Another Day In the Office

Here I sit in my office, things are calm and I am freezing because the AC in here is on over drive.  It’s 68 degrees with 41% humidity.  I feel like I am in the frozen food section of a grocery store but I can’t escape.  It was comfortable this morning but afternoons are when it gets cold.  That is pretty much the case all year long. 

The cats had me up last night.  I think it was more Rudy than Morea but I know he started trying to wake me up at 5a.  I told him nope one more hour then it’s biscuit time.  A cat is not always an accurate alarm clock but any house that has one doesn’t need an alarm clock for the most part.  Unless the cat is on sleeping pills or not feeling well.  All of my cats have been pretty good about getting me out of bed.  Something about hunger and that morning meal that seems to motivate them.  Matters not the day of the week or if it’s a holiday. 

I still set my alarm just in case but either my body wakes me up before it goes off or a cat wakes me up.  Once and a while I get woken by the alarm clock but it’s not that often. 

Next week I learned is going to be fun.  One co-worker is out on vacation for a few weeks.  My other good for nothing co-worker is off next week for the most part.  I am off on Thursday & Friday and the boss is flying back home late in the week.  It’s going to be a real shit show but as long as I get my two days off I will be pleased.  Hopefully, I don’t have much to deal with when I do work for 3 days.  I do not plan on being in the office at all next week. 

Speaking of which my gas tank is 1/2 full and it felt a bit strange driving into the office without a full tank.  I know I will make it home but it does make me a bit nervous. 

I am ready to go home and I probably could get away with it now but I will save it for a bit later in the afternoon.  I might leave a bit earlier than normal.  I’ve got work that needs to be done after hours so while I will be home I won’t be free from work for a little bit. 

I checked on the cats and they are in the living room this time.  Normally they stay in my room.  Rudy was on the couch sleeping but the camera woke him.  Morea was looking at the camera and next to the litter box.  I thought about saying hi but I don’t want to confuse them and make them think I am at home. 

Nothing else much going on, just another day another dollar.  I get my annual review tomorrow and I have previewed my review.  I get to listen to my boss read the entire document to me which is a boring way to do a review.  Overall I got a great rating but my score seems to drop a bit each year.  I am more interested in how much of a pay raise I am getting and could care less about the review.  Not to toot my own horn but I already am well aware of the caliber of work that I produce.  Show me the money, that’s the only damn reason why I am here and the only reason why most people show up to a job.  If it wasn’t for money they would find some other way to occupy their day. 

Like most people I wish that I didn’t have to work but I’ve done it for so long I honestly don’t know what I would do with my time, but I can tell you I wouldn’t have a difficult time occupying my day if money wasn’t a concern and I was dripping in wealth.  Dreaming doesn’t cost anything but it sure is depressing when you have to come back to reality. 

Hope your Wednesday is going well.  Two more days and this week will be history.  Feels odd that were going into June and we only have 6 more months of 2023 left.  It will fly by like the first half has.  The year seems to start out at a crawl and then it’s a walk and pretty soon it’s running and then towards the end it’s just on coast and the year is done, at least that is the way it seems to go for me. 

Talk with you all again soon, back to the fun. 

Monday

It turned out to be a real Monday.  I woke up early, took care of the cats and then got showered.  I decided to make it to the new breakfast place, only problem they were closed.  I was hungry so I wound up going to Cracker Barrel.  Saw the looser waiter that said he would call me.  He said hello but thankfully he wasn’t taking care of me.  I got the crab ass old lady instead.  I had a new dish Steak Tips with Hasbrown Casserole.  It’s a breakfast bowl and wasn’t bad but they burnt part of it so it’s wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t the best.  The Steak Tips were enjoyable for a guy who isn’t a big steak fan. 

Then I tried to get together with my friend but he had a bad night and was still in bed.  That turned out to be a bust.  I even tried again later in the afternoon but our paths never crossed. 

I spent the majority of the day at home with the cats.  The new air purifier came.  It’s pretty interesting.  Took me a little while to get it paired up with my Guest WIFI but now I can control it from my phone, which is kind of nifty.  After 20 years one of the filters does need to be replaced but otherwise it’s all wash off, dry and put back in.  That is a money saver in it’s self.  The unit keeps track of how dirty the filters are and lets you know when it’s time to clean them, so you don’t have to guess.  It also shows you by color the quality of your air.  I kicked up some dust last night when I emptied out the litter box and it was quick to notice that and started to get rid of it right away. 

There are some remnants of the odor left over but they aren’t nearly as strong as the original smell was.  This is all because of hooking up the shop-vac to the furnace and emptying out the water in the pan that drains out.  It’s all humidity that the unit extracts.  I think that with a little bit more time the odor will be all gone.  

I kind of shot myself in the foot last week by staying home on Tuesday.  There is a person who is relocating to our office on Thursday.  I was supposed to send it to him by inner office mail but forgot all about it until this morning.  Damn that means I get to get up early tomorrow and go in early.  It’s either that or take a chance tonight and make the trip over and back.  I’d just as soon go in.  I will still leave early because I have relocation work to do later but I can announce it so I won’t be “under the radar” and it will look more legit.  I am not fond of going in tomorrow but it’s my fault so be it. 

I watched more Lance 210 You Tube stuff yesterday.  Had some good laughs which kind of helped.  I wanted to get to the movies but the show times never lined up with my schedule. 

I started to try to mentally spend my bonus and well it’s a good thing I didn’t actually spend it.  I saw that it was a mere $500 after taxes.  That sucks but hey it’s better than nothing.  My review will be this week and soon (probably not this week) I will find out how much of a pay raise I will get.  That is usually something I always look forward to.  Hopefully, there won’t be any disappointment. 

As for the work day today, I have a meeting to run this afternoon.  I am just watching and waiting for something else to crop up.  If that doesn’t happen then it will be a quiet day.  I think everyone is trying to recover from yesterday as well as some people made it an extra long weekend and either took the entire week off or took an additional day.  I don’t expect it to be hopping but then again one never really knows. 

Morea & Rudy are doing okay.  They really like the new sensitive stomach dry food I bought them.  They are both great at passing out attention to me as well as taking in the attention I provide to each of them.  Rudy was making his biscuits at 5a and while he wanted food I can’t help but think it was just another Tuesday to him.  He thought I was going in and needed to be up at 6a.  He was pretty relentless but I managed to keep him at bay and not give in completely until it was almost 7a.  Now saying that I am already, ready for a nap.  Considering that I need to go in tomorrow I shouldn’t be taking a nap because that will just make it difficult on me tonight. 

The grass guys showed up yesterday.  My bushes got trimmed on Saturday and they did an okay job.  There is plenty of breathing room for the condenser.  I glanced over at my neighbors and his is all covered by bushes and vines.  I am amazed they have never had an AC service person out yet.  I think that will be in his future if he doesn’t change something but it’s not my place to say something to him. 

I can already tell you today is going to be quite the struggle to stay awake.  My home insurance and tax bill will be waiting for me at the post office.  I already know how much the insurance is no idea on the taxes but I’ll find out soon enough.  Taxes here are out of control and it’s also a great excuse to move.  However, for me it’s all baked into my mortgage payment so there really is no major concern until the Escrow account balances out later this year and I find out how much my house payment is going up.  That’s always not fun but just another joy of the ownership experience. 

Hope you had a great weekend and that today is a great day for you as well as the days ahead.  Were much closer to the weekend which is a good thing.  Talk with you all again soon.  Take care & be well. 

Nice Weekend

  Howdy, I hope that your holiday weekend is going well.  I’m doing okay thus far and am thankful that there is still time left in the weekend. 

I saw an infomercial ad for an Air Purifier that never needs filters and it’s not cheap but not super expensive.  I ordered one on Amazon and it was supposed to be here today, but alas Amazon can’t seem to get their act together.  I saw this morning that it never shipped so I already knew that it wouldn’t be arriving today.  I got word late this afternoon that it will be here tomorrow.  Not exactly sure why ordering something for Sunday deliver always seems to be a problem. 

I bought it to help with the odor in the house.  However, I got one of my original ideas back last night.  I used the shop vac to empty out the drain line from the AC.  Since when the air is on that seems to make the smell worse.  I think the a-coil needs to be pulled out and cleaned and if things were setup differently I believe I could do that on my own but as it stands now that’s not possible.  My idea seems to have helped tamp down the smell.  The smell is still here but it’s fading, which leads me to believe it’s the HVAC system/a-coil.  I’ll need to remember to empty out the drain line again when the temperature changes and we go back to heat. 

I am interested to see if the air purifier can get rid of the lingering odor.  It’s suppose to eliminate dust completely.  You can fill a room with smoke and within 10 minutes it will have the smoke gone.  Hey I have 30 days to play with it and if I don’t like it I can box it up and ship it back, no harm/ no foul. 

I got my head shaved on the sides and back.  I cut the top to the normal length.  Then it hit me about two hours after this was done.  The reason why I don’t like to shave my head is because it itches for weeks as it grows back.  It looks cool but the itching can drive one mad. 

Didn’t make it to the new breakfast place but I have had breakfast out the past two days.  Not sure about tomorrow I might go out, kind of depends on what time I get up.  I am supposed to text a friend to see about meeting up for part of the morning.  No invite from my Thanksgiving friends, which is okay. 

There are a couple of movies out that I would like to go see so that is always an option for tonight or tomorrow.  I did venture to a new pizza place this afternoon.  It wasn’t bad I got one of there suggested combination pizza’s minus green pepper.  Not bad, kind of wish there was more left over than there actually is but I did get a box to go. 

Hit up Sam’s Club after a nap this morning.  Used Scan N Go.  I didn’t know it required you to connect to Sam’s WIFI so I had to launch my VPN first and then connect.  It was super easy and made check out a breeze.  No lines and I was in and out.  They moved the printer ink that took me a little bit to find but other than that it was a very quick trip.  Hit up the grocery store afterwards.  Then home to unload and that took a bit. 

I discovered this new to me YouTuber called Lance210, he showed up in my feed and apparently a few years ago he pulled pranks but he’s been on for a very long time.  He’s got a great body but he’s straight.  He made me laugh more than once and I just watched a bunch of prank videos which passed a bunch of time and was fun. 

I hit up the pet food store and got some new dry food designed for sensitive stomach, both cats really like it thus far.  Not sure if that is because it’s new and something different.  I am over cleaning up messes and I have two waiting for me upstairs now.  I am working on some laundry. 

Of course no holiday weekend would be complete without an internet outage.  My internet is down now but I am using a hot spot on my phone to get out.  That’s where having this $30 unlimited data plan with Visible really pays off.  The internet has been going out a bit more than normal lately.  It went out one night last week and that woke me up, because I use my Echo for White Noise, when the internet went out the sound stopped, which caused me to wake up.  It’s actually supposed to be back up now but that hasn’t happened as of yet.  The only real affect it has on me right now is that my cameras are down but otherwise everything else is functional.  That’s why I don’t put all of my eggs with TV – Phone and Internet in one basket.  It’s unlikely that two different providers will go down at the same time.

At the moment I am doing way better than I was on Friday from a mental perspective.  Probably because I have been out and about.  That seems to the cure.  I really hope that I am able to meet up with my friend tomorrow. 

Going back to work will suck come Tuesday but I know I won’t be alone.  Shame that I can be off longer.  There is plenty to do around here it’s just having the motivation to stick around and do it. 

I’m off to see if the laundry is ready for the dryer.  Then up to be with the cats to clean up the mess.  I need to get my medicine setup and then perhaps a Chocolate Muffin with some Soft Serve Blue Bunny Mint Chip ice cream will be in order, then it will be time to work on the dishes.  Then it will be a judgement call if I want to stick around or go to the movies.  Take care and I will talk with you all again soon.

Dude Soup–Take it all in

 

Jibber Jabber

I finished watching the Tina Turner Documentary on HBO.  I remember seeing something like her Final Farewell Tour so I went in search of that, I found something that I thought was similar on Amazon Prime.  I had to pay for it and thought it would be a couple hours entertainment, it was about an hour and went by quick.  Still it was a decent concert, not what I was looking for but it was good enough. 

Then I moved back to continuing to watch SWAT on Netflix.  Before you know it Social Media hour and the TV was off.  I was able to catch Morea and dropped the phone to get in brushing time.  She didn’t know what she was in for at first but once I started she didn’t want me to stop.  Damn furry beast.  I had fur in my mouth by the time we were done. 

I picked the phone back up and went on to the Gram and then I brushed Rudy.  He liked it just as much as his sister, he just woke up from a nap and he didn’t want to move so I only got one side of him but any little bit helps. 

Then it was treat time, they polished those off.  I got ready for today and was sitting in my chair watching TV.  I was super hot and finally the AC kicked on.  Morea is just fascinated by the air that blows up from the floor.  The AC kicks on and she goes hopping from vent to vent.  They both love the heat as well, something about air from the floor is just appealing to them.  It’s funny to watch her.  Normally cats hate anything blowing in their face but it’s like she can’t get enough of it. 

Both cats are hours of entertainment and enjoyment, not all the time but a good portion of it. 

I got woke up in the middle of the night and Rudy I guess wanted Morea’s spot at the foot of the bed, she wound up moving but not before putting up a fight.  Then I had to get up and watch TV for an hour before I could go back to sleep. 

I had the strangest dream and my mouth got me in some trouble.  It seemed all too real but I was thankful when I woke up it was just a dream.  I saw Rudy all curled up by my head sacked out.  That was one of the best sights to wake up to.  The only thing that would have been better would be a beach front view and fresh food waiting for me. 

Up and moving I went through the morning routine.  Here I sit after knocking out my morning work tasks and doing some porn surfing.  Unless something comes in my day is pretty well done.  I love it because it’s free time on my hands but on the other hand I hate it because it does make for a long day.  I can step away but I know that is a sure fire recipe to be called back.  So I will sit here for a bit to see if anything happens to pop.  I am ready to run away for the day but can’t exactly do that.

The trash got picked up this morning and I was sacked out, never even heard the truck and that is such a good thing.  With regards to my insomnia I tried taking Magnesium like I saw in a YouTube video, it worked like the first day or two but after that it doesn’t seem to have any affect on me.  I think it might be contributing to the fire that I felt inside last week.  I have had rumblings of it the last two mornings but I can stave it off with some cold water, it’s a mild fire that does have the potential to rage out of control but the more I drink the quicker the feeling dissipates.  I want my Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli tonight but I am taking an anti-acid pill for sure before I eat that meal.  Then for extra insurance having some ice cream afterwards. 

I am thinking of taking Sunday and sleeping in, it might be my muscle relaxer day where I throw the day away.  Kind of depends on how things go for me on Saturday.  I know for sure I won’t want to wake up early but I’ll need a shower then I have about 30 to 45 minutes of travel time to get to this new breakfast place.  It will feel good to get out and once I am out I won’t think much about being back in bed.  Partially because come the afternoon I will probably come back to take a nap.  It’s nice to have an extra day to the weekend from a tasks perspective but mentally I think I would do better being back at work. 

Speaking of work, Tuesday I will be staying home because it will be just me and 1 other person the rest of my team is out and I don’t want to take any chances being on the road home and missing something that could be critical.  I still am not happy with myself for taking two weeks of back to back on-call and honestly don’t know what I was thinking .  However, it did give one of my colleagues time to take off and he’s taking quite the break.  I am jealous and looked at my time, I need to plan a trip or at the very least plan on taking a solid week of vacation, even if I don’t go anywhere.  A get away would be beyond healthy for me but I have no idea on where I want to go and considering I would be by myself my motivation would be seriously lacking.  That’s kind of depressing. 

Here’s hoping that I can enjoy the time I have this weekend and that it’s time well spent that makes me happy and that I am relaxed and ready to go when it comes time to get back to working (yuk).  I hope that the same is true for you.  Have a very nice weekend!

No Sleep 4 U

Rudy is such a smart boy.  I took a break this morning, had my oranges and let the cats bask in the breeze that was coming through the back door.  That keeps them occupied for a while until I close the door. 

We moved to the couch and I sifted through some YouTube as they relaxed.  Eventually I got sleepy and opted to move to the bedroom.

Of course the cats followed me.  Rudy was first in and Morea joined us a bit later.  He climbed up on my chest and made some biscuits and then settled down.  It was short lived because I had to move to accommodate his sister.  He jumped up on my side and started the same thing.  Then he opted to brush up against my lamp shade and decided that it was something to chew on.  I stopped him and he wasn’t happy because I took away his toy.  He kept going back and I kept stopping him. 

We settled down for a couple minutes and of course the phone started going off.  Nothing to deal with so I could lay in bed.  It just felt so good to stretch out, if only for a brief minute before I was joined by cats.  I did nod off but it was super quick. 

Rudy knew I shouldn’t be sleeping so he started bathing my forehead and then washing some of my hair.  He tried to get into my face and I stopped him there.  He does a good job of irritating my skin it feels good for the most part but there are occasions when it starts to burn, kind of depends on what bacteria is alive in his mouth. 

He also wanted something to eat so it was a little after lunch time I got up and passed out some food.  I didn’t have a great lunch but it was okay.  They both ate and napped.  About the time they are comfy and all is super quiet is when I opt to head back down.  If I sit there terribly long just watching them it’s like taking a drug and I will be out.  They are so cute and so relaxed.  Morea snores and Rudy makes some noises.  They both love to stick their tongues out and I don’t see how they keep from biting it. 

Thus far all is well.  I plan to break out the brush tonight and see what kind of fur I can get off of both of them.  Most of their fur seems to be on my clothes and my bed.  I think they are pretty well sold on this place as home and they seem to like me, which is a good thing I suppose. 

Not much going on at work which is a good thing.  All hell will break loose soon enough but right now I am enjoying the calm.  I am going to check to make sure all is well after I publish this and then head up for the day.  No sense in sitting here doing nothing I can easily do that upstairs with the cats.  Plus it’s trash day so I need to get that out. 

My boss called and told me that we would have our reviews next week.  We were supposed to meet for a check up but I told him I had nothing.  So were gonna talk next week, oh joy.  Part of me wishes that I could let loose all of the pent up anger and frustration – letting it all out I know would for sure make me feel better.  However, I for sure would radically change his high opinion of me and I’d probably be in the market for a new job.  Hence why I keep my mouth shut and bottle most everything up.  I used to have a sounding board in my co-worker before he made me mad and we have went from talking multiple times per day to hardly talking at all.  That doesn’t do well for me but it’s probably better this way. 

Here’s hoping that I find something enjoyable to watch on TV and it’s a nice evening.  I hate the fact that we have one more day but it will be over with before I know it.  Most people are taking the day off or working a 1/2 day.  We’ve got 1 person out on vacation.  The boss is working a 1/2 day tomorrow and then won’t come back until Wednesday, which hopefully means less meetings and BS to deal with.  I think after that he is going on vacation. 

I hope that you have an enjoyable evening and that today hasn’t been all that bad for you.  Weekend is around the corner, which usually perks everyone up.  Talk with you all again soon.

Mild Concern

Poof it’s Thursday!  That’s the way it’s seemed to play out this week for me. 

I got a call from my boss yesterday afternoon, it was an out of the blue call.  He told me that on my next check there will be a bonus for all that I do.  The company calls it a Quarterly Bonus but your only eligible once a year.  He wanted to give this to me around Christmas but since I already had a bonus last year he couldn’t.  Unless they change the rules I am done with bonuses for this year.  I got the max, or so I am told.  I’ve still got a pay raise coming and that won’t happen for a few weeks.  I haven’t had my review and don’t know what kind of raise I will be getting.  I do not expect a bad review and I do expect at least a 3% increase if not more.  Time will tell.

Last night for the first time ever I got puked on.  Of course it was Rudy.  He was sleeping on my leg and woke up, started gagging and then it all came out all over me and him.  Not sure how he managed to spare the couch but that was a small miracle.  Mora puked a short time before him.  She was next to me but got the urge and sprang to the floor.  She hops around until she is done. 

I thought it was rather odd that both cats got sick.  Rudy hardly ever has any issues.  They played, drank and ate some more.  Rudy was after me to give him more food after he was done puking.  I can’t imagine wanting to eat after that but I understand hungry. 

Oddly this morning I had another mess to clean up after I was done with breakfast.  I wasn’t sure who did it because it was silent.  Morea is acting a bit off but she could be covering for her brother.  I will have to keep an eye out. 

I’m wondering if it’s the odor.  I don’t exactly feel the best.  It never seemed to bother Gator or Marv.  However, just as every person is different so is every cat.  I really don’t want to venture over to the vet but I am watching both of them and if this continues were going to have to fix it.  Oddly enough they are still acting normal which to me is abnormal for a cat or anything that just threw up.  However, I guess the problem is gone so they feel better.  I dunno. 

Listening to Tina Turner Radio on Spotify.  I started rewatching her HBO Documentary Film.  It’s sad that she is gone but I read that if it wasn’t for a kidney transplant some years ago she would have been a goner then.  She lived quite the full life, it wasn’t all roses but It seemed to me like when she went on her own she became a much happier person. 

I do dread the extra day off just because there will be some idle time and that is when my mind goes to work against me.  If I can manage to get some good sleep Friday night I want to hit up a new place for breakfast.  Spend some time with friends and do some shopping.  No word from the Thanksgiving crew but if they are doing something I will get minimal notice at least that is the way it’s been in the past.  Like maybe late in the evening on Sunday.  It’s almost like I am either an after thought or they don’t want me to come and hope that I already have plans.  If an invite does come my way it will depend on timing and my attitude at the time if I go or stay home. 

Right now I am anxious to get today over with and move closer to the weekend.  I still feel burnt out but I am doing a little bit better today.  Not a whole lot of sleep last night.  Part of that was the cats fault.  Then there is my bladder and finally when I am going nothing like my new toilet seat that loves to spontaneously lower the seat and that is loud.  It scared me and the cats, so we were all wide eyed awake. 

Here’s hoping the day is uneventful but fast moving.  I hope all is well in your world and that your looking forward to an enjoyable extended long weekend.  Take care, talk with you all again soon. 

Delicious Dripping Man

Rudy woke me up gently and early this morning.  We got in some cuddle time before my brain told me that my bladder was about to give out.  That was the best part of my day.  He’s such a lover and he just savored every touch and stroke.  You can see the appreciation on his face.  His sister is similar but she isn’t nearly as gentle and generally he is the alarm clock not her.  However, she has jumped on my chest once and that will get you up regardless, so long as your alive. 

I had asked my lawn guy to cut an area he had been skipping that is part of my yard.  The longer it would grow the more chances that it would mean trouble for me.  I wanted to get this fixed before it turned into an issue.  Since I had been away from work I had also been away from my phone.  I saw a text message from him and responded yesterday evening.  I went to check it out and yeah it looks great.  I caught a glimpse of my other neighbor cutting his grass and he was shirtless. 

Man the sweat was dripping off of him and he looked so fine.  He is a tad bit on the hairy side but he’s in great shape, young and got a nice body.  I watched him for a few minutes and then just went back to watching TV.  That was the best thing I have seen out of my windows this year thus far.  I can only hope that he continues to mow shirtless, it will be the highlight of the summer. 

I went back to work this morning, albeit working from home but it’s still working.  I got caught up in a rats nest of an issue and I am waiting for someone to get back to me.  It was frustrating but I think I’ve got it resolved.  I was able to mow through my in box pretty quickly.  A good majority of it was nothing but junk and the rest of it I treated as jibber jabber and filed it away.  I did check for important information but didn’t see anything. 

Then on to setting up accounts and I got the bad news that were going ahead with that horrible project I dreaded.  Everything has been approved the only thing left to do is schedule the work.  The paperwork won’t be signed for a couple weeks so that is a bit of a reprieve but it’s going to happen it is just a matter of weeks away.  My boss told the vendor “we are so excited”.  I wanted to write back unless you have a mouse in your pocket your the only one who is excited.  It’s a hell of a lot of money and I never thought they would go for it but they did.  I dread it but not much I can do about it now. 

I was in meetings before I knew it.  Just the sound of my bosses voice was like nails on a chalk board and I wanted to scream.  He just draws everything out and makes it more than what it should be.  That drives me nuts.  Just cut to the chase and don’t draw everything out.  Then he broke the news that he has time off coming up.  That is the best thing he said all morning long.  Summer time is one of his big trips.  He works from his mom’s place for a week and then takes a week or two off and then comes back to the office.  That little project that I dread might not take place for a bit longer but that kind of depends on his comfort level. 

I got caught up and tried to take lunch early.  I didn’t get away as early as I wanted but no sooner than I was done with the last bite of my sandwich I had one email that required a response.  Then another and another.  It’s like I was cursed for stepping away.  I took my time and sat with the cats for a bit. 

They were happy to see me, even if Morea did get sick.  I’ve got these foam balls that they love to bat around but they bite them and take pieces out of them.  You find bits here and there.  Then she loves to comb over the floor after I eat as if there are scraps.  She always acts like she found something and she knows it drives me nuts.  I just want to know what is going in her mouth and that it’s safe.  I checked the water fountain and water consumption appears to be up between the two of them.  I don’t know if that is because of the new fountain or if their thirst level is up. 

Last night I was watching TV.  Morea was passed out in the cat tree.  Rudy was passed out in the cat bed next to me.  All of a sudden the water fountain made a noise (which is normal) and it started to add water from the reserve tank.  Morea gave me an angry look like you woke me up.  It shocked all of us but I knew what it was.  They however didn’t and were just pissed they got woke up.  Rudy went back to sleep but Morea just gave me that death stare.  I kept apologizing but told her I didn’t do it.  I don’t think she bought it but it was the truth.  It adds water when it senses it needs it. 

I just got an alert on my phone that Tina Turner passed away at age 83.  That’s upsetting but damn 83 is a pretty good life.  I really enjoy her music and I know I am not alone. 

I had a thought last night after watching the evening news.  I said it would be great if just for one day we could make it through an entire 24 hours with no murder, rape or robbery's.  Generally no bad news but that is kind of like hoping to hear the news without any political stories.  There wouldn’t be a whole lot to talk about if it wasn’t for crime and politics. 

Either I am getting used to it or this “unknown odor” seems to be dying down.  It bothers my sinuses and I had the thought earlier today that it’s like my house is trying to warn me but I don’t know what it’s warning me about.  I’m sure whatever it is probably expensive. 

Here’s hoping life gets better sooner rather than later.  I’m in some kind of mood and really just want to get away from everything.  I think it’s a result of too much of always on and work.  I am just burnt to a crisp and time is the only thing that will fix that but were not talking 2 or 3 days.  The sooner the weekend gets here the better I think I will be.  Then next week it’s back to being on-call and for 2 weeks in a row.

Hope your day is going well and life is treating you well.  Talk with you all again soon. 

2 Days of rest

I had serious insomnia issues Sunday night into Monday.  Since I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep I felt horrible and opted to take the day.  My allergies were a bit flared up and I think that is due to the “unknown odor” so I took some Benadryl and man did I sleep.  I spent the better part of yesterday in bed.  No phone, no email.  Just me and my cats.  It was nice but nothing got done and well I was okay with it. 

I told myself that it would be just one day and I could go back today.  Then I went back and forth about going in or working from home.  I probably should have gone back but I opted to take one more day. 

I have watched a lot of movies, mostly stuff on Amazon Prime.  Shotgun Wedding was really good.  I re-watched Identity Theft today and that was just as good as when I first saw it.  There is some good content out there but you just have to find it. 

The SWAT series on Netflix is still going but that is all action and well I won’t fall asleep watching that show, which is kind of why I had issues sleeping on Sunday/Monday. 

The cats are in 7th Heaven just having me hanging around.  They sleep better when they know I am watching them.  They like to be in the same room as me and tend to flock to where ever I am at. 

I’ve looked at my phone this morning and then again throughout the day.  There will be some clean up work to do when I get back but honestly I think the 2 days was needed to help me take a much needed break. 

My depression is still there and doing nothing doesn’t help because it gives my mind time to wander and think.  I need to get back to a routine, that is where I shine at.  Getting out helps but I am fine being at home alone just as long as my mind is occupied I am okay. 

If my phone would ring or I’d get a text from a friend now and then that wouldn’t be a bad thing.  The only time my phone rings is when work calls because someone needs something or has a question.  It’s just a reminder of how alone I am and I am so not a fan of this full time.  Having time to yourself is one thing but when it’s the norm every day for 10 years that is so not a good thing. 

I plan to have a nice dinner, some sweets, watch tv and go back to surfing social media.  Take my medicine and get a good nights rest.  Then unless I feel like I am dying I plan to get back to working from home.  3 days is a short week but it still gives me time to knock out a few tasks.  Then it will be the weekend again and an extended one at that. 

I’ve got my eye on a new breakfast place that I would like to try on Saturday.  Target has a decent sale on soda and pet stuff so I’d like to hit them up.  Who knows how I will feel come Saturday. 

Just wanted to post something before worry set in.  It looks so beautiful outside and the weather here is very much like Summer at least today and tomorrow looks to be the same.  I wish that my life was just as beautiful now as it once was.  I’ve got lots of emotion to deal with and it’s just seems to be getting more difficult as the years go by.  There are good days and bad days but the bad far out number the good. 

Well time to get away from technology and get closer to some food.  Hope all is well in your world. 

Work .. Work .. Work

Saturday morning I woke up and there was an issue that needed to be taken care of, so I did.  It was a 10 minute thing but it was the last thing I wanted to deal with. 

I had breakfast at home, got a shower and went to see my friends.  I was later than I wanted to be, which minimized my time with them.  Not a good thing for me. 

I went out for supper, I opted for Olive Garden foolishly.  They have really jacked up their prices.  I got Lasagna with a bowl of soup, Iced Tea (@ $4) Soda is going for $3 and then like a dummy I tacked on Sicilian Cheesecake.  I dropped $40 with a tip for that meal and service wasn’t the best.  There were some cute guys working the host desk.  One of which winked at me.  I was interested but opted not to do anything just on the off chance I mistook the signal. 

Came home and I got wrapped up in SWAT a series that I am pretty sure aired on network TV but is now available on Netflix.  It’s really good and there are no commercials for me, which makes the viewing experience much more enjoyable. 

Unfortunately it’s that time of year when I have this damn odor in the house.  I could smell it starting in the basement and it seems like the AC running a little bit more than it has been (because I dropped the temperature by 1 degree) caused it to spread.  It’s depressing to deal with because I honestly don’t know what I am up against but I of course think the worst and believe that it’s probably got a mold component to it.  There has been a lot of rain recently but I am not aware of any water intrusion and there are no signs.  All I can really do is try to cover it up and deal with it.  It should be short lived 2 or 3 weeks, kind of depends on the weather.  Seems like the hotter it gets outside it bakes it’s way out.  I am good for the rest of the Summer season and then when we switch seasons into Fall is when it will come back. 

What is different this time is that it smells like it’s in my office and my bedroom (which is right above my office) and that is where it’s coming from.  You do smell it in other parts of the house but it’s not nearly as bad. 

I did try to ventilate the place today and I’m telling you Morea & Rudy had a ball running from window to window.  They weren’t too fond of the floor fan I had running.  Rudy got obsessed with my bedroom window and for his own safety I had to close it off.  The fresh air helped but it’s coming back now that the place is all sealed up again. 

I went to bed late and of course woke up not once but twice.  Rudy was coughing at 4 am.  It sounded like he was choking so I jumped out of bed, thinking it was Morea and was really surprised to find it was Rudy.  He saw me and then it just flipped off like a light switch.  He’s never done that before.  He had another short spell later on in the morning.  I do wonder if it’s related to the odor and can’t help but think it is.  I’ve got my eye on him but he doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. 

He was eager to get breakfast so he started waking me at 6a and 15 minutes later I gave up and got out of bed.  I took care of him and his sister.  Then grabbed my phone and headed down for the testing at work.  Turns out we got an alert that one of the machines was infected.  That pissed me off because it meant more time.  Turns out this was my bosses fault.  He didn’t apply exclusions to the machine and this was a false positive alert.  We actually had 2 machines like that but only 1 of them alerted.  I fixed both.  Here I go again mopping up after people.  That really gets my BP and my temper up.  All was done in about 25 minutes and then I could go on to breakfast. 

I thought about going to a new place but time got away from me and I just went to the usual place.  I got a burger with an egg, not bad but not the greatest thing ever like the good old days of Steak N Shake.  I sure miss breakfast there and the restaurant environment. 

Made it to the grocery store, purchased an 1/8 of a sheet cake.  That wasn’t cheap but damn it’s good.  Not as good as the jelly donuts I had last week, which I wanted more of but forgot.  However, one seriously sugary treat at a time I suppose. 

Got Cat Food yesterday.  That was horrifying when I got to the register.  The person running the register almost gave me a heart attack as they wrongly rang up 4 bags of dry food.  The bill went to $100 and then quickly back down to $50.  No treats or toys that is all food.  The bag of dry will last about a month.  The canned food will all be gone in about 2 to 3 weeks time.  It’s expensive but it’s not like I am buying for Gator where I would spend that in a week mostly because she went through seriously quantities of food and I had to buy mostly Purina specialty food which goes for $1.50 or more in some cases per can.  I always got small cans (3 ounces).  I still miss that sweet temperamental girl.  I could predict her moves or reactions pretty well, whereas with Morea & Rudy were still getting to know each other and I don’t know them like a book because of the lack of time together. 

My depression is back today and my optics don’t see any reason to go on.  It’s just one problem after another but that seems to be the game of life.  I’m trying to stay busy either with TV or the computer.  I am also going out for dinner, not something I normally do on Sunday but getting out and seeing people does help.  It would probably benefit me to go back to the office 5 days a week but that would be a serious time & money suck.  I do look forward to Tuesday despite having to get up at 6a but Rudy seems to be happier the earlier I get up. 

I decided to swap batteries in my Garage camera.  I loaded it up with the 2 spare batteries I had on charge for weeks now.  I was shocked to find that when I installed them they were NOT fully charged despite what the battery charger said.  I think the rapid charge method gets them most of the way but to finish off you need to hook them up to a USB cable and then they will be @ 100%.  I’ve got 1 battery that I am working with now and plan to install that in my front door camera eventually.  Honestly the batteries seem to last a good while.  I am about a month into this and the lowest I got was 80%.  I think that is mostly because I have the lights turned off on the cameras.  I haven’t also talked with anyone but there have been a fair number of motion alerts that both cameras have captured. 

I am not looking forward to going back to the bump & grind tomorrow but there is still plenty I need to take care of so it’s not like I will be bored but at least I won’t be on-call.  I forgot and looked at the calendar I don’t know why but I gave myself 2 back to back weeks and that is coming up.  I was trying to be nice but I don’t plan to ever do that again.  It’s going to be hell, unless it happens to be a couple of quiet weeks.  That NEVER seems to happen to me when I am on-call all of the odd ball strange stuff happens.  It’s like there is a full moon or something. 

I feel like I am burnt out both with life in general and also work.  I need time to escape, recharge and then come back.  I kind of feel like just scheduling a week of vacation but honestly it would be a wasted week.  I would just lounge and linger, probably be depressed even more and I wouldn’t go any place because of the cats.  They do help me but they are in some ways a hinderance.  For sure the one thing I can say is thus far they are keeping me alive.

Speaking of which I need to grab the laundry, head up and get ready to venture out in a bit for supper.  Cracker Barrel sounds pretty good.  Chicken Fried Steak is really appealing to me.  I wanted it last night and look at where I wound up.  I’d also like a pizza but feel like some good home cooking will hit the spot.  Just a nice meal no dessert since I have cake to eat here.  I haven’t napped at all which is shocking but I am tired and could easily fall asleep.

Oh yeah one more thing.  My lawn guys went computerized and they dropped my rate by $5 per cut but they tacked on a fuel surcharge to make up for it.  They have always had this stupid fuel surcharge and I paid it once I don’t plan on paying it ever again.  I mean gas should be baked into the price you are charging me.  Considering 2 people and they work pretty fast, maybe 10 to 15 minutes.  I did call them to cut a section they have skipped over.  It’s starting to be overgrown and I know that is going to cause a problem.  I also found that the bushes by my air condenser need to be trimmed.  I’d call my regular guy but he wouldn’t knock it out anytime soon, despite it being a small job.  I talk to him in the summer and then don’t see him until the following year.  I asked the lawn guys to take care of it.  They don’t quote specific prices but said it would be a little bit.  I just want them shaped up and trimmed back a bit.  I wish they were never planted there because they block the air flow but it’s something my late spouse did and I feel bad chopping anything down just because.  So they will live on at least for the time being. 

Hope you had a great weekend.  Looks like next weekend will be a 3 day holiday due to Memorial Day here in the US.  I am guessing my Thanksgiving friends will be reaching out but I’m not holding my breath, because you never know. 

Well on to supper.  Talk with you all again soon.  Be well & take care. 

Dude Soup–It Tastes Great!

Stress … It’s a killer

Yesterday was another hair on fire type day.  It started off normal and calm but just before lunch it got a little busy.  I had time to eat and then all hell broke loose and I was busy well past my quitting time. 

Needless to say there were no happy campers here.  I was obviously unhappy and exhausted, the cats missed me and wondered if I was ever coming upstairs.  I was also behind in getting the trash out. 

My sugar started to drop and like a dumb ass I just powered through it because I was almost at the end.  Yeah I was also pretty close to passing out.  There I go again killing myself for a job that would replace me tomorrow if I dropped dead today.  I just really wanted to be done and get upstairs. 

My inbox continued to overflow but I created a F-IT folder and moved everything from the inbox to the folder.  I took care of that folder and cleanup this morning. 

Thankfully I wasn’t bothered at all with on-call crap and was able to enjoy my evening. 

For supper I had a Lean Cuisine Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli.  It’s in a tomato sauce and I had it as soon as I got upstairs, no medicine I had to work on getting my sugar up.  After that I had some Butter Pecan Ice Cream.  The sauce did have a slight spice to it but I love this dish and have been eating it for weeks now.  It’s never caused any issues, until last night. 

After I was done Rudy was after me to take a break and spend time with him and his sister.  I did just that.  We watched TV for a 1/2 hour and then I had to get up get my evening medicine and work on the trash. 

When I came in from taking the trash out, I had this intense burning in my chest, it felt like I was on fire.  I took an anti-acid pill and drank a Sprite Zero.  That helped to calm things down but it took a bit.  I figured it was just a reaction to what I had for supper and no big deal. 

This morning I had the same feeling after I ate breakfast, which was nothing more than Milk, Oatmeal, a slice of Danish and a Banana. Not what I would consider to be spicy at all.  It’s kind of the run of the mill day of the week breakfast for me.  I took an anti-acid pill again and am drinking chilled water.  The burning has subsided. 

I am wondering if this is something that is going to continue and what in the world is wrong with me.  The first thing I looked up was an ulcer and I don’t have all of the signs.  I also saw that it could be stomach cancer.  See why I hate to look for medical stuff on the internet.  I think this is nothing more than stress.  I am going to take an anti-acid pill for a bit and see what happens.  If this continues I’ve got a doctors appointment in a few weeks and will bring it up. 

If it is an ulcer I will have to stop taking NSAID’s for my back and that will suck because then my back will really hurt.  This all started coincidentally when I had a regular Ibuprofen pill instead of a liquid gel capsule because I ran out.  My health insurance has a new benefit that started last year where you can order OTC medical stuff from this catalog and you have an allowance to spend for the year.  One of the many things I got was Ibuprofen.  I need to look through the catalog to place an order for this year.  I’m sure they have acid reducers.  It is a nice benefit to have.

This morning I had to make a decision to jump into some work that I could put off until Monday or to start it today, since Friday’s are typically calm but then again Monday’s usually are as well but that is not always the case.  I figured it’s been a hell of a week with stress and work I am going to take some time to relax.  I’ll deal with the work on Monday at least I won’t be on-call. 

Now more than ever before I am so looking forward to the weekend.  I want at least one day to not think about work.  I have to get up early on Sunday to do some testing, which of course I hate but it’s part of where my on-call falls.  Last year I managed to mostly avoid it but this year not so lucky.  I am the one who prepares the on-call schedule so you’d think I would stack the deck but nah I play fair.  No matter who gets this task they hate it.  One guy gets up early and takes care of it.  The other waits until closer to late in the morning almost afternoon to take care of it.  I am the only one who gets up as soon as possible to knock this out of the way.  It’s only about a 1/2 hour difference in my normal wake up time and I want to get to breakfast so that is my motivation. 

Yesterday when I had quiet time before all hell broke loose I opted to subscribe to Ring to stop the nag screen from showing up each and every time I went to view the cameras.  I didn’t know they would still continue the trial period and not bill me until it was over or I would have signed up way sooner.  That is awful nice of them because most companies once you sign up your trial period is over.  I for sure plan to add additional cameras but this is not the month to do it.  I’ve got lots of unplanned expenses where this or that renews and I’m not strapped for cash but I try to live on what I earn and not have to dip into savings as much as possible.  My end goal is to tuck away what is left over.  I’ve already got a certain dollar amount that comes out of my first check just for savings.  It’s really building and right now I have more in the bank than I have ever had in my entire life.  It’s not much by any means but I am super proud of it and trying like hell to protect it, like a goalie on fire.  That is not an easy job but it’s there for a rainy day or unplanned expense. 

Speaking of money.  I am really upset over the Mont Blanc Pen I want.  The damn thing has climbed again in price.  It started in the $300 range over the pandemic, then jumped into the $400 range earlier this year.  Today it’s $519 and I really wish I would have parted with $300 when I first wanted it.  It’s only going to increase but I keep an eye on it.  I tell myself if it falls in price I will buy it.  But I honestly don’t want to spend $400 or $500 on a pen that will just get added to a collection and not used a whole lot.  I’ve got so many pens and ink refills they will easily last me my lifetime if they don’t all dry up first.  Pens are the least of my vices but they do cost money like all hobbies.  I’ve got lots of vices but oddly none of them involve drugs, drinking or smoking.  We all have vices and that’s just the way it is. 

I am looking forward to getting a nice night of rest and that will happen thanks to drugs, then getting up early getting a shower, breakfast out I think then on to see my friends.  I’ve got some gifts to pass out that will catch them off guard.  After that the pet food store for sure is on the list of things to do because I am cutting it way close they are almost out of food but we can last today and part of tomorrow, possibly into Sunday morning but after that I will be out.  Not to worry no matter what the cats won’t go hungry so long as I have a pulse. 

My body is drained and I am just spent physically and emotionally.  This week has sucked quiet a bit of life out of me.  Shame it was done by a man and enjoyable but I guess that is something to continue to strive for.  Yes, that’s me and my odd ball sense of humor.  I’m exhausted not dead. 

I slept pretty good last night for a while but then I got the urge to get up and eat Oreos at 2a.  I watched a motorcycle pursuit in LA on YouTube live just before I nodded off.  I found out when I woke up at 2a they eventually got the guy.  It was a time consuming process but it’s all about dedication, if you stick with it eventually you will get the person.  From what I see on YT if your ever in AR they will chase you even at high rates of speed and they will catch you.  AR law enforcement doesn’t give up.  It’s dangerous but it does make for a good video to watch.  I just don’t understand why people think they can get away.  If they get your plate regardless if they get you today, they will get you eventually.  It’s all entertainment to me but to think it plays out in real life is actually kind of scary for everyone involved.  It’s an easy way to injury or kill an innocent person. 

Well I’m starting to babble so I am going to stick a fork in this.  Hopefully today is the better day that I have been looking for.  I am going to surf for some porn and then take my orange break.  After that it’s anyone’s guess as to what I will be up to.  It for sure is a nap kind of a day and I feel it already starting to call my name. 

Here’s hoping you have a great day and wonderful weekend.  I will talk with you all again soon.  Be well and stay safe. 

Hair on Fire … Busy

I am starting to wish for the weekend, because this week is turning into hell week.  I went in yesterday and turns out I really didn’t need to.  I did accomplish a couple of things that needed me to be in the office.  One of which I happened to stumble on when I went to the bathroom.  Someone, some how broke off half of the toilet seat and never bothered to tell anyone.  I turned it in so it can get fixed it’s odd to use the bathroom when 1/2 of the seat is missing.  Never in my life thought I would see that. 

I was working on importing some data and the way it was presented was not in the usual format.  It was a huge mess but I had to figure out how to get it imported and then while I am trying to work on that I had 2 people reach out to me and ask when that little project from hell would be done.  Thankfully it completed before I left the office.

Then when it was discovered there was duplicate data and some fields were missing I got a request to fix it.  That’s not my job.  Hell it took me most of the day to get it imported.  Who ever has to fix it is in for the project from hell and it will be days before it’s done.  I talked with my boss and he agreed with me.  Just in case it came bubbling up the pipeline I wanted to play CYA. 

I did leave early and did spend about an hour playing catchup when I got home but there wasn’t anything major that came up while I was driving, which is a very good thing!

I refused to pass out when I got home so I kept myself awake with sugar & caffeine.  It was mildly difficult to fall asleep but I did manage.  Had a great sex dream, wishing that it wasn’t a dream but ah well.  Slept pretty good too. 

Today has been a catchup day since it kind of feels like I was out yesterday but I was in, just focused on a project.  I am all caught up but all sorts of crap managed to come out of the wood work today and it’s been another day of my hair on fire, busy. 

Just to give you an idea of how busy it’s been I have yet had a moment to surf for porn.  Normally that is done very early in the morning.  I hope that the rest of the week isn’t like this and I can get some down time. 

Going up in a bit to be with the cats and try to enjoy the evening, hoping that I don’t get bothered with work.  I so need a break. 

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

Office Drama

I got an email this morning that one of the big wigs is in our office.  It’s due to someone significant being terminated.  The termination part surprises me because I was told something different last week but whatever.  Tuesday’s are typically a mandatory in office day so looks like despite being on-call I will be going in tomorrow.  I really don’t want to but my little voice tells me I need to.  I kind of had a feeling yesterday that something was going to go sideways, good thing I filled up the gas tank. 

I thought about excuses I could use because I would rather stay put at home but usually when I don’t listen to my little voice I am sorry. 

The person that was terminated kind of helped cover for me and never made a big deal about me working remote.  I am going to keep on doing what I have been but I think that my days of remote working could be numbered. Hopefully, not but it’s kind of a gut feeling I have at the moment.  Kind of largely depends on how this shakes out with the persons replacement. 

Ugh, life ain’t it a kick in the pants sometimes!  Looks like I will be able to leave early at my normal time if there isn’t anything major going on.  I will be in a meeting just prior to leaving so hopefully that doesn’t linger on. 

This morning was all dry and calm.  Then all of a sudden it was hair on fire and running 100mph.  I’ve got everything under control at the moment but there is no assurance it will stay that way.  You never know when things are going to get crazy. 

I can probably predict that in leaving early tomorrow something will come up while I am on the road and I will spend hours digging out but that is the risk I take in leaving early.  Even if I left on-time the possibility still exists. 

I am thankful for my job but I wish the drama and BS wasn’t there, then it would be more peaceful and enjoyable like the early days when I started. 

Talk with you all again soon, be well. 

Relaxing Weekend

Morning … I hope that you had a nice weekend.  Unfortunately it’s another Monday and that means for most of us back to work.  UGH! 

Saturday morning I was up early, took care of the cats, got a shower and went to breakfast.  Then saw my friends and came back home.  I thought that would be temporary but it turned out to be an all day thing.  I didn’t want to go back out at all.  I loafed around the house, I did get a couple things accomplished, nothing major. 

Sunday I was up early and out to eat quick.  Being Mother’s Day all of the restaurants around here fill up super quick.  I went to my usual place and they pre-made all of the food so unfortunately everything but the eggs tasted like crap.  Even the soda was flat but I didn’t complain and turns out I wasn’t even charged for the soda.

I went at normal pace but it sure seemed like a mad dash through the grocery store.  The one thing I forgot was water for the cats.  They have a standby 2 gallons so I think were good. 

Hit up the gas pump after not keeping a full tank and man that was expensive.  Then home to unload, stop and rest. 

I was supposed to go back out for cat food but I decided to milk it.  Were on the tail end of the wet food so the selection isn’t the greatest but there is enough there for them to eat for the week.  The dry food is the same, coming up on the tail end.  I just dread the pet food store so much and the total that comes up on the register I am trying to hide.  That will only work one more week and then next week I HAVE to go or they will be out of food. 

Morea is still getting used to the new water fountain.  She drank a bunch and the tank started to replenish what she drank and that just caught her off guard.  She stared the fountain like what is wrong with this thing, is it going to take off on me.  I’ve seen Rudy drink from it but he is so covert in his trips that it’s tough to catch him.  For Morea it isn’t a big deal. 

I tried out my new razor last night.  The verdict is it’s a great handle and provides a smooth shave.  Blade rinses clean easily.  However, there is no edge trimmer on the top and that kicks this out for me.  I need that to trim under my nose and to help keep my sideburns even.  It also can help around the ears on occasion.  I like it but am disappointed.  I’ve got an Amazon brand on my list that I may jump to or just switch back to Gillette. 

I picked up some Magnesium.  It’s suppose to help quell insomnia.  It wasn’t cheap but I took a pill yesterday afternoon.  I had muscle knots all day long in my back and after a few hours it was like everything just relaxed.  The pain started to dissipate.  I don’t know if that was all in my head.  I slept great last night but only because I had napped all day long off and on, I took a double dose of medicine to ensure I would sleep good.  The real test will come this week to see if this stuff works.  Particularly Friday night into Saturday.  For some dumb reason I can sleep okay during the week but the weekend just does something to my sleep routine.  I’ve got no idea why but hopefully this works and if it makes my muscles relax well that’s just added benefit for me.  It’s not going to replace a massage but I can use all of the help I can get. 

Morea got some basement time yesterday.  Her brother was eating and I needed to look after the laundry.  She follows me everywhere so I had to coax her into the basement.  I thought for sure her brother would figure things out before I closed the door but thankfully he didn’t figure it out until after.  She was so happy down here nosing around.  Plus it was much cooler down here so I liked it.  Not sure how that sat with her.  You can feel the humidity smack you in the face when you head up back up stairs.  It’s the same way in the winter you feel the warmth as you climb.  It feels good in the Winter but not so much in the Spring/Summer months. 

Speaking of change of seasons I switched out my wardrobe yesterday.  I didn’t wear nearly all of my long sleeve shirts.  I used to have quite the collection of short sleeve shirts.  I still have plenty to wear but it feels like short sleeves have dwindled.  I also seem to remember having way more t-shirts than I do today. 

In camera news, I discovered we have 2 deer that wonder across the front yard in the early morning hours.  Not every day but I saw them on camera Saturday morning and again this morning.  It looks to be 2 youngsters.  They nibble on one of my bushes.  It’s all good by me.  If that is the only thing that I discover that is happening at night I am okay with it.  I can’t wait to put up more cameras who knows what kind of wildlife or critters I will discover. 

As for work, I’ve got a meeting this afternoon but other than that the day is wide open and all of my tasks thus far are complete.  I hope for quiet but don’t know that will happen at least for a long period of time. 

Here’s hoping it’s a great day and a great week for all.  Take care and I will talk with you all again soon. 

Dude Soup–Overdue bowl

Proud

Today has turned out to be much like yesterday.  Lots of time to burn.  I laid around for a while and have had to come back down a couple times hours apart. 

I was working on my last task when I got a camera alert.  Hot hunky Amazon driver dropped off my most recent order.  I saw him drive by as I went up to grab my packages off the porch.  He sure is cute and well built. 

Wondering what I got?  A new drinking fountain for the cats.  It takes the same filters as the old one, holds way more water and has a tank on back.  You fill the tank and when they drink it adds more water so they are never without water or thirsty.  This fountain also comes apart and there are no hard to reach areas like there was on the old fountain.  Gator and all of Momma’s family would have loved this.  Now it’s Rudy & Morea’s.  I got it unpacked and setup, it holds close to two gallons of water, that should hold them for a while. 

Next up a new razor.  It’s made by Cremo it just appealed to me.  I’m looking for something new since Dollar Shave Club changed their blades the new blades are thinner but they don’t do as good of a job as the old blades did.  I am looking now for the replacement so when I run out of the old blades I can just convert to a new razor and be done.  What I see with Cremo looks to be kind of similar to the new Dollar Shave Club blades so I don’t know if I will like it or not but we will find out come Sunday night. 

Last up a new toilet seat.  It’s padded and has removable hinges for easy cleaning.  I did struggle a little bit getting this installed but it was trial and error.  It’s all in, looks great and I like it.  Feels nice to have the padding.  I just have to hope now the cats don’t go sinking their claws into it once they discover it.  The old seat would permit mold to grow and the new one has germicidal coatings so that shouldn’t be an issue. 

So while I was on the clock and watching for work, I got a water fountain setup for the cats and installed a toilet seat.  Pretty good for an afternoons work.  I’m quite proud of my efforts.  I thought I would wind up spending part of Saturday taking care of these tasks and now they are out of the way I feel better.  Plus when I feel like it I can order another toilet seat for the Master bath.  At least I will have the upper hand on how to install it.  I was also surprised that the old seat was installed with modern easy to remove hardware. 

Morea has been following me around like crazy and she is stuck to me like glue.  I got a little warm after all of that work so I got to escape her for a bit by coming downstairs.  It’s colder down here but I still feel pretty warm, the AC just kicked on.  She has these periods where she just wants to stick by my side no matter what.  I know she desperately wants me to open the basement door so she can be down here with me.  If I had to place a bet on which one of them I think is going to escape I would say it’s her.  She has already darted into the garage.  She is just nosy but I think if she does get out and gets spooked she will run and that will be the beginning of the end.  They are both chipped but that means nothing today and isn’t a guarantee of a safe return.  I am extra careful when I door opens and I am always yelling for them to get back or stay back.  They both do a pretty good job of keeping their distance, kind of like Momma’s family but it’s still a concern. 

Morea & Rudy also do some meowing but I have no idea what they want.  We just don’t know each other that well yet even though it’s been 4 months.  I am learning as we go but I still don’t know everything there is to know about their mannerisms but they have taught me when they want food or treats.  I suppose that is the most important. 

I’ve got about 3 more hours before I can knock out the last task of the day and then I am done.  Hopefully, then no one will bother me and I can have a quiet 2 day break before we start the fun of a week of on-call. 

Here’s hoping that you have a great weekend.  Be well and stay safe!

HR Called

Last night I had finished up for the day and headed upstairs.  I was up about 15 minutes.  Then my phone rang and it was HR.  I answered and turns out they needed a favor.  There was a “confidential” matter going on and they needed to temporarily cut someone’s access.  As you might imagine my heart rate when up when I saw caller id.  I was relieved that the call wasn’t about me or something that I did or failed to do. 

I had to head back downstairs for a bit.  Then up and after a rushed dinner back down.  It took up about 45 minutes of my time but as soon as I was done I sprinted back upstairs to be with the cats. 

I got claw trimming done last night.  Rudy wasn’t happy about it but he tolerated it a lot better than his sister.  She got me on my leg and tried to escape multiple times.  I had to hold her down but managed to get both paws done.  That kind of made them both angry at me but it was short lived.  I passed out treats later in the evening and after that life went back to normal. 

Rudy woke me up during the night and I had problems going back to sleep.  Had to watch a little TV.  Then back to sleep.  The trash trucks woke me up and Rudy was all up in my face.  I played with that for a half hour and then finally got up. 

My knee on the opposite leg that Rudy bit me on has been acting up.  It started long before the bite.  A few months ago I was in the shower and bent down, I heard a pop in that knee and figured that wasn’t anything good.  It hurt like crazy afterwards but a few days later and everything went back to normal.  It’s kind of warm now and that is a little concerning. 

The foot that Rudy bit me on is doing okay.  I stopped putting ointment on it yesterday.  The itching has subsided and it is looking better.  I am still watching it because you never know. 

Ah this body I am ready to trade it in for a new one and a way better looking one at that.  A much newer model would be nice.  Shame that can’t happen. 

Rain was in the forecast for tomorrow but it’s been pushed to Sunday.  I am still on the fence on what exactly I am doing tomorrow.  I will probably fly by the seat of my pants and a lot of that depends on my mood, energy levels and overall how I feel in general. 

One thing I know for sure is that when I stop for the day today I want to sever my ties with work for 2 full days.  I don’t want to be called back, called because there is an emergency or bothered in any fashion.  I need a full 2 day break. 

As it stands now I’ve got nothing going until later this afternoon and that task is pretty quick.  I am kind of on standby to see what comes in.  Right now it’s pretty calm kind of like yesterday.  I like days like this but just hope that it’s not the calm before the storm. 

My lazy co-worker seems to be working now and I don’t think I will need to jump in and help with the project.  He provided a substantial update about his portion of the work late in the afternoon yesterday, so that’s a good thing. 

Here’s hoping it’s a decent weekend for all of us.  Relax, enjoy because Monday will be knocking again way too soon.  Happy Friday!  Be safe and take care. 

Afternoon update

It’s been a very nice day.  I sat with the cats upstairs in my room.  We took in some TV, napped a couple times.  The phone did wake me more than once but I managed to fall back asleep. 

I went up shortly after my first post and didn’t come back down here until probably about an hour ago.  That’s some break.  My fear is that I won’t sleep tonight but it doesn’t take a whole lot to wipe me out. 

I had a Clif Peanut Butter Energy Bar for lunch.  Not quite sure about supper but you know it’s coming out of a cardboard box most likely.  Unless I decide to switch up and make myself a sandwich for supper, which is unlikely. 

I’ve tackled a couple things at work since I have been back but it’s just a calm kind of day and it’s like after the hellish night I had, I am kind of appreciative of it.  I don’t suppose we can make it two in a row but I know it’s possible. 

Right now there is a lot of pressure at work for this project me and my co-worker are doing.  My portion is done, I’m hoping that I don’t have to jump in and help him out but I’m not ruling it out.  Every day I field questions for when will it be done from a new person.  Lots of eyes on this one and it’s typical.  We go through this the same time each year.  I bust ass and get my part done as quickly as possible.  My colleague moves like a turtle and just hopes it will all go away.  I’ve had to jump in and help out the last couple years but I am taking a hands off approach right now. 

Additionally, there has been no discussion about the mess I had to clean up for him last night.  I don’t think that will happen.  I know I probably won’t even get an apology but I honestly don’t want one.  I want him to do him damn job and stop fucking up.  If he can do that then we will be good but it’s been 3 years and I had high hopes at first but I have no hope right now.  It’s like I have to babysit and I’ve caught way too many thing before they surfaced.  Now I am not babysitting I just let it surface.  My goal before was to save him and myself from anger or public humiliation but apparently he likes that sort of thing.  He knows no one is going to yell, scream or otherwise kick up much of a fuss and thus he gets a free pass.  Even I know that I can complain about it but there isn’t much that is going to be done about it because we have a spineless boss.  I personally like to glide under the radar, the work gets done and life moves on.  People know me but it’s because I am known for good reasons like getting shit done and being quick about it.  I’ll help damn near anyone if and when I can.  I don’t always get that favor returned but it makes me feel good inside and honestly outside of the paycheck that is why I work.  Helping people to me is what it is all about, we all need help at some point in time and there is no shame in asking for help regardless of what kind or type of help you need and I don’t mean anything sexual by my statement.  Not that your mind would go there but I’ve watched too much porn so my mind certainly did. 

I am very bored right now and that can be a dangerous thing.  I am going to try to work on some of my personal filing.  I’ve got too much paper stacked up.  I feel better when it’s put away.  It’s not going to happen magically but I sure wish it would. Kind of the way I wish that a home cooked meal was waiting for me every night. 

Hope it’s a great night for all.  I am looking forward to Friday only because the weekend follows.  Talk with you all again soon, be well.

Mop Up Time

I waited all day for the boom to lower on what I knew was something my co-worker that was out sick missed.  Of course it didn’t happen until after my work day was done.  That made for a long evening.  I got that issue taken care of.  Then work just started pouring in and I figured might as well take care of it, I’m already in the system.  Long story short I told the cats it would be a few minutes and I would be back.  That was a few minutes just after 5p.  I didn’t come back up until after 6p. 

The extra work made for a very short evening.  I had some Ravioli for supper which was really good.  Found a new series on Netflix that I’ve finished.  It’s called Missing Dead or Alive.  Very captivating and it drew me in that I passed up my social media hour.  When the first case was done I made my rounds on social media. 

The cats weren’t happy because I was running behind and they thought I would skip treat time.  That didn’t happen.  I did however realized this morning that I forgot to top off the dry food bowl and that was on my list. 

Things were kind of helter skelter since I was behind and trying to play catchup.  Of course I neglected my back and I felt it this morning when I woke up.  My muscles were all tense and hurting. 

Got in some time with Rudy this morning before I rolled out of bed.  He tried more than once to coax me out of bed by trying to wash my face but I caught him in time and blew in his face.  That caused him to rethink his move.  He didn’t like the air and it caught him off guard.  I had an hour to pass when he first woke me up but by the time I got him to settle down it was 30 minutes.  I didn’t go back to sleep just laid and tossed around a bit.  Then decided to get up and get going. 

Breakfast was had and then I got my Morea time.  She loves belly rubs and is asking for them all the time now.  I just started a few days ago.  Glad she trusts me enough for that task.  Cats are protective of their stomach because that is the pathway to all of their organs.  I learned this the other day but every cat has a pooch, some skin that hangs down on their stomach.  That is for protection and in the hopes that if attacked by a predator it will go for that instead of their stomach.  The cats not necessarily fat which is usually what I thought when I saw that.  Social media can be educational at times, presuming what I just stated is accurate.  It sounds logical to me. 

Thus far it’s a calm Thursday.  I’ve knocked out all of my work.  Just waiting for something to come in.  I know that there is something headed my way I just don’t know when it’s going to hit.  It’s a rush job so I’ve got my eye out. 

I thought a lot overnight about my colleague and his fuck ups.  I started to compose an email in my head but then I had the thought let it go.  He either will or will not apologize.  If he does that is when I will capitalize and pounce.  If he doesn’t well then my anger will just build.  This has to change.  If I worked like he did I would have been fired a long time ago or so I think.  Perhaps I should lower my standards but that is not in me.  I was raised a certain way and trained a certain way.  I like to do things right the first time, beats having to go back and fix mistakes.  Not that I don’t make them but not nearly as often as he does.  His mistakes are usually massive and gross neglect.  My mistakes are not the same thing.  Once and a while I make a whopper but I try to limit those to every couple years.  I know no one is perfect but our boss is useless to try to enforce this.  He has no spine and will let you talk your way out of most anything.  Plus he waffles so today he’s all gung ho about this and tomorrow is no big deal.  However, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. 

I hope that the day stays like it is now and I can relax a bit.  I had my orange break yesterday and man they tasted horrible.  I go for the cuties which are smaller and easy peel but no seeds.  I am starting to think I need to go for the normal oranges with seeds, at least the taste is predictable.  I don’t like waxy skin tasting oranges it ruins the experience.  However, I’ve got a small bag and need to get them gone, just not certain I will buy more of the same thing.  At first they were awesome now no so much.  Kind of like my co-worker. 

It’s trash day here which I don’t look forward to.  However I’ll get it out this afternoon.  The two worst parts are pushing it out to the curb and then tomorrow morning when there is the march of the trash trucks and they make all of their noise starting at 6a.  They are here usually around 5:45a but I don’t start to hear them until 6a.  That should be the next invention a quiet trash truck.  I’m sure it’s in the works with everything changing to EV’s but it’s probably years away. 

Here’s hoping that it’s a great day for all of us.  Take care and I will talk with you all again soon. 

Stuck in the middle

I was able to flee work at a decent hour and made it home just in time for the grass people to be finishing up.  The cats were happy to see me and I them.  I had a task to take care of at 5p and knocked that out.  Had my mini burritos with beans & beef last night for supper they were really good.  I finished off with a Reese's Ice Cream Cone, something new and it’s okay not the best thing in the world. 

Watched more Will & Grace as well as YouTube videos.  When I got home I sat on the couch and waited for 5p to come around, watched an old George Wallace special.  I fell asleep a few times just out of sheer exhaustion.  George is a funny guy and I enjoy listening to him. 

It was a relaxing evening and bed time came around pretty fast.  I got to brush Morea again.  Both her and her brothers nails need to be trimmed.  Morea’s are super long and the slightest movement of her paw got her stuck in my shirt.  She hates me touching her nails but it’s got to be done.  She really puts up the fight.  Rudy however tolerates it a bit better but does some protesting. 

My cat bite looks okay but it still itches.  I am ready to stop with the ointment because it’s kind of a hassle.  For now I am continuing but depending on how things look I might stop in the next couple days. 

This morning my co-worker is out again sick.  He normally messages everyone but this time I just found his out of office turned on.  There is a mess waiting to blow up that he left and I am just sitting by waiting for the explosion. 

There is a lot going on right now at work in general.  I said it’s busy season and I meant it.  Summer time usually is.  Things will level out here in a few weeks but it’s only a temporary pause and it’s something to be enjoyed.  Then the next wave starts up.  Kind of like sitting by the ocean.

Speaking of which I deleted the dating app I was on.  I started to get more women and straight men showing up and I’m not interested in either.  That’s not to say I am not attracted to straight guys because hell we don’t exactly wear our sexuality on our sleeves.  I just don’t want drama or to experience injury.  I’m looking for Mr. Right and apparently that search is going to be quite lengthy despite my patience not being that lengthy.  I heard the other day something that has come up in the past.  You are trying too hard, relax and let love come to you.  It will find you.  Well I think it needs some GPS and a rocket booster because it’s been 10 very long years.  I am not getting younger, more limber or more attractive as the days roll on.  A good part of me thinks that I will be single for the rest of my life.  It’s all good until you get sick, depressed or need someone to help with a project.  Otherwise the single life is perfectly fine.  It’s lonely as hell but conversely there is a lot of freedom.  Good & Bad with everything. 

My day over all today is wide open.  We have a meeting later this morning which since my co-worker is out I expect to get moved but it may not.  Just waiting for things to go bump, bang or crash and if they don’t well then I will be free and that is okay by me. 

My back is bothering me a lot to the point where I am really seriously considering taking a muscle relaxer if I can make it through Friday.  The maximum price that it will cost me is that I waste my Saturday but then again if I take it early enough in the evening on Friday it might wear off in time to salvage some of Saturday.  I always plan for worse case scenario because I don’t always know how my body will react.  The idea of just being in a coma sleeping away sounds like utter bliss right now though. 

We made it to the half way point, so were stuck in the middle.  I don’t want to use any sick time unless I have to.  So here’s hoping the next two days go by quickly and smoothly.  Talk with you all again soon.  Hope you have a great day and be well!