Sore

Welcome in …

Looking out last night I saw a couple driveways that had been cleared.  Everything had stopped and I heard it was a wet snow.  Temperatures were dropping but still above freezing.  Against my better judgement I went out to see what I could do. 

The driveway was a wet sloppy mess.  I just pushed a path wide enough so that I could get out of the driveway, which is all I was really concerned with.  I started off strong but my energy quickly was depleted.  It went from being easy to being difficult.  I did lift and shovel some snow.  I was concerned about my wrist and lost sight of how my poor back would feel. 

Eventually I made enough progress that was good enough for me.  My driveway wasn’t clear but I knew that I wouldn’t have any problems getting out or more importantly getting back in.  Official snow fall total for my area was 5 1/2 inches.  It was more before the wind and rain but both of those helped to clear things off. 

I came back inside huffing, puffing and sweating.  I needed a drink and to get my coat off as well as my boots.  Accomplished all of that and sat on the couch until I caught my breath.  It was still early in the evening so I came back downstairs to play on the computer. 

By the time I was ready to go up I gave up on carrying up the laundry.  I was tired and some soreness was starting to creep in my back.  My wrists (both of them) felt funny.  I was still concerned that I aggravated my cyst but as of this morning that doesn’t appear to be the case. 

Slept pretty good until 4a when I discovered that Rudy had burrowed into the blankets next to me.  I had to get up to use the bathroom and that of course woke him and he thought it was time to eat, which I sadly told him we had a couple more hours.  I watched a little TV and then after an hour was able to fall back asleep.  Rudy never left my side, guess he was afraid that I was going to disappear without passing out breakfast.  I’ve never done that but it does sound tempting. 

Woke up and begrudgingly got out of bed, really wanted to stay put but that wouldn’t get me groceries or breakfast.  Took care of Sir Rudy first.  Then tended to myself and got going.  Getting out of the driveway had one difficult part but I made it. 

Parking lot of the restaurant where I get breakfast at was as usual in poor shape.  The owner was outside spreading ice, telling me to be careful.  The snow was gone but there was lots of ice.  Not sure who clears his parking lot but they didn’t do a great job.  Had my breakfast, the place was empty when I walked in and the same way when I left.  Normally that is not the case but a lot of people stayed in. 

Made it to the grocery store.  Remembered Christmas Cookies and Baby Food.  I know I forgot something but right now can’t remember what it was.  Sam’s Club where I get my gas at did a horrible job on their parking lot too.  Topped off my tank and headed home.  Had to maneuver around a shopping cart.  It was 25 degrees but my phone said that it felt like –5.  I wouldn’t argue with that. 

While I want to get out for supper there is no way I am going back out in this.  The wind and temperatures are just a bit much for me.  I’ve got food here and even picked up a Frozen Pizza and some extra cheese to top it with.  I was set on having that tonight but now I am thinking I will save it for one day during the week. 

Got my morning nap in and then passed out lunch for the cats.  Worked on my pills and watched TV.  Waiting on Amazon to show up.  They were supposed to be here yesterday but I knew they weren’t coming and I’m not upset about it.  Thankfully they arrived today.  Cats got their Christmas present and they like it thus far.  Both of them were curious about it.  It was mildly difficult to assemble, all I had to do was zip it up.  Both of them have been inside of the tunnel.  Rudy curled up in the top of it and also scratched it with his claws.  I think I got a winner this time.  Just in case I am still saving the box. 

Trash gets picked up tomorrow and then again next Saturday.  Everything is off by one day.  It’s not the end of the world. 

We have a chance for more snow tomorrow, Wednesday and again on Friday.  If we get hit again I hope it’s all dry and fluffy snow that I can just roll over with ease in my vehicle.  This shoveling thing is hard work.  I am considering getting a battery or electric snow shovel to help make the job easier.

I’m finishing up laundry and then will be headed upstairs to watch TV and figure out what is for dinner.  Nice to know that I have a full tank of gas if I need to get out but I have no plans to leave until next Saturday.  Vehicle is hooked up to a battery maintainer (I call it life support) because the battery doesn’t like cold weather.  I’ve never been stranded or had it not start but now that I know about how it doesn’t like cold weather I take care of it.  Alternator is still good as well, when I came home from my trip to the office it read as 97% charged. 

I’ve finished up the Turkey and Stuffing.  Still have Spaghetti and Chocolate Cake to work on.  A few slices of Ham but that will be good on a sandwich.  I’ve got a freezer full of other things to eat, mostly pasta but I know I’ve got 1 Chicken Pot Pie and this for sure is Pot Pie Weather. 

Here’s hoping that next week is easy.  Only good thing about Monday is that I won’t be on-call.  Thank you for stopping by.  Hard to believe tomorrow is the 1st of December already.  Now I just need to remind myself only two weeks until vacation. 

Take care and stay warm!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Hello and welcome in … Hope that you had a great Thanksgiving!

Thursday … I laid around during the day and watched TV, relaxing.  Then managed to get a shower, dressed and leave.  Time kind of got away from me.  I had things to do before I stopped for dinner.  First stop was the police station where I dropped off the donation for the toy drive.  When I was getting back into my vehicle I heard a meow.  I know I heard a cat but I looked and didn’t see anything.  Next stop was to a particular post office to mail my holiday cards, made it.  Then the final stop on to my friends house for dinner.  I was 2 minutes early. 

Had a nice meal and dessert.  Enjoyed great conversation and time got away from us it was 11:30p before I left and I wasn’t home until midnight.  The cats were happy to see me but I’m sure they were a bit unhappy with me since I didn’t leave dinner for them.  They had dry food and water so it’s not like they had to starve. 

We enjoyed some time together before I headed to bed.  I watched a little TV and then passed out. 

Friday … Woke up had breakfast and lounged.  I had to go to the office for my new laptop but really didn’t want to.  I made it a late morning early afternoon trip.  Spent a couple hours and was out by 3.  Home by 5p.  Had to stop at the post office to pick up a package.  Then wrangle the trash when I got home but first order was to feed the cats.  By the time I sat down to dinner it was a little after 5p.

I was tired and felt like I was going to drop.  Had some Spaghetti & Chocolate Cake.  Watched TV.  I wanted to come downstairs and surf for porn but no energy.  After an hour or so I got my second wind.  Don’t ask me why but I fired up my laptop and connected to work.  I tried to get into my new laptop but it wouldn’t respond.  I was able to reboot it via DOS command but that still didn’t make things work.  I have to be able to access it when I am not in the office, mostly for testing.  I was pissed but had to make a trip back over. 

I tried a couple things but there is a specific setting for RDP (Remote Desktop) access and found that via a YouTube Video, followed the steps closely and then tested it with my old laptop while I was still in the office.  It worked like a charm.  I was so happy to have resolved this.  I buttoned things up and headed home.  Arrived by 8:45p. 

Saturday … Today is the one day that has really worked out for me.  We are getting pounded by a Winter Storm.  First wet snow, then sleet and now rain.  It’s going to freeze tonight so everything will be nice and icy when I have to get out tomorrow.  Watched a neighbor shovel his driveway.  He went about it the lazy method of just pushing and then eventually throwing the snow.  I thought about going out but I looked at my wrist and thought yeah I remember the last time and how my cyst got inflamed.  No way am I going to shovel anything.  I don’t want that pain.  From as best as I can tell based on last time we have probably 8 to 9 inches of snow.  Wind is supposed to kick up and blow it all over the place so who knows what it will actually be like tomorrow morning. 

I can tell you the police scanner is busy today with plenty of accidents.  Great day for my friends in the Tow Truck business.  It’s super messy out and everyone thinks they know how to drive, that’s kind of how this all unfolds.  The word from officials is if you don’t have to go out, stay home.  I am all snug and happy here watching it from my window, listening to people crashing. 

I had a nice relaxing morning and got a late morning nap in.  That was really nice.  Working on Laundry now and catching up on porn, going to do some shopping and I’m waiting on the Amazon person to show up.  I actually would understand if they don’t make it.  I placed a big order on Thursday while I was waiting to Turkey Time to roll around. I am getting a new trash can, cats are getting a Cattasarus bed.  It’s a bed, tunnel and scratching surface all in one.  They are supposed to go crazy over it.  Here’s hoping that it goes over way better than the cat treadmill did.  Plus I placed an order for new Naked Men Calendars for next year. 

It’s only been 3 days total but I’m telling you after having tomorrow off as well I really don’t want to go back.  I just have to remind myself I won’t be on-call and I’ve only got 2 weeks then I will be off for 2 weeks.  I still have nothing in stone planned.  It’s going to be a whole lot of napping, lounging and running around. 

It’s been quiet from a work perspective and hopefully that will continue until Monday rolls back around.  My only worry is that once I make it out in the morning that I can get back in my driveway when I come home.  So long as that happens I really only plan the morning trip out for breakfast, groceries and to top off my gas tank.  I might get adventurous and go out for supper but most likely not.  I think it’s going to be a little bit of a challenge to get back in the driveway given that there is ice. 

Well off I go surfing.  I hope your well and warm.  Take care!

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving a time to reflect on the many blessings and things we take for granted daily that actually matter and that we are thankful for.  Plus a time to get together with friends and/or family share some good food, reminisce about past good times and show off a funny t-shirt.  That’s what this holiday is about for me. 

There are a myriad of things that I could list here.  Simply put I’m thankful for my past both the good and bad times, those experiences shaped me into who I am today.  I’ve got a decent home, 2 exceptional cats, a decent automobile, a decent job and am thriving.  I know that so many in this world are struggling and many are jealous of what I have.  I’m thankful for being able to buy random strangers meals, for being able to give back to help make some kids Christmas brighter as well as to spread some joy and positivity.  I’m thankful for decent health for without that I would have nothing.  Health is one of those things that is taken for granted. 

I am thankful for you stopping by regardless if this is your first time or you visit often.  For reading my posts, enjoying the Man Candy that I post as well as for those of you that leave comments.  Blogging for me started many years ago and I made a great friend, who has long since passed.  I continue sharing my thoughts with the world at large because it’s therapeutic and quite enjoyable for me. 

I hope that you have a wonderful and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

Ready as can be

Morning …

Happy Thanksgiving Eve.  Can’t believe that tomorrow will be the BIG DAY I’ve waited for all year long.  It’s extra special now that I have plans for surprises with the donation for the toy drive and a birthday present for my friend.  While I won’t see any expressions of joy from the kids that my money buys toys from I am looking forward to seeing my friends reaction to her gift. 

Sadly I got word yesterday that my W11 laptop is waiting for me in my office to configure.  Right now I plan to make a trip over on Friday to knock that task out so I can return my W10 laptop before I am hounded for it.  Plus I should beat the snow that is headed our way Friday night into Saturday morning.  There will be minimal people in the office and since no one is expecting me I should be uninterrupted or so I hope. 

If my plans work out today is the last full day that I will be with the cats this week until Saturday.  I’m sure they won’t be happy about it but then again they might just want a break from me.  Rudy has been extra hungry and picky over the last couple days.  He sure loves to eat, might not be a lot but the joy that washes over him in anticipation of me cracking open a fresh can of food is quite enjoyable to see.  I hope that he’s like that for many years to come!

Speaking of which I have to remember to get my insurance policy of food when I go to the grocery store.  Baby Food, it’s a cats best friend if they loose their appetite it often helps them get back to eating again.  I like to keep a couple cans on hand, even if I wind up throwing them away I’d rather have them and not need them.  Rather than not have them and need them.  The smellier the food the more they go for it.  Ham & Turkey are the best for that.  The Ham smells the worst. 

I got the on-call calendar published yesterday, it was slow enough that I just wanted to knock it out rather than put it off to today which was my initial thought.  Glad that it’s done, something else I can check off of my to do list.  I expect that today will be extra quiet as people ramp up for travel and time off, at least I hope that is the way it goes.  Sadly I have a couple meetings with the boss who loves to yack.  Especially before a holiday weekend he will be extra talkative or so I expect.  My time off got approved so back to work after Thanksgiving for 2 weeks, then I am off for 2 weeks and back for the last few days of what is left of 2025.  This year is pretty well cooked as most years are when Thanksgiving time rolls around. 

I’m off to pay bills and relax and enjoy the quiet while it lasts.  Hope that it’s a great day for all of us.  Be safe, stay warm and have a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Productive Monday

Good morning!

Hope you slept well and that today is off to a good start.

Work wasn’t terribly busy yesterday but there were bursts of work scattered throughout the day.  Had one meeting where I had to listen to the boss yammer on.  It was a training session for a new person on a different team that we work with. I am sure the person was quite familiar with the subject matter.  It was a time waster for me but I just spoke up when it was appropriate and otherwise I was surfing on my home machine.

I applied postage to my Christmas cards and weighed them all again, no change in weight so a First Class Stamp is all that I needed.  Got everything bundled up and ready to go come Thursday. 

Made a call to the police to find out about their charity toy drive.  I learned about this earlier this year on my ride along.  Found out how to make a donation and have that ready to go.  Glad that I called so I don’t have to make a trip to the bank first.  I was able to write a check.  Just knowing that I’m bringing some joy to some kids and potentially changing their Christmas makes me feel good. 

When I head out on Thursday I will leave a bit early so I can drop off the donation at the police department and then hit up a post office to mail my Christmas Cards.  It’s a tradition that I mail them on the day of Thanksgiving.  Then I can head to dinner and wait to spring the birthday surprise on my friend.  I am very much looking forward to this whole day.

Speaking of Christmas, I found the cats a present.  It’s a Cattasarus Peekaboo Cat Cave.  It’s a bed, tunnel and scratching surface all in one.  Easy to assemble just zip up and easy to clean, just unzip.  It costs less than their birthday present (a cat treadmill) which is largely unused.  I hope that I’m not wasting my money and just knowing them I think this will be something they both take a keen interest to.  It will double as a hiding place so it will be another place I have to look for them when those times occur that I can’t find them, which is rare.  There’s no waiting for Christmas here for gifts I will give it to them early.  Haven’t ordered it yet but it won’t be long. 

No word on my W11 laptop at work so right now it looks like I can stay home on Friday if I want to.  Learned last night that we will have some rain and snow moving into the area just in time for Saturday. Temperatures are also going to drop over the next few days so it will really feel like Thanksgiving!

Finished my Chinese food last night and much to my surprise neither cat bothered me.  My fortune cookie said that I have an unusually magnetic personality.  I laughed and said yeah and everyone wants to be my friend.  Later I had a warmed Apple Fritter topped with cinnamon sugar and washed that down with a glass of milk.  It was some good eating. 

Sleep wasn’t the best.  I woke up around 5a for a bathroom break and Rudy was chomping at the bit to get fed.  I ignored him but he managed to wake me up and I had to watch some TV to fall back asleep.  It was only fitting that when I dosed off he was sitting on my chest keeping me company, which helped to relax me.  Come time to really get up and I just wanted to stay in bed.  Yet here I am up and working.  We all got breakfast too.   

Thus far work today is dead but I do expect things to heat up a bit.  Most folks have mentally already checked out and the rest of them are probably gearing up for travel.  I have semi-checked out but tomorrow will be the longest day ever and by that point I think we all will have checked out, despite the fact that the work must continue. 

Hope that your chugging along and staying warm in the process.  Take care.

Productive Weekend

Good morning … It's a short work week here in the US, with Thanksgiving occurring on Thursday. I'm on-call this week and our office is closed Thursday & Friday, so it will be a nice 4-day weekend where we can all stuff ourselves with food, nap and shop. Just in time to go back to work on Monday. The good news is that in just 3 short weeks we get another 3-day work week because Christmas will be here. As for me it will be 2 short weeks and then I will be on vacation. I just put in for an extension of time so with the holiday I will be out a full 2 weeks. That's going to be great for me until it's time to go back and then I know I won't want to.

Saturday, I got up and got moving early despite not really wanting to. Went to grab the mail, then stopped for a fast-food breakfast. Came back home to kill a little bit of time and then it was back out to get my hair cut. Came home after that and started on Laundry. I had plenty to wash and it was truly an all-day task. The cats were both confused as to why I was in the basement so early on a Saturday but that didn't stop them from joining me. I had to give Mora some attention to pacify her and then I was able to work on the computer.

Got address labels printed for Christmas cards. Wrote a Christmas letter to a former co-worker I had sent the letter to more people before but this year just her. Everyone else is just getting a card. I got some nice cards off Amazon; they came in a box that is held close by a strong magnet. The envelopes are peel and stick. The cards are all set to go, just need to put postage on them, hopefully that doesn't take them over to needing additional postage. I've weighed them and I've got 2 ounces to play with so we shall see how it goes once I apply stamps.

Went out to grab cat food and then for Chinese food. I was later than I wanted to be and had to drive in the dark. It wasn't bad just something I really don't relish. Came back home and finished up laundry. Played on the computer a bit more.

Sunday, was kind of a day to relax but I did have house cleaning to take care of. It was nice not having to worry about laundry though. Played on the computer for a brief bit. Hit up the grocery store and target earlier in the morning. I'm all set for Turkey Day. Got a surprise for my friend, her birthday is on Sunday the 30^th. Watching from years past I learned that she likes Pistachios so I got a bag from the store. Never knew that nuts were so damn expensive. I got a card for her and then stopped by the ATM for some money. It's kind of nice that it dispensed all new money but it sticks together. I spread it out in the card and put a piece of tape so it's easy for her to see how much I am giving her. I know that she is going to throw a fit and not want to take it. However, she does so much for others I'm telling her before I give it to her to promise me that she will do something for herself. Besides that, all of the food her and her husband feed me throughout the year costs money and they are older and retired, money doesn't come easy to either of them.

Went out late again and this time for Mexican food. I got to drive in the dark. Got the car washed on the way back kind of felt strange going to the car wash when it was dark but it worked out quite well. Once I got inside, I passed out treats for the cats. Then settled in on the couch to catch up on social media. I wasn't able to get my fix for it on Saturday time just ran out on me. Mora got sick twice while I was browsing and I had to stop and clean up her mess. Once I got caught up, I waited for her to come sit with me on the couch and I broke out the brush and the fur went flying. She is just a walking fur factory. Since she is larger than her brother it's worse. Her brother isn't covered in the thickness like she is. I got to work on her nails and she put up quite the fight as per usual. We got into it but in the end, I won and she got her nails trimmed. She snapped at me and cried but at least I wasn't bitten or scratched in the process. Hey I get it; I'm not a fan of trimming my own nails. It used to send shivers up my spine as a kid but today not so much.

Watched a little TV and then it was time to wrap up and get my shower and shave before heading to bed. I got to spend some time by myself as both cats were napping on the couch when I walked into my room. That is rare and I take it for as long as it lasts.

This morning started off with nothing going on but the second I tried to write this post I got slammed. Now that is done, I am rushing to get this out before the next wave comes crashing in. It's time for cat lunch and I will take time to get a bit to eat as well. I'm having left over Chinese for supper tonight, that will set both the cats off and their noses will be working overtime. I will crack open my fortune cookie as well to see what words of insight are waiting for me.

TV is pretty much bare bones this week so it will be streaming all week or watching things that I have saved on the DVR. I always manage to find something even if the search takes longer. My back is screaming at me in need of a massage.

Here's hoping it's a great short work week and that I can enjoy the long weekend without being bothered. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for stopping by. Take care!

Cheese Popcorn Please

Morning …

Yesterday after lunch I discovered that both cats love Cheese Popcorn.  I had wiped my hands off to get rid of the residue but the scent of popcorn remained.  Mora was the first one to start smelling my hand and licking it like she was taking a bath.  She tried to chew one of my fingers but I stopped that pretty quick.  Rudy came along behind her and licked the few places where she missed.  After that I had to wash my hands.  That’s as close as they have come to human food since they moved in here. 

Saw our visiting orange cat yesterday briefly on camera.  The raccoon made multiple appearances.  Neither of the cats saw any of that, if it wasn’t for the camera I would have missed it as well. 

Worked upstairs yesterday afternoon.  I had a meeting to join but otherwise it was great to watch TV to pass the time.  Both cats napped and the afternoon lingered on.  I did have to do a little bit of work. 

Speaking of work got a few meetings today.  Hopefully this won’t be a long day.  The week is passing pretty quickly thus far.  I’m thinking of next week 3 days to work and 4 off.  That will be nice.  Not as nice as vacation but a close second.  I am very much looking forward to it and hope to enjoy sleeping in.  Of course I will be on-call so I won’t be able to fully relax but I am certainly going to try. 

It’s gloomy out today and we have rain coming and more on the way tomorrow.  Hopefully, Friday and the weekend will be rain free. 

Thanks for stopping by, I hope today is a great day for you!

Another Day

Morning ….

Hope all is well in your world. 

I wound up eating lunch early yesterday and in keeping with my belief that everything happens for a reason, I soon found out why that happened.  There was a problem at the office and I had to go in to fix it.  One of those things that is my job and that I sadly can’t do from home. 

I switched clothes, wished I had showered and grabbed my stuff and left.  It was close to 1p.  I wondered the whole way when I’d be able to come back home and how I was going to fix this issue.  I arrived and much to my surprise the parking garage was packed just like back in the pre-COVID days.  I found a spot and had to do some walking, which was fine by me. 

Walked in, took some basic steps to fix the issue and they failed.  Had to swap some hardware and then presto all in business.  Took me less than 15 minutes.  I buttoned everything up, tested the fix multiple times and confirmed it was working.  Then I went to see a friend since I was in.  Turns out my friend was in but elsewhere in the office, so our paths didn’t cross. 

Then I hightailed it back to the garage.  Saw a hot guy on the way to my car and booked it home.  I was back by 2:45p and yes I did speed part of the way.  I kept thinking the whole way home I can’t believe I used to do this 5 days a week no questions asked.  I was glad I made the decision to fix it during business hours rather than wasting an evening. 

I got back and settled just in time to join a meeting that was called earlier in the day to deal with another problem that cropped up.  I really didn’t need to be there as no one asked me any questions other than how I was doing. 

Pizza was lunch and supper.  Tonight I’m thinking of having the Holiday Turkey dinner I got from the store, it sounds good.  Cheese Popcorn for lunch and save the pizza for Wednesday.  There is enough for a few more meals out of it but I ordered enough pizza to feed a small army and got the bill to match. 

We had some Thunderstorms and turns out someone in town got their house struck by lighting and several fire departments worked to put it out.  That sucks and while no time is good for that, right before a holiday is the worst.  I’ll bet that family has a lot they will be thankful for despite the loss of their home. 

Re-watched Vacation (the newest version) that is on Netflix but leaving soon.  I was just bored and looking for something to occupy time.  Shaved and showered so I didn’t look like a bum, not that anyone will see me but I feel better.  Really hated to make the trip to the office but also glad that it was an easy fix and I am not there now. 

Looking forward to a calmer day today.  Only two meetings (boring) today.  Cats are both doing well, which is a good thing.  Ordered my Thanksgiving t-shirt.  Each year I get a humorous t-shirt and wear it to Turkey dinner.  This year’s shirt has a picture of a turkey standing on top of Santa Claus and at the bottom it says Wait your turn FAT BOY.  Ordered a box of Christmas cards as well.  I will be sending a few out.  That box should last me a while. 

Well onward with the day.  Take care!

The Weekend

Morning … Hope that you had a great weekend.  Back to the daily grind. 

Saturday I took time to loaf and be with the cats.  Rudy made some biscuits on my arm with his sharp claws.  It was cute at the time and I forgot all about it, until hours later when I broke out and started itching like crazy.  I got ready and headed out in the afternoon for some Mexican food.  Saw a cute Mexican guy who had a great smile and a good looking face.  His body wasn’t bad either.  He was with a bunch of friends, they all had on Martial Art Studio wear and he had some tats on his hands.  I’m pretty sure he could have beaten me to a pulp.  I just eyed him and enjoyed my meal. 

It was unseasonably warm and the house made it to 81.  I turned the AC on in the car.  Nice to be without a jacket or coat but I think that was the last day that I can get away with that. 

Worked on laundry which I have yet to take back up.  I got in to fighting with my computer and trying to get a program to run.  It was installed but silly computer didn’t see it that way.  Uninstall reboot no luck.  Wound up ripping it off my machine and rebooting again.  It was a utility aimed at performance improvement, I liked it and felt like it made a difference but hey my machine is still running without it. 

Sunday I was poised to grab breakfast and go look at the new car lot.  It was for sure the last semi decent morning temperature wise we will see on a Sunday.  I grabbed my breakfast.  Saw a cute Twink in grey sweats, my oh my it was the best way to start the day.  Passed up looking at automobiles and just went on to grab groceries. 

Once I was home and got everything put away, I realized what I forgot at the store.  However, I never go back unless it’s super important and very rarely does something meet that requirement in my book.  I said I’ll get it next week.  Now I can’t even tell you what it is because I forgot again. 

Opted to grab pizza and traveled about 45 minutes away to get that.  I ordered way too big of pizza but it’s not like it’s going to waste.  Didn’t see the hot guy I have a crush on, but did get to enjoy some good pizza and had a nice ride.  Made it back by dusk.  Kind of nervous about driving at that time around here because the deer jump out of nowhere.  I’ve always had a fear of a deer hitting my vehicle or me hitting them.  I’ve managed to avoid it but had some close calls. 

All in all it was an okay weekend.  My allergic reaction from Rudy has diminished on my arm but damn if it doesn’t still itch like crazy.  I just want it to stop. 

Best news of all I got Thanksgiving Day plans late yesterday.  Were eating in the afternoon, so it will be dark before I make it back home.  I’ll have to put something out for the cats before I leave so they don’t starve.  Looking forward to this meal and hoping for a good time.  Their annoying neighbor will join us, he’s kind of a handful but he doesn’t stay a super long time. 

Well here’s hoping this week is just as enjoyable as the weekend was.  Last full week before Thanksgiving and my last free week from being on-call.  Thank you for stopping by!

Heavenly Birthday

Welcome in …

Today would be my late spouses birthday.  I still miss him everyday and somedays the loss feels much greater.  Happy Heavenly Birthday Sweetie!

I’ve thought about how him and my cats would get along.  I think that they would both hit it off quite well.  Of course one or both of them would have probably tripped him by now but other than that I think that he would really love them.

Speaking of pets not sure if any of you follow Tyler & Todd they are Vloggers on You Tube.  Yesterday they announced they lost their dog Charlie.  I could just tell by the title of the video what was about to be announced.  I was ready for it but once they confirmed it I just sobbed like I lost a loved one.  Not sure what Charlie’s age was but he had cancer and they went to great lengths to save him.  They got another year of life out of him, which is exactly what they wanted.  I feel so bad for them as I’ve been down the pet loss road many times.  They have a couple other dogs and a cat to keep them company, it’s just a matter of getting used to a new normal.  My condolences to them. 

If your not familiar with Tyler & Todd they renovated some shipping containers to build a gorgeous house in the middle of the woods in Canada.  Their work is amazing and I think they are both quite handy, they had some help from friends and contractors but the end result looks stunning and it’s something they are both quite proud of.  I’ve watched them for about a year and always look forward to a new video, which typically comes out on Sunday’s.  Occasionally they surprise and release a Wednesday update as well. 

Closer to home I went out in the rain to fetch Chili, a Cheeseburger and Frosty.  I was unhappy when I got home to find that I wasn’t given any crackers or hot sauce.  I was more upset by the lack of crackers.  I did burn my mouth on the Chili but still in all it was delicious and I gobbled it all up.  It was the perfect meal for a soggy Sunday afternoon and afforded me time to cuddle with the cats and watch TV.

My new computer glasses seem to work great when I use them in combination with my laptop instead of my desktop.  I think the prescription needs to be tweaked a bit and then they would work fine regardless of the computer setup.  At least I didn’t waste my money but I am a little disappointed. 

As were close to Halloween either tonight or tomorrow I will be disabling the automatic timers that control the exterior lights.  I find that my security cameras work great in the dark with no light, which is kind of amazing.  We were one of the first houses to start turning lights on at night and it’s caught on throughout the neighborhood, not everyone has bought in but a good majority of people do.  Of course a good majority join with me in powering lights off as it gets close to Halloween.  It’s kind of messed up here kids get two or sometimes three nights they are permitted to Trick or Treat and they get a parade to go with it.  Back home where I grew up we got Halloween night and that’s it, no parade.  However, it’s been this way long before I moved here some 20 years ago and I don’t foresee it changing. 

I am more excited for Thanksgiving and the first snow.  From what I’ve seen in forecast models looks like it’s going to be a very wet winter.  Might not all be snow could be rain.  However, we got the big snow last year so I’m honestly not expecting anything huge this Winter but one never knows. 

I’m on-call this week and not happy about it.  I’ve got plans for the weekend to make it to the office to turn the calendar in my office and hopefully pickup a new calendar that the company provides.  I’ll stop in at the local Mexican place nearby to make it a combo trip.  Plus I have an haircut booked early in the morning and found out yesterday Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits are back at Carl’s Jr/Hardees at least in my neck of the woods.  I’ve got plans to have one of those along with a Sausage & Egg Biscuit.  It’s only Monday and already I’ve got plans for Saturday!

Here’s hoping it’s a great week for all of us.  Take care and thank you for stopping by.

Only Tuesday

Morning … After the night of sleep that I had I woke up and thought that it was much later in the week.  Sadly the TV news told me it was Tuesday.  Wow, I wasn’t happy at all to hear that. 

Last night I figured out that I must have been sleeping when I went through the grocery store.  I don’t have a whole lot of choices on what to eat but I won’t starve. 

I didn’t really do myself any favors yesterday by just eating a couple chips and having some small oranges for lunch.  I was hungry up until the time I went to bed.  I had a sandwich for supper, some cake then about an hour before bed some milk and cookies.  I just felt like I couldn’t possibly eat enough to satisfy my hunger.  Normally feelings like that went along with my sugar dropping but my sugar was fine.  I’m stepping it up tonight so hopefully I won’t have to snack. 

Got a shower before bed and the cats were curled up on the couch, they normally join me before bed to beg for playtime or just to be around me but last night I was all alone.  Had the whole bed to myself and it felt pretty good.  Rudy joined me during the early morning hours and fell asleep on top of me.  That helped to get me back to sleep.  Then he was back to wake me for breakfast. 

I’ve done my usual work and a bit of surfing.  We are back on the meeting track, got 3 of them today.  1 with a vendor that conflicts with one of the usual BS Tuesday meetings we usually have.  I’d rather go to the vendors meeting because it will be more interesting.  Then another one after lunch. 

Hoping for a fast moving and quiet day.  Saw a new tv show last night called DMV.  It’s all about you guessed it the DMV and interactions they have.  It was pretty good and caused me to chuckle.  Then I watched The Neighborhood, not a bad night of TV.  That’s the good thing about fall all of the tv shows start up again. 

Can’t believe that I missed posting the fact yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving.  It sneaks up on me every year but I am usually on the lookout for it.  Miss my late Canadian blogger friend, always thought of her and her family around this time of year.  If your reading this and in Canada, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Well off I go to see what the day has in store for me.  Take care!

Thanksgiving & Black Friday

Welcome to another post!  I’m glad that you stopped by. 

Thanksgiving almost didn’t happen.  I waited and waited for a text or call telling me what time to show up.  Finally I called Thanksgiving morning and found out that it was an afternoon dinner.  We had the usual spread.  A couple of the people were different but it was a nice small adult crowd.  We kept conversation moving, had some laughs and shared some knowledge and stories.  The food was delicious.  I came home with a little bit of ham and turkey.  A bunch of stuffing.  A whole serving of Spaghetti & Meatball that was family sized.  Of course I got the Chocolate Cake for desert.  I’m gonna be eating good. 

My shirt went over well.  It’s yellow with a turkey holding a sign that says HELP!  I buy a new shirt each year.  Next year I might opt to get something more spicy that has sexual overtones, just because I can. 

It’s damn cold here in the 30’s so it feels much more like November but this was an abrupt change where we had cold mornings and it was warm by noon.  Once the sunset it was back to the freezer.  Now it’s just cold no matter what time of day it is. 

Found out that Christmas this year is going to be different.  My friends clergy’s entire family is coming.  There will be so many people there they will need to put in an extra leaf in the table.  It sounds like I might get an invite but it also sounds like they were planning on skipping me.  I’m not a fan of a bunch of people and their house isn’t that big.  Since it’s all religious people we all have to censor what we say and I can only go so long before I need to start swearing.  Don’t get me wrong I can communicate quite well without using swear words, I have to do that at work.  However, when I am on my own time I want the freedom to talk how I want to.  At any rate it sounds like I might be having Christmas dinner here with the cats instead of going to my friends. 

They will have their usual open house on New Years and I got an invite to that.  There is always plenty of food but not enough of what I like to drink around.  Not sure if I will go to that or not. 

Had one email that I had to respond to from work, which I did once I got home last night around 10p. 

Stayed up and watched TV with the cats.  They really like being lazy with me but they remind me when they need/want food or want to change rooms.  They soak up the sun as it’s setting in the afternoon and that is there time. 

Black Friday … I was jolted awake because I know I heard the door bell, then Rudy made biscuits, doing his happy dance on top of me.  I didn’t rush to get out of bed because I figured it was just a dream.  If there was someone there they would surely ring the bell again or bang on the door.  I heard nothing and I took my sweet time but got up and fed the cats.  Then came back to bed for a while.  Eventually getting up around 9a and having my breakfast.  Don’t you know that something from work trickled it and I had to take care of it.

Looked at some Black Friday deal videos and there are a lot of good bargains to be had.  I was really interested in the Peacock deal for $10 for a year.  However, that includes commercials and if you don’t want commercials the price goes up, you still get a deal but it’s 10 months for the price of 12.  I didn’t bite. 

Eventually I made my way back to bed and napped.  Rudy opted to join me and laid on top of me.  That just feels so good.  I hate to move because I don’t want to disturb him but when I need to move I do it slowly and he adapts and stays on top of me.  He just waits for me to wake up and then once I do I get the happy dance all over again. 

Had some Spaghetti for supper and a little bit of chocolate cake.  Got the trash out.  Lounged around a bit more and then I told the cats I had to come downstairs.  Got some laundry going.  Filled the water softener with salt and then settled in front of the computer. 

I did some Black Friday shopping for me.  Renewed my VPN subscription for another year.  Found a reseller that was selling a discounted Microsoft Office 2021 download.  It took a while but I got the install going.  It’s moving rather slow.  We were at 2% for the longest time and about an hour ago it changed to 3%.  I think this is one of those things I will have to let run through the night.  I am not even sure if it will actually finish.  I know I’ve got a genuine MS Install file because I downloaded it myself from them.  I would have gone for Office 2024 but I’ve got a backup program that doesn’t support that version quite yet.  Besides it’s not a bad idea to run a version or two behind for a while.  That’s what we do at work. 

Thought about picking up a countertop ice maker and/or an air fryer but I managed to talk myself out of that.  I will probably eventually get an air fryer.  The ice maker in the fridge broke years ago and I wouldn’t use enough ice to make it worth repairing.  I have maybe one or two times per year that I wish I had a few cubes but that’s it. 

Were in for up to 2 inches of snow and under a winter weather advisory that starts early in the morning.  Not what I want to get out in on a Saturday but we shall see how bad it actually is.  What is forecast isn’t always what materializes.  Then again we could get 2 feet instead of 2 inches.  I just want my trash picked up and to be able to get the cats their food for the next 2 weeks along with a bag of dry food as well as my mail and I will be quite happy. 

Were not normally down here at 9p on a Friday night and both cats are telling me that I need to go upstairs but I am not quite done playing on the computer. 

Hope that you enjoyed the Man Candy I posted on Wednesday and that if your in the US you had a great Thanksgiving.  Stay warm and be well.  Talk with you all again soon!

Sore on Sunday

All that work I did on the dryer vent caught up with me on Sunday.  I was really sore.  My legs and back.  The only comfortable position was either sitting or laying down.  Needless to say I made it to breakfast and the grocery store.  Those were my only stops and I stayed upstairs all day long.  Spent the day in my room with a heating pad.  I also took a nap after my usual morning TV.  The cats stuck by me all day. 

They got lunch and I ate some junk food before I put out my pills for the week.  Then it was back to my room to the heating pad.  I did a little bit of scrambling to find something to watch but kept myself entertained.  I also enjoyed not being chained to my phone.  It spent the bulk of the day in the living room which is where I placed it after I returned home from the grocery store. 

I’ve been craving donuts and made sure to grab 6 of them, mostly jelly because they are my favorites.  Something about the Raspberry jelly just hits the spot regardless if it’s warm or cold.  Also saw that the frozen grilled cheese that the other store I visit on occasion is getting rid of is now stocked at my regular store.  That was a nice find.  My freezer is quite full so I didn’t buy any but I am having one for lunch.  I was planning on eating them slowly but now that they are a regular thing I will be enjoying them more on the regular. 

I really hated coming back to work this morning.  There was plenty to catchup on but thankfully that is all done or so I think.  I’m on-call but this is traditionally a slow and calm week also a lot of people take this entire week off.  My boss just called to tell me that I will be getting a bonus on my next check.  He submitted for a large amount but only got approved for half of it.  Hey, something is better than nothing.  I was starting to think he forgot about me.  Kind of wish that I was off this week as well.  I’ve certainly got the time but being on-call is what kind of throws a wrench in the mix.  I’ll push through this. 

I got in a small amount of play time last night with the cats only because they begged.  They weren’t happy that it didn’t last terribly long but I told them I hurt and needed to get off my feet.  I put out some cat nip to help make up for it.  That seemed to cheer them up. 

My porn backup finished on Saturday it was in the verifying state.  It gave me a ridiculous estimate as to when it would be finished with the verify process, 29 days.  Yeah it only took two to backup.  Well, this morning I checked and it’s done.  Got that all tucked safely away. 

Worked until I got to a good stopping point.  Both of my machines needed to be rebooted, so I did that and then stepped away for a bathroom break.  Also said hi to both cats who were eagerly waiting for me at the top of the stairs.  I brought them back their fish toys, which I had to bend over to pickup.  Yeah that hurt but I told them they would get them back today.  I keep my word as much as possible regardless if it’s to a cat or a person. 

I’m still battling a sore left side.  The doc said that it was chest wall pain.  Whatever that means.  I just want it to go away.  I had chalked it up to Rudy walking on me and making biscuits.  Both of my sides have been slightly sore for months but this one is way worse.  The right side doesn’t hurt at all.  Planning on using my heating pad on that to see if I can get it to ease up or just go away. 

I am super horny but don’t know if I have it in me to work on that.  I just keep telling myself it’s going to feel extra special good when it finally happens.  Here’s hoping that is sooner rather than later. 

Started watching Cruel Intentions a new series on Prime.  It’s based off of the movie but in a series format.  There is both straight and gay sex in it which is part of why I am watching.  There are a lot of cute guys.  It’s about 8 hours (give or take) with there being 8 episodes in the series and they average between 45 and 50 minutes.  I am sure that I will be done with it soon given that it’s going to be a long weekend. 

Sadly, Saturday I will have to go cat food shopping again.  I won’t be looking forward to it given that all of the holiday shoppers will be out.  No word yet on when Dinner is on Thursday.  I am sure that my friends aren’t terribly eager to celebrate the holiday after losing so many cats but life as they say goes on.  As far as I know dinner is still on so I am just waiting to hear a time.  It’s supposed to turn really cold this week.  So much for a short sleeve funny thanksgiving t-shirt.  I will wear it anyway and bring a coat along.  I didn’t buy it to have it sit in my closet. 

Enough rambling from me.  Hope that all is well on your end.  It’s about time to wrap for lunch and go microwave that frozen grilled cheese.  I hope it’s a great day for you!

Last Lazy Day

Well my time off runs out today and it’s back to work tomorrow.  Thankfully only for 1 day because we get Election Day off.  Then I finish up the week.  Work all next week and then I am back on vacation for a week.  This was well planned and I kind of like it, I could get used to working a little then taking a break.  Sadly, that’s not how the real world works. 

I did get my extra hour of sleep in.  Had breakfast out, hit up the grocery store and gassed up the vehicle.  I had every intention of going out for pizza but there was rain in the forecast and I had this feeling in my stomach telling me that it was probably better to stay home. 

I had 1/2 of my take out order of Spaghetti and Meatball.  Finish up my chocolate cake.  That’s it since breakfast and I am done with food unless some kind craving or hunger hits me, which I don’t expect. 

I was mostly lazy today.  It took me until 5p to make it downstairs.  That’s only because I have to get my laundry and take it up.  It’s been done for a couple days but I was in no hurry to get it back upstairs. 

I’ve managed to set all of the clocks back an hour.  It’s fun watching the cats operate as if we are still an hour ahead.  Rudy started dancing for food at 4 thinking it was 5.  Mora was bugging me at 5 for treats thinking it was 6.  Just wait until the morning, I hope they adjust quickly so that I don’t get any early morning wake up calls. 

It’s colder here and we have had some rain.  There is more on the way.  I’m tucked away until the weekend, unless something comes up.  I am going to be on-call starting tomorrow and that coupled with catching up will be no fun.  However, I’ve done it before and I will be doing it again in a couple weeks. 

Anxious for election day to get here so we can end all of the campaigning and know who our elected officials will be.  I’m nervous about the Presidential race but at the end of the day when it’s all over I will have to go to work and pay my bills just like I did before it all started.  That was pointed out to me earlier this week, rather sobering but true. 

Looking forward to Thanksgiving as always.  I’ve managed to shrink my stomach a little bit with this eating two meals a day plan that I have been on all week long.  I was at one of my favorite Mexican places and couldn’t finish all of my normal meal.  I left feeling quite stuffed.  The key on Thanksgiving will be to have a light breakfast that way there will be plenty of room.  Can’t believe that the year is all most over.  I hope that it ends on a positive note and that Next Year will be better.  All though all in all it hasn’t been a horrible year for me, just lonely and a little depressing. 

Doing a little bit of surfing and then I will grab my laundry and head back upstairs to relax and enjoy the evening, it will all be over with way too soon.  Then Monday morning will be calling and I will be wading through my emails and doing a bunch of work stuff.  Glad and very thankful that it will be all from the comfort of my home. 

Hope your Sunday was good and that you/your body adjust easily to gaining an hour of sleep.  Here’s to what I hope is a great week ahead for all of us.  Take care!

It is done

Morning … Hope that you had a great holiday and a nice weekend!  I opted to go with my friends.  I got to sit in front with them and didn’t smell any exhaust.  The front windshield was covered with a film that made it difficult for me to see out of the dash, the window could use a cleaning.  We got there and back with only one minor traffic issue.  I thought I was going to get hit on my side due to a driver error but that didn’t happen. 

On the way down I was pelted with text messages as reminders like I am 5 years old and would forget.  That pissed me off but I didn’t bother to respond because of the way the messages were worded a response wasn’t required. 

We all arrived at the preachers house and carried in the food which had just come from the restaurant and was cooked and heated.  However, setup took it’s sweet time and by the time everything was laid out buffet style everything was cold.  It was the worst Thanksgiving I can remember having.  If we do this same thing next year I will pass.  I got to spend time in an old and cold house that was falling apart but fixed up to be semi-presentable.  They lit candles everywhere and my allergies were on fire.  Of course, I forgot to bring my medicine and we didn’t stay terribly long which was a good thing.  They kept us trapped at the table and I knew that my friends back would act up and that turned out to be our saving grace. 

It was nice to be around people but I could have and wish I would have skipped it.  They tried to stick me with Turkey & Ham to take home but I declined.  I got a small piece of pumpkin cheesecake to take home but that’s only because that is what I asked for desert and they butchered that piece to get me a small slice.  No one else wanted any so I had the left overs of that large slice to take home.  It was good and gone the next day. 

I sat at my friends house for a little bit and finally was able to make it home by 10p.  Thank God I didn’t have to go to work the next day because I would have been in bad shape.  I enjoyed turning my phone off and watching TV.  I was a hermit all weekend long and only got out yesterday afternoon for a quick bite to eat and to hit up the grocery store.  I kind of hated that I pissed away my time but on the other hand I enjoyed being with the cats, napping and watching TV.  It was very much decompression time and time away from my electronic leash and the computer. 

Today is back to the grindstone.  I’ve got my bills paid and caught up on work thus far.  I need to see what I missed from porn and catch up on that, so I will have something to do for a while.  Looking forward to working another 3 day week.  This Thursday is visit the doctor.  Friday I have a haircut scheduled and Saturday I am for sure going to see my friends.  I missed eating breakfast out all weekend long but I saved some money and I didn’t go hungry.  Need to hit up the Wholesale Club on my days off and the cat food store for the children. 

Took a double dose of sleeping meds last night since my sleep schedule was messed up.  That always causes me to have nightmares.  I never know what they will be about.  This one was about an old co-worker who stole a cop car and was chased and wrecked out killing him and his passenger.  The next thing I knew I was going through all of the rubble with the police trying to sort out belongings.  It was a true nightmare.  Thankfully the cats woke me up, I guess it was obvious something was wrong.  Of course it was 5am and cold as fuck here.  The temperature might have had more to do with it than anything. 

Temps took a huge dip here and it very much feels like winter right now and will for a few days.  I raised the heat by another degree to keep us comfy warm.  I was telling the cats before I went to bed that it’s time to haul out the electric blanket.  Once that sucker is on the bed neither one of them will want to leave, even though I keep it on low they sense the heat and enjoy it. 

Well thank God Thanksgiving is done with now I don’t have to stress over making a decision.  Next up is Christmas.  That should be at my friends house but will depend on what they have.  It’s will either be a Honey Baked Ham or Prime Rib.  If it’s Ham I will go and if it’s Prime Rib I will stay home.  I won’t know for several weeks and of course it will be last minute notification.  I’ve already told them I hate steak twice this year.  Prime Rib is steak and we usually have it every damn year and it’s rare as rare can be, it’s horrible but everyone raves about it but me.  I am for sure the odd man out.  I will also be on-call for Christmas and it’s on a Monday.  I really wish they would gather on Christmas Eve so we can all have the next day to recover but that’s not how things are done.  There won’t be any gifts it’s just a get together for food and it’s a free meal.  I could always go and just eat sides and whatever is for desert. 

Mora & Rudy are both doing fine and reluctant as I to slip back into the daily grind.  Rudy is at the top of the stairs on what I call Rudy Duty.  It’s his job to watch and greet me, while alerting his sister.  Mora is all passed out on the middle of my bed but watching her brother.  More predicable than the weather but I like a good routine. 

Again I hope you had a great holiday and weekend.  Now time for me to venture back to the work computer to catch up on my inbox as things are starting to pile up while I am slacking off.  Take care!

The meat I really want on Thanksgiving

Thankful

Dear Reader,

This time of year is one that some look forward to, some dread and others have no feelings at all.  It’s the start of “The Holidays” and what will feel like watching an egg timer tick by until the end of the year, at least to me. 

I am one of those people that is lonely and feels pain when “The Holidays” roll around.  I do love to eat and Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday, just for the food alone.  Many years ago me and my late spouse were riding around on one of his “adventure trips” where we just drive around to get away.  We passed a place that I had seen many times before.  I looked it up on the internet (I think we were on dial up or just got high speed internet, that’s how long ago it was) and found that it was an Italian Place.  My late spouse wasn’t much for Italian and/or Mexican but those are my primary go to favorites.  He indulged me and we made a trip, that’s when we found that this place was an upscale restaurant.  Prices weren’t exactly cheap but portions were large and the food was phenomenal.  We kept going back to learn that they did Thanksgiving Family Style.  We made reservations for the two of us and walked out that Thanksgiving very full and had a ton of left overs, which are the best part of Thanksgiving.  The following year we invited some friends and they loved it as well.  It soon became a tradition.  Then they invited a friend or two.  Eventually with time my spouse passed.  It was just the 3 of us for that Thanksgiving but we agreed then and there to keep our tradition. 

Fast forward to when COVID hit and restaurants closed.  I had reservations but got a call and that’s when they introduced me to their carryout program.  They changed my reservation to an order and I had Thanksgiving at my friends house.  They invited their neighbors and since then we have done carry out.  Their house offered a much larger table, there wasn’t a crowd of people, you didn’t have to get super dressed up and drive a long distance and we could all take our time.  That’s been our new tradition.  My friends have changed who they invited each year and now the regulars are their neighbor and their clergy and his family.  You can’t swear which I fucking hate and just try to think of myself of at the office to censor my speech.  Once and a while someone will let a God Damnit slip out and I just think it’s funny, but that’s the little kid in me.  This year were set to go to their clergy’s house and as you have read I am not super excited about it at all.  I feel that our tradition has been fucked.  I say nothing because ever since my spouse passed, they pick up the tab and it’s not small by any stretch of the imagination.  The saying beggars can’t be choosers applies. 

If your reading this and wondering what decision I’ve made well I am writing this in the future and posting it the day of Thanksgiving.  So, you will have to come back to find out what I did.  However, since we are so close to the holiday and I did commit, I kind of don’t want to back out plus I don’t want to pass up a free meal and/or be totally alone.  I am leaning heavily on going unless something manages to change my mind.  If I go let’s hope that it all goes smoother than I think it will in my mind.

In years past a tradition that started with a job I had was to make a list of things you are thankful for.  Everyone would post them on a bulletin board and it made a great inspirational piece to pass by and look at.  I brought that home and it’s something that me and my spouse would do.

When you get into the thick of things it’s easy to loose sight of all of the blessings that one has, even someone all alone like me.  I might not have family/friends or a boyfriend/partner but I’ve still got plenty of blessings.  I’ve got a home, two newish cats that adore me, a paid off automobile, a decent job, the ability to work from home, technology (aka creature comforts like high speed internet, cell phone, subscription movie services, cable tv), health (nothing major wrong with me yet, but I am sure my time on that is running out), my memory (even though things can get fuzzy from time to time), an open mind and the list goes on.  If you take time and think about it I’ll bet you that you too could start a list of things that your thankful for.  One of the biggest blessings other than my health is the ability to be able to publish this blog and your readership.  I look at the stats and see that most of my readers are in the US but there are folks in other countries that visit. 

I’ve said all of that to simply say, I am thankful for you and your readership.  Check back a little later this afternoon and you’ll find some Thanksgiving Man Candy.  I hope that it’s a great holiday for you!

Imagination

Morning and Happy Thanksgiving Eve!

I had one hell of a bad dream, woke up and thought I went to the bathroom in my bed, but thankfully that was only in the dream.  I got sick and was hospitalized and my mom was there.  I needed emergency surgery.  Not exactly sure why that all happened but I woke up 2 hours before my normal wake up time and I had to sit up for and hour before I was able to go back to sleep.  My allergies were bothering me when I woke up so that just added to the fun!

I finally laid back down and Mora was on my left at my feet.  Rudy climbed up on top of me, waited to see if he could make me get up even though I just laid down, then he got comfy and I was only able to close my eyes.  Never really went to sleep and that hour flew by.  I got up and worked on breakfast.  Not exactly the way I wanted to start the day. 

Thankful that I have the next 2 days off for the holiday and then the weekend.  That’s 4 days and I will be doing it all again next week in the same order but there’s no holiday just time off so I can see the doctor. 

I planned a bunch of things to plow through this morning at work and I pressed on.  I figured it would be a quiet day but I’ve had 2 phone calls and an email that interrupted me.  I hate losing focus when I am making progress and have a rhythm down.  I got what I wanted to accomplished and believe it or not I am going back for more when I am done here.  I’ve got a morning meeting and I am done until later this afternoon, unless someone hollers.  Normally my phone doesn’t ring, I am eager to remove call forwarding this afternoon so that I am fairly certain I will have a quiet weekend.  I also plan to power off my phone tonight.  Not entirely certain if I will wake up early and try to eat breakfast out tomorrow or if I will just eat at home.  I’m going out for a big meal just not 100% if that will be alone or with friends.  I am leaning on the friends part especially since it’s free and won’t cost me anything other than time and gasoline. 

Watching YouTube videos and randomly in my feed I started seeing High School Wrestling matches.  Those wrestling singlets show everything.  You can tell who has a nice ass, who’s excited and who’s not.  I never really understood the rules of HS Wrestling but damn the guys look amazing in their singlets.  Needless to say I’ve watched more than a couple matches.  It’s just something to let my imagination run wild.  I remember when some friends back when I was that age were into it and decided to show me what spread eagle meant.  It was hot but damn it hurt being thrown to the ground, even if we were on a lawn, it’s not padded like a mat.  I can’t believe they don’t mandate that the wrestlers wear a jock not only to protect their family jewels but so that you can’t see them on full display.  It also makes me wonder if the guys are just excited or if they are actually gay.  They do spend a fair time with the other guys ass in their face.  It’s hot to me but I bet it doesn’t smell good in person. 

I’m fighting an itch from a scratch Mora gave me the other morning when we were playing.  She always goes for the jugular, she gets so excited and involved.  She doesn’t mean to do any damage but those damn claws will be the death of me.  I understand they need them but there are times that I wish they didn’t have them.  I’m not a fan of removing them in case either of them manage to escape this homosexual prison (that’s humor … insert laugh) they are held captive in, they will need them to fend off any would be predators.  I’ve got no doubt that both cats can and probably would climb a tree.  If they just had opposable thumbs like a racoon they could open their own can of food.  Speaking of which last night I put a plastic container with a couple stale cookies that I am working on finishing on the table.  Rudy saw that and for some reason it draws him.  He jumped up on the table and knocked it to the floor.  I didn’t catch him on the table but I did find the container (closed and intact) on the floor by the fountain.  Damn cats can be worse than children at times.  Mora hasn’t been on the table or the counter yet, but she lets her brother do all of that and he’s been caught a couple times and yelled at.  He fluffs that tail pretty good when he gets upset.  Speaking of which last night I played a video short of a Bobcat growling.  That woke Rudy up from his nap, as soon as he saw there was no threat and it was the TV he went right back to sleep. 

Well time for that damn meeting and then a little more work.  Looking forward to lunch today.  Rotisserie Chicken on Cranberry Walnut Bread.  It’s a premade sandwich from the store and I had it the last time I went into the office.  Damn it was so good and I am looking forward to having it again.  Hope that you have lots of good food coming your way and that your around someone or something you care about as we celebrate Thanksgiving in the US.  It’s a difficult time for a lot of people and some have no family, there is plenty of despair and depression.  Hopefully, we all make it through even if it’s not a huge time of fun as it might have once been. 

Take care and thanks for stopping by!

Done

Welcome back, hope all is well.  The Amazon person stopped by my place yesterday to drop off my naked men calendars and I’m pleased with two of them.  The third is from Carnal Media and it’s all in black and white, the size is decent but the B&W is part of the issue and the other is that Legrand Wolf the owner/founder is in many of the photos.  This is why I wish they would provide a preview of the months, you can censor the photo so there is no nudity but it’s nice to know the photos that I will be staring at in the months ahead.  In addition to my calendars I got Mexican Wedding Cookies which were slightly lack luster and didn’t have the rich butter flavor I was hoping for.  I’ve got 3 small bags of them and I will be munching on them for a while.  I also got my bottle of Benadryl and Air Filters. 

Loaded up the air machines yesterday with fresh filters and turned them both on.

Last night I finished Six Feet Under (the photo of the hearse above is from the show).  It was very well done and I enjoyed all of the show, shame I didn’t get into it while it was airing live years ago.  Here’s hoping that I find another series that I can dive into soon.  Now I am in limbo looking for something.  Still have 2 episodes of Upload from last week to watch so there is that.  I hate it when a series is released piece meal but that seems to be the new trend, at least on Amazon.  I hope none of the other platforms follow suit with this method as I like to binge watch, regardless if it’s healthy or not it keeps me occupied and that is what I am looking for. 

Work was a little more taxing this morning but I have managed to get things done and under control.  Our morning meeting got moved out a bit so I have a little bit of extra time on my hands, which I am going to spend upstairs as soon as I am done with this post.  Love seeing the cats.  They both were laying on my bed this morning before I came down to start my day and they both rolled over so I was giving belly rubs to both of them.  Rudy has softer fur that his sister.  Both loved it, but Rudy rarely gets them but Mora is used to them she asks for them all the time.  I don’t mind I can do belly rubs for a while.  I am sure they feel good and both of them seemed to enjoy them.  However, no one ever likes it when the rub is over.  I had to start work and neither cat was pleased about that. 

Spent sometime on money this morning.  That holiday bonus came in but its never deposited into the accounts that I want, so I had to move things around.  I’ve got my primary savings account up to an amount that I have wanted to reach for a while.  Now the hard part will be keeping that balance.  Hanging on to money seems to be a problem in that unplanned expenses have a way of showing up when I least expect it and stealing away the gains I have made.  I like knowing that I have a cushion to fall back on if I need it but for the most part I forget about it so it’s not top of mind. 

Speaking of money I managed to get my car wash fiasco worked out.  Not sure if I said anything earlier but I was charged for 2 washes by a robot car wash.  There is no one to complain to so I called the bank yesterday and they cheerfully refunded the extra charge with no questions.  No need to file a dispute looks like the bank just ate it.  I’m fine with that so long as I am not paying for something I didn’t get. 

As the days move forward I am still thinking of next week and Thanksgiving.  I really don’t want to be alone but at the same time I really don’t want to go with my friends.  I haven’t cancelled yet and won’t make that final call until the morning of.  I do plan on having that Turkey dinner I got from the grocery store tonight.  I already know I won’t care for the stuffing.  The thought of just dropping into a restaurant doesn’t appeal to me as most work on reservations and showing up without one can mean you are either turned away or having a long wait, neither of which I am a fan of.  I will be happier once Thanksgiving is over regardless of what choice I make.  Then there is Christmas which will be another issue, that for sure is a day I don’t want to be alone but I don’t always enjoy what is served. 

The dating app I am on has started showing me guys that I have already rejected and the only way to get rid of them is to report them for “no reason” and then they don’t show up again.  I still see straight guys and the occasional woman, which is baffling to me.  I don’t like any guys unless their profile for sure says they are gay, even if they look like it’s questionable I still only go for the ones who have it displayed on their profile.  No sense in barking up the wrong tree as that won’t work out well. 

One of my friends that has a local business has a birthday Saturday.  I’ve sent a card but want to go visit.  The last couple weekends have had some crazy things pop off at work and I was glad that I stayed home.  This weekend I am going to throw caution to the wind and venture out there.  I am only about a half hour away from home and hopefully things return to their normal state of quiet as I am used to on weekends. 

Hoping for an uneventful rest of the week and that it is swift moving so that we can fast forward to the weekend.  Now if I could just fast forward to the “better part of life” when I have a man that would be nice.  If that’s not going to happen I am on the fence if I want to fast forward, unless I actually get to go on a real vacation and have the time of my life.  I know we wish our lives away.  The future always has a way of sneaking up on us. 

Take care and have a great day!

Paid to watch tv

Morning … Yesterday there wasn’t anything going on so I retreated upstairs to continue to watch Six Feet Under.  I had a couple of interruptions from work and I jumped on those quickly.  However, by in large for the bulk of the day I was paid to watch TV and didn’t do anything work related, other than occasionally checking my phone to make sure I didn’t miss something.  I am going to try to repeat that today since there isn’t much going on.  I will have something to take care of at some point today but probably not until the late afternoon.  No meetings or scheduled plans/events on my calendar for today other than lunch. 

The Thanksgiving Drama continues in that I got a text message yesterday and was told that the food order was being placed.  I was asked if I wanted extra stuff to take home and I quickly replied with a no.  Unless for some reason my mind changes I plan to inform my friends on the day of in the morning that I won’t be coming.  It’s a shame because I know the food will be superb since it is coming from a restaurant.  I’ve got my Catholic guilt nagging at me so there is a small chance I might give in and go.  Honestly I don’t want to be alone on a holiday but at the same time I don’t want to be trapped at a strangers house.  This is all church politics for my friends and I really hate that I am caught up in it.  Their new Pastor came to town a couple years ago and he was put in charge of showing him around and ever since then my friend has taken it upon himself to become friends.  I dunno maybe it’s genuine but it all seems fake to me. 

I logged on to check the balance on my car loan to see about it showing all zeros and damn if there isn’t a 25 cent balance.  I called this morning and they are going to back date the payment to wipe out the balance and the title should be here in about 10 days.  I’ll be double checking the website but it only updates once per day so sometime between tomorrow and Monday.  The outcome is what I hoped for, I just hope the person I spoke with follows through.  I’ve been a good customer.  Never skipped a payment, never late on a payment.  They made plenty of money off of me.  I look forward to tucking payments that I would normally make towards the loan into my savings and watching it grow.  That is something to be thankful for. 

Rudy scared me last night he woke up from a sound sleep and started this coughing fit.  Then he acted like he was trying to hock up a hair ball but nothing would come out.  I am sure it was quite uncomfortable for him but after a few minutes he got it all worked out.  I just kept thinking please don’t die on me.  For some unknown reason he has been giving me really good photo poses/moments to capture and I kept thinking I wonder if he’s going to croak soon.  Gator gave me a lot of good photo moments and I didn’t waste a single opportunity to take as many pictures of her as I could because I knew from experience that I would be left with photos and videos someday.  I think about last year at this time and everything was fine and I had no clue we were nearing the end.  My feelings now are based off of last year and I am on guard despite both Rudy & Mora being absolutely young and healthy. 

I woke up from a nightmare disaster where I was doing a bunch of walking.  I hade to use the restroom and my back was absolutely killing me.  I think I was actually walking in my sleep even though I was in bed.  When I climbed back in bed Mora snuggled up with me and helped me get back to sleep.  She loves a good snuggle and belly rub.  We are truly as close as I think we could be, which is hundreds of miles from where we were when she arrived here.  Rudy warmed up to me right away but Mora took her sweet time.  Now that everything is just perfect for them but I do wonder if they are thinking about when the good time ends, expecting me to part ways with them since that is what ever other owner they have had in the past did.  I think if I did that it would for sure that would crush them.  I’ve got no plans to part ways with them but they do get on my nerves from time to time. 

We made it to another Friday.  I had a great plan for the weekend earlier in the week but now I don’t know if I will follow through with it or if I will just sleep in.  It kind of depends on how I feel and how much sleep I get.  I can tell you that eating out is for sure on the list.  I have to go back to the damn cat food store because some lady was in my way last week, checking ingredients on each damn can and then looking them all up on her phone and talking to herself.  Is this a carb, oh what’s that are a couple of things she muttered.  I wanted to look at her and say get out of the way but I just took what little I had and left.  The toy penguin with the treats was a hit but Mora will tap that thing until it doesn’t spill anymore treats.  It doesn’t hold much and I have to keep filling it or it just sits on the floor.  I’ve neglected it and just kept up with regular treat time.  I do get a sense that both cats are bored and I am looking for some puzzle toys and other toys to help keep them occupied if they want to be. 

Hope that you have a great Friday and a super weekend.  I am headed backup to watch TV and hope that my phone stays quiet.  I would like peace and quiet especially since I will be on-call next week.  Take care and be well.