years what I will feel like.  I don’t know that I will live that long but considering that I don’t have good luck, I probably will.  Getting by then will probably be very difficult.  I totally understand why retirement planning is so important but not something you really want to hear when your young.  I’ve got money in the market but considering that the market could go belly up anytime that is not exactly comforting news right now. 

That’s all my ramblings for the day at the moment.  I hope that it is a quiet and peaceful start to the week ahead for all of us.  Not only does the world need peace but a nap and some rest I think would go a long way for all of us.  Cheers for now. 

How to Design a Sex Room

Hi again, Hope all is going well and you are enjoying the weekend.  Saturday was a relaxing day for me.  I got out to get what I needed to done and then came home.  I had intentions of going back out but once I started to loaf around I opted to stay home.  I even had a TV Dinner instead of going out for supper.  Spent the day with Gator.  She went into my room on her own and laid in her bed.  We spent time with her in my lap and of course I had to tend to that always hungry appetite of hers.  Not sure if it was a change in food or if she just had a blah week but from what I saw yesterday I think she is letting me know she is okay now.  She even got up off the couch at bed time and walked into my room.  She does her walks in spurts so she walks, then stops and rests, then up and move a little bit and stop and rest and finally reaches her destination.  She isn’t out of breath I think that it’s the arthritis but she doesn’t complain or cry out so maybe it’s a getting old thing. 

I did a very dumb thing and tried to trim a toe nail without a field of vision and with finger nail clippers.  I wound up cutting a good section of the toe nail off and then of course there was blood.  That wasn’t fun to deal with but it’s my fault.  A mistake I will never make again.  I got one nail with no problem and pushed it just a bit too far.  For some reason when it comes to my feet I always seem to draw blood be it with this incident or when I trim calluses.  I don’t like feet at all but I tolerate my own.  I also don’t enjoy nail trims at all.  Never liked them as a kid but I understand more of why they are needed as an adult. 

Watched several movies since my last post.  Seal Team 6 the hunt for Osama was really good.  There are a couple others but what really stands out is the Netflix Series How to Build a Sex Room.  I just finished that this morning and man it was quite interesting.  Lots of diverse people – gay, straight, lesbian, poly and a single woman.  The thought of a sex room is appealing and I really liked the transformations.  The designer really helped to identify what sexually her clients were into and helped to stretch their knowledge of toys, ways to play, bondage, and kink.  I learned a couple things but most of it was knowledge I already processed.  If your looking for a series and like sex and home make overs or improvements then this is the series for you.  It is by no means porn or X rated, I mean it’s on Netflix. 

I’m finishing up laundry today and some cleaning.  For some strange reason the last two times I used the vacuum last week I had intentions of emptying it as I do normally after each use but managed to forget.  Today that will happen. 

I treated myself to breakfast out.  Hit up Cracker Barrel.  Had something new for a change.  Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes.  They were pretty good and very filling.  There are only two pancakes but with the cheesecake filling that seals in all of the gaps and cracks that might exist in your stomach and presto you are full.  It came with 2 eggs and a choice of bacon or sausage. 

Hit up the car wash finally and then the grocery store and my least favorite place of all now the gas pump.  Dropped $44 which is a bit much for me.  Under more normal pricing that would have been about $25 maybe $30.  I still had a little over 120 miles to go but it was too close to empty for my comfort zone.  I normally go 1/2 way and that helps keep the price down but this time my goal was to try to drain the tank, get all of the older gas out and replace it with fresh.  Looked at cars on the internet last night the dealer where I am going to make my next purchase suddenly has 2 model year 2020’s in stock as new.  Makes me wonder where they have been sitting for the last 2 years and why they are just now making it to the website.  I’m interested in either current model year or 2023 but just browsing for now. 

Gator is calling for more food and I need to take care of her.  Plus get to that cleaning I spoke of.  Stay cool and enjoy what is left of the weekend.  Monday will be calling soon enough.  Back to a 5 day work week.  My only consolation is that my boss will be out the week after this one.  That will be a nice gift in that there will be less meetings and for me that is a very good thing!

Talk with you all again soon.  Be well.