Long Time Coming

Morning!

I made it out last night for BBQ, it was delicious.  However, I kept thinking the whole time I was eating that it was Saturday.  It’s so abnormal for me to eat out during the week.  It was fun though and I enjoyed myself. 

I had my review yesterday afternoon.  I read through it earlier in the afternoon.  Only one surprise.  The bonus that I got earlier this year when I was out sick, I thought came from my manager.  Turns out it came from a different manager and I had no idea.  Looks like I picked up yet another fan at work that loves my work and loves to work with me. 

The big shock came when my boss told me that he wants to promote me.  He wants me to take a Team Lead position.  He said that I’d just be doing the same stuff I am doing now but that I would have a title modification and a separate pay increase.  I told him that I felt like this was a long time coming and that he had been grooming me in this direction.  He said that if I wasn’t interested that is fine but he needs a Team Lead.  I know that means that if I don’t take it he would give it to the mistake maker.  I wouldn’t want that.  I told him that I am interested but wanted to know more of the specific duties and expectations before I made a final decision.  He is supposed to be working with HR to find out more and pass it along.  I did share with him that I had spoken with a prior Team Lead and a former employee and they had nothing but horror stories to tell me about the position, so I am skeptical. 

Now given that I figure if I take this I would be looked at differently for sure.  It’s a mini management role.  If I keep doing what I am doing that’s great but should I keep doing it all full-time from home or should I start making in office appearances.  That old saying the bigger they are, the harder they fall comes to mind.  I am pretty sure that if I was a Team Lead and my “secret” of working full-time from home came to light that there would be no hesitation and I would be kicked to the curb.  However, the odd thing is that my review is glowing once again and it outlines that I do a full body of work and go above and beyond no matter what.  I did feel a bit guilty when my boss told me that he trusts me.  I feel that I am betraying his trust by working from home.  However, I give more and work longer so the company gets more bang for their buck.  I am clearly at a cross road and need not only more information but need to think about what my next move will be. 

I am truly fine to keep doing the job I am doing with no change.  I am always a bit resistant to a promotion because your going into unchartered waters and it’s more of a fear of the unknown.  Plus I am not a huge fan of change.  I like things to stay mostly the same, I get in a routine and stick with it. 

I just think that if I lost this job that there would be no true recovery.  Sure I could probably land another job with a little bit of time but my age would work against me and there is no way I would earn nearly what I earn now. 

There is no doubt in my mind that I will work this out and make a decision one way or another.  However, I’m open to any advice or suggestions you might have.  I have plenty to think about as I wait for details to come forth. 

While I have expected the promotion for years I kind of though that it probably wouldn’t come to fruition and that it might all be in my head.  It’s times like these that make me realize that I am smarter than I give myself credit for and that I know how to read the room pretty good.  Once again it’s a reminder to listen to that little voice inside.  Despite this being expected I did walk away from this review with a huge surprise.

Negative

Today I woke up and it felt like I regressed back a couple days.  I felt horrible and just want it to stop.  The cats convinced me to eat breakfast.  I did feel a bit better.  Back to bed and watching Home Improvement. 

After a nap I decided to get an appointment at Urgent Care.  I knew they would test me for COVID as well as Flu & RSV.  My appointment was at 2p.  It super cold out and that didn’t help me feel any better. 

However, I walked in got checked in and had to wait a couple minutes before they called me back.  I got swabbed for the COVID, Flu & RSV.  It burned and was unpleasant. Then a nurse practioner came in and I got to tell my story to a third person.  She was pretty quick and wanted to conclude the visit but I pressed for the possibility of adding steroids to my treatment provided that the test didn’t come back positive.  She wasn’t keen about it but said that she would talk with the physician the supervises her. 

I was out of there in 20 minutes.  I was shivering by the time I left and decided that soup would be a good thing.  I knew where I wanted to go but the more I thought about the drive I opted to just head over to The Olive Garden. 

Had 3 bowls of Pasta Faggioli, breadsticks and a soda.  All of $10 plus tip.  Not a bad deal.  No eye candy to look at but enjoyed myself and the soup warmed me up.  While I was eating I got a call from Urgent Care they said the test came back negative for all and that they would be sending in a prescription for 3 days of steroids to try to jump start my body in to feeling better and to get some relief from the sinus pressure and pain. 

I paid the bill at Olive Garden and headed to the pharmacy.  No surprise the medicine wasn’t ready when I pulled up to the drive thru.  They told me to come back in 15 minutes.  I didn’t want to drive home just to leave and go back to the pharmacy.  I drove around for a bit and as luck would have it as I was checking out a new subdivision and got an alert that my medicine was ready.  I headed back to the pharmacy and got it. 

Finally home, I was gone for an hour and a half.  I wanted to just crawl back in bed but the cats convinced to stay up.  I changed shirts and passed out supper for them.  Started up Tool Time on Netflix. 

Took my medicine and got my water bottle.  It’s been several hours and I do feel better right now but who knows what I will feel like in the morning.  Mornings have been the worst but by the afternoon I feel decent.

Checked out work email on my phone and wow more work came in today.  My inbox is a complete disaster.  I thought about possibly working this afternoon but have opted not to.  I’ve got 3 days ahead for the weekend and perhaps I will take some time to try to play catchup, it will only be to my benefit to do so.  I don’t relish the thought of going back but know that I can only be gone for so long. 

The good news is that if I feel horrible come Tuesday, I would go on short term disability and still get paid in full.  However, it would require more medical care, lots of paperwork and giving my employer permission to get my medical records.  Honestly I don’t want to go down that route it’s not fun at all.  However, despite not testing positive for COVID it feels like I have it.  It’s not normal for me to be able to dismiss everything and not care about anything.  Especially work.  I know it doesn’t take long before things stack up and it becomes a complete nightmare to try to catchup, which is where I am at now. 

I did give Mora a bunch of attention only because she demanded it.  I also got to brush her.  Furry woman.  I know that she has to feel better and hopefully she will stop leaving fur balls for me to clean up. 

Here’s hoping that I feel as good now when I wake up tomorrow.  I’d like to go out to breakfast and maybe stop by my friends shop.  I need to pick up mail and grab a bite to eat for supper. 

It’s only 7p and I am yawning like I am about ready to drop.  Guess I should stick a fork in this post.  Hope your warm, well and that you have a great weekend!

Last Words for 2025

This year feels like years past when writing this post, it’s all a blur.  I’ve had some high high’s this year with 2 ride alongs with different police agencies, being able to donate money to make a difference in kids & family’s Christmas’, seeing movies that I enjoyed, taking time off, asking a hot waiter for a date only to find out he was straight.  You might think that it belongs under the low lows, but it was exhilarating for me. 

Speaking of the low low’s most recently this month with find out that a former co-worker committed suicide months ago, a former porn star I liked did the same and then a former porn star & only fans creator was killed in a motor vehicle accident.  Add to that not winning the lottery, the cat food shortage earlier this year and what came to me recently in the shower no performance bonus that I was promised this year as well as the fact I bought two what I consider expensive gifts for the cats and they want nothing to do with them. 

It’s been quite a year and now it’s time to button it all up and put it in the past as we move forward to 2026.  Like last year I hope this time next year I have a man to celebrate with and that I will meet him this coming year, sooner rather than later.  It would be nice to win the lottery but absent of that I’ll settle for buying a new vehicle.  I think this will be the year that happens.  That my job continues unless of course I win the lottery then who cares.  That both of my cats as well as myself will remain in reasonably good health and that we will continue to comfort and entertain each other. 

My wish for you is continued health, happiness and prosperity.  Be kind to others as were all going through something even though it might not show on the outside.  I say that as I really want just to bow out of life, existing seems meaningless to me at least right now.  It might be a bit of the winter blues or depression, but life has very much felt that way for me ever since my spouse passed.  Yet I’m still here and continue to amaze myself by not only pressing on but with some of the good things that happen to me.  It’s one day at a time or hanging on for one more day in the hopes that things will go my way, despite how tireless that seems. 

Here’s hoping that 2026 will be the year that only good things happen to all of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sunshine Day

Morning…

While the temperatures will remain fall like the sun is supposed to come out today.  I’m excited to see it and I’m sure that the cats will enjoy basking in it as they sleep.  Nothing quite like sunlight on a cat while they sleep. 

Speaking of sleep I had a pretty good nights sleep myself.  I was up one time and then woke up again later but I refused to look at the clock and just focused on getting back to sleep.  I don’t know why but it’s like second nature for me to start counting the hours I have left to sleep as soon as I see the clock.  Everything that I have ever read or heard says not to do that but I can’t help myself. 

I survived the intermittent connectivity issue with my internet.  I’ve never got an all clear but things seemed to have stabilized towards the afternoon.  I watched TV last night with no issues.  Most everything but not all of what I watch is streamed over the internet. 

Supper last night was Spaghetti & Meatballs from Stouffers.  It was pretty good for being frozen.  Had a donut and some cookies for desert.  Trying to hold out for Friday as that’s when I plan to bake a Tombstone Pizza.  Not sure that I will make it but I am going to try. 

Turned off the timers and managed to avoid Rudy seeing the flashlight.  I did it while he was eating.  I figured the click of the light would draw him as it always seems to but food was much more important to him.  The lights won’t go back on until the weekend.  Thankfully I only have to adjust one of the timers for the time change.  Wish the whole house was automated to at least adjust every clock but that’s not the case.  Really wish that I could adjust the cats internal clocks to avoid early wake up calls but they will catch on and adjust after a couple days.  It would be nice if the whole world was like Arizona which has one time year round – no adjustments.  I think were working towards it but not sure that I will see it in my lifetime. 

Got a nice surprise from work, a bonus for helping with the merger.  That was totally unexpected and taxes gobbled up the bigger part of it but I have a few hundred dollars extra out of the deal.  Next month we will get a holiday bonus which comes around Thanksgiving time.  Typically we don’t get a Christmas bonus but in the past couple years since business has been so good we get an additional bonus around Christmas and I’m sure that a lot of people have come to expect that.  I however only rely on the holiday bonus and if we get the extra one well great.  I like to avoid feeling disappointment if I can.  Everyone likes money because you can do a lot with it from spend, save or gift it. 

Here’s hoping that today is a great day for all of us.  Thank you for stopping by. 

Friday Night & Saturday…

I was able to enjoy a Steak & Cheese sandwich prior to my massage but I had an interruption from work in the process. Plus, I was asked to take care of something in the evening but a half hour before my massage. Everything came together and worked out just fine.

I got my massage and it was intense. I asked for some leg pulls and got them but they were not as brisk as I wanted. As per usual she found all of the knots and I was super tight. She worked my shoulders/arms as well as my neck. It all hurt like hell. When we were done and as I was paying, she dropped a bomb that she isn't working on Fridays starting in November, she will only be working Tuesdays & Wednesdays. I told her that I wasn't a fan of that. I booked a Wednesday evening in November and it's on a week that I am not on-call. Things are typically pretty calm for my team in the evenings but you never really know when an emergency will strike and you will be needed. For that reason, I purposely schedule massages on Friday's as they tend to be calmer and quieter days. I've been thinking about massages in general and I'm not going often enough to reap true benefits from it. I need something every couple weeks – a couple 90-minute sessions then I can drop to 60 minutes every other week. I've had times when I was able to meet this schedule with her but for the most part, she is booked solid and doesn't have a lot of availability. I've been thinking of stopping for a while. I mean I pay money to get worked over, be sore for a few days and then given my job, the knots either reoccur or start to flair back up. It seems like a huge waste of time and money. Right now, I am letting things play out but I think come November unless she can accommodate me, we are probably done.

It's been one thing after another with this lady. First, she stopped Saturdays. Then she raised her prices. Then about 6 months later she raised her prices again. Now she's not going to work on Friday's. I mean not everyone can make it on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I might not be able to find someone cheaper than her but I can find someone who can cater more to my preferred dates and times. I'm just very unhappy and disappointed in her.

Once I got home, I started the dishwasher. Closed up the blinds in the back. Had a soda and some cookies. Then surfed social media from my bedroom free of my clothes. The cats joined me; they wanted to play but I wasn't in the mood. I got them to sleep and once I was done surfing I thought about watching a movie but figured I would fall asleep so I just flipped through You Tube. Eventually enough time passed that I elected to get up and brush my teeth and do my normal shutdown routine. That of course excited both cats and they wanted to play. I gave in and Rudy had some playtime. Mora just didn't want to be bothered for some reason. I called it and we all went back to my room to watch more TV until I got sleepy and called it a night.

Rudy woke me early this morning and I told him it was my day off. He let me sleep in an hour and woke me at 7a. I got up because I had placed an Amazon order and some items were arriving early. Passed out breakfast for the cats. Checked the front porch and no packages. I had breakfast and got my meds. Then fired up my police scanner and phone. Waited for my deliveries, I had two one was early morning and the other was early afternoon.

Got a leaf blower that will operate on the same battery as the weed eater I bought. Figured that I will blow the leaves into the grass from the deck and maybe just maybe the lawn guys will chop them up with their mower. Although there aren't many of them right now. Give it a few more weeks. The other big purchase I got was a Clarasonic Mia 2. I've wanted this for a long time and know that Sonic Cleansing of the face does improve skin tone and my face just feels cleaner. I used to get a lot of compliments too on how good I looked. I got a few other items as well in my deliveries but those two were the big dollar items. Amazon loves me.

In checking my phone, I saw that I had a like on one of the dating apps. I didn't think much of it as these typically turn out to be women or guys that are in another part of the country. As soon as I opened the app, I saw a guy that looked really good. I gave his profile a like and presto we matched. He was the person who liked me. Were several hours away from each other. We started talking. First it was just a few interactions and then he just dropped. I figured his phone died or he lost interest in me. An hour later he resumed the conversation. I answered him and we had a little bit more interaction. Then it's been nothing but dead air since early afternoon. I am not overly excited as I learned a long time ago the hard way not to emotionally invest in the apps as they usually lead to nothing but disappointment. Who knows if this is going any place. He's younger than me and also a Widower – so we do have a few things in common. He made it quite clear that he doesn't want a one-night stand and I told him that I didn't either, again another thing in common. I'm not 100% convinced that he's not a robot or that it's a fake profile but I suppose if we keep talking that things will play out. I'd like for this to work out but again I have no huge expectations.

I wish that I was meeting him or someone in person. This having a burst of conversation and then nothing but silence, well that wouldn't occur if we were in person and if it did one of us would surely get up and leave. I hate dating via an app just because it's awkward. Hell, dating to me is awkward considering that I never experienced it until my spouse passed away and I went on the hunt. It's kind of like playing the lottery, you pay your money and take your chances. Not everyone is a winner.

That leads me back to the whole Prison Pen-Pal thing. I know that none of those folks are upstanding citizens but I'm positive I could hold a conversation better via a letter or email with one of them just as a friend and nothing more. I'd never date a convict and just because they made a mistake doesn't mean society should give up on them. I am giving the idea some consideration but admittedly I do have safety concerns. I'd have to look into how great the protection is but on a cursory level it appeared to me that you could write via email instead of snail mail so I wouldn't have to provide an address. If you have an opinion one way or another, I'd love to hear it if you're willing to share.

I've had something eating at me that I have kept quiet about for a few days. So, I grew up when MTV had The Real World. It is reality TV where 7 strangers move into a house together and share their lives for, I think 3 to 6 months. It was great meeting the cast but soon you figure out who's gay (there was always at least 1 gay person – male or female). Then the drama starts and the issues play out. Before you know it, the season is done and everyone is tearing up saying goodbye. I watched most but not all seasons. It's been interesting to see the reunions that have taken place and how grown-up people have become.

Back in 2006 The Real World was in Denver. Davis Mallory was one of the cast members. He identified as a Gay Christian. He was a super cute frat boy with Blond Hair and Blue Eyes. He was a DJ/Musician. You can find his work on Spotify. I really like his song American Boy. Well, he announced to the world roughly 10 or so days ago that he was no longer sexually attracted to men and doesn't identify as gay. This is all because he found God and became Baptized. He's got a song about it. This whole thing bothers me because you can't just stop being gay as if it's a choice. I mean you can stop eating pasta or ice cream those are choices. Sexuality, well it's simply not a choice. You can experiment to see what you like but at the end of the day you are who you are. Gay, Straight or Bi. I know there are other types of sexuality that have evolved over the years but I don't recognize nor understand those other choices – it's always been the 3 Gay, Straight or Bi. Kind of like you’re a man or a woman – there is no other choice and no in between. I think you can be a man trapped in a woman's body or a woman trapped in a man's body and transition but still your either Male or Female at the end of the day.

I know that God can change your life. Just because you stop having sex with dudes doesn't mean suddenly that you're not gay or that your "cured". Think about it for a second if sexuality was a choice who in their right mind would choose to be gay? Your different from everyone else, often ostracized, discriminated against, made fun of, beaten up or even killed just because of your sexuality. It would be far easier to be straight and blend in. I mean I like who I am and I like dudes, that's just who I am. If I could suddenly change all of that, don't you think I would have done it a long time ago, my life would be so much easier. I don't know if Davis truly is a changed person or this is just a publicity stunt to promote an album. I just find it a bit disturbing. However, Davis has to live his life as he sees fit just as you and I do.

Well, Mora is bothering me and telling me that I need to get upstairs. Morning is going to roll around soon enough. Meanwhile she is soaking up attention like a sponge and just can't ever get enough of it. That's why I call her Mora because she always wants more of something. Guess it's time to call this post done and go up, make the bed and jump in.

Hope you had an amazing Saturday and that Sunday is equally as great. Cheers!

Good News

I chatted with my friend and he pointed me to a local place that does glass work for his shop.  I gave them a call and they are coming out on Friday to take care of my windshield.  Here’s hoping that this goes off without any further issues or glitches. 

It was a little difficult to change the provider but after a couple calls I got the job done.  Sure wish that I could have got this done today but waiting another couple days is fine. 

The only draw back right now is I don’t have a time window for when they will be out.  I won’t know that until Friday morning. 

Sick Day

I woke up really feeling the after affects of my refrigerator workout.  My left hip hurt like crazy, this started last night and I figured a good nights sleep would cure that.  However, I was wrong.  I ate breakfast and fed the cats so for all intense and purposes the day started normal but I knew when I woke up that today I was not going to work. 

I took a muscle relaxer and it’s amazing that one little pill can knock you out of commission for the entire day.  I was hallucinating as I tried to stay awake this afternoon after having slept most of the morning.  Eventually I just gave up and went back to sleep.  I slept pretty much all day long. 

I turned my phone on close to 5p and found that my other co-worker that had been out for 2 days took today as well.  That has only happened a couple times that both of us were out or off.  Usually one of us is there.  I only have 50ish emails to comb through and I seriously plan to return tomorrow. 

I do feel better not 100% but I am hopeful that tomorrow is a better day than today was. 

Good news is that last night I got up the courage to pull the fridge/freezer out to check and there wasn’t a drop of moisture to be found so I fixed the issue.  That made me feel good but I had a strong feeling that when the filter broke in the afternoon that was the source of the problem.  I hope the appliance keeps on humming along for many years ahead. 

Also got my paycheck that reflects my pay raise and I am getting $83 more per pay period, I think I will just up my savings and take the money rather than stuff part of it in a 401K.  I can always change my mind. 

My apologies for no Man Candy today but you know me I will make it up to you once I get caught up.  Right now my worry is sleeping tonight so long as I can accomplish that I will be able to meet my goal of going back tomorrow. 

Take care and hang in there were closer now than we were on Monday to the weekend. 

Memories & Money

Morning!

Glad that Monday is out of the way.  It was a long day for me.  Today will be a little bit of the same.  Yesterday was so long because I had a lot of idle time and that should prove to be the same today or so I hope.  I enjoy taking a break from the screens, heading upstairs to be with the cats. 

Supper last night was left over Chinese food, which was combination house fried rice.  I added a little bit of hot sauce for some flavor.  As per usual Rudy bothered me and wanted some of it while I was eating.  I looked at him like I always do and say what’s a matter do you smell your cousin?  Unamused he jumped down and stormed off.  Mora didn’t bother to beg.  The answer has been and always will be no.  My food is mine and I don’t share with cats.  I rarely share with people. 

Bossman sent me an invite yesterday for a quick call to talk about my pay raise.  That call just happened and I got a 4% raise which is one of the top raises that you can get.  I’ve gotten a little bit more in years past but I am pleased with this pay increase.  I’m sure that taxes will gobble some of it up.  I am debating about adding some of this to my 401K, perhaps splitting it down the middle and taking a 2% raise for myself to live off of and giving the other 2% to my 401K.  Last year I pushed my entire raise to my 401K.  I could easily do the same as I am not struggling with what I am making but I like to see at least one pay check with the raise on it before I make any changes.  As per usual I was told to keep up the good work and that I am doing a great job. 

I forgot to mention that Sunday night I hauled out my photo collection and browsed through old pictures from trips we took as well as some childhood photos that were mixed in.  I got to see all of my family and it was kind of nice.  I got some laughs and memories came flooding back.  I’ve been wanting to do this for a while but kept putting it off.  Much to my surprise I found a nude of me.  This was back in the day when you had to take your film to a store for them to develop it.  I was just as shocked to find it as I was when it came back.  Normally those photos would not be included.  Looking over all of those photos just makes me want to take a trip but it’s not quite as much fun to travel alone.  I found an old email where my late spouse detailed an itinerary for one of our trips.  I was AOL back then and so was he.  It was a nice find as well, now I see why I hung on to it.  It was printed on a dot matrix printer.  Ah memories.  What a life.  I saw this house when it was in better shape and one of our favorite trees that a lighting strike took out. I could go on and on but time to get back to reality. 

We have a bit of a cool down in the weather still hot but not as humid.  Hopefully the AC will run a little less.  This place felt like a freezer yesterday regardless of where I was at.  The cats seemed to enjoy it and soak up the cool air. 

Well I think I am going to take a break while I can and escape to be with the cats before it’s time to come back to meeting city.  There are a couple later this morning and one this afternoon.  Then all I have to do is survive tomorrow and the boss is on vacation for a bit.  Hip Hip Hooray!

Take care and keep cool.  Talk with you all again soon!

Saturday … the day I have been waiting for

I hope all is well in your world!  I heard a saying while I was on vacation a few weeks back, if you want something go to the top person.  I’ve always wanted to ride along with a police officer.  I wanted to be in law enforcement but I’m not into physical fitness and that is probably shocking to some folks considering that I am gay.  It’s never been my cup of tea.  I like a fit guy though. 

I waffled on my decision but decided to give it a shot, the worst I could hear was no and heck I was already there by not asking, so I had nothing to lose.  I wrote the chief of police and we exchanged a few emails to iron out logistics.  I had a choice of Saturday’s the last one I was on-call and didn’t want to take any chances or this one.  Obviously I picked this one. 

I got a full station tour which was interesting.  I saw glimpses of their different computer systems and technology that is available.  Finally I got to put on a bullet resistant vest and got in a car.  I was limited to two hours and the time was chosen by the police department.  After all I had all day long and better for them to pick the time than me. 

The first thing I noticed rather quickly is there isn’t a whole lot of room in a police car even if your sitting up front in the passenger seat.  The computer takes up most of the room, but I made it work.  I just didn’t have a place to put my left arm. 

We drove around a little bit then parked chatting all the while.  The officer started running random plates.  It didn’t take long before we got a hit on an expired plate and he went after them.  It was a Dodge Charger and he didn’t light them up just tried to get through traffic to pull them over but they were too fast and wound up getting a break.  Circled back to the same spot and back to fishing as I like to refer to it, because it’s very much like fishing.  A whole lot of sitting and waiting.  He ran several other plates, he miss keyed a plate but I heard wanted person then he noticed his mistake.  He ran another plate and we got a hit on another expired plate.  We took off after them but he realized who it was and opted not to stop them.  Back to the fishing hole. 

We weren’t there very long before we almost got hit, a guy drove a little off the road and I thought for sure the cop car was going to get hit.  However that didn’t happen.  He ran the plate but it was clear.  Then he ran another plate and we got a hit.  He promised me that we would get someone and indeed we did.  He almost got side swiped as he went after them from someone not paying attention.  Then even with lights on and the occasional blast from the siren cars were very slow to get out of the way.  People simply don’t pay attention, they are in their own world and they drift off.  Finally we caught up the car and he called it in and got out.  Turns out he pulled over a politicians husband.  The guy only got a warning for the expired plate. 

Back to the fishing hole for a little bit more but nothing came of it.  We drove around a bit more.  Stopped for gas, drove around after wards for a bit and then my two hours of fun was done just like that. 

I was hoping for a bit more excitement, no guns or bullets flying though.  I had to sign a liability waiver that said I understood I could get injured and if I did I agreed not to sue.  I never felt unsafe but I will tell you that it was quite sobering to put on a bullet resistant vest.  They are heavy and awkward but yet they do save lives. 

I got a final tour of a couple of additional areas we didn’t cover, we chatted a bit more and then I was walked out.  Funny thing as I was leaving I thought I saw the guy that got the warning coming to the station.  I’m so sure that I’d bet money on it. 

It was rather interesting to see what I have been hearing for years on my scanner.  I have an offer to go again if I want but I don’t want to wear out my welcome.  Perhaps if I would go back on a weekday there would be more action but it’s kind of hit and miss, just like with my job.  The calls come in waves, sometimes your bored for a long time and other times you can barely have time to use the bathroom and grab something to eat. 

I was a little depressed that those two hours flew by so fast with nothing really happening but perhaps that was for the best.  I think that being a police officer has a lot of ups but also has some downs.  The biggest one being that when you leave for work in the morning, you don’t know if you will get to come home at the end of your shift.  It’s got to be horrible to be a spouse of a police officer. 

So there is the big secret that I kept under wraps. Now I can check a box off on my bucket list!  

 

As for the rest of today I got the mail which contained a letter permitting me to renew my drivers license on line.  I had been anxiously waiting for that to come.  I paid my money and my new license should be here in a few weeks.  I wound up watching drinking a soda and watching TV.  I dosed off for a bit in my recliner despite having both cats in my lap.  They were as happy as could be though. 

Rudy started doing his food dance around 3p and I had to put up with it for about 45 minutes before I just gave up and opted to feed him.  My belly has red marks all over it from his claws.  It’s an allergic reaction and I know that if he realized how it would affect me he wouldn’t have done it but I never want him to stop making biscuits. 

Once I got up to feed them I got dressed and decided to head out for some Popeye’s Fried Chicken.  Don’t you know it just my luck only the drive thru was open, the inside of the restaurant was closed for repairs.  The place is only like 3 years old so that was kind of surprising to me.  I got back in the car and drove to the Mexican place and had my usual.  Service was horrible and I was very close to walking out. 

Back home and working on laundry and surfing the web, reading email the usual Saturday night stuff.  Mora is down here with me keeping me company.  She likes to stay close to me but if I let her down here during the week there is no way in the world I would ever be able to do my job. 

Last night I watched Tires on Netflix.  I saw Season 1 when it came out and thought Season 2 would be a bit more interesting than it was.  I managed to finish the series this morning since Rudy woke me up for food early. 

I think were done with rain until Monday rolls around.  I am ready to find Noah and ask him to start building an ark.  I like so many other people in my area are tired of the rain.  Bring on the sunshine, not necessarily the humidity that comes with Summer.

One more day of rest then it’s back to the normal grind.  Yuck!  At least next week is only a 4 day work week.  Were closed on Thursday for Juneteenth, which is a Federal Holiday in the US.  I’m telling you that Wednesday or Friday will be a mess because we will some how cram that day of work we are off into one of those days if not split evenly between them.

Thanks for stopping by, hope your weekend is going well.  Take care!

Steroids

Morning … I woke up to a message from the doc.  He called in a Medrol dosepak (corticosteroids) in the hopes that will help quell the rash.  I kind of doubt it but hey I’m going to give it a try, it’s better than nothing.  I haven’t picked up a prescription from a local pharmacy in well over a year, possibly two.  Everything comes mail order or is delivered to my door.  While I could clog up the drive thru I will go inside because they will need my new insurance card.  It won’t be a speedy trip.  I am going to try to make it happen today just kind of depends on how things go throughout the day. 

I woke up with an irritated throat and the medicine should help with that.  I feel fine but throat issues are my kryptonite.  I am still going because I feel okay at the moment.  There isn’t much on my schedule for today but that is always subject to change depending on what comes in via email.  So long as I feel okay I plan to go in to the office on Wednesday. 

I got a nice surprise a gift card to what used to be my favorite restaurant this morning.  Good thing it doesn’t have an expiration date.  I know I’ll use it but it’s not a place that I am just dying to go back to.  If I had to pick a favorite place to eat it would be the Mexican place that I went to yesterday. 

Outside of that nothing is really new per se.  Since all is quiet at the moment I think I might try to sneak out and fetch that prescription.  Watch just as I do is when everything will blow up, that’s the kind of luck that I have. 

Here’s hoping it’s a great day for all of us and maybe just maybe this rash will finally be history.  Take care and be well. 

Day 2 - Fish & Shoes

Today was way more expensive than yesterday but I had a lot more fun as well. 

Started out with breakfast, got an omelet and had a double chocolate biscuit.  It was really good.  Then I drove around to kill an hour so I didn’t have to go back home just to leave again. 

Made it for my facial.  It felt amazing and to me it looks like I’m wearing make up but I know it’s just the products they used.  I got the esthetician to look at my neck since it’s been bothering me for well over a year.  She gave me some samples of some cream to use.  To her it looks like there were several layers of skin taken away back when I had my neck shaved and that caused damage.  She said that if the cream she gave me didn’t work that I should consult a dermatologist.  I remembered my $15 coupon which was nice to get the discount. 

After that I went on to buy a new pair of shoes.  They are walking shoes but they could be classed as tennis shoes.  I wear a size 10 but in order to get a comfortable fit I had to go to an 11 1/2 wide.  They are lace up shoes which I hate but the shoes themselves are comfortable.  Made by New Balance. 

Came home after spending all that money, relaxed with the cats.  Sprayed the new shoes with some water repellant and laid down to take a nap.  I think I maybe got 15 minutes of sleep, I really wasn’t drowsy but wanted to rest.  Had both cats with me and that made it enjoyable.  They loved it.  We were in bed for about an hour and a half. 

I got up around 2p and headed over to Sam’s club.  Damn couldn’t find most of what I was looking for.  I did get the necessary Paper Towels and Soda.  I picked some some cookies from the bakery.  They had some Carmel Squares that I was looking for.  I didn’t take a whole lot of time to look around but I did browse a bit.  The place was next to empty compared to the weekend.  I can always go back next week if I want. 

Then over to the pet food store and then back home.  Got the cat food put away and everything I just bought in the house.  Sat and watched TV to pass time until I needed to leave to grab supper. 

The place I had in mind turned out to be a bar.  It was horrible.  Very noisy and most people seemed to know each other.  I sat at a table for the longest time until I saw a guy get up and order a drink.  I got behind him and got a soda and placed my food order.  They messed that up but I did get fish and onion rings.  There was no tartar sauce and the fish was nuggets instead of fillets like I wanted.  It was just an average meal.  The real fun came when I went to pay the bill.  They said what’s the name on your tab?  I said I didn’t give my name.  I had to tell them what I ordered two times.  Then some busy body tried to convince me I just ate Mac & Cheese when I know full well I had onion rings for my side.  I left no tip, paid and got the hell out of there.  I’ll never ever go back it was a miserable experience. 

I flew home driving fast and ye old vehicle provided a thrilling ride and performed as I expected. 

Filed a dispute on the shampoo and conditioner since the company I bought it from has been non-responsive.  I figure I’ll get their attention one way or another.  I have no product therefore I don’t think they deserve any of my money. 

My next endeavor was to try to get an auto insurance quote on-line.  Good luck when your credit report is frozen.  I got an alert that a Soft Inquiry posted, despite the fact that I never provided my SSN.  Progressive was the only company that would quote me and turned out they were significantly cheaper than what I am paying.  However, I think I’m just going to keep what I have.  Years ago I got hit by one of Progressive’s insureds and they wanted to play all sorts of games in settling the claims process. I wound up having my insurance pay and then subrogate the claim to get the money from Progressive.  It wasn’t my fault and yet I was being treated as if I was the one who rear ended myself.

Felt more relaxed today and I know the longer I am away from work the more relaxed I will feel.  I know how I am going to feel when it gets closer to having to go back but for now that is more than a million miles in the future and I’ll deal with it when I have to. 

Thinking of having a fast food breakfast tomorrow and going to see my friends.  I may venture out of the area for supper over the weekend but for the most part plan to stay local.  My next dining adventure is planned for Monday. 

Hope all is well in your world.  Enjoy the weekend and take care!

Busy

Yesterday I focused on work and kind of forgot about ye old blog, I really thought I posted something. 

Today is the day I have been waiting for.  It’s my Friday and I will be done with work for the rest of the month after today.  Nothing will please me more than when I check out today knowing I don’t have to go back until next month.  Sure would be nice if I could win the lottery and not have to go back but that’s probably asking for way too much. 

My goal is to skate through the day and not remind or tell anyone that I am leaving so that it hits them all like a ton of bricks – surprise!  My boss scheduled a semi-large project that kicked off yesterday and I only found out about it on Monday.  There was prep work that needed to be done so I was a bit busy unexpectedly.  He made me the focus of the project and told anyone who had questions to reach out to me, thus far no one has said a word and the project isn’t set to wrap until Thursday but I’ve done my part.  I hate no notice surprise you got work now projects.  That’s just inconsiderate I think.  Kind of like the boss approving a week of vacation for my mistake making co-worker and none of us knowing about it until he was gone.  That’s why I’m not saying a word let them get a dose of their own medicine. 

I got a new cologne called Toy Boy by Maschino.  I bought it purely based on the name.  It was in a black bottle and is a men’s fragrance but smells more like something made for a woman.  I put a little bit on my hand last night and I can still smell hints of it today.  It’s like it doesn’t want to go away.  Not sure if I will be wearing this.  Right now it doesn’t do anything for me.  I could say the same for Spice Bomb when I got it, but after a couple days I warmed up to it and love Spice Bomb today.  I don’t wear fragrance often due to my allergies. 

The cats decided to chase each other early this morning and jumped in an out of bed, waking me up.  I almost thought it was Friday morning and the trash people were banging the cans.  I told them to knock it off as I rolled over.  Who’s got that kind of energy in the early morning?  I used to when I was a kid but that was so long ago I forgot what it feels like. 

Finishing off my pizza from Sunday today for lunch.  I am sick of it but don’t want to throw my money away.  It was good but I got too much of a good thing.  The pizza place used Cheddar on the BBQ Pizza and that gave it a different flavor, next time I will get them to swap cheeses or just leave it off. 

Got a couple meetings today to get through and just waiting to see what else comes my way, trying to keep quiet and just make it through the day.  I’ve done all of my heavy lifting this morning knocking out what I could before I leave.

Hope it’s a great day for you.  Take care!

Good & Bad

Welcome back and happy almost Friday.  Yesterday after lunch things got busy.  A large project dropped and that kept me occupied for the afternoon as well as part of this morning.  There is more work to do but not until tomorrow so it’s going to be a busy Friday.  The only good thing about that is it will be fast moving. 

Looks like the Groundhog(s) managed to build a new den, it is located on the corner of my neighbors fence and goes underneath a shed they have.  If they manage to tunnel and emerge in the neighbors yard they have a dog (I call him Sir Barks A lot bet you can’t guess why) that will shred both of them or so I think.  Amazon Alexa said that a Groundhog can easily defend it’s self against a small dog but their dog is medium to large so who knows, I don’t want to find out.  I saw the baby out last night getting its munch on.  It is common for them to have several dens so I’m not offended.  I like them and wish them no harm but kind of wish they would move on.  Kind of doubt that is going to happen unless someone traps them and rehomes them, I’ve given up on that idea way too costly.

Got in some early play time with the cats and took a shower before heading to bed.  I slept fine until around 5a this morning and then my bladder said it was time to get up and my brain said oh yeah that’s a wonderful idea.  Rudy was happy when I got out of bed but not so when I returned a short time later.  He waited patiently by my head until I was ready to get up.  I gave him some attention and he made some biscuits. 

My new hard drive arrived and I’ve got the data copied over.  Now I am compressing things to help save space and then I plan to format the recovery drive I was sent and copy the compressed data back to it so I have a local backup if it’s needed.  I can update it as needed, until I manage to fill that drive up.  This will be a process but if I stick with it I hope to be done by the end of the weekend if not before.  Then I can start having it all backup to the cloud as well, you can’t have too many up to date copies when it comes to data recovery. 

The weather for the weekend is spotty showers, doesn’t exactly make great weather for spraying for pests but if I can get the stuff down and it dries then I’m good.  It’s designed to fade away over the course of two months.

Got my first new promotional internet bill, glad I signed up for the auto pay discount because my bill is a whopping $2 less once they add on taxes.  Auto pay is a $5 discount but odd how it actually works out once the bill is generated.  It’s still cheaper than what I was paying.  The only thing I have noticed is that at two different periods I have had spotty connectivity where it’s solid for a while and then randomly skips.  It only makes a difference when I am working, my play streaming and browsing don’t seem to notice it.  The fix has been to reboot the modem and then the router.  I started a log since this happened again yesterday I’m looking to see if there is a trend.  If so might need a different modem even though this one is supposed to be brand new.

Well back to the fun that is work.  Hope you have a great day.  Take care!

A good day

Yesterday was a pretty good day even though it didn’t go exactly as I thought it would.  My FedEx delivery got pushed to later in the afternoon.  That meant that I was stuck for the majority of the day sitting on the couch watching for FedEx to pull up and working on a laptop.  Not my ideal work day but the cats loved it!  I got pretty sleepy but didn’t dare doze off because if I missed the FedEx guy I’d be super upset. 

Managed to find some guy on You Tube who takes tours of cities.  He made a couple videos on Chicago which I watched and found very interesting.  There was another one on Milwaukee that I saw and there is plenty of interesting information.  Kind of felt like I was with an old friend and he was educating me. 

Installed those new lights I got on Prime Day in the garage and damn they are super bright for being LED’s.  It looks like daylight in my garage and I am quite impressed.  They should last around 5 years according to the literature that came with them but who knows if that will actually happen.  Got my document holder setup and it works just like I wanted.  Powered up the backup hard drive and all my files are there safe and sound. 

Now for the bad news looks like my new hard drive might not be here tomorrow.  That’s what Amazon’s site is showing as of this morning.  I think it might have something to do with the Global Computer Outage that was caused by Crowdstrike.  Who knew that one company could cripple so much?  Technology has come a long way and we are super dependent on it.  When it works life is good.  When it fails well it’s not so good.  There was minimal impact where I work, just Microsoft Cloud stuff that wasn’t working.  Our email is still on premises but that is transitioning.  The Cloud isn’t such a good idea but I know it’s all the rage and the future where companies and services are headed.

I started listening to Whoopi Goldberg’s latest book via audio books on Spotify.  I pay extra for that so might as well use the benefit.  I love listening to her talk and it feels like she’s in the room with me and were friends and I am listening to a story.  It’s pretty good so far I am at Chapter 5.  

I know this is a couple days old information but I just found out this morning that Caleb Harris the missing TX College Students body was found.  Very sad but I thought all along that he was dead.  I hate it when I am right in situations like this.  It looks like there could be fowl play involved or maybe he just happened to trip, drop his phone and fall into an open man hole.  There are so many questions and I don’t know that there will ever be any answers. 

Speaking of Caleb, I might as well touch on Riley Strain.  Looks like he was very drunk and a high, this appears to be a tragic accident at the moment.  That’s what the conclusion is from Nashville Police & Government.  Who knows what the independent (2nd)  autopsy and investigation that the family had done will turn up.  I’d love to know how many days he was in the water.  It also looks like from some bar footage that has since been released that Riley wasn’t wearing a belt which might explain how his pants came off so easy but I don’t know if cowboy boots would come off that easy.  I’ve never worn them.  There are many questions here and I think his family is fighting for answers and hopefully they will get them. 

I’ve gotten my haircut this morning.  Rudy woke me at 6a and I was not happy about it.  I still had a couple more hours to sleep.  That means once I got home I went back to bed.  Been lounging all day and I am about to get dressed and head out for some food.  Thinking about going back to the Mexican place I was at last Saturday.  It was just that good! 

Got the bills that arrived today paid and just trying to enjoy what is left of my quiet weekend as I prepare to go on-call come Monday.  Not looking forward to it but hopefully things won’t be too horrific, fingers crossed. 

Hope your having a great Saturday!  Take care.

Made it

Morning … I made it to the office.  Had a horrible nights sleep but Rudy kept me company part of the time and helped to get me back to sleep.  I figure that I am going to crash at some point today but hopefully it doesn’t happen until I get home. 

Something went wrong with a change I made not sure if it was the computer or me just not fully concentrating.  As a result I am waiting for the fix to be applied and it’s a slow process and has one person inconvenienced.  That makes me feel bad but there isn’t much I can do.  Just apologized and let them know I am working on it.  That’s what I get for trying to help out.  Damn me being nice – no good deed goes unpunished a lesson that I seem to never learn. 

Mora was surprised that I got up early she wanted to lay in her bed but I went to greet her to make sure that she was alive because normally after the can of food cracks in the morning she is waiting around the corner.  Rudy did his usual thing and followed me to the kitchen getting under my feet and being anxious for his breakfast.  Mora came out and had some.  Then she jumped back on my bed while I was in the shower. 

As per usual I hated to leave them but I look forward to their greeting when I get home, that’s a priceless moment. 

Got my replacement hard drive ordered.  It was a Prime Deal and I saw it yesterday.  I could have got an even better deal if I would have only acted quicker.  Now for the fun part it will be late next week before the drive arrives.  I picked up a few other things that were on sale and they will be delivered on Friday.  Got that document holder and some new lights for the garage that are supposed to be super bright, here’s hoping I’m not blinded when I install them. 

Since the stress of coming in is over with for now I expect that I will sleep really good tonight or so I hope. 

I thought about it and put in for a weeks vacation.  It starts on a Thursday when I am off to see the doctor.  I took the Friday off as well and then the following week and Labor Day is on the following Monday so it’s a nice long stretch with two weekends.  The bad part is that when I come back I will be on-call.  I really hated that it worked out like that.  Very much looking forward to taking a break.  I am at or close to burnout and the break is very much needed. 

The rain is all done and today is a nice sunny day.  Surprising how the weather affects my mood and nothing that I love more than a day of sunshine.  Not excited about it being super hot. 

As always looking forward to heading home this afternoon.  Until then lets hope that I can stay awake and motivated even if there is a lull.  I hope that you have a great day and appreciate your visit.

Tired & Sore

My outside tasks are done!  I woke up at 7a when it was cool outside.  Had some pastry, Banana and a Diet Coke for breakfast.  Fed the cats.  Loaded up with sunscreen and mosquito spray, threw on some clothes and my work shoes.  Grabbed the Armor Away or whatever it’s called.  House wash in a bottle.  I got it just before the pandemic hit it was a 2 for 1 special on Amazon. 

Hooked up the hose and started spraying away.  I think that it must have gone bad just from sitting, either that or the gable vent I was trying to clean is just that dirty.  I had one a couple years ago it looked horrible and this stuff made it bright white in 10 minutes.  Not so this time, I got off some of the dirt. 

I grew unhappy with the way it was rinsing and just decided to call it a day and put that junk away.  Grabbed the power washer and I rinsed it all off.  Wound up doing the side walk, a bunch of landscaping bricks that had green mold growing on them and then made my way to the deck.  Got the green mold off of it and washed the back of the house, the deck part and then what is the master bedroom, which also had green mold growing on it, light but nevertheless it was there.  I have no idea how much water I used but I started probably at 7:45a and I didn’t come back inside until 11:30a.  It was kind of fun but it was also back breaking. 

I was in limp mode by the time I got everything cleaned up and put away.  I am quite proud of my accomplishment.  If I had the gas left in me I would have done the other side of the house, it faces the street.  The siding looks clean but the gutters have dirt and some green mold growing on them.  I suppose that is a job for another day. 

I got undressed in the garage, came inside and grabbed a Gatorade.  Sat on the couch and watched some fireworks on YouTube.  I was sweating to beat the band.  I had caught my breath and was somewhat rested but still felt the ache in my back.  I made my way to the shower and that felt good.  Then I dried off and climbed in bed. 

Rudy was by myside and wouldn’t leave me.  He knew I was hurting and could use the company.  I rolled over and he snuggled up next to my back.  Eventually after about an hour I woke up and he was right there to greet me and make biscuits just as if it was morning all over again.

Passed out lunch for the cats, I ate more pastry and some left over cake.  Washed it all down with a Diet Coke and then got on my laptop.  I scoured menu after menu trying to find a decent place to eat at.  Wound up at a local pizza place.  Had some spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread and a salad – washed that all down with a Diet Dr. Pepper and it was $22.  I left full. 

Then went for a ride to check on the neighbors new house.  There is a for sale sign in the yard so maybe they aren’t going to move in after all and they are going to sell it.  It’s coming along pretty nice.  I think by this time next month it should be fully done presuming that it’s being worked on every day.  I’ll probably make another trip out because I am just that damn nosy. 

Stopped in for a car wash and got to look at a good looking 20ish year old guy who had a fine looking ass.  I’m telling you that I am officially at the desperate point.  I want a companion but want him to be good looking kind of beauty and brains.  Hopefully my search will end this year because this is old and well so am I.  My age is against me for sure, especially if I want a younger guy say in his 30’s, I’d go 20’s but fear that I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation that long and we wouldn’t have a whole lot in common.  Outside of the companion part I need to have some damn good sex, kind of tired of watching porn and seeing other guys have a good time.  Yeah things can always be worse but this is one hell of a problem that seems insurmountable.  I’ve done a damn good job solving all of my other problems but this one well not so much. 

On a different note, I went to the BBQ place and ordered the catfish last night.  It was not that good.  However, a woman walked in and from a distance she looked like my mom.  As you got closer I could tell that it wasn’t her but damn if I didn’t know that she was dead I would have sworn that it was my mom.  That was kind of odd to me.  I almost bought her meal and struck up a conversation but wouldn’t you know it I got a work call that I had to head home and deal with.  I thought about taking her picture and sending it to my brother but figured that wouldn’t fair well so I just left it alone. 

I’m sure I will continue to be sore for a few days but it still feels damn good to have made progress.  I could have easily wasted the day by rotting in bed. 

Tomorrow is the usual breakfast and grocery stores.  If I feel up to it I’ll be stopping at two grocery stores, kind of hope that I do because that will mean more food for me. 

Hope you have a fantastic Saturday.  Take care!

Talkin

Today is the last day that the cats will be 4.  Over the last few weeks I’ve noticed that both have become much more talkative.  They are both enjoying evening playtime before bed.  I wonder what other changes are in store as they go into their 5th year of life starting tomorrow.  I hope it’s just as enjoyable as it has been since the day I brought them home. 

Not exactly sure why but my notifications on my phone for email changed to vibrate.  I switched it back to sound notification and that broke notifications.  I thought it was limited to work email but turns out it was both personal and work email.  I did more than one reboot and reset.  Eventually things got back to normal.  I still don’t fully trust it since I am on-call.  I’ve got my work email on my laptop and watch it as I spend time relaxing with the cats and watching TV. 

Had one dumb meeting today that lasted maybe 5 minutes and I think that will be the last time I hear my bosses voice for a little over a week.  I’m down for that.  He’s going on vacation and that means there shouldn’t be any meetings next week.  It will also mean that it’s just two of us me and the mistake maker, who just so happens to be out today.  I don’t think anything is wrong, I think he wanted more time off.  He will be on-call next week and I hope that he shows up all five days.  Kind of makes it risky for me to go into the office on Tuesday but so long as he is back on Monday I think I will take the chance. 

Fairly quiet today as we wind down the week.  Were closed for the rest of the week in observance of Independence Day.  Quite a nice perk giving us two days off instead of just one.  I guess they figured that most people would probably call in on Friday so might as well close. 

I had my pay raise conversation and this years raise is way better than last year and I got a little more than what I was hoping for.  All in all I’m pleased.  Although I think they can always do better, sort of like they think that I can be a better worker despite the fact that I’ve given them nothing short of greatness.  For the first time ever I’m taking the first check and then after that I am putting my raise towards my retirement.  I’m living comfortably at the moment with what I am making.  I hope that it will make quite a difference. 

It started off rainy here but the sun has since come out and we are starting to dry off.  Supposed to be more showers tomorrow but then after sunshine for a while.  I’m all good with that just hope that it doesn’t ruin the holiday.  I also see why now my lawn guys showed up yesterday.  If they would have come today there is no way they would have been able to cut.  The grass is getting a little crispy and frying a bit.  The rain will probably cause it to bounce back. 

Here’s hoping that over the weekend I can get my outside tasks completed as well as make my Friday Sam’s run.  I hope it’s a great holiday for everyone, relaxing and enjoyable.  Be safe and take care!

Ask and ye shall receive

I made my dreaded phone call to the cable company.  Turns out service in my area has been updated so with a new modem I’ll be getting parallel speeds of 300mpbs up&down.  The new modem will arrive over the weekend.  I don’t look forward to activating a new piece of equipment but hopefully it will be painless.  The call over all wound up saving me $300 over the next year, which breaks down to a $25 credit per bill.

I am relived that I am back to a decent rate.  If I want to sign up for auto billing I can save an additional $60 per year, which breaks down to $5 additional dollars per month.  There aren’t any taxes/fees added on to the end price so I know exactly what I will be paying. 

The guy tried to upsell me, which I realize is part of his job but for now I’m just content with keeping my internet connection.  I’ve got 30 days to call back to take advantage of the upsell offer he made but they won’t be hearing from me.  I’ve thought about increasing my speed to go faster but honestly I don’t use the full speed they have given me, it’s been something I’ve wanted to do for years but once I see how much it costs I quickly talk myself out of it.

Glad that something went my way and I got a win of sorts.  I’m not locked into a contract and can walk away at anytime.  I wish that companies would automatically reward their loyal customers with the lowest rates instead of having to make them call in and beg.  Trust me when I tell you they would still make a profit if that happened it’s just that it would be less of a profit because the majority of people hate calling and would rather pay.  Not me.  If you want something ask, the worst they can say is no. 

It’s been a chill day.  Need to go up and bring in the trash can/barrel.  Just passing time until later this afternoon when I have a laundry list of tasks at work to knock out.  Right now is the calm before the storm.  There is more work waiting for me on Sunday, which is unusual but it happens from time to time. 

Once again enjoy the weekend.  Just wanted to share my win.  Finally, fact if you want something from someone ask on a Friday if at all possible.  Most people are in a good mood and more inclined to say yes.  It’s not a given but it’s been a well proven method.  Do with that what you will.  Take care!

Saturday

Happy Saturday!

Thus far I’ve made most all of the progress I was hoping to.  Woke up early and made it to breakfast out.  Had my Greek Pizza thing and it was good.  Saw something else on their menu that caught my eye it’s a burger served between two glazed donuts, sound interesting.  Lots of sugar there but also a lot of flavor.

Made it to the office and I was the only one there for a little bit.  It’s a little strange going in on a weekend and no one being around but that was the benefit.  I worked on the door and things went better than I could hope for.  It looks like there is a short in the wiring either within the door or in the ceiling.  I have to call an electrician to work on it.  The door is fine as long as no one uses it but once it is open wide enough even for the thinnest of people that’s when things go out.  Then it closes and with a little bit of time it resets and comes back to life.  Apparently there are more people back in the office and using it so that’s why I have been getting complaints.  Saw my voice mail light on and I’m sure there is something interesting on the other end waiting for me along with email in my in-box.  I didn’t peek, just stuck to the task at hand being the door and I got out of dodge when I was done.  Took me a couple hours including travel and then I was back home. 

Hot and tired when I got home, I took a nap with the cats.  Then woke up had a Diet Coke and a Blueberry Muffin for lunch.  Then outside to tackle a couple tasks.  I applied a patch to the siding to cover the hole.  The material is not the same color as my siding so it stands out but at least the hole is covered.  I need to keep an eye on it to make sure it stays stuck there was some talk about it coming undone and then using a blow dryer to make it adhere.  I’m hoping I don’t have to do any of that.  Next was on to put in the extra battery in the door camera, that went like a snap.  All done with outdoor work for now.  Still have the gap to cover with some foam on the side of the house. 

While I was working one of my neighbors got a new vehicle.  I watched him get in it, drive it out of his garage onto the street and he parked next to his mailbox for a minute, grabbed the mail and then put the vehicle away in the garage.  Either he got bad news in the mail or he is super lazy.  I’ve never seen him do anything like that before. 

Speaking of news, my lab results came in this morning.  Apparently I was due for a Hepatitis screening and they did that.  That is what held things up.  The results are all good and I don’t have Titus, never thought I did and didn’t realize they did screenings for it.  My A1C is still at 6.1% which is where it was last time.  I figured out that I lost 8 pounds since I was there last and I’m hoping that the pounds continue to come off, despite my sedentary lifestyle. 

Working on laundry now and planning to go out to Red Lobster for supper unless I manage to change my mind.  I look forward to enjoying a decent meal and for entertainment I hope to see some hot guys but not holding my breath on that one.  Still feeling quite lonely and no prospects on the dating app.  I think I should have withdrawn my money from the bank and poured gas on it and lit it on fire it, at least I would have been able to watch a show instead of giving it away to some app that does nothing for me. 

The sun is out and the heat is back on here.  My AC is running and it feels nice to be indoors.  Hope that you had/have a great day!

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!