Several Hours until Freedom?

Well I made it to Friday again.  Things started off slow but ramped up pretty quick.  I finally hit a lull and am trying to reclaim some of my sanity that I lost this week.  It’s been a LONG week to say the least.  I need 2 days to kick back and do nothing.  Hopefully this weekend will be calm.  I just need a break and want to get away from it all.  It would feel even better if I wasn’t on call and could turn my phone off but so long as it doesn’t chirp with work email or ring with a work phone call I think I will be good. 

I checked the mouse traps last night and no hits thus far.  I checked the outside traps for the groundhog and it looks like we caught Casper again.  One trap tripped but nothing is inside.  I’m starting to think this guy has the worst traps in the world and hell he might not know what he is doing.  The exterminator yesterday didn’t know that groundhogs hibernate and he said he’s caught them year round.  Maybe if you live where it’s warm all year long but around here I can’t believe that is the case.  I have never ever seen a groundhog in the fall/winter.  Right now I am letting things play out with this trapper guy but with the cold nights we have had as we inch closer to our first frost and eventually Winter I think I will have to call it quits.  Since there is activity it’s encouraging but it would be nice if the trap would actually catch the groundhog.  I don’t want anything else caught.  I realize I don’t have a choice as to what falls for the trap. 

I got 1 new prospect suitor that I am interested in.  Not sure if he will be interested in me.  My subscriptions to both of the dating services will expire this weekend.  I have no plans for renewing.  Probably just take a break and perhaps start up again in the future.  Honestly with the home issues I am working with and how stressful work has been right now would be a horrible time to meet a guy, then again it could be the best thing that ever happened.  I know that if it’s meant to be it will happen and that timing may not be when I want it to happen.  Clearly this is one area of my life that I don’t have complete control over.  I have a say but not complete control. 

My sexual desire has diminished since I have been subjected to a high amount of stress.  It also doesn’t help that all of my naked men calendars & photos are all tucked away.  Makes the house feel like a different place. 

Not much else to talk about at the moment, super tired and thinking of trying to catch a nap with my little girl.  It was another cold start morning and I am for sure switching over to Hot Cereal next week for breakfast.  That could help me loose weight as I will be consuming less for breakfast and will also reduce my sugar intake.  Cold cereal has way more variety but also way more sugar and I tend to eat bowl after bowl after bowl.  Whereas with hot cereal it’s one bowl and I am done. 

I am off to try for the nap, hopefully work permits it.  I am caught up unless something urgent drops and resting is probably the best thing I can do.  Got a meeting this afternoon but for the most part it’s a schedule free day.  Hope you have a great weekend!

Gruesome Kill

Last night I went to check the one snap trap the exterminator had set.  It caught a mouse but by the back legs.  It died a horrible death and I didn’t really enjoy seeing that you could tell the poor thing was in immense pain.  It finally died up against the back of the door and I had to use some force to get the door open.  I never heard the trap go off or any of the commotion it made.  Hopefully we can avoid a repeat of that. 

I’ve got 3 snap traps now in the master bath and there are 4 setup in the basement.  No real activity from bugs with the glue boards that are setup.  The guy was in and out over my lunch break, I actually had time left over to sit with Gator for a bit. 

My big project at work went live late last night and today has been an absolute nightmare of a day.  Not because of me but because someone didn’t fully test and vet this.  Lots of people had problems but it’s not my fault so I am not worried. 

I’ve got some work to do tonight but hopefully work won’t occupy much of my free time.  It’s trash day so I need to get that taken care of and then I can check in with Gator and make sure she is doing okay.  I opened my blinds this morning in my room and aimed them towards her bed so the sun shined there.  It worked and she got to warm up some and take a nap at the same time.  She sat in the living room at lunch time in the sun.  It’s cold and she hates it.  Too bad she can’t climb up in my bed and hide under the covers for some warmth like she could when she was younger and more mobile.  I really honestly feel bad about that.  I haven’t turned on the furnace yet but were getting closer with each passing day.  Mornings are rough and I usually wake up in the middle of the night to discover the heat is gone and there is a nip in the air.  She had me up 3 times last night for food. 

There you have it my Thursday.  Hope yours was better!  I don’t know how I will make it through one more day but I will go crying and screaming the whole way.  It will feel so good when this week is over with.  The only thing that is better is Monday when I am no longer on-call. 

Cheers!

Free Time

This is the first time since last Friday that I actually have free time.  I didn’t really get much of a lunch and while there are still many things to take care of at work I kind of feel like it will all be there tomorrow.  Being able to exhale and not having a meeting to run to or a deadline to meet is so refreshing.  I kind of want to run away and never come back.  Ah but there is that small matter of an income so I suppose I shouldn’t run away, just take a break and enjoy the free time. 

I did get in a bathroom break and was able to check on Gator.  It felt refreshing with the cool crisp air in the house kind of made me just want to lay down and take a nap.  It kind of reminded me of the serenity that I initially felt shortly after we moved here.  I also thought about when I used to come home to a house full of cats and a hot meal was waiting for me along with my guy, amazing what a little change in the weather can stir up.  Fall always was my guys favorite time of year.  The change in temperatures to slightly cooler is nice but to go from the 80’s to the 30’s overnight that’s just too fast for me.  Since I am paying for lawn service I always do look forward to the first frost as that usually means the lawn is done for the season. 

Right now I just want a nice big hot bowl of Chili and a burger to dive into.  Sounds like the perfect meal for a fall day.  Even better a bowl of Chili and a Grilled Cheese.  That was my guys favorite thing.  He’d make both.  The Grilled Cheese always tasted the same but the Chili was different each time, I wasn’t a fan of that but some batches were better than others.  He liked Hot n Spicy and I am more a mild kind of guy.  A little spice is nice just not too much.  Then again that could be used as an excuse for eating some Ice Cream. 

Your probably salivating now and for once it’s not because of guys!  Yeah my two vices in this world are Food and Men, I’d be happier with both but as for now it’s just me and Food.  I love the taste but hate the weight gain.  People still tell me that I don’t look bad and I think that is just a perfunctory statement to try to make me feel better.  I’m not happy when I look in the mirror with my appearance.  I’m not 700 pounds but I weight a lot more than I should or want to.  Exercise, yeah I’m allergic to that it makes me sweat and I eventually start gasping for breath.  I’m just lazy and that gets worse the older I get.  Probably falls in line with my depression and general outlook on life. 

Speaking of which my on-line dating apps will be history in a few days.  Thus far it’s been nothing more than a waste of money.  It occupies some of my time but I don’t get that many guys to choose from since I have been through the bulk of the crop already.  The apps in general are all pretty much the same and while cost varies a little bit they are all after your money.  There is no guarantee and dating in general is a crap shoot (regardless of your sexuality).  If I could get a guarantee that I would meet Mr. Right, be happy and a time frame, then it probably wouldn’t bother me as much unless that time frame was like 20 years.  I mean the law of averages says that eventually I would at least get a date or even meet someone but I don’t have infinite money.  I do think my chances are better in person but that also takes a lot more guts and courage.  You have to be able to smile even though you might get shot down.  I’m trying perhaps just not as much as I should be.  The holidays will be here again soon and that is just the wrong time for me, you get people traveling.  I don’t want to meet someone only to find out they aren’t local to my area. 

Well time to push myself away from this setup and move to upstairs.  I can be with my girl and believe it or not I have a work task that I need to tend to after hours.  I know that is a shocker.  Me working after hours, never. LOL

Take care!

Not so fun evening

I applied a windows update to my computer, had to run upstairs and figured a quick trip back to login and then I could get on with my evening.  Not so fast!  When I returned the computer had blue screened (crashed).  Not what I wanted to see.  It took me about 2 hours to get things sorted out.  That’s recovery and then applying the updates.  Today I find that some programs won’t open and need to be re-installed but at least the machine is working well enough that I was able to connect into work.  Gator was really upset with me last night because this took away from our time together.  However, I made up for it by picking her up and putting her in my lap when I got upstairs, we had about an hour to salvage.  I did some unexpected cleanup work on her, turns out she isn’t as limber as she once was and hasn’t been able to do such a great job.  She still grooms but it’s only areas where she doesn’t have to do acrobatics.  I also let her sleep in my lap way past when my sleeping medicine kicked in.  She ate some food and then either went to bed or wondered off to sleep in the living room. 

Gator never woke me up last night.  I was up once to use the bathroom and took the opportunity to close the door to my room.  It was in the 30’s outside not at freezing but damn close.  I tried to keep as much heat in my room as I could. 

I woke up this morning early and she was waiting for me on the couch, crying at me when she saw me head for the bathroom.  We had breakfast.  I checked the traps outside, the guy was back to fix them but didn’t add more bait and we caught nothing as of this morning. 

I read that Groundhogs start hibernation in October and go into a very deep sleep and don’t emerge until Spring.  Sounds like we have a few days to catch this thing and then all bets are off until next year.  I just hope that I didn’t waste a bunch of money on setup of traps for nothing.  I’ll touch base with the guy probably on Friday. 

Yesterday was stressful at work and today it’s going to be much of the same.  I can’t wait to get to the weekend where I can have some sanity and calm down a bit.  I hate this always on go go do do crazy busy hair on fire environment.   I wind up making mistakes or it at least feels like I am. 

Up to use the bathroom, check on Gator and then back to the fun.  Hope that all is well in your world. 

The trapper

The trap guy did show back up it was just after I started making my dinner and I got out of my clothes.  Timing could have been much better.  I got dressed and met him at the front door just before he was about to start knocking.  I paid him the setup fee and signed some bill.  He set up 2 traps and I expressed to him that I do not have an infinite flow of cash and that this would not be a long term adventure. 

I checked the traps after he left he baited them with 1/2 a cabbage and 1/2 an apple each.  Well something outsmarted his system either late last night or early this morning.  The food is gone from the trap closest to the groundhogs tunnel and the second trap has a missing apple.  The first trap was clearly tripped and the second was undisturbed.  It’s like I caught Casper the ghost.  The funny thing about this is that I talked with a co-worker and he said that if the traps caught anything other than a ground hog that I should set it free to avoid the cost.  That’s a nice idea but let’s just suppose it was a Raccoon I release it and then it attacks me, no thanks.  I am paying a pro for his expertise and a service, I know what I signed up for and while I am not 100% on board with the cost it is what it is.  My safety is something I value, considering I have a little old lady cat that is dependent upon me.  While I will look at the traps to see what if anything is caught I won’t be touching them because they aren’t mine and I have no idea what I am doing. 

Speaking of my little old lady cat.  She had me up like 4 times last night and I wanted to kill her because one of those times I couldn’t go back to sleep but she ate and then curled up in her bed on the couch.  She looked so sweet I just wanted to grab an airhorn and blast it.  I just tossed and turned eventually I got back to sleep but it was a very long night and today is going to be a hell of a day at work.  Lots going on right now it’s the calm before the storm but that calm won’t last long.  I am enjoying it while I can. 

We caught 1 mouse in the trap the exterminator set.  I heard a thump about 5 minutes after he left and kind of knew but wasn’t 100% I went looking and found it.  I also found a tiny baby that made its way into a trash can and died on it’s own, it was actually there when the exterminator was here.  The inside of the trash can is grey like a mouse so it blended I had to do a double take.  I disposed of both of them and told the guy so he is bringing more traps.  I honestly think that I had 1 mouse that was loose in the house.  I think the rest are in the walls and haven’t made there way out just yet.  Peanut Butter for bait didn’t do a damn thing for me but apparently it works for the pros. 

I also discovered what I thought was a Brown Recluse was actually a Wolf Spider.  From what little I read it is just as harmful. 

There you have it your rodent and insect update as well as a Gator update.  I got her more food from Chewy yesterday but for the first time it won’t be here until later in the week.  Normally it’s next day but they are shipping from further away so it’s taking a bit longer.  I just told her to bare with me and we will get her some tasty stuff to eat it is just going to take a little bit. 

Well off to enjoy my final moments of quiet and sanity before the storm moves in and I get crazy busy.  I will for sure feel overwhelmed and will have problems breathing but it is a temporary thing as most of this is associated with project work, tomorrow is the same forecast.  Really glad I am working from home all week long at least I can try to use that to my advantage. 

Have a swell day! 

Hectic Monday

I finally found someone to help me with the Groundhog but it’s not cheap.  It will be a couple hundred dollars to setup the trap and then cost me $100 per animal that is caught, even if it’s not the ground hog.  I am not happy about that especially if they catch a Raccoon they have to put it down.  I like my Raccoons and they haven’t given me any problems so long as that is the case I am welcome to let them stay.  I hope that they don’t fall for the trap or perhaps have moved to a different den.  The guy is supposed to maybe come back today but since it’s getting late I suspect it will be tomorrow.  I’ve got a busy morning and I will bet you that he shows up at a time when I can’t break away.  I will just have to play it by ear and see what happens. 

The exterminator was out today.  Damn the guy looks just like Justin Matthews (gay for pay porn star).  I said something to him and he said he’s never ever been told that he looks like him but he is always being told that he looks like someone.  I did share with him that Justin is a gay for pay porn star.  He put down some snap traps.  Applied chemical inside and outside.  He setup a bait station for the mice in the garage.  He also placed a bait block outside for them as well.  He dusted the attic, it’s just silica dust but it helps to seal cracks for bugs.  He will be in and out of here a lot over the next few weeks.  In fact he will be back on Thursday during my lunch hour to hopefully do more work.  There isn’t any charge for the in between service stuff because it’s all figured into the contract.  So the billing is as I was told. 

My hope is that all of the pests leave and it doesn’t kill me or Gator in the process.  As it was he managed to wake her up twice from her nap.  Thankfully she went back to sleep both times. 

Work was busy as well with all kinds of silly BS and some serious stuff as well.  I was bugged to death by my boss during lunch.  Tomorrow is setup to be a very busy and stressful day. 

I just want to hang up my naked men at home and return to being able to be free and open but that won’t happen until the pests are under control.  I was told that it’s going to get worse before it gets better.  Just my luck but hopefully we get to the better part quickly. 

Happy Monday! 

Taking Care of Me

I finally took some time for myself and man it feels really good!  I got together with my friends.  We had Olive Garden and it was great.  Then went back to their house and chatted for another couple of hours and then I came home.  That screwed up my cat food time but I’ve got enough that Gator shall be okay, she might not like what she is fed but there is food here. 

I got my hair cut, went for the shorter cut for the last time this year.  It’s getting cold out and if I get out in cold weather with super short hair I will for sure get sick.  Best advise I ever got from a doctor when it’s cold out wear a hat, regardless if you have hair or not. 

This is probably TMI but I had 2 orgasms yesterday after going all week with none.  That was really nice! 

Today I got up, had breakfast at home.  Laid around and watched TV then fell back to sleep for a while with Gator in my lap.  It was so relaxing.  I took time to book an eye doctor appointment which I have put off for the longest time.  I will be seeing a new eye doctor and managed to luck out and get a Saturday appointment and it’s soon so that is a good thing. 

I need to clean the house and put out pills, both of which I dislike but it’s work that has to be done.  The exterminator will be out tomorrow to protect my home.  I really hate to have gone this far because I am not about killing but the mice have left me no choice it’s not like they have taken the subtle hints I have provided.  Gator is still looking for them at night.  I pray that none of them die in a place that isn’t visible but I know it will probably happen. 

The dreaded smell is pretty well gone, I suppose that is until the mice start dying.  I hope to be odor free long term but short term I don’t know that will happen. 

I’m on-call as of tomorrow morning and so not looking forward to it.  It’s going to be back to the stress but I will try to pace myself and hope that things don’t get to the overwhelming feeling again.  I am still recovering and finding myself making silly little mistakes mostly in my day to day life. 

I did try to put on a new pair of jeans and I couldn’t button them.  They are the same size as the pair I normally wear but it was a no go.  I went up a size and ordered a new pair from Amazon.  They should be on my door step first thing.  It’s not like I needed them right away but hey if your offering then might as well, I mean I have paid for the delivery with my Prime Membership.

Speaking of membership, my subscriptions to the dating apps is about to expire.  No luck thus far and I don’t have much hope over the next few days but I will let it play out.  I am going to pay the $4 to Out TV they have me hooked on their new show and I watched a lot of their programming over the weekend, it’s not all that great but it is entertaining and educational. 

On Prime I saw the movie Dog with Channing Tatum.  It’s finally free I was going to pay to watch it but as soon as I saw it was free I had to start watching.  It was great.  I laughed and cried.  It’s a great story and the dog does NOT die, which made it all the better. 

That’s it for now.  Chores are calling and the day is starting to get away from me.  I will be enjoying my Pumpkin Cheesecake with my Olive Garden left overs. 

Hope all is well in your world.  Take care!

Ah so glad it’s Friday

This has been one very long and stressful week!  Today things are a lot calmer at the moment than they have been all week long.  I heard from my friends and we have plans to get together tomorrow.  Bad thing is that it’s at Olive Garden only because I have had Italian all week but I will at least get Pumpkin Cheesecake if they don’t run out.  It’s a late lunch meet up. 

I opted to try to call someone this morning about the Groundhog but one place that I was referred to said they stopped working with wildlife.  The other place told me I was out of their service area.  I have referrals all over the place and have left a bunch of voice mail messages, just waiting for someone to call me back.  You wouldn’t think it would be that difficult to find someone but apparently as per usual I seem to have the unique problem.  I did find on my city’s website that they recently did in fact stop taking care of wildlife removal, sucks for me because this could have been a zero cost thing. 

I looked into some travel for the Charlie Puth concert, he’s not playing close to my home so I’d need to fly, get a hotel and then get tickets.  I didn’t price the hotel but the flight and the tickets are fairly cheap.  I’m not going just because Gator needs me, it would also require taking time from work.  Perhaps he will play closer to my home sometime in the future.  I am not a huge fan of going to a concert by myself but I did it before and I know I can do it again.  Nothing like live music but I would need to buy some ear plugs. 

The weather is chilly this morning, I went out to fetch the trash can and you can feel the chill in the air.  The odor in the house is dissipating but you can still smell hints of it here and there.  Last night I was sniffing Gator and her bed they smelled like it.  This morning I repeated the test and they both smell normal.  I didn’t notice the odor in the house until I went out and came back in.  Also when I came downstairs I could smell it a little bit.  If it isn’t terribly cool and nothing else manages to aggravate the odor to stir it back up then I think if I open the windows, kick on the new fan I got last week with a couple hours of that I could probably rid the house of it or so I hope. 

Just before I went upstairs yesterday evening I another Brown Recluse crawled out from under my desk.  He was really moving but I managed to squash it.  Kind of glad that I signed a contract for treatment of the entire house for everything from the mice to bugs & spiders.  This temperature change brings a lot of unwanted things looking for warmth. 

I got to run, meeting time.  Hope you have a nice weekend!

Thirsty–Thursday

 

Pressure & Stress

I met with the exterminator, it was a two hour event and he didn’t even fully climb into the attic.  The good news is that he said that he would not recommend replacing the insultation mostly due to the cost.  It would be very labor intensive and I would be shelling out a mighty sum of money.  Of course he couldn’t smell a damn thing because it was our 3rd nice hot and steamy day in a row a good portion of the odor is gone.  However, temperatures are set to cool now that today is the 1st day of Fall and the smell will return shortly.  Instead he gave me an odor bag to hang in the attic that should absorb the odor.  His company only offers a multi prone approach to make the whole home pest free.  This includes everything from ants, spiders, silverfish as well as mice and rats.  There is a lump sum payment due up front to get started it’s a couple hundred.  Then you get service bi-monthly for another hundred dollars.  It’s a 1 year contract that auto renews, he said that I could cancel at anytime.  Now I doubt that is written in the Terms & Conditions.  If it’s one thing I learned from watching videos on how to buy a car is that the sales person can promise you anything but unless you have it in writing it never happened, they have plausible deniability and you have no legal leg to stand on. 

I pulled the trigger and signed up on the spot just because I need this problem behind me as fast as possible.  When I read the contract it said they will use bait stations and glue traps.  I honestly am against glue traps it’s not humane.  I mean you could argue that bait stations aren’t humane either but at least the mouse can eat, leave and then the pain starts instead of being trapped on glue island struggling to get away and dying from exhaustion.  I can’t imagine the panic they must feel.  I’ll talk with the tech when he shows up on Monday to get started about the glue traps, I am going to decline them and rely on good old fashion poison.  The only advantage with glue traps is you know where the mouse is going to die, with the traditional poison you have no control over that.  They will remove what they can see but if a mouse dies in a wall he’s there forever.  It’s going to smell bad for a week.  Hey I am already dealing with odors and have been for a couple years the sooner we can get this behind me and the smells leave the happier and better I will be. 

Work is what has occupied most of my time and energy.  Project work is the absolute worst.  Lots going on but thankfully the one of the projects will be ending next week as it will move into implementation.

I broke down and reached out to my friends to see about getting together this weekend.  I don’t have high hopes that it will happen but at least I made the effort and can cross that off my list.  I’ve got a haircut scheduled for Saturday morning and the rest of the weekend is wide open.  I do look forward to being away from work and possibly the computer in general. 

I’ve been taking advantage of my free trial of Out TV and have been watching it a lot.  Saw a competition for an underwear model.  Now I am watching a behind the scenes series of Gay Porn.  Lots of the stuff you see in scenes is fake but I had no idea to what degree.  Plus they talk about the whole gay for pay thing.  Apparently the money is really good for straight men, at least enough to motivate them to do it.

Well I need to get back to the salt mines there is plenty waiting for me to take care of.  I have zero desire to do any of it but I need the money.  At least there is only one more day until this week is done.  Hope all is well for you. 

Another Smelly Morning

I woke up super early and was trying to fight off getting out of bed.  Gator must have sensed that because she started trumpeting off her loud meow that she wanted food.  I got up, she was in the path of where I needed to walk but was smart enough to move as she saw me approaching.  It’s been my experience that cats in general don’t do that. 

I fetched her some food and tried to lay back down but that was short lived and I wound up getting up, starting to eat breakfast.  I turned on the TV and saw that the way that I travel to work was shutdown and there was a backup for 4 miles and growing.  There had been an issue since the early morning hours and it wasn’t clear on exactly what happened.  My best guess tells me it was a shooting or a fatal accident because a major artery doesn’t just abruptly close like that.  I turned on my scanner but didn’t really glean anything. 

Gator was passed out by the water fountain which had a slow trickle to it.  She looked kind of dead to me but I knew she was still breathing and just resting.  I had my breakfast.  Gator woke up and of course wanted some more food.  I had to move her away from the fountain so that I could clean it and change the filter. 

When I took the fountain apart I was heart broken as I saw what appeared to be mouse poop.  There was plenty of fur and food particles floating but I was really disturbed that she was drinking really filthy water and I had no idea.  If it wasn’t for the slow trickle of the fountain I wouldn’t have changed the filter for a while longer.  I got everything cleaned out and put in a new motor since the old one was on it’s way out.  It was all sealed so there was no way to open it and clean it out like I can with the replacement motor.  The fountain is flowing briskly once again and all of the water is clean. 

While it was upsetting to see what I did, it raises another question for me to ask the exterminator tomorrow.  Which is if the mice eat the poison, poop in her water and she drinks it what will happen to her.  I’ve got an idea but I’d like to hear from the expert.  I do think that mouse eradication would be easier and safer if she wasn’t around.  I am not going to pay to board her.  My other option would be to give her to friends but they have a multi-cat household and that would seriously fuck with her.  No one can care for her to the style she has become accustom to but me.  I’m convinced that she is hanging on for me and without me she will surely die sooner.  I don’t want to disturb her or her home anymore than I absolutely need to.  I want to make sure that she is safe and comfortable.  I get that she is on her way out but no sense in making that day come any sooner than it needs to. 

My new constant worries my cat and my house.  I should include myself but honestly I tend to put others first and take care of myself last.  It’s wrong and unfair to me but it’s a habit that I have fallen into.  I honestly can’t imagine forgetting about everyone/everything else and just worrying about me unless I am seriously ill like I was back at the start of the year with COVID.  Only two things mattered then that was me and Gator in that order.

I am very eager to get this odor and rodent issue behind me and it can’t happen soon enough.  Speaking of which, Amazon dropped off my odor bombs just after 5p last night.  Rather than use them I am opting to leave the odor in place.  If I eliminate it or even reduce it the exterminator might miss something.  I know it’s going to be very unpleasant for him when he is in the attic unless he is wearing a respirator and I suspect he may very well be, I expect him to Tyvek suit up I mean I would if I was him.  You have no idea what your getting into and what is lying waiting for you.  Bring some Bear mace just to be on the safe side (just kidding or am I). 

One more day and then I will have some answers and probably will have spent more money but at least I think I will be on track to resolve this.  I still pray that whatever damage is found is minimal but I don’t have high hopes that will actually be the case considering how long this has gone on. 

Last night on Social Media I saw a story for Out TV they have a new series that is airing about the reality of porn stars.  It’s centered in NY around 4 porn stars.  I am familiar with all of them but am really just interested in 1 being Joey Mills.  I am now on a 7 day free trial and then it’s $4.99 per month.  I subscribed through Apple TV which I am also on a trial plan until November.  I thought I could just binge watch this and be done, nope they are putting out shows like 1 a week to string you along.  I hate that.  I found a few other items of interest and was actually thinking of subscribing short term.  It gave me a break from YouTube Videos and Family Matters and I really needed that.  I still combed through social media and tended to Gator.  I didn’t really want to go to bed but I was tired.  No matter how much I sleep I just can’t get enough.  I’ve got too much worry on my mind and while sleeping pills help they wear off.  I am anxious to double dose because I know that will knock me out cold but I need to be able to function the next day which is why I keep putting that off. 

Work is a little slow this morning but that too will be short lived as the day gets going more and more meetings.  It’s meeting Tuesday for me.  One of the big projects that I am on will be wrapping up at the end of next week and that can’t happen quick enough for me.  I will also be on-call next week so that means I won’t be going into the office.  I obviously stayed home today because of the smell that is in the air and my clothes.  As for the other big project I am on that is starting to gain some traction and things are heating up for me but it won’t be over with until early next year.  It’s a real bitch of a project but it’s something that needs to happen.

As for me I am ready to pack up and go on vacation, even take Gator with me.  She doesn’t travel well as is the case with the majority of cats but there are some cats that are like dogs and they actually look forward to travel or at least it doesn’t bother them.  I saw a guy the other day on social media with his cat in a window sling and the cat was watching the road and looking around just like a dog would.  I kind of wish Gator was like that because then we would just take off and go.  I could really be remote then working from a hotel in another state. 

Well back to reality and whatever fun today has in store for me.  I know it’s going to be in the upper 90’s here and the weather person said that it will feel like it’s in the hundreds so perhaps one last hurrah for Summer.  It’s not Autumn/Fall until Thursday but meteorologically we have been in Autumn/Fall for a couple weeks. 

Hope it’s a great day for all of us!

Scheduled

The exterminator didn’t respond to the BBB inquiry so I called them.  I got someone coming out Wednesday afternoon to give me 2 quotes.  1 for finding and closing up entrances that the mice are getting into.  1 for the extermination of the mice.  We chatted quickly about Gator and they use something that is lethal but said that it would take her to eat several mice.  If she would chew on one she would for sure get sick but they said it wouldn’t kill her.  I checked online and the ASPCA says differently.  Poison is dangerous when you have pets which is one of the main reason why I have delayed getting an exterminator. 

I know Gator pretty well after 18 years and I really don’t think she is going to bother with a mouse but hey she might surprise me.  I will talk more with the guy that comes out on Wednesday about my concerns. 

Preliminarily I was told that this would be a bi-monthly service and the extermination part wasn’t horribly expensive.  If I have to replace insulation then that would be a little pricy.  The person I was speaking with on the phone told me  a mildly funny story.  He had a caller who had got a quote from a nationally known exterminator.  She lived in her home for 2 months and saw 1 mouse.  This other company came out and said that she was infested despite the fact she has hear no clawing/scratching or found evidence of mice and they wanted $30,000.00 from her.  See that’s part of my fear as well.  Anyone here could screw me over because I can’t get into the attic. 

I’m not super wild about using poison but I know that I can’t continue down the same path.  The odds of me not having to replace insulation are probably slim to none since my estimate is they have been there for 2 years or possibly longer.  I didn’t learn of them until April of this past year, kind of wish I knew sooner so I could have done something.  I think things are way out of control but then again I could be pleasantly surprised.  

Given that the horrible odor is still present I don’t think I am taking the risk of going in tomorrow despite really wanting to.  I’d like to wait until the smell for sure is gone and I can treat my closet with my Ozone generator to ensure my clothes and shoes no longer smell.  I may have to get new shoes but I don’t think I will need to replace my clothes because of this.  I may need new clothes because of the weight problem that won’t go away but that is a different issue. 

That’s the latest.  I hope I am on the right path and that this will all be over very soon. 

Breaking point–time to give up

Yesterday afternoon I was able to get into the attic.  Not as far in as I needed to be because I got wedged between the garage door opener and the ladder.  I could have moved the ladder to fix that but honestly I was exhausted just trying to wrestle the adjustable ladder from the wall.  It’s a two person job to get it down and put it back up but I have managed twice now to get it down and put it back up.  I am very out of shape and it drains the life out of me. 

At any rate I could tell that the odor I am smelling inside of my home is coming from the attic as I had suspected.  I set off the last fogger that I had purchase from Homo Depot and it made a minor dent for a couple minutes.  I backed out and closed up shop.  Put away the ladders.  Got cleaned up as best I could. 

Then it was off to drop off a package and I got me some Steak N Shake.  I really wanted chili but considering the nausea that comes and goes with this smell I opted to not get any.  It was difficult but probably for the best. 

I ate my food when I got home.  Took care of Gator and all of the tasks I was behind on.  Had to wash my clothes because the smell permeated them.  I also needed another shower because my body smelled like the odor.  Damn near everything I smell smells like the odor.  Even Gator.  I can’t exactly wash her, I mean I can but I am not going to.  That would seriously upset her, she has never ever had a bath in her 18 years of life except one given by herself or her family members. 

I changed the furnace filter to a charcoal filter.  I think I mentioned that yesterday.  This type of filter is designed to absorb odors.  The old filter even though it was less than 2 weeks old looked absolutely horrible.  I can only imagine what I have been breathing in. 

My mood was calm and I was feeling okay just not wanting to start another Monday but that is usual on a Sunday evening.  I got my shower and was drying off.  I put away my towel and then I saw a mouse scurry by towards the living room.  It came from either my late spouses bedroom or office area, both of which doors are closed.  I just don’t understand how they can worm their way around my home when it’s not obvious to me how they are such little Houdini's. 

That made me reach my breaking point.  I am officially giving up.  I have poured hundreds of dollars in money and countless hours in time with traps and ultrasonic machines (which I honestly feel don’t do a damn thing) and my problem is still here.  I have no idea how they are getting in and I can only imagine the amount of damage they have done.  While the ceilings and walls are all dry and show no signs of moisture I am confident that they have soaked more than one piece of insulation.  Time to call a professional for help, this is clearly beyond my ability to solve.  I should have done this months ago but thought that I could fight the battle and win on my own.  Silly me. 

I reached out to an exterminator last night based on BBB Rating and the fact they are well known in the area.  I hear their commercials all the time but prior to that I never heard of them.  They seems to offer a comprehensive approach and also a 1 year guarantee that after they fix the problem if you see another mouse in that time, you call they come out and fix it for free.  I reached out by email and I don’t think they will be that responsive but I do plan on calling them later this afternoon if I have heard nothing.  I am not fond of having someone in my home.  First of all in general there is a mess with clutter (that is attractive to the mice).  Second I’ve got naked men calendars all over and there are some toys in my room.  It doesn’t feel right to thrust my sexuality on a complete stranger.  I won’t make any sexual advances but I don’t think it’s welcoming or professionally acceptable.  I mean they are here on business.  You don’t mix business & pleasure or vice versa it’s just never a good combo.  Based on what I read they seem to have a rapid response so I may or may not be going in tomorrow. 

The place smells horrible again this morning.  It’s a hot Indian Summer Day here were going to be fairly close to 100 and the AC is already on.  It ran several times overnight which is unusual because for the last two weeks it runs once in the afternoon and then it’s done for the day.  I was up a little bit later than I wanted to be and I didn’t take nearly as much sleeping medicine as I wanted to.  I also lost my drive for self pleasure.  It’s kind of depression city.  Right now it’s more fear of the unknown than anything.  Once I know what I am up against and how much damage has been done I will probably be more optimistic, especially since I will be attacking the problem with the help of a pro.  Get the smell gone possibly replace some insulation and get rid of the mice then this place might not be 1/2 bad but I honestly can’t take much more going wrong before I reach the breaking point of wanting to leave forever.  I realize that is a hasty decision and considering that Gator is still alive I don’t want to move at all while she is still living.  My experience with an older cat if you move they don’t last that long afterwards. I just don’t want to upset her world anymore than absolutely necessary, which includes trips to the vet. 

The only other major concern I have is the money it is going to take to tackle this.  First to get rid of them and then the cost for any damage they have done.  The overall value of this place based on location is pretty good.  I really don’t want to take a huge hit if I do reach the point when I leave. 

To add insult to injury while I was getting the ladders ready yesterday a car pulled up and a kid got out.  He handed me a newsletter from the HOA.  Looks like we have new leadership and they like every other so called leader this mickey mouse bullshit HOA has had claims to going to aggressively attack those people who haven’t paid their dues.  Well I am one of those people.  I have lived here for well over 20 years and never once do they have a penny of my money or my late spouses money.  We weren’t told about the HOA when we moved in.  As long as the property stayed in his name or the name of the Trust I could probably get away with that argument.  However when it transitioned into my name I was well aware of the HOA and should have been giving them money.  It’s a small amount.  However, my late spouse didn’t believe in HOA’s and I really don’t either.  They are all talk (bluff) and no bite.  His feeling was let them put a lien on the house to try to collect, he swore he would never pay and we would never move so they would be fucked.  If I luck out and they put a lien on this place I will probably take the same approach unless desperation kicks in.  I saw a meme on social media a few months back that said if you don’t like your HOA built a Roost for bats, the HOA can’t make you tare it down.  Yeah but the city probably can and bats are known to be in the area I don’t really want them in my backyard.  The idea that some jerk can tell me how tall my grass can be, what color I can paint my house, etc. is all pure bullshit to me.  I paid for this place no one has a claim to it but me.  At the end of the day they can’t evict me, their only recourse is to place a lien and hope that compels me to pay.  Fuck the HOA and every gullible fucker in this neighborhood that has paid.  I know that I am not alone and many of us don’t want them or like them. 

Stay tuned for more as the fun never seems to stop in my world.  Hope it’s a better week for me and a great week for you!  I am happy to hear any thoughts or suggestions you might have if you feel so inclined. 

The battle goes on

I went out for Mexican food not knowing that my shoes (made of leather) actually had absorbed the odor.  That’s why the car smells and I wasn’t able to put it all together until I was eating my dinner.  I noticed that the odor was wafting from me and it was making me nauseous.  I had a semi-cute waiter and it was either him or the cook that took good care of me, not sure which.  My plate was full to the brim with what I ordered and I got extra Cheese sauce it was a very good meal.  I began scarfing as the nausea started to build.  They sat a couple behind me and between them and the manager they were trying to figure out the strange odor.  I felt really bad but just needed to finish up.  It took forever to get my check and settle up but once I did I was gone in a flash. 

Back home to my old elhomo with my gato (that’s Spanish for Cat).  I got out of my clothes threw them in the laundry.  Went over my shoes with Angry Orange and stuck them in front of the Ionizer.  That did the trick the odor was gone.  However, over night the odor lingers in the house and damn near everything absorbs that awful smell. 

I was resting and taking it easy until I just got this nagging feeling that the smell was coming from underneath my bed.  I had this thought before but dismissed it after a minor investigation.  Well I did a major investigation and found absolutely nothing.  I learned that the mice had been in my clothes that were laying on the cedar chest at the foot of my bed.  I had to launder them.  I opened the cedar chest and everything inside was fine.  I looked under the cedar chest and again everything was fine. 

By now it’s a little after 1 am.  I am angry about the odor but really didn’t know what else to do.  I waited for the laundry to finish then started the dishes.  I kept thinking about this and decided to figure out if the internet could tell me exactly what mouse pee smells like.  What I read said it smelled like buttered pop corn.  That had to be a mistake because buttered pop corn smell in a home, not the worst thing in the world.  In fact I’d welcome that smell over this.  I did more research and found indications that it does in fact smell like ammonia.  I know that ammonia is one of the scents I am picking up on but can’t really accurately describe the rest.  Safe to say it’s a smell that is quite foul and unpleasant.  I don’t want it in my home and you wouldn’t want it in yours. 

In the days prior I had gone into the two rooms that my late spouse used to occupy.  One as his office and the other as his bedroom.  The doors are closed off to those rooms and they have become nothing but storage.  In the days that I went in there those rooms didn’t smell at all.  Last night they too had the foul odor in them.  I had thought about something that I did last year when I was battling this and that was to run some water in the drains.  Someone told me that I could be smelling sewer gas.  I knew it wasn’t the case but did it anyway.  Our bathrooms share the same drain pipe so it’s highly unlikely that sewer gas will ever come into the picture.  I did that and then got ready for bed. 

Gator was waiting on me, she wanted to get settled in my lap.  So I was eventually able to wrap things up and be with her.  She laid in my lap.  I watched TV.  We saw The Man with Samuel L. Jackson and Eugene Levy via YouTube with ads earlier in the evening, it was a damn good movie.  I’d seen it before but forgot about it.  As I was pissed off and waiting for my sleeping medicine to kick in which it eventually did close to 3a.  I went to bed smelling the odor and trying to fall asleep.  My bed smells like it.  My clothes in my closet have it.  I got an idea get a big fan.  My late spouse had one but the damn thing finally broke on me.  We used it to clear the house of smoke when he would have cooking accidents and we were trying to keep the smoke detectors from going off so the fire department didn’t come out.  They were dispatched multiple times but actually only came out once.  It’s kind of embarrassing because they haul out a fire engine and a couple support vehicles there is a small army around the house and all of the neighbors eyes are staring at your place wondering what’s going on. 

I slept in a little bit.  I had to get a shower (which I usually skip on Sunday mornings) and went out for breakfast.  Then hit up the home improvement store.  Silly me I figured the isle were numbered sequentially so I walked to the end of the store when actually what I needed was at the front.  It wasn’t where it was supposed to be according to the web because they just wrapped all of them up and palleted them up high for storage.  I got help, got my fan and got the heck out of there.  What was a easy in and out 5 minute job took more like 20 minutes.  Off to the grocery store.  Managed to find Ketchup & Mustard.  As well as the Candy isle.  Got the heck out of there and to the gas station to fill up the tank.  Then finally home. 

I opened up as many windows as I could and opened up all of the doors.  Powered up my little tornado machine and it took a little bit but we were odor free in no time at all.  The motor put Gator asleep.  It sounded just like my guys old fan that broke, he used it every night as white noise.  Oddly enough last night I turned off all of the fans, air purifiers and it was dead silent.  I listened closely but never heard a sound.  The mice were active at night but it’s been days since I have seen any activity, then this smell came on and I think it made them move out so I hope.  Back on point, I laid down and as soon as I did I felt the AC kick on, I had moved the temperature up to 81 but I still let it run with the windows open.  By the time I eventually got up it had stopped and the place was actually comfortable.  I closed all of the windows, turned the fan off and lowered the AC to a more comfortable temperature.  Sprayed all of the fabric furniture with Febreze but the odor came back in no time at all.  Last night it was out of the basement but today it’s back there as well. 

My only hope is that the odor bombs that I ordered which are on track for delivery tomorrow will help do the trick and get rid of this.  It’s suppose to be pretty close to 100 tomorrow so maybe the sun baking the house will help to make this go away.  I’ve thought about something rotting away maybe in the attic or under the deck but it smells fine outside.  I don’t want to go into the attic but I think I will be giving it a look in a bit just for good measure.  I don’t expect to see a damn thing.  All of the ceilings are dry as a bone with no stains – which is why I think it’s coming from within the walls. 

I had lulled myself into thinking I had solved this when I got the fan so my mood changed.  I hate that I was wrong.  Kind of wish I had someone to call that could or would help me either free or for a small sum of money.  If I could get to the root of the odor and remove the issue then I am sure I could put this behind me in no time at all.  I really don’t want to crawl around in the attic that is a recipe for a disaster. 

I am going to see what I can see in the attic, drop off a package and grab a bite to eat.  Then back home put out my medicine and try to stomach the odor for the rest of the night until tomorrow morning when I can open windows and start the fan up again.  I need to keep this odor from absorbing back into my clothes and shoes because I need to go in to the office on Tuesday and I don’t want to sit in my office all day long smelling the horrible smell, plus I will be around others and I don’t want them to smell me.  I suppose if things are bad I could skip going in but I won’t be going in the following week since I will be back on-call again. 

Lord help me to conquer this and get it behind me so that I can move on to the next problem that is in store for me which I hope will be much simpler and easier to tackle.  Not exactly the best way to start a week with a lingering horrible odor in the house.  Then again I suppose it could always be worse.  I mean there are people who don’t have homes or food.  I have both just my home smells really bad right now. 

So that’s how my weekend has been, how about yours?  

Yuk–Odor

As you might have guessed from the title of this post, I am still dealing with the horrible odor.  I found some odor destroyer foggers that I had used in the past.  I stuck one in the wall from downstairs pointing up towards my bedroom and honestly for about 5 minutes or maybe a little longer I thought I had victory over this.  Sadly the smell from the fogger faded and the odor returned. 

When I went to close up the windows yesterday I had an encounter with a Brown Recluse.  I believe I had one the day before based on the web I saw and the research I did.  All I wanted was to get some air circulating in my house.  I didn’t want to have to deal with spiders.  The damn thing got on my hand and that made me scream like a little girl.  It wound up in the sink and while it fought to get away I won and it got washed down the drain.  One of those little fuckers could wipe out my Gator and could cause serious harm to me.  I’d just as soon they stay on the outside of the house. 

Yesterday afternoon I got on Amazon after work and looked for Odor Bombs.  I’ve got 3 cans (one set) coming on Monday.  I don’t have high hopes but maybe they will do the trick.  I also bought 3 smoke/odor destroying candles that have a strong scent.  They were delivered early this morning and while they smell really good thus far the only one that has a slight impact on this is the one in the living room under the candle warmer.  It smells orangey which is 10 times better than mouse piss. 

Today I headed out to a Home Depot to buy some odor bombs designed for the car, they should do the trick but I have set a couple of them off already and while I haven’t been upstairs yet I don’t have high hopes. 

I did wake up early but I lacked motivation to get outside.  I was hopeful that the candles would do their job but I honestly don’t know that there is anything on planet earth that is going to be able to cover this up.  I could be to the point of rip and replace, which means moving time.  However, I haven’t given up yet as I have been through this before.  Once the weather turns much colder that should bring relief. 

Funny thing is when I am in the car and the AC is on to me it smells slightly similar to the odor that is in the house.  The garage smells fine and there hasn’t been any mouse activity out there.  This could well be my imagination playing tricks on me.  I bought a car air freshener but I honestly don’t like it.  I am not about scents, I like normal non-scented air especially since I have allergies and the wrong smell can set them off.  This mouse odor irritates my eyes and my nose. 

Gator doesn’t seem to be bothered at all with the odor but I do think she senses that I am not happy.  We spent the morning together lounging in my chair.  She slept in between my legs and I eventually fell asleep in the chair.  She woke me up and wanted some food.  I got her back to the floor and fed her.  Then I jumped back in bed because I was groggy.  I really enjoy spending time with her, I know she appreciate it’s too.  It is so comforting to me and warms my heart to see her all stretched out, relaxed and sleeping to the point of snoring just because she is in my lap and knows that she is 100% safe. 

I am headed back out for cat food then I am driving for Mexican food.  That sounds really good to me.  Honestly kind of want to spend as much time as I can away from this place because of the odor. 

Not to throw a pity party for myself but I do wonder what in the world I ever did to deserve all of the hell that I have been through and why it seems to keep happening to me.  I am beginning to wonder if I will ever be reasonably happy ever again.  I’m not talking walking on Cloud 9 but I’ll take that just as long as it’s not short lived.  All of the crap I am going through kind of makes checking out a little attractive.  I mean it’s not as if I really matter to anyone other than my employer and even then if I drop dead for whatever reason they would replace me.

On the upside I did finally get a match on one of the dating apps.  I haven’t reached out to the guy and he hasn’t reached out to me.  Making the first move or initiating contact always seems to be risky and you never know if you will be able to start up a conversation or if it will just be a couple of quick exchanges of hi, how are you and then silence.  I’m honestly not up for games.  I don’t have high hopes of finding someone before my subscriptions come to an end.  I kind of think the dating app folks don’t want you to succeed so they can take more of your money.  I mean think about it if you are successful then it really doesn’t benefit them.  I realize there are new people that come along all the time to enter the single scene and to try to date but I would think that the overall strategy is once they have a subscriber to keep them for as long as possible.  Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think so.  Everyone wants your money and they are just trying to figure out a way to get you to spend it. 

I won’t say that I am 100% depressed today but I am not exactly in the best of moods.  I’m going to get moving.  Hopefully I can get Gator some decent food and have a nice short trip and some good food myself.  I am at least going to try.  Thinking salsa/salt and cheese with a slight kick.  Beans & Rice and everything nice.

Hope your day is better than mine!

Almost to downtime

Hello one and all!  What a crazy long, busy and stressful week this has been.  Glad that were coming up on a weekend so that perhaps I can get a couple days of rest, at least from work.  Today thus far is the most relaxed it’s been for me since about last Wednesday.  I feel like I have been burning the candle at both ends going from one extreme to another. 

I have the windows in the house open this morning again, the odor from the mice was starting to build up again overnight.  There is tone in the odor that when I smell it all I want to do is gag.  It kind of smells like ammonia.  Funny thing is mice don’t like the smell of ammonia.  I wonder if it drove them out?  I can only hope.  I learned last night in a YouTube video that mice also don’t have bladders.  They are constantly peeing.  Every where you see droppings there is urine that goes with it.  That kind of explains why things smell so bad.  Mice are a horrible problem to have and I kind of feel like this is insurmountable and what is going to bring me to my breaking point.  I know the true cure for the smell is to start knocking out walls and ripping out insulation.  That’s big money and I don’t have that.  I was telling a colleague this morning I can’t wait for Winter the odor will be gone by then that’s when I should call and ask for an as is offer – cut my losses and move.  Hey it sounds plausible to me.  I honestly don’t want to move in the Winter and I really am not physically or emotionally ready to move just yet but each day kind of brings me a bit closer to that point.  Right now I just want this odor gone it’s the absolute worst and makes just being here difficult.  Oddly enough Gator doesn’t seem to mind.  She loves to go into my room with the window open, the fan on and the sun shining in the window and sack out.  She falls into a deep slumber and that is the only positive thing about this whole odor thing. 

I have been planning since last year to wash the house.  I’ve got one of those bottles you hook up to a garden hose and spray.  Let it sit for a bit and then come back and rinse off.  It’s bleach based and I did one side of the house in the past two years (they kind of blend together) and it helped knock the odor down but as I recall it didn’t eliminate it.  I bought this stuff because the attic vent which I call a dormer in the front of the house is filthy and has been for a while.  I feel this will fix that.  As well I thought about spraying down the concrete driveway to help get rid of all of the crud that has built up on that over the years.  Nothing looks better than clean concrete, at least to me.  I lack motivation and energy which is why I have had this chemical sitting for a year.  I should really use it if not this weekend then soon.  Kind of depends on what time I wake up tomorrow, how I feel and what the weather is like.  I may just give in and wash the place I know for sure the mice don’t like the smell of bleach. 

Hope that you have a great weekend.  I’ve got nothing much else to write about.  Take care. 

Thirsty Thursday

Catchup

Howdy … It’s been a couple days.  I am still kicking and getting kicked.  Work is busier than ever and that is what occupies the bulk of my time and probably will for the next couple weeks.  I am part of a couple of projects and one that has been taking the bulk of my time should be done by the end of the month.  The other one just started to gain traction and I found what I believe to be a major issue only because it’s going to cause pain for either me or me and my team.  That has yet to be determined but it sounds like from the early talks I have heard it’s just going to be me.  I guess they think I like to be flogged but I am not into pain, despite life having kicked me what I deem to be more than my fair share.  I know I am damn good at my job but I feel like that gets exploited and I am taken advantage of a little bit too much at times.  Right now I am kind of close to a breaking point.  Thank God another weekend is upon us.  My co-worker with COVID came back yesterday so that helps out a bit.  I had to get him caught up and that took about an hour away from my schedule but it was good to talk, vent and generally catchup.

On the home front that odor, it had a mold like smell to me but after I opened up the house yesterday to air things out when the odor came back it had a strong ammonia overtone and I knew it was mouse pee.  Damn it’s so strong it has nauseated me a little bit at times.  Really no matter what you try you can’t knock it down.  If I could access the soiled area I could easily knock it down but since it’s buried deep in the walls fat chance of that happening.  I’ve got the windows open again this morning and fans going.  Gator acted last night like she had one of them trapped but I looked and saw nothing I think she was hallucinating.  

Speaking of the Gator, I think she broke one of her knuckles.  Her dew claw (or as I call it secret weapon claw) on her left front paw has a bump on it and when you go to move the claw it crunches.  She doesn’t cry or wince it just feels to me like something is broken.  For sure something isn’t right body parts aren’t supposed to feel crunchy.  She isn’t a fan of having her paws messed with but I can get away with holding her paw for a short period of time.  She uses that paw to signal me when it’s time for more food and it’s also her kicking foot, she has this involuntary reflex that she kicks just before she starts eating.  All in all I think she is doing pretty well.  Yesterday she spent the bulk of the day in my room sleeping face down.  I had the shade and window open which isn’t normally the case and I think she enjoyed the breeze and sunshine/heat. 

With my mind so occupied & focused on work the days fly by and I honestly really don’t want to sit in front of a computer longer than I actually have to.  However, I am taking a break while things are slow to have a little bit of fun in making this post. 

As luck would have it I just paid my credit card bill in full and the following day Mint Mobile issued me a refund.  I knew I should have waited to pay the bill.  Now I have a credit balance on a card that I hardly ever use.  Not sure if I want to go on a spending spree or if I am going to hit them up to send it back to me in the form of a check. 

Well back to the salt mines.  Hope that all is well with you.  One more day and then I can take a break for 2 whole days.  I think I will really enjoy this weekend even if I do nothing more than I normally do.  Just getting away from work and having some silence will be nice.  Cheers!

Another crazy day

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Working hard not hardly working

Howdy!

I hope that you are all doing well and life is going good for you. Friday was probably hardest and longest that I have worked in a very long time. I was by myself and had lots of fires to extinguish. The boss man unknowingly applied some pressure regarding the project I am working on and I do believe that I drowned in a sea of emails. It didn’t help that I had a person that was putting in their last day and leaving super late at night. I just kept working and working and working. I thought it would never end. Finally, about 8p everything calmed down. I sliced myself a large piece of Carrot Cake and poured a large glass of milk. That was supper! Then I fired up Netflix and started watching the latest season of Cobra Kai. Gator was pretty happy to see me since we only saw each other for a few minutes during the entire day. I could tell that it bothered her but there wasn’t much I could do about it. I’ve since made up with her and showered her with food and attention.

Saturday, I knew I would wake up and want to be lazy, just the sheer amount of effort I put forth on Friday was exhausting. I don’t remember what time I woke up but it was earlier than I wanted it to be. I finished up Cobra Kai. I had something unhealthy for breakfast, don’t remember what it was I know for sure it wasn’t cake. Gator eventually passed out on the couch. I took some time for self-pleasuring and afterwards I too wound up passing out. Woke up around 1p and had to feed Gator some lunch. I grabbed an ice cream bar and loafed for a little bit. I took a shower, got dressed and began my journey outside. I hit up the pet food store first. They didn’t have much but the selection was slightly better than it has been, still lots of bare shelves. From there I went to grab the mail. I got a birthday card from my friends and they want me to pick a day where we can get together an celebrate. I don’t know that I am going to reach out, probably will leave this until Thanksgiving and we can celebrate then. The birthday woes are over with and it’s something I’d like to forget; despite that I am constantly reminded that I am all alone. After getting the mail I ventured out for Pizza from the place that is 35 minutes away. My stomach was bothering me a little bit but I really wanted Pizza bad as well as to see the hunky waiter. I really got lucky in terms of the pizza, it was actually crisp and fully cooked. I limited my toppings instead of loading it up. Just a simple Pepperoni, Sausage and Spinach. It was damn good and I have plenty left over that I brought home. I could tell that I would soon need to hit up a bathroom so it was for sure time to head for home. I had a new waiter and asked him about the old waiter just to see if he still worked there. Turns out he was the manager that was presently on duty but working in the back of the house. He asked me if I wanted him to get him and I said nah was just curious if he still worked here. If I didn’t have the urgent need to leave, I would have chatted him up and possibly worked up the courage to ask him out. I was the only customer in the entire place so it would have been perfect timing.

Made it home and got everything taken care of and put away. Fed Ms. Gator some supper and spent a little bit of time with her. She went off to nap and I took that as my opening to start laundry and get on the computer. Time always has a way of getting away from me when I get in front of the computer. It should be called a time machine because it is just so engrossing. I was working on a complaint letter to 3 agencies that I am going to hit up regarding Mint Mobile. I still haven’t heard from those bums about my refund. I got my credit card bill and paid it, now it’s time to get my money back. They have until Wednesday so I am going to be fair and give them the time but if nothing comes on Wednesday then I will be firing the torpedoes (letters) off. I’ve got it arrange all neat and tidy in a PDF personalized for each agency and I have checked they all have internet submissions so I won’t be losing a small fortune in postage.

It was getting late and Gator was crying so I printed out a final copy of the letter and headed up. She got some more food; I proofed my letter for the final time made some additional changes and then got to social media and got caught up as Gator napped away in my lap. There were some unexpected Thunderstorms and it was raining pretty good. I’m not a fan of the rain since water damage created my mold issue a few years ago. It always concerns me. Eventually I put down the phone, turned on do not disturb and started watching TV. Having finished up Cobra Kai I was left with YouTube videos and then settled for a couple episodes of Family Matters. That was enough to wipe me out and I was soon in bed a little after midnight.

This morning I woke up, I knew I would have issues with getting out of bed having gone to sleep so late. I slept in a little bit but got moving by 7:30a. Gator had her breakfast, I filled up the fountain it was damn near empty and I got dressed and headed out to breakfast. I was really hungry and I have this thing for hot grits. They are so comforting but I enjoy them on a cool or cold morning the best. The temperatures have dropped significantly so I opted to treat myself to a large bowl of Grits, then orders Blueberry Pancakes with eggs and sausage. Damn I was so full when I left, I was slightly miserable. I remember thinking to myself I love food so much I wonder if I will ever manage to lose weight. Hit up the grocery store and managed for the first time in a while to get out without spending $100. That’s mostly because they re-arranged the store and I don’t know where much is located. I want a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; they are my go-to when my sugar drops and I eat them as treat now and then. I also need Ketchup & Mustard but have no idea where any of those items are and it slips my mind when I am there until I am about home and then it hits me. I hate that but like I said last week, I will remember next week. Watch I will forget again.

Made it home, more food for Gator. Then we sat together in my chair. I tried to dose off but just didn’t have it in me and then when I was about to fall asleep the furry alarm clock started chirping. I had to give in and feed her. That caused me to get moving a little bit.

I am on my second load of laundry. I took care of a change I needed to make at work. Caught up on Porn and finalized my letter and worked to get it all ready to go on Wednesday. Figured I would catch up on blogging as well. Next on the list is cleaning the house and then were going to sit and watch a tech podcast and that will should take us until about 7p tonight. I need to put out medicine and I hear Gator calling me so it must be time for more food, she has really been eating a lot but as long as she is happy and doing well, I see no reason to change anything. I plan to have a couple slices of left-over pizza for supper.

Not really looking forward to tomorrow because with this project I am really super busy. Right now, it is in my plans to get into the office on Tuesday. Gator won’t like that but it’s only one day and I think we will both be okay. Hopefully it will be a calmer and better week than last week. Feels like we crammed 5 days of work into 4 days.

I’ll leave you with something I saw in a YouTube video. Arkansas a trooper pulls over a Red Ford Focus that is occupied by 2 people (man and a woman). The reason for the stop is because the tags are expired. The woman was the driver and she pulled over as soon as the lights went on. She didn’t have a license; the car was her sisters but there was insurance on it. The man didn’t have a physical license on him, he thought it was suspended. The trooper goes back to his car and does the computer checks. He comes back to the car a short while later. He asks the man to step out and he hands the woman back the information she had provided him. The man sees the Trooper is occupied talking to the driver so he bolts. The Trooper yells at him, there’s no warrants come back. The man didn’t hear him and kept running, which caused the Trooper to chase after him in his car and of course he caught him. Just before he was cuffing him the trooper said it was really stupid to run away, all I was going to ask you to do is drive the car because you actually have a valid license. He said I don’t have a valid license it’s suspended because of a warrant. Apparently, the warrant wasn’t something the Trooper could enforce (might have been out of geographical limits for extradition or some other reason). The man started pleading to give him a break but the Trooper arrested him and he was holding in his hand meth of all things. So, he gets charged with fleeing as well as drug possession. Moral of the story is it never pays to run from the police and just because they pull you out of a car at a traffic stop, doesn’t always mean your going to jail but that is the case the bulk of the time.

Hope your having a nice weekend!

Krazy Day

It’s been one of those days that just kicked off and went to 100mph early on.  I made time for lunch but didn’t get to take the entire hour I am entitled to.  The big project I had been talking about started today and I sent out an email blast, man people have been responding to that all day long.  Pepper in my regular duties and then being on-call as well and there you have a Krazy Day. 

I am actually upstairs sitting next to Gator on the couch as we wind down.  It’s a little after 4p and I have been going since 7:30a.  I think this is one of those nights where I am going to be falling asleep without even knowing it.  I’d like to get in a shower if I have enough energy and if not well it’s not like it will hurt anything. 

With Monday having been a holiday the week is a little off to me and tomorrow certainly doesn’t feel like Friday but thankfully it is.  I liked last week at this time where I was bored and could do what I wanted. 

On the dating front I got an interesting like this morning that made me laugh and mad at the same time.  The guys screen name was something like Son for Chub Dad.  He was in his 30’s.  Didn’t sound like he was looking for a sugar daddy based on the profile but the screen name kind of soured me and he was also in a completely different state.  I understand the being older part as qualifying me for a Dad.  The chub part yeah I am a bit overweight but that isn’t depicted or written in my profile.  I don’t want to be a Daddy or father to anyone other than my cat.  I do suppose I could easily fit into the Bear community but what I am looking for is someone who is slender or at the very least way slimmer than me.  There is more to a person, any person that their outward appearance but their looks are what  causes you to like or not like them.  You may well find the most great looking person in the world only to find that they are ugly inside.  We all want gorgeous or at the very least good looking but I would take average looks for a gorgeous on the inside person.  I still think I am dying alone and that this is all a waste of time but I am giving it an honest try. 

Well enough computer for a day.  I still have to watch for anything that comes my way for the next few hours before I am free to retire for the evening.  Gator is doing better today and seems more like her normal self.  Hope you had a great day.  

Falling over tired

Last night I was just tired beyond belief.  It didn’t really hit me until after supper.  I had put in some serious work compiling and manipulating data in an Excel spreadsheet, before I knew it 2 hours went by.  I guess I was hyper-focused but I also remember that I just really wanted to get done.  It’s all for the major project which was announced today and needs to be complete by the end of the month.  I am doing the bulk of the work but being micro-managed by my boss and it’s taking a lot of restraint on my part to not tell him to fuck off and leave me alone so that I can actually work and get it done.  He means well but damn he’s so annoying!

I saw that it was getting close to bed time and I was so tired, I got up and started with my wind down routine that helped a little bit.  I really wanted to give Gator fluids but so tired.  She went to get a drink of water and I used that for my opening.  As soon as I stuck the needle in she began dry heaving, walked away from me and the needle landed on the floor squirting like a fountain.  I got it shutoff and made sure she was settled and okay.  Then with try # 2 we got the job done.  The new needle is longer so it allows for deeper penetration but I have to use a pair of pliers to get it loose from the cap so that I can actually put it in.  I honestly would rather go back to the old style needle.  Who ever made these in my opinion didn’t know what they were doing. 

After about 45 minutes Gator got over being mad at me and came to nap in my lap as I watched TV.  I was ready to go to bed but since she came in I didn’t want to turn her away.  She woke me up twice for food overnight.  Oddly she didn’t drink much, which was a bit of a concern. 

I found her by the fountain this morning when I got out of bed.  Gave her some breakfast and she ate a bit then went to her bed and waited for me.  I finished up eating my food and then went to hand feed her.  I could tell she wasn’t feeling the best.  It’s just odd that she didn’t drink anything overnight.  By mid-morning she had consumed a bit of water and had plenty of food in her stomach.  I think she is feeling a bit better.  I am still watching her and it’s times like this that she makes me worry.  It didn’t help that she was difficult to wake up when I found her this morning, that always alarms me.  I mean I will know if she passes, it will be obvious but she is much like her mother in that she falls into a deep sleep and then if you want to wake her up it takes a few minutes. 

Nothing is fast when you get old be it waking up or getting up.  Gator is very much in her old lady years but there are times when she acts like a young cat.  Her walking is a lot slower I think the arthritis has taken a good hold on her but she doesn’t let it stop her, she just takes frequent breaks once she knows where she wants to go she will get there just not as fast as she used to.  I hate to see that but at the same time I understand it. 

There was nothing on TV last night so it was a combo of YouTube videos and Family Matters.  I got bored pretty fast and that didn’t help to keep me awake.  I got a pop up on my phone and Charlie Puth posted a hell of a photo in his underwear with his hand over his crotch, that helped to bring me back to being awake.  Damn he’s fine and everyone is just dying for him to post nudes.  He’s got a new album coming out and this is certainly all PR to help keep him fresh in the news and also to appeal to his thirsty fans, which I am one of them.  Undoubtedly he is also very horny and that can make you do all sorts of things you normally wouldn’t do.  The photo I am speaking of appears below.  I just found another one where he is showing off his buns, man what a good day this is!

I’ve already accomplished a lot and it’s just about lunch time.  Looking forward to the break but there will be much more to do after lunch.  I could use a nap even though it won’t be good for me in the long run, in the short term it will provide me some energy to hopefully get through the afternoon.  Kind of wait and see what happens. 

Hope that your doing well and having a good day.  Very strange that it’s already Wednesday.  This week will be done before I realize it.  I just want to sleep in so bad and take it easy but not totally waste a day.  Come on Saturday!

Eye Candy

 

Head in a blender

I think I am caught up but it really doesn’t feel like it.  Lots of things going on and moving parts are many.  Meetings are also many and on different topics.  There is literally no time for lunch but I HAVE to eat or my sugar drops so I will need to sneak away to get a quick bite. 

I was up a little later than I wanted to be but it was more to accommodate Gator.  She was hungry and also wanted to sleep in my lap, we had a nice time and eventually around 11:30p I was able to wind down for a bit.  She let me sleep until around 2a and I was having a bad dream.  Woke up and fed her, then back to bed and she started at 5a again but I ignored her and she kept it up through 6a and eventually at 6:30a I rolled out of bed and started the day of fun. 

I am looking forward to sleeping tonight and am sure I will be tired.  I am already ready for a nap.  Just wanted to sneak in a quick post, back to the no so fun.  

Last Day of Vacay

I was able to get up out of bed at 7a and get going.  Gator had me up a couple times over night, so I was kind of impressed with myself.  I grabbed my meds, got dressed and out the door I went.  Had breakfast, saw a young hot cute waiter that I wouldn’t mind dating.

Made it to the grocery store got what I needed, had to play the where is this now game since the remodel is still going on and is likely to continue until early next year.  I already hate grocery shopping this just makes it worse.  Better to go early when there are less people though.  Being a Monday and a holiday since I was early it was like a ghost town everywhere I went. 

Came home, unpacked.  Watched some TV and crashed for a bit.  Then got working on the laundry and cleaning the mouse poop out of my room.  Damn they made a mess.  It wasn’t bad until I pulled out my bottom two dresser drawers and you could see they have been there for a little bit.  Never found any mice though.  Put down essential oils to hopefully keep them out but I still have my traps out as well.  They have also been in what used to be my late partners office and I expected them to go there because he cut a hole in the ceiling for a hobby of his and needed access to the attic.  It just took them a long time to make it there.  The room is used for storage and nothing is plugged in.  Oddly enough I thus far I have found no evidence of any chewing on wires, not to say it hasn’t happened.

It was a gloomy overcast day and eventually it poured buckets.  I thought about going out to get a bite to eat for supper but it’s getting late now and I want to have time with my girl and to unwind.  I could get that if I went out but it would just be shorter and I would feel rushed. 

Cleaned up my office a bit, shredded a lot of old bills that I no longer needed.  The file cabinet has plenty of room but since I have gone mostly paperless with almost everything it will stay empty much longer. 

Peeked at work email last night and there is a little bit to catch up on but it honestly doesn’t look to be that bad, although talk with me tomorrow and I will probably tell you a different story.  Not looking at all forward to going back I would just as soon do a swan dive on a cactus.  However, it pays the bills so I guess I will do it.  At least I can stay home so that is a plus.  Although with my depression I really need to get out.  Can’t wait to plan more time off, just waiting for everything to even out and catch up so I truly know how much time I have left.  I’d like to carry some to next year and don’t want to use it all up this year. 

Time to grab the laundry, a full shredder bag and my phone then climb upstairs and make the best of the evening.  I’m having store lasagna, which always sits heavy on me and I always say I won’t buy it again but it’s so good that eventually I give in. 

Watching old episodes of Family Matters and You Tube Videos.  I look for other content but nothing seems to appeal to me. 

Otherwise it’s boring around here – no email or phone calls from anyone.  Had one person like me on a dating app but I wasn’t interested.  I really think I threw $100 out the door but my month isn’t over yet. 

Not sure I will have time to post tomorrow with all of the work I have to catch up on so thought I would squeeze something in now.  The Gator is screaming for me so I am going to run.  Hope all is well.