Not what I expected

I had my meeting with my boss, things went okay.  The afternoon meeting was cancelled and I was perfectly okay with that. 

Then I get a text from the Massage Therapist who tells me she has The Flu and was diagnosed on Tuesday.  She gave me the option to cancel but said that she would wear a mask.  I am a huge germaphobe and also not that big of a gambler.  I took her up on her offer and cancelled my massage.  I was so looking forward to it.  She is pretty booked up and while she offered me another time that is weeks away.  I haven’t scheduled anything further. 

I was just starting to like the routine we had built up but this kind of threw a wrench in that.  I may or may not reach back out to schedule something for now I am just letting it be.  My back is sore now as it is.  I stretched earlier in the week and something went pop and it felt good but then pain followed that.  I was hoping that the massage would flush that out but looks like I will have to tough it out on my own. 

Work got hot and heavy this afternoon which made time fly by.  I’ve got a couple last things to take care of and just waiting on timing.  Once I walk away from this computer I plan to not come back until tomorrow at the earliest or preferably Sunday. 

I am overthinking tomorrow that it’s going to be difficult but it’s just due to the change in routine, I am sure it will all be all right. 

Hoping you have a great weekend, take care!

Good Friday

Morning … Time to hop into Easter this weekend.  At the moment I have no invite or special plans for Easter.  It sounds like it will just be a very quiet Sunday for me.  I hope that your weekend is great and that if you have plans to celebrate Easter with Family/Friends that you have a great time. 

I hated hunting for Easter eggs when I was a kid but eating them was sure fun.  Candy was also enjoyable to eat.  I liked dying the eggs as I moved into adulthood, you could create some pretty cool colors and designs.  Now it’s just easier for me to buy hardboiled eggs, not dyed at the store.  I enjoy a hardboiled egg that is already peeled for me much more than having to crack and peel the shell.  It was fun back in the day but today I no longer enjoy the peeling part.  Still enjoy the eating part thought! 

Last night was a night of boredom.  I sifted through YouTube and my streaming services with nothing to find.  I threw caution to the wind and cleaned out my freezer.  Also did some repair work and oiled a noisy motor.  It’s been growling and alarmed Rudy yesterday.  Now that its all lubed up it’s quiet and my freezer is much more organized.  I had to run an extra bag out to the trash can but it felt really good. 

After that I got an early shower and pretty well called it a night.  For some strange reason my teeth on the lower left side of my mouth hurt.  It’s a dull pain.  I used to experience similar pain after a dental cleaning for a couple days when I was a bit younger but it’s been a while since this has happened.  My allergies/sinuses are kind of jacked up at the moment so I attribute some of this to that.  I looked in the mirror as if I am a dentist and don’t see anything obvious wrong.  Hopefully, in a couple days things will settle down if not I know enough to stop in to see the dentist. 

I’m covering on-call for a colleague today.  He was supposed to be going out of town but now he says that his kid had an allergic reaction to something and he’s not going out of town but he is still taking today off.  I agreed to cover for him if he was going out of town not if he was taking the day off.  Ah well I’m not splitting hairs over it.  I had something else that I wanted to do today that was formed last minute but I am not saying anything.  Friday’s are typically calmer and quieter days part of the reason why I said I’d take Friday.  I’ve got a few things of my own at work to take care of today but otherwise hope that I am rewarded with a mostly calm/quiet day.  Still have 2 BS meetings to attend and don’t look forward to those. 

Rudy’s clock is still off he woke me up at 5a again but this time I was able to go back to sleep.  He was back at 6a and by 6:30a I just gave in and got up.  I keep telling him the correct time and to adjust his clock.  He looks at me like all cats do, as if I just asked him for a ride to the airport.  Here’s hoping that his clock gets the right time sooner rather than later. 

I don’t look forward to tomorrow just because I won’t be able to spend it like I normally do but I will manage.  Grocery shopping on a Saturday morning just sounds horrible to me.  Funny thing is after I do it I will think to myself maybe I should change up my routine but I never do.  Sunday is still the best day for me and it feels natural since I’ve been doing it for 10 plus years this way.

I hope it’s a great day for you!  Thanks for stopping by and take care.  

Nice Break

Morning … I got a nice break yesterday and my boss wound up taking the whole day off.  He’s sick with Strep.  He got it when he went on vacation and it won’t go away.  That means that BS meeting we were supposed to have yesterday afternoon got moved to Friday.  I thought he just cancelled it but it shows on my calendar now for Friday.  The boss sent us a message last night that he is going to try to make it back today.  He’s a typical guy who doesn’t listen to his body and rushes to jump back to normal.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped taking his antibiotic after a few days just because he felt better.  That would certainly explain why this infection came back.  I just long for days without him and the BS that he dishes out, the day is much more peaceful. 

That said, I got some nice quiet time yesterday.  I had a few things to take care of but for the most part it was like having a day off in the middle of the week, something I could easily get used to. 

Had Crab Rangoon for lunch with a couple left over biscuits from Red Lobster.  It was a quick and tasty lunch.  For supper I finished off the Crab Rangoon and broke into the Chicken Fried Rice.  Very filling and a nice change of pace.  I’ve got another whole order of Crab Rangoon and much left over fried rice.  So that’s supper tonight.  Not sure what I am doing for lunch just yet. 

Watched YouTube videos last night for my evening entertainment and got in some play time with the cats.  Really wish I would have been able to video tape the play time.  Both cats were cute and silly but Rudy really was wound up. 

I got a decent nights sleep, that is until 5am.  I was having this super silly dream and for some unknown reason Rudy came in and woke me up.  I was not happy.  My allergies started to flair and I was up for an hour.  I went back to bed and just fell asleep with 40 minutes to spare.  Both cats were passed out in bed and then the alarm clock went off and scared all of us awake.  I was not happy with Rudy but he was raring to go.  He interrupted me eating breakfast towards the end and was trying to paw at my glass for milk.  I let him rub up against the bottom of the glass and he pointed to it with his paw.  That’s it.  Then he went for a nice drink of water. 

Got a text message early in the morning yesterday from my friends who were waiting for a new chain restaurant to open so we could all get together.  The message I got said that there finally was an opening date.  I sent back a smiley face as a reply and that’s where the conversation ended.  No Easter invite and no word on when they want to go to this new place.  I hate texting with a passion for this very reason, conversations start and end abruptly.  Pick up the phone and call me it’s easier to know when the conversation is over with, I think it’s also more productive for everyone. 

My do it myself pest control package arrived yesterday.  I’ve not opened it yet just to keep the cats out of it.  That is plans for the weekend provided the weather stays nice and I have the energy to deal with it.  One things is for sure it’s not going to mix and spray it’s self.  It’s the same stuff I was paying a pro to spray but they took care of all of the mixing and spraying.  I was way overcharged for their labor but that’s how they manage to stay in business and I get it. 

The agenda for today has 3 meetings on it.  If the boss is out sick that will reduce to 2 meetings but I am not holding my breath.  I can only imagine unless he feels tons better that he won’t be doing a whole lot of talking today and that’s not a bad thing. 

As always here’s hoping you have a great day.  Take care!

Man Candy - Happy Early Easter

Back to Normal

Hey there, welcome in/back… Yesterday is finally in the past.  I sat around largely with not much to do.  I found a couple things to occupy my time but I breezed through them.  It just makes for such a long day with nothing to do.  It’s worse when I am physically in the office instead of working from home.  There is plenty to keep me occupied here at home.  Had 1/2 of my Chicken Bacon Ranch wrap that I brought for lunch which made me quite full.  Took the other 1/2 home and wound up having it for supper instead of Chinese.  I left early and damn it was cold outside, colder than when I went in the morning.  Since I parked in a different place I didn’t think I would ever find my automobile, I forgot how far away I parked, it was quite the hike.  The phone went nuts on the way home with emails from work.  I fed the cats when I walked in the door and then logged on to see what mess was there.  Thankfully just a couple things that required a small amount of attention and my day was done!  I could finally take off my coat, clothes and unwind/relax.  I found myself starting to doze, I was exhausted that’s when I got up to get something to eat.  About an hour later I was laying on the couch and wound up indulging in a quick nap.  I needed that.  Slept pretty good overnight but there were a couple interruptions. 

Here I am staring morning right in the face again.  I’ve knocked out all of my tasks.  Now just have to have lunch and then there is a late afternoon meeting because the boss man took the morning off.  We could easily get by skipping the meeting like we did when he was on vacation but he loves to hear himself talk so we get to gather for that, oh joy!

It feels good to be in the middle of the week that means the end is around the corner.  Still waiting on that Easter invitation not sure if it will happen but I am not holding my breath either.  Saturday will be a busy morning to get everything I normally do on Sunday done that day but I know it will all come together.  I just hate waking up early.  Got a massage on Saturday as well and I am looking forward to it. 

This year appears to be taking off as I can’t believe we are about to enter the fourth month (April) already.  Time, it’s always ticking even when your not. 

Watched the latest episodes of The Connors and The Neighborhood last night.  The rest of the evening was occupied with YouTube videos. 

The cats are really chowing on the dry food.  I do not look forward to my next trip to the pet food store.  They eat two different kinds of dry food and damn it’s not cheap, add that in with their regular canned food and $$$.  I complain but like my late spouses mom used to say, I’d rather pay a food bill than a vet bill any day of the week.  I’ve been seeing ads on social media for Hill’s (I think) they have a special food for cats that are fighting cancer.  Kind of unique and I’m sure the price isn’t cheap.  It’s great to see science advance to help our furry friends.  I pass by the vet’s office all the time and I can’t help but think of how much money I’ve sunk into that place.  Glad that I don’t have a reason to go back but I know that time in that regard is working against me.  Be it an injury/illness or if I just need to get them shots so that I can board them.  Until that time I am just savoring the break that I have been given, it’s very much needed.  Still miss all of my family, furry and not furry.  Those were the days. 

I wonder what fun will be in store for today?  I know that when I go back to the office next I should have new monitors.  Everyone that gets them raves about them.  I was quite happy with what I had so if it didn’t happen I wouldn’t be disappointed. 

Going off to sift through eye candy to see what I can scour up for your viewing pleasure a bit later today.  As always I hope all is well and that life is being kind to you.  Take care!

Trip Tuesday

Morning … Hope all is well.  My post yesterday said a lot, but I am not nearly as talkative today.  I put yesterdays post together over a couple days on the weekend, which is why it was so long and detailed. 

Yesterday was a semi-busy day workwise.  There were some lulls and I did get to call it a day early.  I was bored out of my mind with little to nothing to watch on YouTube or streaming services.  I was really scraping the bottom of the barrel. 

Had one of the two left over pieces of pizza for lunch.  I’ll probably down the last piece tomorrow.  Had my left over Red Lobster for supper.  It was good but not as good as when it was served fresh.  Think I need to invest in an air fryer so things that are supposed to be crispy turn out that way instead of soggy.  It was still a decent meal.

Spent the evening with the cats.  Mora was hyper for attention and trying to cajole me into passing out her treats early.  She skips supper and just waits for treat time, no wonder she is hungry.  Poor Rudy has to scarf them down before she hogs them all.  What a dynamic they have it goes all over the spectrum from loving to fighting. 

I called it a night early partially out of boredom but also because I had to get up early to come in to the office.  Rudy was about an hour early with his wake up call but I got him to settle down and fall asleep while laying on top of me.  Like I would jump up without his knowledge.  When it got closer to time he started up again, still early and I just gave in and got up. 

It was a dark and rainy morning.  The rain was not in the forecast last night so that caught me off guard but it was light rain and not a down pour.  I made it in with plenty of time to spare. 

Discovered that our parking garage is under construction/renovation so the floor where I normally like to park is closed.  I’m jammed in with everyone else today and just hoping for the best.  As per usual I look forward to leaving and getting back home. 

I looked at my calendar a bit closer once I was in the office and there is only one meeting this afternoon instead of our normal 2.  It makes for a long day since all of my morning tasks are done. 

I’ve been playing with Windows 11 a bit.  Got Outlook the way I want it.  Now I am trying to figure out how to get a Quick Launch/Access Toolbar for some of the tasks I do on a frequent basis since W11 won’t let you pin just anything to the taskbar.  I’ve got a knowledge file in Notepad and can’t link directly to that but I can pin Notepad it’s self to the taskbar.  This is going to suck when W11 is our regular go to OS at the office, which is why I am glad that I am a tester and this wasn’t just sprung on me. 

Fried Rice and Crab Rangoon are on the menu tonight.  Hopefully, there will be a bit more to watch on TV.  I am sure that I will be wiped out and nodding off from all of the extra effort I went through today, which is fine so long as I sleep good tonight. 

Well off to find something to do.  Take care and have a good day!

Catchup Time - Two & Half Days

Friday … This day for sure didn’t start the way I wanted it to, with the news about Riley Strain’s body being discovered. I was really absorbed and invested into this case as I know a lot of people were. I wanted to help in someway but thought that if I made the trip that they would be looking for 2 people instead of 1. I saw the press conference with his parents and the United Cajun Navy. I also saw the vigil they held at 7pm. Looks like Green was his favorite color as his family was wearing this at the press conference. That’s a nice tribute. They have a long road ahead of them. Parents aren’t supposed to bury their children.

The Chief of Police indicated early in the morning when the news was announced that they may have a preliminary result from the autopsy towards the end of the day on Friday, but that didn’t happen. I know that the Medical Examiner has to complete this before the body is released to the family. That could be a couple days but I do suspect given what has transpired there is some pressure to fast track this. Toxicology results could take up to two months before they are available. The parents deserve answers in order to have some sense of closure and allow their wounds to heal. While I and others expected the outcome would be what it was, I had hope against hope that it wouldn’t end the way it did. So many unanswered questions.

Speculation has already begun about potential lawsuits from this. I have doubts if Riley’s family will bring any litigation on this. I do understand that when you lose a loved one that it is natural to want to blame someone. I’d say they are well within their rights if they want to bring something but it means having to go back to TN and my best guess says that they will probably want to avoid that state now at all costs, given what has occurred. This is just my opinion and I’m not an attorney.

Since I’m giving an opinion, I would be remiss if I didn’t voice that I think the PIO (Public Information Officer) for Nashville Metro Police is a complete dick. To his credit though he gets right to the point and there is no beating around the bush. I just dislike how he cuts things off quickly and doesn’t seem to have a personality.

On the work front it was a semi quiet day. My boss signed me up to get a Windows 11 machine to test out. Were converting to that I believe late this year or early next year. They are using it with no overlay so it’s truly Windows 11, which is drastically different than Windows 10. Come October 14^, 2025 that’s the official end of life date for Windows 10. There are some options available to continue support and the experts right now say don’t worry or focus on that date. Personally, I am not right now. I am beyond pleased with Windows 10 and wish that it would stick around. When I got my personal laptop after Gator passed it had W11 on it and it was neat to look at and play with but to use, I found it cumbersome. There are also functions/features that I am used to in W10 that simply aren’t in W11. I’ve played with it again on Friday and there is a learning curve on my part for sure. Were also apparently moving to Office 365 and I am not a fan of that version of Outlook, that is way different. There look to be some neat features but some of the toolbars that I am used to aren’t there. There may or may not be a way to get those back, I didn’t play with it much. I am one of many beta testers and will play with it as I am able to since I know it’s going to be the norm. There is going to be a lot of work to do making folks feel comfortable with it. Personally, once I am forced to convert my personal machines at home I plan to look into and purchase an overlay or program that makes it feel and behave much more like W10. I’ve seen some demonstrated on YouTube. At least this is my plan at the moment, that could change. Ah, technology. It just doesn’t stand still and sometimes the more it seems to improve the more difficult certain tasks become. As long as I can do or figure out how to do what I need to in order to keep things humming along professionally and personally I will adapt like the rest of the world.

Speaking of technology, I really would like a new phone. However, I don’t want to give up my home button and am not a huge fan of facial recognition. The few people I’ve spoken with tell me that I will adapt as many of other people have. I’m kind of hanging on to see if Apple will release another SE iPhone that maintains the home button. I’m not a fan of paying $1k for a phone but that seems to be the new trend. I might make an impulse purchase and just rip off the band-aid but I am trying to maintain my patience. What I have is the perfect size and functionality for me. Although at times a slightly larger screen could be advantageous.

Saturday … I got to bed early but didn’t sleep like I did on Thursday night. I thought it might have been the fact that I didn’t have any soda on Thursday but as I went to take my evening pills, I see that for some reason I skipped Thursday. My insomnia kicked in at 3am and I wanted to be up at 6:30a. To occupy my mind, I watched the latest episode of Chicago PD, which was a huge mistake at 3am. The current case they are working involves a gay young guy who was found damn near close to death, he had his eyes stapled open. Turns out the killer likes to do his deed in pairs so he wants them to watch each other die. He stabs them multiple times but it’s done in a manner that they each bleed out slowly and suffer. The young man they saved, managed to make contact with the killer who was posing as his dead boyfriend, the young man knew his boyfriend was dead but the killer got in his head and convinced him that he made it out alive. The young man went back to meet up and it was the killer, now he’s dead along with another young man. Just not the entire story/plot that I needed to see that time of early morning. Bad choice on my part. Although admittedly if I watched it at a more normal time the story/plot is still a bit disturbing.

Rudy kept me on pace and made biscuits at 6:30a. I got up and passed out breakfast for them. Got a shower for me and headed out to breakfast. Had my Blueberry pancakes. I had to rush to get to the restaurant and then when I got there, they were packed and moving slow. I got my food in a reasonable amount of time but wolfed it down because I was convinced that I would never, ever make it to the haircut appointment I had set. Turns out I had 5 minutes to spare which cut it close but I still showed up early.

I managed to muster up the courage to ask about the young man who used to be the receptionist and found out that he got fired. That sucks because he was cute and I was going to ask him out. Looks like I don’t have to worry about that now. He’s been gone for a couple months. Here is hoping that they find another male receptionist that is just as cute as he was.

After my haircut I went to visit my friends but one of them had already left for vacation. I got to talk with the other one for a few hours it was nice to catchup. I’ll go back to see my other friend when I know that he’s back from vacation. I’ll also be due for an oil change soon, trying to put it off until May if I can but I am mindful of the oil life indicator and mileage, I’ve never run it to 0% and always changed it either at or way before the 10% mark. My usual range is 20 to 25%. I am at 49% now. My oil was changed last year late fall. That proves I really don’t do much driving. Although the automobile really had some pep today and I pushed it. I will pay for that tomorrow when it’s time to gas up, ouch.

Came home, watched some TV, took a nap. Woke up and watched a little bit more TV. Rudy was tap-dancing for his supper but it was way early. I went out for Mexican food, which was good. The salsa was the only thing I didn’t like. Drove through the manual car wash to see if they had an option for taking credit/debit cards and it is still quarters only. At least now I know. I think that is the way to get my car the cleanest but I’ve not done a manual wash on an automobile in easily 10 years. This vehicle has never been manually washed by me.

I’m working on laundry, bills and had a couple things to do for work. It’s way past Mora’s time for treats and very close to the more normal time I pass them out. Rudy has already started campaigning and letting me know it’s about that time. I really don’t want to go up but I will. Not to say that I won’t come back down because I probably will.

Looks like Nashville Police have indicated to the media that the preliminary results of the autopsy on Riley Strain have been completed and it appears that this was an accident and there is no foul play. The toxicology results will also speak volumes to this finding and that’s something that a lot of people are waiting to hear. I do hope that they make the results public.

I watched the latest Disruptive Films scene with Scott Finn and Greyson Lange. Scott is one of my all-time favs. In real life he announced last year that he was getting married and said that she knew of his porn career. My fear is that he will retire but thus far not the case or so it seems. Greyson Lange started at Helix and really didn’t do much for me when he started. Today is a different story he’s pretty hot and I’m glad that he’s still around.

Sunday … Woke up early as planned but managed to sleep in a half hour. Rudy made sure that I didn’t oversleep as I had multiple wake up calls that started at 5a. That’s both good and bad. He’s good about taking no for an answer for a couple times but he has his limit.

Once I got up, I was quick to feed Rudy and his sister. Then I threw on my clothes and headed downstairs, knocked out my work task. Then headed up, took my morning meds and grabbed a coat. Headed out for breakfast. I got a double burger with an egg on it and fries. The burger size must have increased because I couldn’t fit it all in my mouth. It was slightly greasy which I dislike but it was an okay meal. Headed to the grocery store from there. Saw the sign on the front door that they will be closed next Sunday to observe Easter. From there it was to the gas station where I paid the price for some fast driving. My tank wasn’t empty but this fill up was anything but cheap, especially since the price of gas just jumped in the last two weeks. From there back to home, put the groceries away and then to watch TV and be free for a while. Got in about an hour nap and some quality time with the cats.

One of the things I got from the grocery store was Spiced Coca-Cola Zero. It’s got Raspberry in it and I’ve heard good things about the drink from someone who doesn’t drink diet drinks. I am anxious to try it. Right now, I’ve got all 12 cans chilling in the fridge. Probably won’t pop one open until tomorrow.

I knocked out the laundry yesterday, so I am biding my time until I get to leave for Red Lobster. I still have to tend to the trash and vacuum but those are tasks that I can do after I come back. Granted I might not want to but we shall see.

Since I fired my exterminator, I signed up for a service called Do My Own Pest Box. You give them the measurements of your home and then choose a program that fits your needs. My exterminator would come every other month, so I got a similar program setup with them. They send you the right amount of chemicals for your home, you mix them in a sprayer with some water and viola, start spraying the perimeter of your home. It is way cheaper than hiring an exterminator mostly because you’re doing the labor of mixing and spraying. My hope is that I get the same results from this as I had with the exterminator. Most of the professional stuff that you spray outdoors is good for one to two months. The occasional little creepy crawly bugs have all gone by the wayside since my exterminator started and that’s what I want to maintain. They solved my rodent problem. If they come back, I know how to setup bait stations outdoors. I still have traps set inside the house that the exterminator put in place but failed to retrieve.

Back from Red Lobster and wouldn’t you know that it was just my luck the one dish that I crave periodically and what is my go-to of Crab Linguini Alfredo has been removed from the menu and not available for sale. That was my sole reason for the trip. Add to that poor service and this made for a less than perfect dining experience. Thankfully months ago, I came across the Flounder Dinner and ordered that. I could have tried harder to finish the whole thing. I was satisfied and just wanted to get back home so I got a box for what was left, paid the bill and headed home.

It's a nice day so I cracked the windows in the vehicle and vented the sun roof. It felt good with the breeze blowing. However, it’s allergy season and I was quickly miserable, having to blow my nose and sneezing my head off. Finally, after having enough of that I rolled up the windows and closed up the sun roof. Magically my problem went away. I was slightly uncomfortable but managed to make do.

Now were home until Tuesday, when it’s time to make the trek back to the office. I’m playing on the computer a bit and then will head up to watch TV for the rest of the evening. Despite being on-call the weekend has been enjoyable. I will savor in the fact my turn of on-call will be done come tomorrow morning and that will remove some pressure and for sure allow for more freedom, which I always enjoy.

Here’s hoping that it’s a great week ahead!  Thanks for stopping by, take care. 

BREAKING NEWS–Riley Strain

According to https://www.newschannel5.com/ in Nashville they have confirmed that they have pulled the body of Riley Strain from the Cumberland River this morning. 

RIP

Done

Ah yes friends the work week is done after today.  Thank God we made it to another Friday!  I hope that your having a fantastic day and that all is well.

Yesterday was a semi-quiet day for me.  Things were pretty much radio silent after 3p.  I got to head up and take out the trash, one of my least favorite tasks.  Then we sat and watched YouTube looking for content related to Riley Strain.  I got a couple of interruptions but nothing that took terribly long. 

There were a couple of new pieces of information the came out yesterday but nothing that has lead to his recovery.  I am thinking pretty strongly that he’s not in the river.  I think he walked into danger on accident or someone took advantage of him being drunk.  I think someone has him or has dumped his body someplace.  I have a very slim amount of hope that he is alive and still standby my theory that he is deceased.  It is amazing how the police dragged their feet on this case and then once the parents started appearing on National News that the heat all of a sudden got turned up and the police started to kick this into high gear.  I think it might be a little late but I do hope that he will surface alive or dead so that the parents can get closure.  This whole thing is heart breaking.  He’s a damn cute young man and sounds like his future is bright with graduating from college in a few months and having an internship lined up.  I’m positive that someone knows and saw something but they are silent and that is what is preventing this from coming to an end.  What is in the dark does eventually surface to the light.  I pray that guilt or something will compel someone to move forward and do the right thing with the information they have.  People don’t just vanish into thin air, life is not a magic show. 

I dished out my fair share of attention to Mora.  The more you give her the more she wants.  She soaks up attention like a sponge.  She makes it very obvious that she loves me and enjoys affection.  Wanting to be close to me as possible.  Her brother has taken after her as well.  He just wants to lay next to me and fall asleep.  So he’s by my side curled up and Mora is in my lap and laying on my chest, while I am sitting on the couch.  I am trapped most of the time and if you move a muscle they both wake up.  I’m so glad that I have them, even though at times they are both a pain. 

Speaking of sleep not exactly sure what happened last night but damn I slept the best I have in a long time.  I wish that every night could be like that.  I look forward to tonight in the hopes that this will repeat.  Even though weekends are when I typically get the least amount of sleep. 

I’ve been big on the popcorn kick lately.  It tastes good but my aversion to it is the kernels that get stuck in your teeth and gums.  Well don’t you know that I got one of them stuck in an upper tooth all the way in the back on the left side.  I’ve flossed it and even got out a dental pick and tried by feel to dislodge whatever is there.  It feels like a kernel to me but I’ve probably cleared it and just irritated the gum.  It’s to the point that I am frustrated and want to rip the tooth out.  I’m giving it a couple days and trying to not to over floss in the hopes that it will heal.  The mouth heals the fastest out of all of the areas of the body.  If it doesn’t clear up by early next week I will go see the dentist.  The bad part is that I have bags of popcorn here that I am dying to consume but kind of afraid.  Once it’s gone I won’t be buying more.  I don’t have issues like this until I start to relax my position on popcorn and begin consuming it.  It’s not the first time and probably won’t be the last. 

I remember my plan for dining out and the local Mexican place sounds pretty good for Saturday or even Sunday.  Red Lobster also sounds good not sure which one I will hit first but I plan to be at both places this weekend.  While fish sounds good I think I am reverting to my favorite of Crab Alfredo.  It’s good stuff!

Here’s hoping that you have a great weekend and accomplish all you need and want to.  Talk with you all again soon!

Just about done

Good Morning … After today is done, just one more day to get through and then this work week is done!  Of course, I will still be on-call through the weekend but hopefully it will be uneventful as is the usual norm.  I’m already thinking about my bliss period on Sunday morning after all of my running is done and I am home in my room with the cats, relaxing and watching TV.  Shame life can’t freeze frame for a few days like that. 

Yesterday wasn’t horrible but there were some peaks where I was busy.  I got to call it quits around 3p there were a couple things that I had to take care of as they arrived but for the most part I got some quiet alone time with just me and the cats.  Kind of nice, something that I crave when I am on-call.

Had some store made Country Fried Steak for supper.  I cut it in half to get two meals out if it, yes it was that big.  Not a bad deal for $11.  I will either have that tonight or left over pizza.  Kind of depends on how lunch goes.  It was really good.

It seems that the search for Riley Strain finally got kicked into a higher gear yesterday, there were many more people both Law Enforcement as well as the general public looking for him.  The biggest search yet was on the water.  Nothing surfaced.  There are some people who say there are a lot of things to get caught up on in the Cumberland River and that his body wouldn’t necessarily surface if it was caught on something.  Search efforts are resuming today.  I watched several broadcasts and videos on YouTube yesterday related to this.  As I have said before the longer this goes on the more I think that he is likely not alive.  I don’t necessarily think he is in the river but it seems like a possibility since he hasn’t surfaced yet.  I hope he is alive and has one hell of a story to tell, I know that I along with a lot of others are interested in hearing that.  I realize that there are some people who actually do disappear that are never, ever found.  That is heartbreaking as well as mindboggling.  My heart breaks for Riley’s parents, this truly is one of the worst nightmares a parent can go through.  I do hope that they get closure. 

That’s all I have at the moment.  Back to the old grindstone.  Have a great day and we will talk again soon!

Man Candy - Enjoy :)

Half Way Done

Morning everyone!

Yesterday was a busy day.  One of my meetings got cancelled and moved.  The meeting at the end of the day that I thought would be quick turned out to be long and opened quite the can of worms.  My boss deviated from his personal plan to just let me advocate for myself and instead he is taking items from that meeting to his boss, which is why I say it opened a huge can of worms.  His boss is going to want all kind of change and will be asking some questions.  I do not look forward to how this is going to turn out because I am sure that it will involve procedure changes on my part and my life will be come a little more complex.  Hopefully, I am spared the true extra work that will weigh me down. 

Today’s agenda has two meetings in store, one of which is our regular weekly call.  This should be a hum dinger.  I learned yesterday that our boss got strep throat the very day that he went on vacation.  Sadly he is able to talk and seems to be doing better.  I’m just not the biggest fan of management they tend to cause chaos and add work.  I like to be left alone.  I know good luck with that.  Hey I can dream, there is no charge for that. 

Had a semi-relaxing evening with Rudy and Mora.  Watching YouTube.  We caught a live broadcast with the family friend of Riley Strain that went on for about an hour.  I learned a little more.  I also watched Nancy Grace who featured Riley’s story.  There are more boots on the ground looking for him now and I am hopeful that the search will be fruitful and they will find him.  It’s still mind boggling that someone so young, mature and large in stature could just vanish.  The family is still holding out hope that he will be alive and returned to them, but the longer this goes on causes great concern for me and I can’t help but think that he is no longer alive, as there is no proof of life thus far.  I do hope that I am wrong and there is one hell of a backstory that Riley is able to tell to fill in the blanks, that would be very interesting to hear. 

I had a horrible nightmare last night about Gator and my late spouse was with me.  I woke up at one point to see Rudy sitting on top of me and I knew it was a nightmare.  I went back to sleep only to pickup right where the nightmare left off.  I hate when that happens.  It’s not such a bad thing when it’s a sexy dream or something at least pleasant. 

I made a haircut appointment for early in the day on Saturday.  I kind of regret that now because I know that I will need to get up early on Sunday to take care of a task at work.  It’s like it will be the no sleep in weekend.  That’s not to say that I won’t nap, I will get my sleep one way or another.  My goal for Saturday is to get up and get moving, possibly go see some friends before one of them goes on vacation.  It’s just that human interaction I need.  It will all depend upon how I feel after my haircut if I move forward or retreat back home to bed.  I could easily put the haircut off a week but with Easter around the corner I figure that the sooner the better. 

Speaking of Easter I should get an invite to my friends place where they usually have Honey Baked Ham.  That won’t come until last minute so I don’t hold my breath.  I know that next weekend I will need to go to the grocery store on Saturday because the stores will be closed on Easter.  The stores haven’t put up signs about that but it’s the same every year.  I remember one year when me and my late spouse were caught off guard and tried to go to the store on Easter only to find them closed.  Ever since then I never ever forget that. 

All of my morning tasks are done and my meetings don’t start up until closer to mid-day around lunch.  Here’s hoping for some quiet time so I can relax a bit.  I know as soon as I get comfy is when the onslaught will occur which is why I try to move slower in the hopes that I can catch it before I relax and get comfy.  Sometimes that works and other times not so much.

Take care and have a great day.  I will talk with you all again soon.

Quick Update–Riley Strain Case

I watched a press conference with Riley’s family and the United Cajun Navy.  Riley’s parents advised that UCN is now involved with the search.  UCN confirmed this and added that they have equipment and volunteers coming.  They said that if anyone wanted to volunteer they could reach out to them at their website of United Cajun Navy's Website.  They encouraged that people don’t go off on their own as there is some steep terrain.  If your going to volunteer you need some heavy gloves, nitrile or rubber gloves, heavy shoes/boots.  They want everyone to be safe and they will be sending folks out in pairs. 

It’s so tempting for me to volunteer but I know that I don’t have the stamina and probably couldn’t withstand the physical exertion.  Not to mention the cats and who’d take care of them.  I really want to help find this guy and get closure for the family.  It will shock and stun me if he is still alive, I don’t think that this is going to end with a positive outcome but I hope that I am wrong.

Riley isn’t the only missing person in Nashville and it sounds like it’s a great place to go if you want to be the victim of a crime or potentially wind up missing.  I would have never ever guessed that but apparently the downtown scene with all of the bars draws people out in herds and things get quite loud and violent.  I heard that’s kind of like the French Quarter in Louisiana.  I’ve never been there but I’ve been to Nashville years ago. 

The rule of thumb always applies to be safe regardless of where you are.  Things can go south in an instant and how you react could be the difference between life & death.  It’s not something that is in the forefront of all of our minds but it’s events like this one that serve as reminders.  I’d also say that you want to make sure your friends are really your friends, while I wasn’t there and don’t know just based on what occurred here it sounds like Riley didn’t have very good friends.  That’s just my opinion.  I am sure they are all worried about him but to clam up under the advice of their National Frat Chapter tells me that they are concerned with liability.  Let the truth flow out now and worry about the liability later.  This young man needs to be found and his family needs closure. 

The longer that this goes on the more I am starting to wonder if it’s just going to be one of those mystery's that is never solved.  I hope and pray for the best possible outcome for Riley and for his family.

Talk with you all again soon.  Be safe!

Terrible Tuesday

Morning … As per usual I hope all is well in your world.  The meaning behind the tile is that today is filled with meetings and I am not fond of any of them.  The last meeting of the day is late and it’s the one that I have the most concern over.  There is a possibility that if things go wrong in that meeting that I will have a ton of work coming my way.  I am lobbying to push it to a different department that already does a similar task because I simply don’t have the bandwidth to keep up.  That’s honestly true it would suck up every ounce of time that I had and I would be constantly chasing my tail.  I would be told to split the work with my dimwitted co-worker but he’s lucky to be able to find his ass with both hands.  I hope this turns out how I want it to, fingers crossed.

Yesterday morning was light but as we inched closer to the afternoon is when things heated up.  I was busy off and on.  Glad that I opted to stay down here in front of the two screens.  It made it easier to switch back and forth from personal to work mode.  Plus the cats weren’t bothering me.  Although I think it’s Rudy but one of them has learned how to cry when I am in the basement.  It sort of reminds me of Gator’s crying but I just don’t give in like I did with her.  Different cat and circumstances. 

It is still cold and windy outside.  My neighbor took the opportunity to mow his grass on his riding lawn mower yesterday.  That caused the cats to watch him like a hawk.  It was loud and about the time I passed out food for both of us.  I didn’t watch as I was more focused on my food. 

Found a true crime podcast on YouTube that had some family of Riley Strain’s on it as I was downing my left over pizza for supper.  I caught the show mid-way through.  I learned a little bit more about the case.  Apparently his family has remained in Nashville and they are still searching.  I saw a news story yesterday that the Nashville Police are scaling back their search for him.  I find that unacceptable.  I get that there is a time to move on and refocus your efforts but it’s only been a week.  Sounds like they haven’t done the best job in the world in looking for him, despite the story they tell.  There are still plenty of volunteers that are looking for him.  The Cumberland River is still being scoured.  No one tried to use the bank card that was found, his cell phone and watch both remain off.  He had a blue Michael Koors wallet that he carried.  It’s rather odd to find just the bank card and no wallet.  It’s starting to sound more like a crime occurred than Riley being a missing person, at least it’s a possibility.  The family wants more help from outside agencies like the FBI but the TN police have to call them in, the family can’t just make a request for them to join.  Despite that the family has been in touch with the FBI to try to prod them to get involved. 

I know there are lots of people looking for this young man but I am starting to wonder as more time goes on if he will ever surface.  I still don’t think that he will be found alive just because of how longs it’s been.  While it’s possible he was trafficked or is being held hostage that he is still alive.  It’s unlikely that he would be laying on the side of the road or hold up some place for this long without trying to seek out help.  It would be nice to bring this all to a (happy) conclusion.  It’s just mind boggling that he hasn’t surfaced yet.  I do think they need to expand the search area.  Apparently it sounds like his Frat Brothers have been told to clam up so they aren’t talking.  What kind of friends are they?  Just looking to cover their own asses and hope that they aren’t sued or criminally charged.  I get the liability but at the same time if he’s your friend your not going to be able to keep quiet and your going to talk to someone.  I am sure many of them wish they could rewind and do things differently but life doesn’t come with an undo button.  We learned from our mistakes so that we don’t repeat them.

I am enjoying the calm and quiet of the early morning and savoring it because I know all too soon it will be gone and the hustle and bustle of a regular Tuesday will start.  The only really good things about today is that I am at home because I am on-call this week.  I need to hit up the office next Tuesday just to keep up appearances and I don’t look forward to that but it’s a million miles from today.  For now my focus is on today. 

Happy first day of Spring 2024.  Bring on the hot dudes!

OC Monday

Morning … Hope your weekend was a nice one.  Since I posted on both Saturday & Sunday that doesn’t leave a lot of room for content for today. 

I had an enjoyable evening with the cats, we returned to upstairs earlier than I wanted to.  I did that to pacify Mora.  She slept for a bit but Rudy came down to visit me and I was giving him attention.  I got the evil eye from her and just knew the right thing to do was to head up. 

I passed out treats for them.  Then I watched TV for a bit.  Took a shower, shaved and took my meds.  Thought that would be a nice way to wind down.  Turns out that I was all amped up until close to 11p. 

I watched a few live broadcasts on YouTube about Riley Strain, they all kind of said the same thing.  I saw the video of the girls finding his bank card.  I heard that his parents headed back home.  That was heartbreaking.  I understand their decision you can only put life on hold for so long.  I know the search will continue for him.  I was surprised to hear that a body was found in the river but it was a female and not Riley.  I am going to continue to follow this but don’t know how much longer it will remain in the mainstream media before it eventually fades out.  It would be a good thing if he is found so his parents have some closure.  The one thing that I got last night and never thought of is, boy some kind of frat brothers this guy had.  They should have watched his back and sent someone back to the hotel with him, he should have never been permitted to leave alone.  That is kind of the reason why so many people are searching for him.  You always travel in pairs, especially when one of you is clearly not sober. 

Had an okay nights sleep.  I had to shuffle the cats in order to get into bed, that caused them to leave.  Rudy was the first one back and he curled up by my side.  Mora came in eventually, she wanted the same thing and was pissed that her brother beat her to the punch.  She laid in the chair and then at some point during the night she returned to curl up by my feet.  I was surprised when I woke up at 5a that they were both there.  I felt a pain in the middle of my back and that’s how I knew my body knew they were there.  I sleep in weird positions to accommodate them.  I’d like to try it one night by myself just to see if my back doesn’t have any pain.  I get that they love and worship me, they are trying to protect me.  I like all of that but jeez a guy needs his whole bed once and a while. 

Today is OC Monday for me.  That means on call Monday.  Thus far all is calm and quiet.  That theme may last for a couple more hours because it’s still early but eventually that will wear off.  The boss is back today.  Thankfully no dumb meeting on the calendar as of yet.  I’ve knocked out all of my tasks and it’s just a matter of sitting back and waiting for something to pop.  I do hope that nothing does pop today but that’s kind of like holding your breath and hoping that eventually you don’t turn blue and pass out. 

Winter is back here for it’s final hurrah.  Makes me glad that I turned the furnace back on.  It was on when I woke up and it just kicked on again.  Oddly enough tomorrow is the first day of Spring.  It’s just cold here this week, were talking 40’s to 50’s, which is okay. 

I hope it’s a good day for all and a fast moving one at that.  Take care!

Sunday

The furnace is back on, it’s just too cold in the house to go without it.  I’ve suffered all day long but this evening decided time to be comfortable.  It was enjoyable in my room when I was sleeping being cooler and me under the covers, other than that not so comfy and I think even the cats dislike it.  Although their body temperature runs higher than a humans.  I know they love heat, year round. 

Kept to a pretty much normal schedule by waking up early, thanks in part to Rudy.  He made his biscuits and got me up a little before 7a.  I passed out breakfast for them.  I got dressed, took my medicine and headed out for breakfast.  Mailed a letter and grabbed my mail.  Then hit up the grocery store.  Then home to unload and be lazy. 

I enjoy a Sunday morning just watching TV sitting around with nothing to do and being able to unwind.  Even going back to bed and napping a bit.  I rolled out of bed for the second time around noon, that too was thanks to Rudy.  He wanted his lunch. 

I ate some chocolate carmel popcorn for lunch, which was pretty good.  Put out my medicine and then we watched a movie.  After that was done I got up and got dressed again. 

Headed out for pizza.  I went to the deep dish place where there is a cute waiter I like but he wasn’t working today.  The place was oddly dead for being St. Patrick’s Day.  They have a full bar and I would have thought people would be wanting to get drunk but apparently they were elsewhere, which is fine.  This little trip takes 30 minutes each way.  Takes about 40 to 45 minutes for them to make a pizza and then give me about 20 minutes to eat.  My point being that it takes time, this isn’t a place I’d go if I was in a hurry.  I picked it because of that. 

As I sat and waited for my pizza I thought about next weekend and where I want to go.  A nearby Mexican place sounds good and so does Red Lobster.  If I remember that and my desires don’t change then I will likely follow through with those place.  It will also depend on the vibe I get from work as I will be on-call. 

After coming home from pizza, I ran the vacuum, took out the trash and passed out supper for the cats.  I opted to spend some time in the basement on the computer.  I know I will be trapped here tomorrow but at the moment I can do whatever I want and I like that freedom.  Of course I have to answer to the boss lady, Mora.  She would rather be upstairs cuddling with me instead of sitting in a chair behind me.  She will soon grow tired of that and we will have a battle because she will want to be in my lap. 

Unfortunately, the search for Riley Strain continues.  I see they found his bank card today.  The longer this goes on the more I can’t help but think it’s not going to be a good outcome.  I watched another taro reading which I’ve never seen one.  It was odd but there wasn’t anything that was overwhelming to me.  This person surmised that he fell in the water and that his body has since been carried away with the current of the river.  His body is stuck on something.  I know that a lot of people are interested in finding him and I think the word has been disseminated very well that he is missing.  I do think he will turn up, especially if they widen the search parameters and look further both on land and water.  I feel bad for his parents.  Apparently lots of people go missing every day in this country and are never ever seen again.  We only get to hear about a small portion of them through the media.  I do hope for a positive outcome to this but again the longer this goes on the more I can’t help but think it’s not going to end well and that is sad. 

I am a little sore from my massage yesterday but it’s not nearly as bad as it was the first time.  That’s part of the reason why I want to keep this up on a schedule to help work the knots out and to hopefully feel better overall.  Thankfully, I did drink enough water I say that because I am not sick today.  Water is part of my daily routine, massage or not. 

After my playing here, I will be headed up.  Need to shave and shower.  Then watch some TV and it will be time once again for bed.  Here’s hoping that the week ahead is good for all and that Riley will be found soon.  Take care, hug and cherish those that you care about.  People and pets are both gone way too soon.  Take care!

Oh Boy

Late in the afternoon on Friday we got a message at work from one of the managers about an issue that someone was having.  The next thing you know I am on a conference call with Upper Management and were wasting an hour.  I got a task assigned from this and was happy to help out.  I just wanted to leave and get my Steak N Shake.  Just when I got in the car and was ready to pull out of the garage I got an email that said were almost ready for you.  I turned the car off and came back in the house.  Waited and with in 30 minutes I completed my part.  I knew full well that this wouldn’t resolve the issue, in fact I found out hours later that it actually made things worse but I did what I was asked to do.  Typical case of management not listening to a well seasoned worker who knows his stuff.  I tried to discourage them but it didn’t work and that’s why they call them stupidvisors. 

When my part was done I left and hit up Steak N Shake.  Damn I got a lot of food, full of grease.  There was some flavor there.  I couldn’t believe that I used to eat this for breakfast and then lump in a shake on occasion.  However, it was a nice trip down memory lane.  Just wish they could have done it with less grease. 

After I was done and had moved on to do something else I got a call that told me things were worse instead of better at work.  I answered all of the questions that were asked and I think they figured out where things went awry.  All I know is that was the last I had to do with it.  I’ve been getting emails throughout yesterday evening and into this afternoon.  I expect another one tomorrow.  It’s like the weekend never happened because I am engrossed in work.  I agreed to help out throughout the weekend for this issue, even though I am not on-call.  I won’t get any extra pay for this.  However, there are some folks that will see a financial reward.  It just makes me look good and considering pay raises will come in the late summer anything I can do to keep up my good reputation and be helpful I hope will be rewarding in the end.  It remains to be scene but time will tell. 

I got to surfing YouTube and came across a psychic that was doing a reading regarding Riley Strain.  She went on and on but the crux of her reading was that he’s dead, he is hiding in plain sight and should surface today (Saturday).  Saturday would be a big day for the search.  There is more to the story and clearly he was drugged.  I listened to her go on and have been keeping watch on the story all day long.  Thus far he hasn’t surfaced.  The longer this goes on the more I agree that there won’t be a positive outcome to this.  The psychic thinks that he fell in the water.  Someone took his shirt and killed him, because someone came forward and said that a homeless person was seeing wearing a similar shirt that Riley was wearing.   Then I came across some other live broadcast where this guy was gathering facts, saying that he was going to TN to help search for him, then it was maybe he will go.  He said he wanted to talk with the family.  He sounds loonier than the Psychic.  I hope that Riley surfaces soon and his family can get closure.  I don’t think they will get the news that they are wanting in that he’s safe and returned back to school.  The whole things is a tragedy that could have easily been avoided, but that’s hindsight today. 

My day has been dull but interesting at the same time.  I got my massage and she was lighter this time and I felt a lot less pain but I know that I will probably be a little sore tomorrow.  I was groggy after I was done.  I booked another appointment in two weeks.  Then I went to fetch cat food and come home.

I sat around for a bit watched a little TV.  Contemplated about several different places I wanted to go for supper but for some reason I wound up throwing caution to the wind and going to a new location of a chain restaurant that just opened a few weeks ago.  The place was jumping and packed.  I walked inside and they told me it would be an hour for a table.  They weren’t kidding.  I attribute that mostly to the fact they don’t have their act together.  It showed to me in the way things played out.  Finally my table was ready.  A teenage couple walked in dressed for a formal event and they got seated right away just before me.  I was a little upset about that in that I had to wait but they got a table right away.  Turns out I sat behind them.  The guy was cute.  He looked at me but I am not sure why.  I wound up buying their meal as a surprise.  It just spoke to me as the right things to do.  Damn they weren’t cheap and they had no clue I was picking up the tab.  I got to surprise them and they were shocked.  I got a thank you.  Meanwhile my order apparently was never sent to the kitchen so I had to wait for my food longer.  I went to this place because I thought it would be quick.  Some two hours later I got to return home.  Not exactly the way I wanted to spend my evening.

I threw caution to the wind and started laundry.  I am just playing on the computer and Mora is tap dancing on my last nerve.  She wants attention and wants to cuddle.  I am not in the mood for that right now.  There is a time and place for everything.  Funny thing about the basement they both bug me to come down here all week long.  When I get them down here they just beg me to go back upstairs.  They are free to return upstairs but don’t want to go up without me. 

Tomorrow I plan to grab breakfast and hit up the grocery store.  Need to grab the mail as well, haven’t done that yet.  I wanted to do it after I was done eating but I left the house without keys.  I know that sounds odd but I use the garage to enter and exit, the door to the house is unlocked.  However, I set the alarm before I leave.  If the garage opener fails or I loose power I have a lockbox outside where I can get the keys from.  Had to do that in the super cold weather when I left on a Sunday for the store and the garage door didn’t want to open all the way.  I do lock the door in the garage from time to time, so as to vary things.  However, no one will ever know if the door is locked or unlock unless they get past the garage door to try the knob for themselves. 

I’m quite bored today and restless, I want to get up and go but not exactly sure where I want to go or what I want to do.  Might grab dinner out tomorrow night.  I’ve done my good deed for a while of buying a stranger a meal.  It’s great to surprise people and see the reactions on their faces.  The kindness of a stranger is something I have experienced a couple times but it’s not something that I think happens often enough. 

Hope your day has gone well.  Talk with you all again soon. 

End of the road

My last day of boss vacation, I’m happy and sad at the same time.  I didn’t miss him at all and frankly wish that he would take another week or two.  I could easily get used to this luxury life of less meetings, more time to myself and to work on other things.  We have a situation that just cropped up now and I know he would turn it into a meeting if he was here.  I know all good things come to an end eventually and it’s not like this wasn’t expected.  It just seemed much further away when it was Monday. 

The weather here was horrible yesterday.  We got pelted with a few rounds of hail, lots of rain and thunder & lighting.  The cats were amused by the hail but also a little scared at the same time.  Thankfully what I saw we had was small compared to other areas that got softball size.  Thankfully I don’t see any obvious visible damage.  The house got back into the 80’s and I had enough of that so I turned on the AC.  It cooled down and remains that way this morning.  We have cooler weather for a while, so I imagine there will be no furnace or ac for a bit and I am okay with that.  Just comfortable status quo is fine.  

I made it to the dentist and got a good report, as per usual.  They told me to keep doing what I am doing, because it’s working.  I am not doing anything but brushing once per day (before bed), flossing and rinsing with Listerine.  I use Oral B and Sonicare toothbrushes, and rotate daily for the most part.  If I am out and have something stuck in my teeth that is bothering I will floss then but otherwise it’s just once per day.  I fell in love with flossing.  It sounded like a chore to me when I was older but now just like sex and potato chips I can’t get enough of it.  At my old dentist I would ask for a second flossing just because it felt so good.  I miss my old dentist but am happy with the one I presently have, plus she is closer to home. 

Another surprise that came yesterday was the verdict in the James Crumbley trial.  I expected it more today than yesterday.  What a long day was yesterday for those people, coming back with verdict later in the day.  He was found guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter.  I am interested to see what he and his wife are sentenced to next month. 

Meanwhile on the search for Riley Strain nothing new from what I see.  Looks like Nashville is pulling out all the stops and using every available resource and looking every place they can think of.  I am not sure why he hasn’t turned up yet but am interested to hear the backstory if/when he surfaces.  Tonight will mark one week that he has been missing.  The longer this goes on the less likely this will turn out good, I say that just based on other cases that I have seen in the media.  He’s a cute kid and sounds like he had everything going for him as he was set to graduate in just a short while.  The video I’ve seen shows that he is clearly drunk or under the influence of something.  I hope that he is found safe and soon. 

I’ve knocked out my morning tasks, had a bit more this morning than normal but they are all done.  Nothing left on my plate but to sit back, relax and enjoy the day.  I’m craving Steak N Shake bad.  I wanted to stop in yesterday after the dentist but told myself to go home.  I am thinking of going out later this afternoon and making this my supper.  It’s a treat but I know my stomach will have some issues with all of the grease.  If I don’t go then I will be digging in the freezer. 

Looking forward to what I hope is a relaxing weekend, filled with some good food and TV.  I hope that you have a good weekend as well.  Take care!

Thursday

Morning, I hope all is well.  My neck of the woods is dealing with a severe weather outbreak.  It started last night and is continuing into today.  My phone is quite active with all of the alerts.  It’s enough to drive a person crazy.  I want them to be able to be safe but I wish they were a little less frequent.  The weather radio went off a couple times yesterday evening before bed and it’s started up again already.  I’ve heard it twice since I have been here in the basement this morning.  This is not uncommon especially when we get weather that goes from cold to warm over a period of a few days.  It’s like it breeds the bad weather and there is usually a Tornado or two that comes out of it.  Kind of sucks but it’s a reminder that if you don’t like today’s weather, just wait tomorrow could be radically different. 

Not sure if you are aware of the missing Mizzou Student who was kicked out of a bar for being over served in Nashville TN and is now missing.  His name is Riley Strain.  He’s 22 and 6’6 with blond hair.  Quite the looker if I do say so.  He’s been missing for I believe 5 or 6 days.  I feel bad for his family.  The longer this goes on the more I can’t help but think that it won’t have a positive outcome.  Presuming that it does have a positive outcome I am really interested as to what happened.  If your in Nashville I am told that there are posters of him all over the place.  The case has gained quite a bit of media attention and if you tune into any national news it’s in the headlines.  You can find local stories from MO and TN on YouTube.  It’s scary to think that one could vanish but it happens everyday and sadly there are way too many cases.  The anguish it causes has to be unfathomable.  The uncertainty and just plain not knowing would drive me batty.  Here’s hoping that Riley surfaces alive and well soon. 

In other major news the James Crumbley trial has headed to the jury.  Closing arguments were really strong from both sides.  I think that he has a fighting chance at being not-guilty but I think there are stronger social and political pressures on the jury and I would be astonished if he walks away from this as a free man.  I think a verdict will be reached by Friday but that’s just my opinion.  Not sure if I could be on this jury or even his wife’s jury, both juries were shown graphic photos and videos of the shooting and death of the kids.  On the verdict watch to see how this turns out. 

My work vacation is still going strong.  I did have a few things come up yesterday afternoon that I had to deal with but it’s been mostly calm and I am hopeful that it will stay that way for the last two days of this run. 

I will be headed out at lunch time to see the dentist, hopefully the weather won’t be too bad.  Never mind that my vehicle is nice and clean from being washed.  They never stay clean long enough. 

Watched a really great movie last night on Max called Wonka.  It was more of a play than a movie but it was kept interesting and upbeat.  I recommend it highly if your looking for something to watch. 

Rudy and Mora got into a fight as I started the movie so I had to break that up and then keep and eye on Rudy he was the instigator and his poor sister did nothing wrong.  They settled down but I saw him giving her the evil eye.  She was really screaming and hissing.  They get into spats like this once and while but for the most part they are quite loving toward each other.  They enjoy chasing each other all over the house several times a day when they each get their bursts of energy.

Well I have a couple things to wrap up for work and then I will be headed up to sit with the kids until work bothers me or it’s time to leave for the dentist.  Hope that you have a great day and the sun is shining bright in your world. 

Man Candy - Horny

Mid-Week

Ah the half way point of the week.  My almost vacation without the boss is half way over.  I am enjoying myself to the fullest.  Yesterday I knocked out my morning work, browsed the web and then headed up to be with the cats.  We watched court tv and I managed to fall asleep while someone was testifying.  Had a couple of emails to answer.  Had half of my Corn Beef & Swiss sandwich, which I think I thought was a Ruben but it’s not.  Still very good though but dry, very dry.  Came back down for a meeting, did a little bit more surfing and then headed up.  My day was done by 2pm.  I still kept watch on my phone but there wasn’t anything to do after that.  Finished the pizza off last night.  Rudy begged and begged for me to feed him some of it but that never happened.  Certain foods I suppose appeal to each of the cats sense of smell and they beg, but I’ve never given in and have no plans to.  I’d love to smack the person who fed them table scraps or encouraged the behavior that’s it’s okay to bother the human while they are eating.  Watched You Tube videos at random and eventually headed for bed.  It was humid in here last night, 81 degrees. 

I slept with the ceiling fan on which is not something I typically do because it usually makes me sick.  However, things worked out well.  I woke up at 6am baking because the heat had kicked on and I just got out of the covers and felt the nice breeze of the fan.  Rudy opted to climb on top of me and I got him to switch and lay beside me.  I never did get back to sleep but enjoyed laying there with my eyes closed.  Had some bad dreams last night.  It’s a nice wakeup call to be able to just lay in bed with both cats.  Mora was at my feet.  Once I started talking they knew it was time to get up and that got them both excited. 

Turned on the morning news to catch up on all of the shootings, accidents, and robberies from yesterday.  Seriously, there is very little if any good news.  I mostly watch for the weather and the rare cases when I go to the office traffic alerts.  Once and a while they run a story that appeals to me but it’s rare. 

My work for the day is done so far as I know it, I’ve got a meeting at 10am to attend.  There is nothing on my calendar after that except for lunch.  I will be of course watching my phone to see if anything comes rolling in.  Otherwise I will be watching court tv and spending time with the cats, just lounging. 

I’ve got my check-up and cleaning tomorrow afternoon at the dentist.  I actually look forward to going to the dentist.  It wasn’t always that way and I know that I am the odd man out in that I look forward to seeing the dentist.

Thinking of having Crab Rangoon for lunch and then eating the other half of the Corn Beef & Swiss for supper.  It sounds good at the moment. 

I am enjoying as much of this so called almost vacation as I can.  Next week I will be on-call and I know that I will be much more busier and I will hate every waking moment of it.  Two weeks off and one week on.  I wish that my break was longer but I am sure everyone else on the team feels the same way. 

Hope all is well in your world and that the sun is shining both on you and in your life.  Talk with you all again soon!

Ah it’s like kind of like vacation

Morning, so glad the boss is away.  It’s like I am on vacation sort of.  I opted to stay home today, made that call early last night.  My shoulder and my knee were both bothering me.  Wish I could get some OEM new parts for this aging body.  Anyway, I used some ice on the shoulder and then followed up with some Ben Gay.  It didn’t do much but open my sinuses.  The cats were going a bit crazy at the smell.  Mora was trying to climb the walls in the bathtub.  Not exactly sure what that was all about.  Took some OTC pain meds and called it a night. 

Woke up a couple times during the night.  Sweating to death it was hot in here.  Kicked the covers off the first time, the second time I turned on the ceiling fan.  Woke up freezing to death.  Kind of difficult to be comfortable indoors when the temperature outside is all over the place.  It will all level out soon enough. 

Shoulder feels better but is still sore.  My knee bothers me from time to time.  I mostly feel it when I shower and when I use steps.  It will settle down in a few weeks.  I wore a knee brace yesterday.  Weight I believe is the contributing factor to the knee issues combined with the fact that I am getting older day by day, like we all are. 

My work for the day is done.  There is a weekly meeting this afternoon.  My boss tried to get me to run it but I got him to pass it off to my co-worker who loves to make mistakes.  We alternate in coverage when the boss is unable to attend and it’s clearly his turn.  I will be late to join this call on purpose to help force his hand.  He’s becoming more and more difficult to work with, unless of course he needs or wants something from me.

Watched a good movie on Prime last night called Ricky Stanicky.  It’s got Zac Effron in it and there are a few other noticeable faces but no one I’m attracted to.  This was a damn good movie and it was included with my Prime membership.  I hope Amazon makes more enjoyable content like this.  This was the first movie I’ve watched on Prime since they introduced advertising of which I pay to opt out of. 

Watched The Neighborhood latest episode last night, I’ve always loved this show since the day it aired.  There is always something funny that happens.  Cedric the Entertainer always gives a good show. 

Had some left over pizza for supper last night.  Peaches as my evening snack and I wanted more but stopped there.  Planning on eating at least 1/2 of that Ruben for lunch today.  Also got some yogurt to help switch things up a bit.  Had cheese & caramel popcorn for lunch, it was good and I could have easily eaten the whole bag, had to stop myself. 

Yesterday I started to hear the familiar sound of a lawn mower, someone was cutting their grass.  Mine looks like it’s ready but not exactly sure when the 1st cut of the season will be.  It’s usually late April or early March.  If it looks too ratty I will make a call but otherwise I just let the lawn people show up when they want.  I don’t look forward to getting back to paying them but that sting goes away once the temperature starts to climb.  If I could get away with it I’d just as soon put down astro turf or better yet spray pain the lawn grass green and call it a day.  Ah summer it’s a love hate thing for me.  Hate the hot weather, love to see the guys with no shirts on. 

I hope that you have a super day, talk with you all again soon.  Be well and take care!

Howdy

I hope that you had a good weekend.  Mine was enjoyable.  Saturday I woke up early fed the cats, watched some TV and went back to sleep.  Woke up a little later in the morning, got a shower and headed out to grab the mail.  I took a trip to see a couple friends for about an hour and then came back home.  Watched TV and hung out with the cats.  Then I went out for my Mexican food.  I ordered exactly what I had in my mind that would be enough food.  I was stuffed when I left that place, I could have subtracted a couple tacos.  The place that I used to visit from time to time, closed for good out of the blue.  They had the best salsa.  However, they have a second location I just have to travel closer to work to visit them, if I start to crave their salsa.  Came back home and the day was done, just hung out with the cats and watched TV.  Moved the clocks up an hour before I went to bed.  I hate time change weekend, especially when we loose an hour. 

Sunday woke up and headed out to breakfast at my usual place.  Had a cheeseburger with an egg on top and some fries.  Not bad.  Then off to the grocery store, gas station and home.  Unloaded the groceries and relaxed, wound up going back to bed for a bit.  Nothing like a lazy Sunday once the running is done.  Woke up and got the cats their lunch.  I worked on some laundry and finance stuff.  Then cleaned the house and relaxed some more.  In the mid afternoon I headed out for pizza.  Went to the place where all of the cute guys work, the one that I have a huge crush on wasn’t working.  I saw one cute guy in there and it was fun watching him walk around.  Boxed the left overs and headed for home.  Nothing to do but wait until it’s time for bed. 

I did something bad to my right shoulder.  It’s all tight and hurts to move.  Kind of like it was a few weeks ago.  I remember that I was trying to pick up the couch in the basement to peek underneath to see if I could find a toy for Rudy.  I didn’t have the muscle I used to have and never did get the couch turned over.  I did pick it up a couple times.  I was more afraid that I would hurt the cats or that they would crawl underneath of it, it’s an activity best done when they aren’t around.  Anyway that must have been what did it to me.  Now I am lounging around with a heating pad on.  I’ll bet you the massage therapist will work that pain out of me but it’s going to hurt.  That’s why I am trying my best now to get a head start before Saturday. 

There have been a couple things pop up at work.  I also have a task that I really need to do but I keep putting it off.  I am on the fence about going in tomorrow.  Part of me wants to but the other part of me says save your money and effort, you can do the same damn thing at home.  Kind of depends on how I feel but right now I am leaning towards staying home. 

Warmer weather is here and Rudy & Mora are loving the sunshine and the fact that it stays lighter longer.  That means they can bask in the sun longer.  Hoping that it’s a quiet week.  Got a Ruben in the fridge from the grocery store.  It’s pretty damn big and I look forward to diving into that.  Picked up some Cheese & Carmel Popcorn as well as Apple Chips.  The apple chips are about gone.  They are nothing more than dehydrated apples but they are full of flavor.  I also picked up a new item at the store called Fat Boy it’s a line of ice cream treats.  I got the Toffee Crunch Sundae.  Had one of those last night it’s good. 

Looking forward to super time.  Watching the Crumbley trial as time permits.  Talk with you all again soon!