Bored

Morning – I so didn’t want to get out of bed this morning.  Rudy made his biscuits about an hour early and I wound up telling him it was time to sleep.  I was cold so I fired up the electric blanket.  That was nice but still at some point all good things must come to an end and it was time to wake up. 

I made my way to the kitchen and opened some food for the cats.  I thought about going back to bed and just working from home today.  However, something in the back of my head said no you should go in.  Don’t ask me why I listened to that voice but I went through the motions and made my way out the door. 

With each mile that I traveled I thought about turning around and going back home.  Traffic wasn’t bad but there was volume.  Seems like from what I saw today everything is going back to pre-pandemic.  Denny’s is now open 24/7 and during the pandemic they had limited hours.  I think that eventually working from home will probably come to an end but right now I think most employers are playing it safe because they know their workers would revolt and they could find themselves very short staffed.  It sure would be interesting if they started offering bonuses to lure people back to the office.  I don’t know that everyone would bite for that.  I mean working from home has a lot of advantages the best part is no traffic, you can eat or snack when you want and generally your free to do other things if you want. 

I’m eager to get through today so that I can go back home.  I got another strong dose of sleeping medicine last night and I do feel a bit hung over this morning.  I want to go back to a normal dose before my body gets used to this.  My back is still very sore in general I feel okay I just need to shake being tired and sluggish.  My allergies are on fire as well but I have enough medicine in me to help control that. 

There isn’t much going on today a meeting in a few hours to talk about much of nothing.  A regular call this afternoon to discuss changes that are being made and then later a meeting by management about the Vision for the organization.  It’s supposed to be exciting but I am not as thrilled about going as I would have been say when I was newer.  I see it as a silly meeting that is a waste of everyone's time but I will play along at least for part of it.  When I am ready to go home it’s out the door I go. 

I told the cats I would be home before 5p if I could possibly help it.  I actually plan to make that more like 4p if I can.  Nothing like relaxing after a long days work.  I see a nap in my future, I mean I will probably feel okay but if I sit and things get quiet and I am comfortable there will be enough factors at play to lull me into sleeping.  Not good but my body can only take so much before it has to have rest.

I managed to load up the new lunch box which is more like a large portable cooler.  Turns out what I bought can hold a case of soda or beer in cans.  It keeps ice for up to 2 days.  It’s a heavy thing and quiet bulky.  It wasn’t what I wanted but it was the closest thing to what I had but just larger and more heavy duty.  I am not going on a picnic just to the office and things only have to stay cold for a few hours then it matters not. 

It’s suppose to be a nice day.  My office here is warm which is nice but it’s humid so I had to kick on the fan.  I will be getting up and walking around in a bit just to keep some blood flowing. 

Had left over pizza for supper with a dash of hot sauce.  A Oregon Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwich for desert.  That’s all I ate.  Then it was water for the rest of the evening until I had to get ready for bed.  Watched more cartoons to help lull me asleep.  Those are interesting and apparently cause me to have some strange dreams but I won’t stop watching as I find them entertaining. 

Looking forward to spending time with the cats and relaxing before another day is upon us.  Tomorrow thus far looks like 1 dumb meeting in the morning and then the rest of the day is free.  Thursday is the same thing but the meeting is at the end of the day.  Friday a quick meet up in the morning.  Looks to be a light week which is okay by me.  I honestly don’t want to work that hard. 

I hope that all is well in your world.  How’s the weather where you are, it’s screwy for a lot of people especially those on the East & West Coasts.  We have some rain in the forecast but I think that’s it.  Temperatures are starting to warm and the wind is blowing.  I just wish that it would blow all of the crap out of the gutters so I could stay off of the ladder.  Gutter cleaning, a job no one really enjoys. 

That’s all I have at the moment.  Take care, be well and stay safe.  I will talk with you all again soon. 

Monday again

Morning!

I was able to get a good nights sleep, thanks to the heavy dose of medicine I took.  I used the massager before bed and this time I took some Tylenol & Ibuprofen.  I feel better this morning but my back is still sore and hurts.  It feels like a timing thing in that I need to allow it time and it will settle down and life will return to normal.  That will probably be in a few days and then I’ll go wreck it again by working on the Water Softener or maybe I will put that job on hold for a bit longer.  Only time will tell. 

Call me crazy but to me my dishes appear a bit cleaner.  I noticed that last night.  It could be because there is no clogged softener or it could be because that’s just the results you get with only using city water.  I dunno but it’s nice. 

I had my greasy pizza last night.  Hand tossed crust by a very cute guy.  I added some extra cheese, Pepperoni & Sausage.  The P&S is my favorite pizza combo and if it’s done right it makes for a really great pizza.  I think my mistake here was the extra cheese.  It was good and I ate 3 pieces but took the rest of it home.  It was a full 17 inches of dough.  It’s going to be so nice to snack on or eat as a meal.  I’m also very glad about my decision to take an anti-acid pill before I left the house for the pizza place otherwise I would have really suffered during the night. 

I passed out cold by 10p and I think I might have woken up once briefly during the night.  Rudy was making his biscuits this morning and I said okay what time is it, and damn it was 3 minutes to 7.  That’s time to get out of bed, he was more on time this morning than he’s been in a very long time.  Odd thing is I told him last night let me sleep in until 7a.  Maybe he understand me and can tell time, kind of like Gator?  It was nice that he was on time and this wasn’t a false alarm but I could have used more sleep. 

That’s the problem with taking a heavy dose it makes me groggy the next day and all I want to do is go back to sleep.  I also oddly couldn’t get enough to eat this morning for breakfast.  Truth is I could still eat but my ability to want sleep is more pressing and what I will tend to cater to. 

It’s a balmy 70 degrees in my basement which is seriously cold compared to the upstairs.  I’ve got on short sleeves because it’s going to be close to 60 today for the high and tomorrow.  There are storms predicted for today but I believe it’s a nice day tomorrow.  Unless something seriously changes right now I plan on going in. 

I saw Bros last night.  It started off with me not being that interested and falling asleep.  However, it got interesting and turned out to be a really good movie.  It was how we spend the evening.  Both cats were asleep in my lap and looked so cute.  I didn’t care about anything.  I even only went on one social media platform last night. 

I wound up skipping my shave and shower because I just didn’t feel like it.  I’ll get the shave in tonight and the shower in the morning, provided I go in.  If I don’t think I will make it then I will shower tonight.  My preference is to shower after I shave just because washing my face afterwards feels so much better.  No need for after shave, no burning or itching. 

That’s pretty much it.  The guy on call has an appointment so I am keeping an eye out.  Wouldn’t you know it I had something to deal with just after I left the house for pizza last night.  It waited until I got home, it wasn’t urgent but it was something I need to get out of the way just because it went to a wide audience and Management was watching. 

Morea was really interested in trying to help me set out my pills last night and I think if I would have let her she would have jumped up in my lap while I was at the table.  I wasn’t about to do that, as a mess would have ensued and who knows what she would have gotten into. 

Here’s hoping that it’s a quiet Monday so I can get in a nap or at the very least step away to go be with the cats and watch some You Tube.  Cartoons are now in my feed and I even have them in different languages.  My preference is English as that is the only language I know fluently and I do not like sub titles. 

I thought my allergies were giving me a break but they are back on fire so I will need to grab some extra medicine.  I need a really nice day, with no storms so I can crack the windows and air this place out before the pollen starts flying outside.  I think that will help with smells and hopefully cut down on my allergy symptoms. 

Have a great day and I will talk with you all again soon.  Thanks for stopping by to read my blathering.  Your visit is appreciated!

Beyond Tired

Good Day and thanks for stopping by!  Last night before bed I sat on the heating pad to help my poor sore back.  When I was done I broke out my Pure Wave Massager and ran that all over my back, part of my chest, legs & feet.  The cats looked at me like they were confused and they were curious about the massager.  I let them smell it and tried to touch them with it but they thought it was cooties and it scared them. 

I took my sleeping pills and waited for those to kick in.  There was a porn scene that I was really looking forward to watching, I started watching it but honestly I was so tired and worn out I paused it and moved on to You Tube Videos.  More cartoons.  I did catch up a little bit on social media but I limited myself due to a time constraint. 

My insomnia kicked in about 1a and I was up for a bit.  The cats were sleeping all nice and comfy in my bed.  When I went back to bed I got Rudy to snuggle up with me.  He started making biscuits just before 6a and instead of sleeping in for a little bit longer he coaxed me out of bed. 

I passed out breakfast for them and then headed down to take care of my testing.  That was done in 30 minutes so I had time to pass.  The breakfast place doesn’t open until 7a.  I don’t like to be the first one there and so I wait until around 7:30a.  We watched more cartoons to pass the time. 

I ventured out, no hot guy waiter for the 2nd week in a row.  This time I brought my own Blueberry Syrup and ordered a Strawberry/Blueberry Pancake.  That damn thing filled me up so much I couldn’t finish it all.  I don’t like to let food go to waste but there wasn’t that much left over.  I was still offered a box but I declined. 

Feeling full when I left I opted to come home and relax for a bit.  I wound up staying here much longer than I wanted to.  I got out around 11a.  Hit up the grocery store got some really nice bananas.  I saw dried out Pineapple and thought I would try it.  With the two pieces I had when I came home it tastes like sugar.  I am not terribly happy about that but it was an impulse buy.  Of course as I write this I wanted to grab some Fritos and remembered that I forgot all about them.  Damn I always manage to forget something, at least it’s not my head but that’s only because it’s attached. 

I checked on my so called winning lottery ticket, turns out what I read online was wrong, I didn’t have a winning ticket at all.  Apparently you get nothing for 2 numbers.  Rats.  I bought 2 more tickets. 

Hit up the Home Improvement Store just to grab a Window Well Cover.  I was sweating to death and I had to walk the length of the store to get what I wanted, so there was some extra steps for the day. 

I came home, put everything away and took off my clothes.  I was so hot.  It’s close to 60 here and it’s a little humid today.  I had to rest, Morea wound up curling up in my lap and she passed out cold.  I dosed off as well but only for like 15 minutes.  I felt sick when I woke up but I convinced her that I needed to get up and I just opted to get moving. 

Got dressed, grabbed the Window Well Cover and got it installed.  I tried to add a couple extra screws like the instructions said to but that didn’t turn out very well for me.  It’s installed, a bit crooked but it is in place enough to protect the window and do what it’s designed to do.  I could go out with some caulk but it’s plastic and while it came with a 5 year warranty I don’t know that it will last 5 years, so I am not that eager to break out the caulk. 

I came back in and vacuumed, got the trash out.  I am cooling off a bit.  Waiting for a local pizza place to open and that will be supper.  I’m taking the rest of the weekend off.  I will go back to the Home Improvement Store next weekend to get the plumbing parts I need, I was able to get the damn hose apart last night but it took a lot out of me. 

I’ve done more physical activity from Friday to Today than I have in several years.  I’m so out of shape, sore and tired.  This is why I say I am allergic to exercise, see what it does to me.  I’d like to get in shape but that sound so painful that it’s just easier to stay fat. 

After pizza then I am going to gas up the vehicle and come home.  I need to put out my pills (I hate that task) then shave and shower.  That’s all that was written for me to do today.  I am so spent.  It will be kind of relaxing to go back to work tomorrow. 

So long as I feel up to it I plan to go in to the office on Tuesday.  It’s been a bit since I have been in on a normal week day and need to make my presence known.  It’s going to be another rocky and wacky week but at least I won’t be on-call, that’s the only upside to it. 

I launched my Amazon app this morning.  The page said I could ask for a refund but do you think there was an option to get a refund clearly displayed on the page?  Nope.  I had to write a message to the merchant and ask for a refund.  Now I am at their mercy or so it seems.  I’m not above calling Amazon but I want to see how this plays out.  I’m not moving forward with a replacement purchase until I know for sure I can get my money back. 

Speaking of money I need to give some of that away today, bill paying day.  It goes out tomorrow and by Tuesday I should have more to be able to give away.  Hard to believe that Wednesday will be March 1st this year seems to be moving pretty quick.  I am not eager to get back to grass cutting season but it’s way closer than Thanksgiving is.  Yuk. 

That’s all I have at the moment.  Hope your enjoying your weekend and that we all have a great week ahead.  Talk with you all again soon, be well. 

Sore

Howdy one & all!  Last night I got the itch to break up the salt bridge.  It was a laborious task and I used muscles that I didn’t even know I had.  I made a small mess but managed to get it cleaned up.  I got out 98% of the salt and feel really good about it.  There is some salt still around the resin tank and there is no getting that.  There is space behind the resin tank that I am unable to get to.  The pump in the brinewell had a small layer of salt build up in it.  I saw that and cleared it first.  I kind of figure that was the source of my problem but I’d rather start from scratch. 

I carried out all of the salt I vacuumed out of the tank upstairs.  That was like carrying a medicine ball.  I was seriously out of breath and worked my self to the point of exhaustion.  I had to have water and take time to breathe.  I thought for sure I was either going to have a heart attack or pass out as I did NOT feel very well at all.  The cats stayed close by.  With a little bit of time and water I was able to resume breathing normally instead of panting like a dog.  That’s when I called it quits.  It was well after 1a before I was asleep.

Prior to this I rented a movie on Amazon Prime called The Locksmith with Ryan Phillippe in it.  The plot was good but I wanted a chance to look at Ryan’s body.  Bad news not even a shirtless scene with him.  I was disappointed in that but the movie was solid entertainment.  A drama/suspense movie that kept you on the edge of your seat.  I highly recommend it.  My other choice was Bros and I just haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it, despite wanting to my interest fades. 

This morning I knew that I wouldn’t want to get out of bed.  Rudy had me up at 6a because he thought it was just another day and well I don’t normally get up until 7a.  He’s an early riser and I guess he gets hungry.  Mora was still in bed with me.  I got up and fed him but told him not to expect a 2nd breakfast when I get up, knowing full well that he would.  I sat and watched cartoons on YouTube for a bit before I was able to go back to bed.  My back hurts like crazy and I am so very sore. 

I had other plans for today but wound up spending most of it either sleeping/lounging.  I finally got dressed and ventured downstairs to work on the cleanup.  Had to throw the filter to the Shopvac away it was seriously shot after years of use.  I rinsed out the house and the container as well as the upper part of the vacuum where salt had collected.  I removed as much by hand as I could prior to this.  The shower was a great resource and of course it piqued the cats curiosity. 

Once that was done I went to work on trying to separate the water hose so I could get the O ring and whatever washer is at the top so I could take it with me to get exact replacements.  No luck I put this thing back together earlier this week and I must have had extra muscle that I don’t have today.  I banged up my hand pretty good with some cuticle injuries.  I didn’t make that much progress despite frequent breaks.  I finally walked away.  I went out to Red Lobster.  I had the worst biscuits, there was less cheese and they tasted undone.  The Crab Alfredo was good.  I didn’t get a Pina Colada but I thought about it.  I still dropped what I consider to be a bunch of money for a meal for 1 person, which is why I opted to not get the drink.  I’m going to take another stab at it before I head up and this might be a job for tomorrow or I might just postpone this.  However, I can’t use the softener or know that it’s fixed until I get these plumbing replacement parts because the hose as a slow leak that I know will progress overtime.  The last thing I need is to have a flooded basement, been there done that it’s no fun.  Years ago a water heater burst and damn there was water everywhere.  It took forever but we got it all dried out. 

My hope is that tomorrow I can hit up the home improvement store.  I still need to go to Sam’s for salt but my thought process is to make the plumbing repairs, then do a dry run with what little salt is in there and test to see if I fixed the problem by removing all of the salt bridge or if there is something more serious at play.  That will either cause me to buy salt and proceed or if things aren’t fixed then cause me to probably live without the softener.  I don’t miss it all that much but it’s the principal at stake and if I can fix this myself then why not do it?  It will give me a great feeling of pride.  The only thing standing in my way is this hose that doesn’t want to come apart.  This could easily be a two person job and I know with two people I could get this apart but what kills me is that I had it apart earlier this week and damn it all I should have left it apart.  Another case of hindsight being 20/20. 

I need to get to bed early tonight because I’ve got to be an early riser tomorrow for this testing BS @ work.  Then I will head out to breakfast and the grocery store.  What happens after that is anyone’s guess but I’d venture to say a nap will probably come into play at some point.  I am so looking forward to sleeping tonight.  My allergies are on fire today.  I used that ShopVac to help me clean up some of the mold and the mouse droppings, rinsing it out who knows what I’ve managed to release into the air.  I know it was a stupid mistake but the filter is for sure gone and I am getting a new one.  I just hope I don’t get sick as that is what happened with the mold before I knew I had it.  I got 2 back to back maxillary sinus infections and I just wanted to rip out my teeth from all of the sinus pressure. 

Fingers crossed that my allergies calm down, I can salvage what is left of the weekend and managed to check off all of the items I wanted to get done, despite being on-call.  I did get have two calls this morning but they were what I call quick wins, easy stuff that I was able to fix in a snap. 

Hope your weekend is going well.  Talk with you all again soon!

Guy Candy

 

Friday again

Morning and Happy Friday!  I hope that you are doing well.  Are you looking forward to the weekend?  Any special plans? 

As for me it’s not a surprise I’ve got the exterminator coming today.  Not sure what I will feel like later today (speaking of both my mood & energy level) but I’d like to get the hose on the water softener apart so I have the parts and can easily head to the home improvement store to pick them up on Saturday along with my window well cover.  I like to make things as convenient for myself as possible.  Grab N Go instead of having to do the work and then go.  This way if I decide I want breakfast out instead of finding something here, I can easily do that and then hit up the home improvement store and then come back home.  Take care of the repairs.  Then comes the fun part of chipping through the salt bridge and cleaning out the tank.  I’ve got some doubts about finishing the project in one day but I’ll do what I feel like and what I can.  It’s not like I am without water. 

Sunday will be getting up early to do some testing for work, then on to breakfast and the grocery store.  Then home for house cleaning and preparing for yet another Monday.  Ah, sounds like so much fun, right?  On call weekends are the worst because it feels like you don’t really get a weekend especially if there are needs that arise at work.  I hate just the anticipation factor, it usually is enough to keep me close to home then nothing happens and I have regrets.  It would be really awesome if on-call could go away but unless I get some serious promotion or change jobs I don’t think that is in my future.  I’ve always had a job that involves on call since I got into IT and it would be strange to be without it but I am more than willing to try it. 

I took my first city water shower last night and the only thing that was really obvious was the same amount of soap/shampoo didn’t later as quickly and richly as it usually does.  That was the only real difference.  Which does make me want to think twice about fixing it but what I think is needed seems fairly straight forward and if that doesn’t fix things then I may just leave it shutoff and call it a day. 

I had a couple calls last night and Morea was in my lap both times.  She wasn’t terribly happy but I worked around her as much as I could until I had to type out an email and then trying to type and rotating my body to the left was uncomfortable, so I put the laptop in my lap and she left me.  It’s all good, she came back when I was done. 

I’ve had some luck with being able to call Rudy to move him in bed so he walks up to my face, which helps me at least get in bed.  We snuggle a little bit and then he has to go back to be next to his sister by my feet.  They both look like they are in a deep state of sleep but the least littlest sound wakes them up and they are looking around.  I noticed that last night when I was surfing social media and they appeared to be passed out.  They look so cute sleeping but then again so does most everything. 

My meet up with my boss got moved to today and just before that we have another meeting.  I don’t look forward to either of them but that’s it until toward the end of the afternoon and one more meeting.  I’ve got to keep my eyes peeled for anything that comes rolling in but Friday’s are typically calm.  It doesn’t always work out that way but my hope is that it sure does today. 

I’m a little nervous with the exterminator coming out and the new cats but I had similar concerns when it was just Gator.  However, she moved much slower and was a lot less curious.  These guys are into every damn thing.  Rudy has tried to open the cabinets multiple times and failed but he still keeps trying.  There energy level peaks high in the morning.  Rudy is always the one who wakes me up and wants food.  Then I pass out the food and the energy level starts to kick in and they start racing through the house.  It’s calm and cool while dad is out but the moment I duck into the basement I hear them chasing after each other.  Then it’s calm because they wind up passing out.  They wake up and it starts all over again after lunch time.  I’ve got no idea if the same thing happens when I am away but they do not seem bored in the least. 

Remember my little cat nip experiment?  Well the day after Morea started looking for it and she remembered where I put her dose on the carpet so she started pawing at that and sniffing it.  I put out more for each of them.  It’s not a nightly thing but I think I will make it a weekend treat.  That sets off their energy as well and they really come to life.  I wish I had something like that for me, it would make life more interesting and possibly productive.  However, I’d just as soon not get hooked on anything.  I take enough medicine as it is.  I’m already hooked on caffeine, dick and sugar. 

I did sleep better but still my bladder woke me up and Rudy was right by my side wanting attention and I think he also wanted me to pass out some food but I don’t want to fall into that trap.  I just catered to him enough so I could take care of business, then coaxed him back into bed with me.  He made his biscuits on me, I passed out and the process repeated a couple hours later.  Then it was closer to wake up time and the march of the trash trucks started, Rudy began making his biscuits again and wanting me to get up but I kept rolling over, until I had like 10 minutes left and then I gave up and gave in. 

Have a great weekend, be safe and take care.  I look forward to talking with you all again soon. 

Challenges

Howdy … Life sure does push your buttons from time to time.  I noticed a crack in a basement window yesterday.  This is a well window and unfortunately it’s uncovered.  It could be anything from a woodpecker, rock or hail that caused this.  However it’s in the lower portion of the window, which tells me that whatever it was had to be close.  The glass isn’t broken there is just a line in it.  Where in the world do you go in 2023 to get something like that fixed?  I’ve got no clue and would have to talk with friends to find out.  Meanwhile my short term plan is to buy a cover and install it, that should in the short-term prevent any further damage and hopefully with bubble gum and band-aids I can keep this place together or so I hope. 

Morea barfed yesterday (sorry if your eating while reading this).  I brush and brush but you skip 1 day and that is the day it happens.  I remember asking before I adopted them if either of them barfs and I was told nope, they are no problem.  Yeah I think that was the first lie I was told weaved in with why I am their 3rd owner.  They are good cats and mean well.  They are just a bit much at times.  The barfing is concerning to me because I know that it’s not good overall for her.  I’m trying to quell it and brushing seems to help.  I may engage the vet for help but really don’t want to.  Between the fighting, Rudy trying to mount his sister and then with both of them occupying my bed at night.  It’s kind of a bit more than what I thought I was signing up for.  Yes, I have the option to give them back but I didn’t sign up to quit.  Giving them back is a though that I think about from time to time but I know deep down it’s not something that I could do unless there were other circumstances involved that would place them in jeopardy.  I’d love to be able to bottle their energy and sell it.  Morea isn’t exactly light on her feet and since she weighs more than her brother you usually know when she is up to something.  Rudy is the silent one who can stalk, sneak up and pounce without you having any clue until it’s too late.  They both seem to love me and vie for my attention and affection.  They have brought me some happiness and entertainment.  However, it’s not like I’ve got any of Momma’s family here and I am starting over.  The feeling of comfort isn’t the same and probably never will be.  I am still at a loss when they meow or make some gesture.  I’ve got no idea what it means whereas with all of the others I was around them for years and knew their personalities.  Perhaps that will grow on me over time right now the waters are still very new and it truly is like they are speaking a different language. 

Tomorrow will be interesting because they will get to see the exterminator.  I know they are going to hide, hiss and generally be upset.  So long as they don’t come in contact with his wet chemical we will be okay.  It takes about 15 minutes to dry so hopefully that happens and they don’t get curious because the last damn thing I want is to see the vet for an emergency much less a regular visit.  I know it’s in our future for the regular visit but I’d like to keep that pushed out as far as I can. 

We had an okay evening.  I had spaghetti and I threw in a very small amount of hot sauce for a little kick.  Man I tasted it and later on I felt it kick in my stomach.  I like a little spice not a lot.  I had an Oreo Ice Cream Cone for desert.  That helped to cool things off not that they were on fire but Ice Cream is a great thing. 

Today at work I’ve already battled a couple different things.  Both involve a change in direction but no one bothered to tell me anything, I get to find out by surprise.  I fucking hate that.  I mean good surprises are great but surprise here’s a problem or a mess and you get to clean it up is not the kind of surprise I like but it’s the one I seem to get more often than not. 

My insomnia kicked in again last night.  Part of that is over having to de-gay the house.  I fucking hate it but I do it because I don’t want any person that visits my home to feel uncomfortable regardless if it makes me uncomfortable.  The rest who knows it could be the fact that I have to wake up early on Sunday the fact that I’ve got this Water Softener Repair work hanging over me or perhaps it’s the fact that two cats don’t give me enough space to actually sleep.  If there is anything at all that is really bothering me or that I am worried about it will surface through lack of sleep.  The good news is that I watched some TV the cats and I both got up.  I got back into bed and they decided not to join me until after I turned out the lights which was semi-helpful.  Often I think I’ve only got 1 of them but they are both there.  They stick together like glue and I really see they are truly a bonded pair.  Makes me jealous that me and my brother aren’t bonded like that.  We can be different but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able to get along but that ship has set sail and it’s not coming back. 

My Amazon Battery shipment for the UPS still hasn’t shipped, just the label is created.  Amazon is making me wait until Saturday before I can request a refund, which I kind of think is a bit much but I get they have their standards.  The part that really sucks is the price of the battery that I ordered has dropped by 50% and I would re-order but if it’s just going to go through the same seller and I would get nothing I don’t see the point.

It’s going to be a long day, there isn’t a whole lot going on.  I’ve knocked out all of the work I know about for the day.  Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see what else comes rolling in and being able to stay awake and occupied.  I’ve got a call with the boss later on today, it’s just the usual monthly touch base which is a complete waste of time.  I’ve told him I think we meet to much and last year it hit home and he did something about it, this year he’s back to his old ways and I don’t want to be the one to always complain.  No one else likes how much we meet but they are all too scared to say anything.  So another typical day.  Just look forward to Friday when that day is done and the phone stops chirping. 

I’m ready for the weekend and to try to relax and get some rest.  Hopefully, I will be able to knock out the minor home repair projects and get the shopping done while still being able to eat out and enjoy my time away.  I’m tentatively thinking about Red Lobster for dinner on Saturday that is subject to change but it really sounds pretty good now.  It’s a nice drive to be able to stay fairly local to home.  Here’s hoping for lots of peace & quiet as well as success.  

Enjoy your Thursday which just so happens to be National Chili Day.  I’m so hungry for Chili I can eat that stuff year round.  I heard all about this National Day via the news this morning.  They mention strange things like that on occasion.  I remember years ago we stopped at Pizza place and ordered chili.  They served it in a mug, with tortilla chips and topped it with sour cream.  It was a bit spicy but damn it was sure good.  That place is long gone sadly but I try to recreate that mug of chili all the time. 

Hope your not terribly hungry like I am right now.  Have a great day, be well and I will talk with you again soon. 

The mop up guy

Howdy!  I had one call last night, nothing terribly serious just bad timing.  I got it taken care of and was relaxing with Morea in my lap and Rudy on my bed.  Suddenly and without much warning I managed to drift off, I was exhausted.  I was kind of surprised but after the day I had with the manual labor on the Water Softener it all makes sense. 

Once I woke up I managed to get Morea off my lap, which was no easy task.  She likes to setup shop, nap and it’s like trying to move concrete but if you chip away at her long enough she will give in, not necessarily happy about it but she will give in. 

I had Fish & Mac n Cheese for supper, simple & easy.  Had some gummy worms for desert.  Then it was off to camp in front of the TV.  I took in Kathleen Madigan’s new comedy special on Amazon.  It was good, I got a couple of chuckles in.  I am a tough customer to make laugh and I think the more shit that life hands me the tougher that gets.  However, laughter is something that I enjoy and not something that I fight but it’s got to appeal to me.  Some people and comedians can make me laugh easier than others.  It also depends on what I am going through or what the day has dealt me.  Once I get rolling with laughter it’s kind of difficult to stop me. 

I surfed Social Media again.  Morea tried to bite my phone and really didn’t want me paying attention to anything or anyone but her.  I gave her some minor attention and then I kept on.  Nothing really of note but it’s one of a few activities that I do on a daily basis that is enjoyable and quite addicting.  Kind of like eating or breathing. 

I took some extra sleeping medicine and did it early so that I would get a decent nights sleep.  I woke up at 3a once again with my legs 1/2 off the bed.  It was a dream where I was walking and my hips were hurting when I woke up, not to mention my back.  I’ve got a couple of knots on each side that are bothering me.  I had to fight with the cats to reclaim part of my bed.  The best part was when I woke back up at 5a and had to use the bathroom.  They both were certain I was getting up so they followed me.  I got to climb back into an empty bed and ah that was so nice to have my entire bed to myself.  I had that yesterday afternoon when I tried but failed at taking a nap.  It’s been a little over a month since I was the only one sleeping in that bed.  I kind of miss that but don’t want to trade in the cats.  I’d gladly buy them their own small bed but I don’t think they would want to sleep in it.  At this point there are only two ways I am going to get a bed to sleep in by myself.  That is 1 to kick them out and not permit them in my room OR 2 to go check into a hotel.  I am apt to try option #1 but I really don’t want to hurt their feelings, that is the only thing that is preventing me from giving it a try however were getting closer to that point in time. 

I could for sure use a nice massage.  If I could teach both of them to make their biscuits on my upper back they would do a decent job.  Morea weights more so she would be the best at it.  Rudy weights next to nothing and makes quick biscuits whereas Morea takes her time.  Regardless it feels good so long as they don’t opt to use their claws.  I don’t have high hopes for trying to train them to work on my back.  I should probably invest in a massage chair, that would be money well spent, especially for all of the aches I have.  I couldn’t imagine getting a massage each day but it would have to be something that was worth while so that I didn’t have to supplement with a human.  Massages via a human are expensive but that seems to be the only method that is really of any effect on me.  I’d ask the doctor for physical therapy but they would want me to do all sorts of exercises, constantly ask me when I was going back to the doctor and then there is the travel to and from.  When I think about all of that it’s kind of not worth it, even though it could help me feel better. 

It’s going to be another day of stupid meetings.  We have serious storms in the forecast for today and then tomorrow the temperature drops.  It’s like today it’s spring and tomorrow its back to winter.  It’s not terribly uncommon for this time of year.  However I think were going to have another year where we go from a couple days of Spring straight into the heat of Summer with very little transition time, which also seems to be more normal.  It wasn’t like that when I was younger you could experience all 4 seasons here.  Personally, I would be okay if it was in the low to mid 70’s year round.  That would be comfortable and I think enjoyable.  However, I know that it’s possible to get better weather but it would require a move. 

I almost forgot the most important part, I won at Powerball finally.  I got 2 numbers and depending on which internet resource is correct I either get $4 or $7.  I’ll find out if I remember to take the ticket to the grocery store with me on Sunday.  I did say please God let me win but I wasn’t specific on the sum, so perhaps I got what I asked for.  It would be nice to win something sizeable where I could quit my job and move and travel.  Not sure if that will ever happen especially if my dreams are contingent on winning the lottery because the odds are certainly NOT stacked in my favor. 

I had to clean up another mess that a co-worker created and I am really pissed off about it.  Today is one of those days where I wish I could just walk away.  While I can leave at any time and without any notice I have to think more about how I would survive and it’s just not prudent to throw away everything because I got pissed off.  It’s a good thing that I am separated by geography from my co-workers and my boss because there are times when I’d like to slap them all.  I’m sure that goes both ways. 

Not much else going on, thus far it’s calm but the day is still young.  I hope that all goes well for me and for you.  Take care and stay safe.  We will talk again soon. 

Quick Update

I managed to get the fittings apart and looks like I need a new O ring and that should quell the leak in the hose.  That’s only 1/2 of the battle though.  I took it apart and put it back together but of course it still leaks.  Which means I need to take it apart again to get to the O ring.  I’ve inspected all of the other parts and everything seems fine.  I need to make sure the leak from the intake hose is fixed first.  Then I can worry about addressing the slight water in the tank. 

It’s probably a clogged duct in the tank that is causing the build up of water.  Sounds like an easy fix but it’s far from that.  You have to use firm but gentle pressure so as to not damage the tank but break up the salt.  I saw on-line they suggest using a broom handle, which is genius. 

I’m still on city water and I am okay with that for now.  When I have some additional rest and gumption I will tackle this, probably on a Saturday.  I’d like to get a shop vacuum so I can tackle wet and dry.  Get the tank all cleaned out.  Then start as if I just unboxed this. 

I’ve got instructions from the manual and you need to prime it with bleach and run a cleaning cycle.  Then when that is done you can fill it with salt and viola that should be all there is to it.  I know it’s going to cost me not only time but labor.  However, if I can fix this on my own and get that feeling of satisfaction it will make me feel good.  Doesn’t mean I won’t cuss along the way because I already have. 

Right now it feels like my sugar is dropping, it’s getting later in the afternoon so I am going to head up and hope like hell that I don’t get bugged to death tonight. 

I hope to be able to take in Kathleen Madigan’s new comedy special that is on Prime as of today.  That’s some good info. I got from social media and I’ve been looking forward to seeing this. 

Talk with you all again soon. 

 

Another Pickle

Good Day … I hate that I am obsessed with trying to fix things, especially stuff that is outside of my comfort zone.  I’m not a mechanic and my strength is doing my regular day-to-day job.  Yet I try knowing that I could easily do more harm than good.  I wish sometimes I left somethings alone. 

This all leads back to the stupid water softener.  I did some reading on-line, which is about the same thing as one looking up symptoms for a medical condition and before you know it, your self diagnosed with ankle cancer, when you just needed to pop your ankle.  Anyway, it could be the float which is what I was working on yesterday.  It could also be clogged ducts in the bottom of the tank which was my next theory.  However, I noticed water dripping from the incoming cold waterline.  That’s outside of the water softener.  I went to tighten the leaky fitting and man we sprung a leak.  I got the water shutoff, but the softener in bypass mode and opened the bypass valve.  Tested to ensure that I have water and there are no further leaks.  Now I am totally on city water. 

This damn water softener seems to be more trouble than it’s worth.  I am going to try to fix the leaky fitting and if I can great, then I will go back to the softener.  If not then I’ll be on city water and won’t have the need to buy salt at the moment.  If I really want to fix this I will probably need to clean out the tank and that is going to be a difficult task, which is why it might just be easier to part ways with it.  I checked my local home improvement store and they sell new units it’s about $600 and then I have no idea what they would charge for installation, if I am going to wind up replacing this unit that is the route I will go but I am in no rush. 

There is some personal satisfaction when I can fix something on my own and I apparently long for that feeling which is why I seem to get myself into these situations.  At least I am not without water, which is a good thing.  It won’t affect the cats because they drink bottled water and always will as long as they are mine.  To me water is water but I see better results giving cats bottled water. 

All of this calamity hit and I had to jump on a conference call which I was no thrilled about.  Today was one of those days where the boss wanted to hear his own voice plus ours.  It’s like we had a team meeting but the actual team meeting is tomorrow.  You’d think he would cancel that but nope it’s still on because he’s a chatty sob and he’s stuck on meetings.  It’s like planning to plan we need a meeting to meet.  It drives me nuts.  Fewer calls would make everyone more productive and happier.  I mean when he actually goes on vacation we don’t have calls and everyone really looks forward to that.  Shame he’s not going on vacation anytime soon that I know of. 

My insomnia hit again last night and I was up at 3a.  I tried to resist turning on the TV but it was my last hope and it’s what I needed.  When I woke up this morning I thought I was in bed alone but Morea was there.  Rudy started walking on top of me to try to rouse me, he also made some biscuits as if that would help things along.  Yeah it worked but I stuck it out in bed as long as I could.  These cats are just like Gator in that when the light in the living room goes on at 6:30a they think it’s time for me to get up.  It’s not.  If I am going in I should be up at 6a and if I am working from home then I can sleep in until 7a.  Since I am on-call this week I am working from home and have no plans on going in. 

I did get one call last night but it was minor and I was able to clear things up pretty easily.  I hope that the rest of the week is calm be it working hours or off hours.  I hate this whole having to work thing.  Then adding on home repairs it’s so not fun.  Here’s hoping that things perk up and I can dig my way out of this fine little mess I have fallen into. 

Hope you have a good day and that things are going well for you.  Stay warm and take care!   

Gaping Hole

Welcome to Monday, I hope your doing well.  It’s been a busy but pretty average day. 

I was kind of surprised when lunch time rolled around, it got here pretty fast.  I did take a break around 10a and the cats of course wanted food.  When I went up for lunch Rudy was asking for food and pretty begging while I fixed my lunch.  Pretty begging is when he stands up, so his front paws are on my leg.  Then he turns on his charming face for this look like you can’t possibly say no to this face.  Which I respond to yup sure can.  He knows the results but he still tries and keeps on trying.  He loves to be in my way when I am in the kitchen for any reason. 

It was around 55 degrees and I opened up the blinds to the deck.  The cats always peer through but they have never been able to walk up and just look out.  At lunch I kicked it up a notch, turned off the alarm and opened the door.  I found this small gaping hole (I’m guessing that when you saw the title of the post, your mind went to another place.  I know my mind would have gone to the same place) in the bottom of the screen door.  Something tore through it.  It wasn’t big enough for the cats to get out but if anything small came up to the door they could have interacted with it, like a mouse, bird, etc.  Therefore, I kept my eye on them but enjoyed a nice Ham & Turkey sandwich on Honey Wheat.  It wasn’t anything special but it was good. 

When I was done I patched up the gaping hole.  I have some screen tape I ordered off of Amazon.  It looks like screen material, you cut what you need from the roll, peel off the plastic to expose adhesive and place it on the screen.  It did a couple runs inside and then for good measure I went outside.  We managed to aggravate the neighbors dog who started barking like crazy.  I happened to notice the neighbor closest to me ran some CAT 5 cable outside his house and it’s on his roof.  Not exactly sure what that is all about but it looks horrible.  I could have thought of several different ways to do it and make it look better.  I would have put it in conduit to keep it out of the elements and from anything chewing on it.  To each his own. 

The cats had fun with the air blowing in and being able to get a wide view of the back yard.  I could tell they were itching to get outside.  The only way that is going to happen is if they are in my arms, one at a time and honestly I don’t feel very comfortable with carrying either of them out of the house unless they are in carriers.  I’d be too afraid they would get loose and then the chase would be on, that would so not be fun because they can both run faster than me and both have way more energy than me.  Not to mention their climbing skills and my lack of climbing.  So, better off for them to stay indoors.  My heart beats just fine on it’s own, no need to give it a workout.  I’d also never forgive myself if I did something stupid like that and one of them got away.  Both are chipped but still not everyone is kind to strays, not everyone ensures found animals are scanned.  We ensured that Momma, Taz and Blu were all scanned but none of them were chipped.  That’s when you get to make a decision to keep them as your own or to turn them into animal control. 

In other fun news, my water softener has taken on water in the tank again.  I fixed it last year and tried the same thing again but thus far no luck.  I wound up taking apart the float mechanism thinking that it was clogged, but it was not.  That was not fun to take apart or put back together.  My next though was that something inside was clogged or gummed up.  I got a steel yard stick and tried to make sure everything was free and then I issued another recharge command.  I’ll know in a couple hours but probably won’t stick around down here that long.  I’ll check on it before I go but the real results won’t be available until either later tonight or tomorrow, depending on when I want to check.  I’d like to get a new shop vac.  Clean out what is in there salt and any water.  I think that getting the tank empty might give me a better clue or at the very least the ability to start at zero.  There are other filters and parts inside that I can take apart and clean.  The easy thing to do is just bypass the softener, turn it off and call it a day.  The water in my opinion isn’t hard here and this is a luxury item that I really don’t need.  Don’t get me wrong it’s nice because you use less soap.  I could also opt to replace it but I would need to engage a plumber and really don’t want to go that route unless I really need to.  I don’t like to give up which is why I am sticking with it.  I don’t however have high hopes.  What I have is made by Sears and they sadly are out of business, who would have ever thought that would happen?  We replaced this unit some years back when the original that came with the house stopped working.  My late spouse was able to take care of the plumbing part.  We wrestled this damn thing down here and I don’t have the luxury of help if I would opt to replace it, which is why I would engage a plumber. 

Last night I noticed that my thumb was sore.  It was from all of the wire work I did on that door at work.  Still I had no idea how much I used my thumb but that became painfully obvious.  Mostly it’s a social media thing and despite the pain I was able to keep on scrolling.  I figured it would be super sore this morning but nah it’s all good now. 

I’ve checked on my replacement UPS battery order.  It’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow if you believe Amazon Tracking.  However, FedEx still says the label was created but they have yet to take possession of the package.  With today being President’s Day FedEx is one of the few in the shipping business that is open.  If the business doesn’t turn the package over to FedEx tomorrow then chances are pretty good that it’s not going to ship and I will have to wait it out but will be able to get a refund.  I’d just as soon get the replacement, I mean that’s why I placed the order.  If I didn’t want it I would have never ordered it.  I’m thinking that if I do have to go the refund route.  It might just be better to get a brand new unit and forget about replacement batteries.  However, there is nothing wrong with the UPS I’m putting the batteries into other than the present batteries are dead and the damn is no good without batteries I mean it circumvents the whole purpose behind it.  Thus far the unit in my bedroom hasn’t made a sound so I am hoping that I still have some time before it gives up the ghost and I am trying to avoid that from happening. 

My allergies are on fire.  I’ve already taken extra medicine and it’s like I did nothing at all.  Next step is some nasal spray and I hate that but it does work.  I hope that it’s a calm night and I can just relax and enjoy a work/call free night.  Despite having a Jelly Donut with my breakfast I’ve had zero interest in taking nap, which is really surprising.  I did have a decent nights sleep it was about an hour shorter than what I actually wanted but apparently it was enough for my body to get by.  Here’s hoping that theme continues because naps are so enjoyable and you can fall into a hell of a habit that is difficult to break.  Sunshine I think also helped. 

That’s all I got at the moment.  Going to microwave dinner tonight, not sure what I am having.  Might finish off the Strawberry Crème Cake from last week, one piece left.  Kind of wish I would have went to Sam’s yesterday because then I’d probably have some bakery to fall back on, not like I really need it. 

Have a good night and I will talk with you all again soon. 

A lot of screwing & money

Hello and welcome!  I hope that your doing well and have had an enjoyable weekend.  It’s been really busy and expensive for me.  I’m very tired and looking forward to a nice dinner, a shave and shower.  Then some evening relaxation and eventually bedtime before I get to start me week of fun on-call. 

You might think I had sex, hired a escort and spent a lot of money, well you will just have to read the entire post to find out.  Ready?  Here we go!

Friday night– I had problems falling asleep, big surprise.  It’s the weekend and that seems to be the big theme.  I thought I was tired but climbed in bed and was wide awake.  I got up, took an extra sleeping pill and within about 30 minutes I was finally ready to go back to bed to sleep.  The cats were taking up their 1/2 of the bed.  I had to move them out of the way before I could get in but it all worked out.

Saturday – I woke up super early but really didn’t want to.  I got up to feed the cats because they wouldn’t leave me alone.  No surprise after they were fed they still wouldn’t leave me alone.  As if to say hey you need to get up, don’t you?  Nope it’s the weekend.  I eventually did and had breakfast at home.  Rudy tried to beg to get me to feed him, he looks so cute but it was a no go.  I got a shower and Rudy had to explore the bathtub when I was done. 

I went out to see my friends.  I got a bad feeling on the way there like I shouldn’t go.  I wish I would have listened to that but I proceeded onward.  I walked in and was greeted with a hello and then a warning one of them had been seriously ill with some stomach bug that was contagious and today was her first day back.  Yuk.  I kept my distance but talked with her.  My guy friend was busy and in an odd mood.  He didn’t really say much to me and he got a call & had to leave.  I was hoping he would return because he’s the whole reason why I went there but that didn’t happen.  I wound up leaving after a couple hours and got the mail.  Grabbed my prescription and then came back home.  I was tired and wanted to sleep. 

Got a little bit of rest, opened the mail to find my large auto insurance bill that’s where the whole lot of money part comes in.  I was expecting it but not until next week, it came early.  Lucky me.  It’s been paid.  One advantage to driving something that isn’t new is that the insurance is much more manageable but still it was not exactly cheap. 

I went back out to grab cat food.  While I did that I opted to pick up some cat nip.  I wanted to see their reaction to it.  They have a dispensary setup and market it as if it was cat marijuana.  They have all of the stupid names like purple haze.  That is such a turn off to me.  Cat nip isn’t marijuana but whatever.  I got them the cheapest and smallest container I could find, which was called really good stuff.  I saw a cashier that I used to see on a weekly basis and he said where is all of the canned food.  I told him that Gator passed and I’ve got different cats now.  He was saddened to hear that.  I didn’t tell him I bought cans last week. 

I went to grab a bite of food at a Mexican place.  It was good but the table wasn’t clean.  The chips were greasy and while fresh not up to my taste buds.  I knew I’d get sick if I ate too many.  The meal was enjoyable and I inhaled it.  I’ve had better but it kind of depends on who’s cooking and what their mood is. 

Back home, watched TV, did the dishes and relaxed with the cats.  They ate their catnip like it was a snack and then they got hyper and wanted to play.  Glad I passed this out in a small portion.  It was fun but short lived. 

I spent the rest of the night on my computer trying to get my desktop to broadcast it’s name so I could see logs in my firewall of the traffic.  It would do it intermittently but not constant like my laptop or my phone will.  The fix was a free program called YogaDNS.  I checked a couple of boxes so it’s persistent and doesn’t fail.  It’s been working great ever since.  I rebooted just to make sure it would stick and yep still going strong.  Even if I turn on my VPN I have the DNS set to my firewall to where I want it to pickup from.  In case your wondering I use something called NextDNS.  While it’s a free service, I pay because I can easily exhaust the free lookup limit with all of the devices I’ve got.  Once you start logging and get this configured you will be surprised at how many sites all of the devices in your home try to reach out to.  It’s alarming.  I’ve got trackers and ads blocked, I still get some ads and have had to make some custom adjustments to get certain channels on my Roku’s to work.  It’s neat and helps with malware, viruses and typo squatting.  It’s not a replacement for an anti-virus but it’s a good supplement.  Works a lot like the commercial firewalls I manage at work but with an easier plain interface that is straightforward. 

After I solved that problem I opted to grab an ice cream bar and get the dishes going.  Rudy tried to climb in the dishwasher.  What a character.  He’s the one who usually causes all of the mischief.  Then we took in some TV, I brushed my teeth and we finally went to bed. 

Sunday – Having to get up early to make it breakfast was not exactly fun because I was up late.  I really didn’t want to go to bed but I knew I would hate myself in the morning and I did.  Plus my allergies were on fire.  That wired fuel like smell is in the air again and it bothers my nose.  Anyway, no hot waiter today.  Had some kicked up French Toast, Eggs and Sausage.  Had to hit up the car wash because while I was getting cat food yesterday a bird sprayed my car.  No good deed goes unpunished. 

I made it through the grocery store, came home put everything away despite Rudy being at my feet.  Grabbed the laundry threw it in and then I did the craziest thing of all I went to the office.  There was another door that was acting up and it’s been on my list for a while.  I should have taken a picture before I started unscrewing wires because it made it next to impossible to get it all back together correctly.  I looked at other doors and damn they didn’t use the same color wires throughout the project when they wired each door.  There should have been a black wire on the door I was working with but instead I had a Yellow wire.  I saw sending and receiving lights when I started but after I unhooked everything and went to put it back together I only had a receive light and no send.  Then it hit me it’s probably the communication board.  Thankfully several years ago we ordered one and didn’t need to use it so I had a spare.  I hooked that up, screwed in the wires and presto.  I got it programmed and tested, worked like a champ.  Then to make sure I wasn’t going insane I took a photo, unhooked everything, put the old board in and hooked it back up.  Turns out it was a bad board and I wasn’t loosing my mind.  Put the new board back in, screwed some more wires. This is the part where the whole lot of screwing came in.  See you thought it was something nasty, didn’t you?  I know I would have.  Anyway, tested everything and confirmed it was working.  Then I sent an update to all of the sites just for good measure that finished.  I cleaned up and put my tools away. 

Before I left I had to take a walk to my colleagues office who passed away last year unexpectedly.  Normally when someone leaves for whatever reason they are quick to vacate their office.  The only thing that was gone is his fish tank.  Everything else is in place.  Photos, wall art and all of his files.  I never knew it until today but he had an obsession with clocks.  I paused for a moment and heard all of this ticking.  I looked around and there were like 5 clocks, no matter where he was in his office he wanted to be able to see the time.  I got emotional it just felt strange not to have him there.  He would have been in even on a Sunday for a brief bit.  I saw him in a recent photo and man it just was sad.  I said a couple of words and then I had to leave.  I’m really shocked that but for the fish tank it looks like he will be back and that is so not the case.  It’s going to be tough whenever they clean the place out and that will happen eventually because the space will be needed but no one is rushing it. 

I needed to hit up Sam’s club that is the one thing that I haven’t checked off of my list and well I was too damn tired.  I’m glad I waited because the water softener has standing water inside and that’s not normal.  I fixed it once so I am trying what I did last time to see if that helps.  I’ve got enough salt to make it through another few weeks but plan to get more salt next weekend.  I said that last weekend too but that’s when I forgot I needed it.  I actually planned on getting it last weekend for real. 

Time to grab the laundry.  Go do house cleaning.  Put out pills and I was going out for pizza at a local place but I think I am going to stay home and eat Spaghetti & Meatballs I picked up from the store.  Saw a really cute bagger boy and we made some general friendly conversation.  Yeah I was tempted to ask him out but I didn’t because of the horrible judge of age I’ve got and I wasn’t 100% that he was legal and didn’t want to go down that road.  I like younger guys but it’s got to be legal, I don’t want no jail bait.  My preference is late 20’s to 30’s.  I did stop and wonder if the waiter from Cracker Barrel is wondering about me, my guess is probably nope.  I mean if your concerned I would call or text and neither of those things has happened.  I am sure I will see him again eventually but it’s still painful knowing that he played a game, I don’t do well with that.

I am thinking of getting back on an app or two but I am taking my time.  I wanted Valentine’s Day to pass.  There is so much fraud and it’s more prevalent around that time, it’s still out there don’t get me wrong but I think or hope that my odds are a bit less.  I know what to watch for been down that road too.  Just want to find Mr. Right have him be real, in the flesh and interested in me.  Date do things together and eventually if there is a spark we can jump in bed.  It’s more about companionship for me than it is sex but I’m eager for both but don’t want to come off desperate or as truly desperate as I am.  That’s like leaking blood in Shark infested water, the results are not good at all but at least it won’t be a fatal outcome.  I think everyone in the dating pool is desperate to some degree. 

It keeps getting later and later so I guess I will wind this up as my hands are cramping and it’s warmer upstairs.  The cats are going to hate me when I break out the vacuum but I’ll try to get that job done.  If I can check off all of the boxes on my list but Sam’s Club and going out for supper, I think I did pretty good and can be happy with it.  Not looking forward to being a slave to a computer & phone all week long but hey it’s part of the gig. 

As always here’s hoping it’s a great week ahead for all of us.  Take care and be well.  Talk with you all again soon!

Man Candy–10 Hotties

Welcome to Money

Woke up to the final deposit in my bank account for tax refunds.  It was expected but just not this soon.  Tucked that all away into Savings.  I got to make a 2nd contribution to my Savings in that I have some excess money left over from last month.  I typically make a contribution to my Savings each month.  Nothing like paying yourself and then watching it grow.  It’s also nice to know that I have something to fall back on if I really need it. 

My sleep last night was so so, not the best but not the worst.  I woke up at 5a and had a tough time getting back to sleep, mostly because of the cats. 

Had a one off situation come up at work last night, I wasn’t on call but I saw a request come in to keep a door unlocked so I jumped in and took care of it.  Then the server that controls the door was unplugged and moved.  I saw the command execute and I figured it would lock the door based on what was cached in the panels but that didn’t happen.  I learned that it was reliant off of the server.  The emails bounced around when the door didn’t lock and someone got upset because they thought they would have to sit and babysit the door until it locked.  That wasn’t the case.  My boss called me and then tried to get me to say that I made a mistake and I wouldn’t do it.  That’s like confessing to a crime you didn’t commit.  It really pissed me off.  However, I explained my position and the actions I took.  None of us knew how the server would behave when it was unplugged and moved.  It was HIS ass that was on the line and not mine.  He was having a difficult time trying to explain what happened.  He sent some BS email and then shortly afterwards the server came back on-line and someone verified that the door was locked.  I’ve never been asked to say I did something when I didn’t and it is very upsetting but I think he was looking for a way to CYA and well I made him think of another plan because the TRUTH shall set you free!

I got to enjoy my first piece of Strawberry Crème Cake and it was good.  I sat in my room with the cats and we watched TV.  The cats slept through most of it.  They just wanted to be close to me.  When I got up I had the urge to eat, not because I was hungry but because I was craving food.  I really want Chocolate.  However, I was a good boy and didn’t give in.  Not like that is going to win me a prize but it felt semi good not to give in. 

As I wind down one of the things I like to do is take a peek outside just to see what if anything is going on.  I was surprised that we got a dusting of snow.  It looked nice but it’s going to be warm enough that it will all melt away.

Unless something comes up my day is done until later this afternoon when I have another person leaving that I need to take care of.  Friday’s are typically calm and usually little to nothing happens but every now and then you get a POP of excitement.  I’m fine with dull and boring it does make for a longer day but it’s all good. 

I’ve got my last weekend of freedom as I will be on-call next week and I will need to get up early next Sunday to take care of some testing.  It’s bad enough to be on-call but having to get up early to do the testing on a Sunday really sucks. 

As for this weekend it looks like the cats need their dry food so I will be going back to the dreaded pet food store to pick that up.  They are doing really well with the cans I bought and they really haven’t made that big of a dent.  I think in the long run they are going to be less expensive than Gator which is kind of surprising considering there was only 1 of her but she ate like there were 3 or 4 of her and I’ve only got 2 now.  I hate that I compare them to her it just doesn’t feel right but it’s really my only unit of measure.  It makes me miss her that much more.  Outside of that trip plus the usual run to the post office and grocery store I will be doing my eating out as a treat.  Not certain where I am going yet for supper tomorrow night.  I am kicking around going to visit some friends but I’m kind of up in my head thinking that they really don’t want to see me and that I am kind of a bother.  I get that feeling with them mostly because I am the one who is always engaging them and they aren’t reaching out to me.  I think that some people just get caught up in their own lives they just don’t make time for other people – it’s common courtesy and much like common sense neither are so common anymore.  I’m not sure why that is but it seems to be the norm for majority of people.  It’s people like me that are uncommon that reach out, check in and interact.  I mean as long as your not doing it every damn day I see no harm with once in a while. 

I may go out for breakfast tomorrow morning if I get up early enough but it will also kind of depend on how I feel.  Oh I almost forgot I need to stop by the damn pharmacy, what fun. 

That’s all of the ramblings I’ve got at the moment.  Looking forward to a nice quiet evening where I can enjoy a couple of TV Shows that I saved for Friday night.  Perhaps there will also be some interesting content on YouTube. 

I hope that you have a great weekend, which is filled with relaxation and joy!  Take care and I will talk with you all again soon.  Be well. 

Medicine Man

Happy Thursday!  One more day and then were back at another weekend.  Last night I had Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese, added a couple light dabs of hot sauce.  It wasn’t bad and had some zing to it.  I finished with an Oreo Ice Cream Bar which was enough to cool down my mouth.  Rudy tried to take it away from me but he never had a chance.  I’m guessing someone introduced him to Ice Cream considering he goes nuts when I have any.  He looks so sweet when he begs but I can say no to that face, it’s something that I’ve learned over the years.  It’s difficult at times but it’s all about making an informed decision that is for the benefit of the animal. 

We watched some recorded TV to help empty out the DVR.  It was an okay evening.  I got my Social Media hour and the cats did their usually sleeping routine.  I got a shower, left the curtain open because I knew as soon as the door was open Rudy would want to jump in.  He was curious about it but didn’t jump in.  I closed the curtain and that seemed to make him even more curious. 

I got super sleepy and went to bed by 10p.  There were storms overnight that woke me up.  Rudy wanted food when I got up in the middle of the night or so I think.  he was crying for something but I don’t know him well enough yet to know exactly what he wants.  I just ignored him and went back to bed.  He was climbing all over me just before it was time to get up so I let him do that and then I got up. 

I knew it would be a bit of a crazy morning and I was right.  I just took it one task at a time.  Eventually I got caught up.  Then I got some bad news about a solution that I had put in place to solve a problem, turns out it created another problem.  Now things are going to get super complicated but I suppose that is the way it goes.  It’s about people thinking they are special and not wanting to have to do extra work but who cares how much extra work it causes me, no one. 

In checking my email I saw that Amazon got a new prescription for me.  I didn’t ask for anything but the Dr.’s office took the liberty of calling in some Sudafed for me.  That voided out the old refill I had that I was all set to purchase.  Now I’ve got to wait for Amazon to sort it out before I can refill it.  If I go off of what they are saying it’s like they no longer are able to fill the script but I am hopeful that by giving them a little bit of time that this will sort it’s self out. 

I am not so in love with the new Pharmacy Benefit that my insurance chose for me.  Before all of this everything I take except for my sleeping med was able to be auto refilled.  Now only part of the medicine I take is able to be auto refilled.  So I have to police this.  I am so not happy about it.  I requested a refill of 2 medicines they are of course hung up at the doctors office.  I don’t think they actually contact my doctors office but rather just say they did.  Normally refills if submitted properly are authorized within 24 to 48 hours.  I had to send a special message to get these refills taken care of.  What a mess. 

I checked on that mystery package and it for sure is my UPS batteries.  Not exactly sure why I have to sign for it but whatever.  They told Amazon that it shipped and the carrier picked up the package.  However, the FedEx app says that the label was created.  It’s supposed to be a 1 day delivery so I’ll just have to keep an eye on it as to when it actually ships.  My hope was to have it by tomorrow but something tells me it won’t surface until next week. 

As I’m typing this out I just got a pop up on my phone, looks like my local pharmacy is filling the Sudafed prescription, apparently Amazon can’t or won’t fill it.  That kind of sucks.  I don’t like going to the pharmacy.  Especially for this because I hear all the time you don’t need a prescription for this if you take it as directed.  Yeah well I tried that once and State law won’t let me have it w/o a prescription.  I am miserable without it so I will jump through some hoops to get it.  Not exactly what I want to do but as long as I have it, that is what matters to me.  I’d much rather prefer a 90 day supply to keep me out of the pharmacy but I can hammer that one out at my next visit. 

For curiosity purposes I did price a ticket to Charlie’s show.  Good seating in the shade is about $200 and that’s semi-close to the stage.  That’s a lot of money for an hour or two of music.  Even if it’s live.  However, I am a huge fan so I’d probably pay that but then you have to deal with all of the surcharges they tack on and by the time your done it’s way past $200.  Again I’ve got no plans to go and I’m a little sad about it but it will be okay. 

I am headed up for a quick break.  Today’s gather and set out the trash day.  It’s cold, rainy and just not a good day to be outside.  I’ll get the job done but I am in no hurry.  I’ve really got nothing going until later this afternoon when I have to sit through a meeting that hopefully won’t last more than 30 minutes.  Then I can move freely about the cabin or so I hope. 

The cats hear the basement door open even though it doesn’t make a sound.  They race to meet me it’s like I am coming home from being away but with a lot more fan fare.  When I come home from being out Rudy meets me at the door.  Morea sits and waits for me to find and say hello to her, it’s like she doesn’t care that I am back.  They do keep life interesting around here but I am looking forward to getting out over the weekend. 

Hope all is well in your world.  Talk with you all again soon! 

 

Charlie’s Tour

Howdy,

Social media as I predicted last night was a lot of love themed posts for people who have partners.  I mean that’s the purpose of Valentines Day.  There was some regular stuff mixed in.  I was pleased to find that Charlie Puth is going on Tour this summer in the US.  I always said that I would go back to see him if he comes to my neck of the woods.  Well, he is but it’s an outdoor venue in the summer time which heat is known to be extreme in my part of the US.  I have an intolerance to heat.  Then there is parking, it’s going to be at a premium and cost.  I think there might be some covered seating that is out of the sun but I am sure that will go for premium dollars and in the end your still in the heat, there is no AC.  So, I think I am going to have to sit this one out.  I’m not happy about it but I’m not super into crowds in the first place.  Add in heat & parking and it’s probably not a good combo.  That doesn’t mean I won’t look at tickets but I don’t think that I will be buying anything. 

When I went to his first concert that came to my part of the US in the summer I was able to take public transportation, it was at an indoor venue and I had a great time.  Well, since then his popularity has skyrocketed.  That because of the sound of his music and also how physically attractive he is.  I remember the first concert, the crowd was mostly female and any males that were there were mostly fathers who brought their daughters.  Charlie wasn’t the headliner then.  He was also outside afterwards and there was a line of people that wanted to meet him.  I wanted to be in that line but public transportation was making it’s last round so my choices were to get in line to meet him and get stuck there OR skip it and go home.  I opted to skip it and go home.  It was my very first concert that I attended all by myself and I was very proud of my accomplishment and I had a really good time.  I had 2 sodas that were in small glasses and they were super expensive.  I was pretty thirsty and it was hot but I made it thanks to the AC.  I don’t know but it would really surprise me if he is still doing meet & greets with the general public after a show.  I’d love to meet him, it would be an emotional experience both happy & sad.  See You Again the theme that he wrote for Paul Walker is how I learned about his music and that was shortly after I lost my spouse, so that song, plus his music in general holds a special place in my heart. 

If Charlie’s music of interest to you I’m posting a copy of the concert flyer with the tour dates on it below. 

In other news I’ve got 2 conflicting meetings and the one I am going to occurs every week, so I would rather go to the other meeting but sadly that is not an option.  I could get so much more information from the other meeting that would be beneficial to me doing my job but that’s the way it goes.  The meeting starts in a little bit and then after that my day is wide open until later this afternoon when I’ve got someone relocating.  I just heard that someone is being let go also but someone else is covering that, or so they say they are.  I’m sure it will probably be something I have to help with but I am going to try to stay out of it as much as I can. 

I got a semi decent nights sleep despite the cats hogging the bed and the covers.  Rudy snuggled up by my face at one point.  He also walked on my side and made biscuits when it was close to time to get up.  He really wanted me up.  When I sat up they were both happy to see me and I was happy to see them. 

I’m working from home again this morning.  2 more days and I still think I am going to spend them here at home.  I checked the FedEx app last night and I was supposed to have a package yesterday but it’s not actually been shipped yet.  It requires a signature and I’m fairly certain it will be my UPS batteries.  I’m watching Amazon and FedEx to see if I can make any correlation.  If that’s not it then I am at a loss as to what I am getting.

That’s about all I know at the moment.  Looking forward to going upstairs after this meeting and trying to relax and generally be lazy.  I am sure that something or someone will call me back to work but I am hopeful that it won’t be at least until after lunch.  That’s the one thing I really enjoy about working from home.  You can do nothing if you want or you can do laundry – no one really is going to say anything about it.  So long as I meet any deadlines and deal with any urgent things that might come up, no one really knows the difference and I am very okay with that. 

It’s supposed to be a warmer day here today but it’s back to the flood and chill tomorrow.  Rain and colder temps.  I’ll take what I can get.  I certainly seem to be happier when the sun is out.  I hope that you have a good day.  Off my meeting, boo hiss.  Take care and I will talk with you again soon!

Missing my girl

Howdy and Happy Valentine’s Day. As you might well imagine I’m not a huge fan of V-Day since I am lonely and single. However, I would love to eat some candy but I don’t have any. If you have someone in your life make sure they know how much you love them, as anyone one of us can drop off the face of the earth without any warning. Better for you to express your feelings than for people to wonder or speculate.

Last night I broke out the casserole and then went back and watched some TV while it cooked. 25 minutes to make in the microwave, a little over an hour if you go by the oven method. I can see where baked would be better but who in the world has time for things to bake? That’s almost as bad as preparing a meal on your own. I’m all about eating as quickly with little effort as possible and that my friends combined with the fact that I am sedentary most of the time is why I am fat. Don’t ask me why but I broke out the hot sauce and of course I wanted a little but got a lot out of the bottle. It sure did add some spice and made my mouth light up. I’ve got the second ½ for tonight and I don’t know that the hot sauce will accompany it.

I was overly tired yesterday no matter what I did I just couldn’t seem to bounce back. I was even nodding off after supper. I gave up my plans to go in today and honestly, I don’t know that I will make it out of the house this week. That’s subject to change but not likely.

Last night the loss of my Gator hit me again and it was overwhelming. I know that I’ve got two cats now but it’s not the same as what I had (nor will it ever be). She has only been gone for 2 months. I went 1 month without a cat and have had these two for 1 month. I just can’t believe what a turn things took and how fast it moved. I have never grieved the loss of a cat like this. Normally 1 to 2 days tops and I am done and good to go. Sure I might get sad here and there but it’s kind of like a brief fall where you get up, dust yourself off and all is well. Last night wasn’t like that. The feelings built up to the point where I broke down. The thoughts of checking out of this life surfaced again and I wasn’t exactly in the brightest of places or the best of moods. I want the pain to stop, I want to feel better and be as reasonably happy as I can. I do care about the 2 cats I have now and they keep me busy and do provide some entertainment. Honestly, I got them way too soon I should have allowed more space and time, then maybe I’d feel better today. They did help cheer me up once they landed here after a couple days. Coming home or waking up and seeing their faces is enough to do it for me. Gator’s passing marked the end not only to her life but the life I had, the end of an era and so it’s more than losing a cat. I don’t know if this is something that I will recover from but I am still optimistic about it. I miss all of the cats I’ve lost, the pain of their loss isn’t something that is still fresh and that I can palpate or feel like I can with Gator. It’s so not normal considering how much time has gone by but like I said a moment ago, it’s more than losing a cat.

I pondering about posting today and really kind of wanted to skip it since I don’t have anything neutral or positive to say. I feel like I am just existing today, I don’t really have much of any feeling at the moment. It doesn’t help that it’s a gloomy, cold and rainy day. Getting out might change my mood or do me some good but getting the motivation up for that is a whole different task.

Here’s hoping that if not tonight that by tomorrow morning I feel better or at least closer to normal. I’m sure that social media will be filled with all sorts of V-Day love and romance. I suffer from FOMO and want to know what’s going on but honestly it wouldn’t kill me to skip a couple days. I mean I did it when Gator passed just because it wasn’t top of mind. I really got the nagging notifications then that wanted to lure me back in. Apparently the apps aren’t happy if you don’t use them.

At any rate I hope that you’re having a better day than me and that all is well in your life. I’ll talk with you again soon!