Lacking Motivation

I’m here sitting in my chilly office at a balmy 70 degrees.  It was in the 40’s when I came in.  Glad I got out the winter coat.  I woke up one minute before the alarm was set to sound.  My fresh bed felt great.  Pillows got their fluff back and I only needed 1 of them instead of 2.  Closed my door to keep the heat in and the cats out.  It worked great. 

I had no problems getting moving, despite not wanting to.  I made it here usual time and no issues.  It was 68 degrees in my office when I arrived.  Other parts of the office were at 77.  Not sure how I wound up on the short stick but I’m working to fix that.  Thankfully I have my heater in my office.  I closed the door and turned it up.  Opened the window blinds to let in a little light.  It was tolerable but now it’s super bright and I am going to turn out the lights next.  I like sitting in a dimly lit area it’s appealing for some strange reason.  I am lacking motivation to get going.  I went through all of my regular motions and even took care of an out of the blue request but otherwise I am delaying tasks because it’s going to be a long day.  Not much going on, in fact the week as a whole I can say the same thing.  I’m already picking out days to be at home.  Friday will be one of them for sure.

Momma chewed on her sore last night after the lights went out but the TV was still on.  I got her to the kitchen and cleaned her up.  She was bleeding pretty good.  I got it to stop, she wasn’t happy about it but other than a couple of verbal outburst she didn’t do anything about it.  I put the collar back on and more medicine of course.  It’s folded inward so she doesn’t shake her head and try to back up.  It looks more like a dress and she seems to tolerate it better.  She chowed down this morning so that’s a good thing.  I know she wants out of it but we will be back to square one if I give in.  So I am trying to be strong and not give in. 

I haven’t had a Monday feel more like a Monday than today.  Hopefully things will turn around.  That will probably happen about the time to go home.  Paying bills tonight and then spending time with the kids watching TV as I prepare for Tuesday. 

Happy Monday everyone.  If your in Canada Happy Thanksgiving!

Painting

Happy Sunday.  I hope that your day is going well.  I had a large breakfast.  This time I ordered normal breakfast food instead of lunch.  They made part of my meal with a hamburger by mistake instead of a sausage patty, so I got a hamburger for free.  Then my hash brown patty fell apart so they made me a new one.  I was really full when I left and as for most breakfast meals it didn’t cost that much.  The only place where you really feel it in your wallet for breakfast is at IHOP.  They make some great food and have a ton of options that are more than paralyzing for me.  However, their prices are sky high it’s like your paying for the name.  The other places that fix breakfast don’t charge that much not sure why IHOP has been able to get away with it but that place is packed on the weekends unless you go super early. 

On we forge to the grocery store.  The store I visit will be closing for good next month because there is another one less than 1/2 a mile away.  I knew this was coming but I am not happy about it.  At least I have a couple more weeks to get used to the idea.  The best part if there is such a thing is that no one is losing their job.  They all have been assigned to other stores.  At least there won’t be unemployed people because of this.  I will lose my favorite checker but it’s okay I’ll get used to it and maybe make another favorite. 

Then on to the gas station, considering all of my driving that was done yesterday I only had to spend $8 to top off the tank.  Not too shabby.  Baby needs to be taken out for a spin.  Like a pie spin but I just can’t seem to muster up the gumption to get going.  It’s an hour and a half to two hour drive, depending on how fast I am able to go.  It does flush things out and suck up the gas but the rewards are reaped when you fill up the tank and see that you can now travel 450 miles before you need to fill up again.  That lasts for a couple weeks then things go back to a state of normal.  I’m sure I will be making a pie run if not next weekend then for sure in November.  I mean I’ll have the entire week of Thanksgiving off and I have no idea what I will do to pass the time.  Driving sounds nice. 

Finally we arrive at the car wash, where I had an accident.  I had problems getting the stupid machine to take my credit card.  The way they posted the picture is not the way your supposed to insert the card and it always trips me up.  Anyway this handsome young man came out to see if he could be of help and of course that’s when it decided to work.  I got my receipt and went to pull into the wash.  I was too busy staring at his ripe ass instead of watching where I was going.  My car wasn’t lined up right with the track and I hit part of it but it jarred me into compliance.  I didn’t do any damage and no one was hurt but my pride.  It was very apparent my focus wasn’t where it needed to be.  Funny how your hormones rule your life, even when you don’t want them to. 

Last stop, home.  Backed in and unloaded the cargo.  My furry family came out of the wood work, slowly but surely.  Gator was right on top of things and the first one to greet me.  Then Ms. Momma came over and I picked her up.  It was a little cool outside and I opted to take her out just to get her some fresh air.  She was scared to death like I was going to let her go.  I guess that might have been how her last owner parted ways with her.  I however won’t ever let her go and I have told her that many times.  She did start chewing again last night and I had to put the collar on overnight.  I think she understands now.  I took the collar off so she could eat and be comfortable over the afternoon.  She sleeps a lot and I keep a close eye on her.  Back on point, I put the groceries away and decided that I was tired.  So I was going to lounge in the living room but everyone else wanted to hit up my bedroom.  So that’s where we went.  About the time I got sleepy Momma knew it and she left the room.  I wasn’t going to disturb her to get to my bed.  It was nice of her, I laid down with Gator.  It was one thing after another.  I think I got about 15 minutes maybe, which is really all I needed. 

Woke up and decided to see what all of the buzzing was about on the phone.  Saw a request from work and opted to act on it now rather than putting it off until tomorrow.  It was a simple thing, at least on the surface.  Once I got going I ran into a bit of a roadblock and had to get some information confirmed, once that happened it was smooth sailing.  Took about 10 minutes total and I made someone’s day.  What’s not to love about that?  I really do enjoy helping people. 

So now to the least favorite subject.  Mold.  The product I purchased did a good job of crushing the mold and things have been dry.  However, the lingering odor that mold causes has returned.  Not sure if it’s from the rot in the floor or if it’s the actual mold.  The last thing I can do is cover it all up in paint.  I almost acted too fast and bought the wrong thing.  I took my time last night and did my research.  There is only 1 paint on the market that will kill and prevent mold growth.  It’s made by Zinzer and it’s not cheap.  Amazon wants $49 for a gallon and my local home store wants $35 for a gallon.  Guess who’s getting my business?  Kind of a no brainer there.  I haven’t made the purchase yet but will do so either in the coming week or for sure on the weekend.  Then I’ll have another little home project to deal with.  Which I hate.  To eliminate speculation I will try to chip away all of the rotted floor.  That won’t be fun but neither will painting.  Once that is done, I will lay down the paint.  It’s low odor and should put an end to the mold problem for good.  I really didn’t want to paint so that I could watch things but this is what the pros would have done so why wait any longer?  I’m seeing allergic signs pop up for me and I have to fix this if I want to continue to stay here.  I just hope that when I pain I don’t make a huge mess.  I’m sure they will have all of the needed supplies in the same isle as the paint to make it easy to siphon more money out of my wallet. 

There you have it my Sunday.  I’m finishing up washing my bedding, including the pillows.  When the pillows are done drying, I will be headed up stairs to strip the bed and make it.  Then strip myself and shave, shower and put on some sweat pants and call it a day.  I’ll probably spend a little bit more time on the computer.  Then it will be time to start TV and prepare for Monday.  I looked at my schedule and it will be a boring kind of a cake walk day.  A perfect day for working from home but unless something goes horribly wrong, I plan to return to the office.  I need the people interaction but will miss the ability to nap and run to the fridge. 

Payday is Tuesday so tomorrow night I will be paying bills.  Based on my forecast I will have plenty of left over cash.  It’s tough for me to just leave it in the bank and walk away but it’s the best thing I can do.  Expenses and bills can come out of no where and it’s nice to have money as opposed to wonder where you will find your next dime. 

It will be a chilly week ahead but that is on par for this time of year here.  Our Indian summer might come back a day here or there but for the most part I think were done.  Time to break out the long sleeves, coats, hat and prepare for cold, snow and ice.  Those are the mornings where I will really appreciate being able to stay in my comfy home and work.  At least grass cutting season will be coming to an end so there will be 1 less expense for me. 

Wishing you the very best for the week ahead.  Hoping that Friday is around the corner once again where we will have yet another weekend.  A couple days more and we will be 1/2 way through October. 

Today is a little bit of a sad day for me because 5 years ago today I lost Blu.  I only mention it because there is a patch of carpet in the basement where no matter how much I scrub, steam clean and apply chemicals I can’t get the odor to go away.  It always acts up in October but then will simmer down as we get deeper into the cold.  Unless the house gets unreasonably warm during the summer you never smell it.  I don’t enjoy the odor but I do still miss my Blu.  He was so young and gone way too soon.  At least he was able to find happiness with Taz and he led him here to home.  What a pistol he was.  And there’s your daily dose of depression. 

Now on to a shower, shave and supper.  Just what the doctor ordered.  Take care everyone and we will talk again soon.

Did you want any toys?

Hello & Welcome! I was able to start my Friday a little early and was eager to get upstairs. Much to my surprise the basement was warmer than it was upstairs. The cats were uncomfortable by the cooler weather but it was only down to 72 degrees. I remember coming home in the middle of winter last year when it was down to 52 degrees and they were visibly upset and for good reason. So, if they can survive that 72 is nothing.

Momma’s collar and spray arrived at lunch time and I put the collar on her. She was not happy at all. She kept trying to backup to get out of it but that didn’t work. Gator was at her side asking what she could do to help but there wasn’t anything that either of them could do. When I came up she was miserable and begged me to take it off. I gave into her wish. I told her if she started chewing again that the collar was going back on and there wouldn’t be any mercy shown. I think she got the message.

I made everyone wait until closer to 6p before I gave in and fed them. Then I opted to make a frozen pizza. It was really good, nothing like a Tombstone! They never disappoint. I also turned on the furnace because we were down to 71. I held it at 72. Between the furnace and the oven, the house was comfy pretty quick. Watched Chicago PD which is a Friday night thing for me. I know the show is on earlier in the week but I like to save it until Friday it’s more enjoyable for me. Nothing like watching Jesse Lee Soffer strut his stuff. I just can’t get enough of him, he’s so cute & sexy.

I found myself taking a trial offer for Audible. I want to hear Adam Rippon’s book, which will be released on Tuesday. I used a credit for that. I have another credit to spend and not sure what to listen to. I have a list started of interesting items. That will certainly sway me when it comes time to keep or cancel. They have a wide variety of books. Adam’s book is supposed to take 8 hours to listen to. Lord have mercy that is an entire work day. I certainly won’t be able to spend 8 full hours but I will work what I can in to chip away at it. Hearing a book is much better for me than reading it.

The kids left me alone and I was able to go to bed and spend time by myself which I thought was considerate of them. They came to join me after I was already in bed. Gator let me hold her paw as I drifted off into slumber land.

Saturday … I woke up at 6a and managed to go back to sleep for an hour. 7a I got up and got the children fed. I felt how cold the house was and I kicked up the furnace to 74. It was 31 degrees outside, so close to winter temps here. Then I curled up in bed and watched reruns of Roseanne. Gator & Momma joined me. Eventually I went back to bed. I woke up and got moving around 10a. A little late for breakfast but I opted to head out anyway. I did the mobile check for Cracker Barrel. I had a 5 to 10-minute wait. When I got there, they were full up. I checked in and went to the top of the list. I waited maybe 2 minutes and then had a table. That was so nice. I saw other people bitching but hey I found a loop hole, don’t be mad at me. While I was eating, I saw a very cute busser. Blond Hair, Blue Eyes and very skinny. Yes, he was young but that didn’t’ stop me from thinking impure thoughts. I didn’t however say a word to him. When I was paying my bill, the cashier tried the usual upsell with candy/gum. I didn’t bite for that. Then she said we have toys on sale. I didn’t say anything and she had a dumb look on her face and she paused. Then she asked so no toys for you? Christmas is coming you could use them to play with. I looked at her and said no thanks. I’m 48 years old and I gave up playing with the toys you sell years ago. She was stunned! I was more stunned that she thought I plaid with toys. I mean I hear I look young but I didn’t think I looked that young. Grabbed the mail and then came home.

Did my usual surfing looking for a date, catching up on social media and snagging photos here and there. I found a great looking guy who is a million miles from me. I took a screen shot of his profile and I’m changing mine to be similar. It caught my eye and he was very clear what he was looking for. He was also really good looking and had he been closer I would have swiped right. I spent a couple hours on that. Then setup an appointment at the haircut store. I started watching 20/20 and it’s just about to the good part of the story where they make the connection and I had to run. Ah crap.

I walked into the haircut store. There was this fine-looking young man who just got his haircut. He left going to homecoming. I told them if you can make me look like him that would be great. I’m not just talking about the haircut. Well that didn’t work out well for me but hey I tried. After ye old hairs cut I headed for Mexican food. Then came back to the area. Stopped off at Target and then hit up the cat food store. Finally, home. Working on finances, reviewing the mail and doing laundry. Now blogging.

I honestly didn’t want to get in front of the computer after being stuck here all week long I welcomed my time away.

It felt really good to get out of here today and to interact with others. There is just something special about that. It like we all need it. I am looking forward to going back to my office on Monday. Something about the routine. Don’t get me wrong working from home is great. I don’t think long term I could do it day after day, even though I fanaticize about it.

Well finishing up laundry and doing a little bit of surfing on the web. Then back upstairs to watch TV and pass out medicine. Hope you had a great Saturday!

Email

I woke up this morning to find that the mail server at work is down.  A bunch of alarms fired overnight but I can’t open the messages because they need to download from the email server.  Email is a big way a lot of people work and without it were at a dead stop.  There are plenty of tickets asking for help and the standard response is what is given … our engineers are working on it.  Okay but since I am on the inside, I’d like more of an explanation but since I am not in the office it’s difficult to get that.  I mean I can’t send an email and ask what’s up.  I can’t call in through voicemail because that is attached to email.  I can call from my cell but no one will pickup based on the caller id because they won’t know it’s me.  So here I am on an island of my own, with little to do. 

In fact based on my view of my calendar today should be quiet as Friday’s typically are.  Another reason why I stayed home. 

I got 2 showers this morning.  1 when I jumped in the shower and the other when I went out to retrieve the garbage bin.  It was pouring to beat the band and it’s very cool outside.  Being in short sleeves it was rather enjoyable.  The sump pump has been running off an on all night long.  This is the type of rain I need to check to see if my problem is solved.  Based on what I see I’d say yes but I have to physically put my hands on the wood to get that comfort feel.  I am highly considering painting with the mold proof paint that the pros would have used.  That kills odors as well as covers up the stain.  You don’t want me coming at you with a paint brush that’s not my Forte.  Since this is a cramped confined area I’m thinking a can of spray paint would be best.  $7 and I’m done.  I am pondering my options.  Of course that won’t fix the floor. 

Momma came running to me last night and I noticed she was slightly wet.  She picked at her sore again and she was bleeding pretty good this time.  I got her to the kitchen and cleaned it up.  I put some skin calming spray on it.  So glad I gave in and ordered her collar which will be here today.  That is the only way I am going to stop her from getting at this and allowing it to heal.  Crazy woman.  At least she wasn’t afraid to reach out for help.  I’m her savior/hero and she has never forgotten that.  I think our bond is stronger than gorilla glue.  She is my girl. 

I saw appetites increase a little bit yesterday for everyone and that was heart warming.  I think the change this week with having me at home has caused them some concern.  Never fear because next week will be here and I will be going back.  Maybe not all 5 days but for sure on Monday.  I didn’t actually think I could stay here an entire week without going insane but I have managed pretty well.  I am more than eager to get out tomorrow.  I am also eager to sleep in with no interruptions and being able to turn the phone off. 

My newest crush is Adam Rippon.  Jesus he is cute and he can do something I can’t.  Skate.  I was obsessing over his IG photos last night.  He did a naked photo shoot skating for ESPN and he was in fact totally naked.  There aren’t photos of the front there are plenty of photos of the rear and what a nice rear it is.  What can I say I’m boy crazy. 

Speaking of which I am looking forward to Sunday night.  Tindr has a game going, it’s the end of the world.  You get asked to make decisions and based on your answers you are then shown people who answered the same.  It’s 100% free.  A little time consuming but interesting.  Crossing my fingers that I get a good match.  It’s tough to judge a person based off looks and their profile.  I’m a pretty good judge of people but most of that is from seeing them in person and how they react.  Being single isn’t the end of the world but it’s lonely and I’d like some companionship besides the 3 cats. 

Well back to staring at the screen to see if the mail server is fixed.  I think it’s going to be a very long day!  Hope that it’s a great Friday for you.  Take care and thanks again for stopping by. 

Chewing

It seems no matter how much I ask Ms. Momma still keeps on chewing on her leg.  She forms a scab and then manages to rip it off.  I’ve got her blood on my bed and in my chair.  Last night she ripped it off and then came over to me to cuddle.  I took her to the bathroom because she was bleeding.  She wasn’t terribly happy with me but I can say that I wasn’t happy with her either. 

I had enough so I ordered an Elizabethan collar and some spray to help wound heading from Amazon.  It will be here on Friday.  At least I ordered her collar in pink but she is still going to hate it.  I need to allow whatever this is on her leg time to heal.  If it doesn’t heal or something else goes sideways I’m not playing anymore and we will seek medical care.

Outside of that it was a pretty uneventful and peaceful evening.  I knew I was working from home today so I took my sweet time in going to bed and it was close to 11p when I turned the TV off.  Felt nice seeing the alarm set for 7:30a and knowing I’d be up before it ever went off. 

Sure enough I was up at 6 and managed to fall back asleep for about an hour.  I tossed a little bit and decided to get up at 7:15a.  The kids were hungry and gobbled down some food.  I finished off all of the cold cereal.  Tomorrow it’s back to Oatmeal and a breakfast sandwich.  Nice while it lasted but I know it wasn’t good for my body overall.  I just had to have the change up. 

I guess the same can be said for working from home.  I haven’t left this place since I got home from the grocery store/gas station on Sunday.  I haven’t had a full tank of gas last week since my unemployment days and that was a long time ago.  I am slightly eager to take a trip not sure if that will come to pass kind of depends upon how I feel.  I will finish out the week here at home and then plan to return to the office on Monday unless something goes wrong. 

Speaking of work the guy that left yesterday told me he would email me before he left and I knew he wouldn’t.  He doesn’t like goodbyes anymore than me.  I found out by making a phone call later in the day that he had left.  I got him all shut down.  Feels kind of strange but people come and go, that’s just part of life.  For me it’s more difficult when I know the person, regardless of the circumstances of them leaving.  It’s worse when the choice isn’t their own.

Ah well another day here at the Cat House.  It’s an overcast day with rain in the forecast and much colder temperatures over night down in the 30’s. Hello that’s Winter Weather.  I do not look forward to changing over to long sleeves but it sounds like that may be a thing for next week.  I hope not. 

I need a my head shaved this weekend or a haircut however you’d like to look at it.  Then a quick Target run and the usual cat food stop.  Those are my Saturday obligations.  If the weather is cold it might hit me where sleeping in is just right and feels extra good.  I’m tired now so napping sounds wonderful.  Not much going on at work today.  I’ve got a conference call to run this afternoon but it should be short unless someone has questions. 

That’s all I have for now.  Back with another update again soon.  Take care and I hope that your well.  I appreciate you stopping by. 

Home Again

I had plans to make it to the office today, especially since the super stud I have a crush on is leaving today.  However, 5a came around and I was wide awake.  I had been waking up knowing I needed to use the restroom but too lazy to get out of bed and falling back asleep.  My body woke me up at 5a and said it’s now or never.  So I gave in and when I came back to bed despite the best efforts of my fat little girl (Gator) I was unable to return to my slumber.  Instead we watched some Facts of Life and then I fell back asleep around 6.  Needless to say that was my excuse for working from home again. 

I got to talk with the super stud and we said our goodbyes.  He chose his words carefully and never once said keep in touch, then again neither did I.  I know that since we won’t be working together that he won’t keep in touch.  We had an argument about this a couple years back.  He’s still in my phone’s contacts even though I will never make it in to his.  I just think more of him than I should.  It’s one of those upside down things, if I could kill my attraction to him then he would be just like any other person I used to work with and presto gone.  Maybe with the absence that will happen. 

Two days left in the week and I think I am going to finish out the week here.  It’s kind of nice and grows on me.  Sleeping in, being able to run to the fridge or in the case of yesterday when I had downtime I was busy doing chores like changing air filters and taking out trash. 

The odor in the basement from the mold was driving me nuts.  It would come and go.  I had an air freshener in place but even though it had a great smell to it I just didn’t like it.  I wanted to knock things down at the source and not cover them up.  I mean were not in Washington DC (how’s that for humor).  In any case I saw a tip the other day that said fill a dish with vinegar and take it to the area where the odor is.  The vinegar will evaporate but it knocks down the odor as it does so.  Seems to be working.  I also saw a video last night that purchasing an O3 Air Purifying system would do it.  But you have to treat it a few times before it goes away.  That’s what the pros use.  I found on on Amazon (they sell damn near everything you could ever need or want) for $79.  I haven’t given in just yet but I am close.  Once the vinegar goes away if the smell comes back then that is where I am headed. 

We have been cold here at night getting into the lower 40’s and that makes for great sleeping weather.  I haven’t turned on the furnace yet but were getting closer.  I hate that fresh furnace smell but after that is gone, the heat feels so good.  Gator will be loving it as well. 

Last night as I was watching TV I had a moment where I just took a step back and thought of how blessed I am to have 3 wonderful cats that care for me.  I also thought about life for a moment when they are gone but that quickly washed away and I just kept thinking of how much I love them.  There was an emotional scene on 9-1-1 and that is what caused all of this.  I had a tear or two in my eye.  Those cats know me better than anyone. 

Almost time to climb back up and have my turkey & cheese sandwich.  Of course I will have to pass out cat food and some attention to go with it.  The cats are so confused but they are enjoying every moment they can with me.  When things go back to normal I think we will both be lost. 

Outside of the benefit of no commute, sleeping in, being with the kids, being able to take a quick nap and goof off.  The other benefit is that since I spend all day in front of my computer, my evening is spent with the kids and we both like and enjoy that.  I’m sure lots of people think I am on vacation or out sick but I’m slaving away.  If you call my desk it rings here and that throws people off as well.  It’s been a long time since I had a full tank of gas on a Wednesday and haven’t traveled a single mile since Sunday.  Laundry will be quicker, dishes will be about the same and the best part is I will get to avoid driving in the rain.  How’s that for poetry. 

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

Tuesday

What a wicked dream I had.  Not exactly sure why I went to the hospital they had to give me a bunch of shots and then I remember waking up.  I had some bar sticking out of my left arm and a plate inside of my hand.  The nurses kept trying to talk me into keeping it in place and they were ready to send me home when I started screaming at them to get it out.  They put me in a twilight state where I could still feel what was going on but couldn’t see a damn thing and they took it out.  It hurt like hell.  Yeah that was my dream.  Kind of freaky.  Especially considering that I hate needles. 

I woke up and saw that it was early in the morning and the air was cold in the house.  That’s when I knew I was working from home today.  I moved up the alarm and closed the door.  The kids were staring at me like aren’t you going to feed us.  I said give me a couple hours and I will be up.  True to my word I was up before the alarm went off and they got fed.  They aren’t eating much, being picky.  Part of that I think is to see what they can worm out of me.  Since I am home they will expect lunch.   I’ll be the first to admit they had a crappy selection at the pet food store this week.  The week before that it was much better and everything I bought was consumed.  I like those weeks.  I hate throwing away food be it mine or theirs. 

So another fall day working at home.  Had my Blueberry Chex this morning and they were great.  I finished up the Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  I’ve got a little bit of Blueberry left and then a full box of Cinnamon Chex.  Once that is all gone it’s back to Oatmeal/hot cereal.

I kind of like this choice I get to make go to work or stay home and work.  Staying home saves me money on gas, time on the commute and gives me more time to sleep in.  It also causes the walls to close in on me and makes me want to jump out of here.  However, it’s great to have the choice and I plan to chose wisely.  I think a day or two each week at home will be a good thing. 

I got put in an odd position with a task from a co-worker but thankfully he called and cancelled.  I was happy that occurred.  I’ve really got not a lot going on today.  There is a report I can work on but right now have decided to let it wait.  See I don’t just procrastinate in my personal life I do it at work as well.  No on read the damn report anyway it’s a waste of my time but yet I have to do it.  So outside of a conference call later this afternoon my day is essentially wide open.

What better to do with my time than blog?  I know I could nap but that is kind of dangerous.  Gator has my bed right now and Momma has the chair.  Marv crawled under the couch to hide from the world.  I’m so happy to have them!  Just wish we could agree on what they like and don’t like to eat as well as being able to communicate better.  However, none of that will happen so they take me for who I am and I take them for who they are.  Each one unique from the other. 

I put the celling tiles back in place last night.  The musty smell went away for a while but has returned.  I think it’s probably the rotting wood.  So I may be forced into removing it sooner than I want.  I have plugged in an air freshener that helps.  I plan to open a couple windows upstairs to air out the place during lunch.  That will cause the cats to come alive. 

Finished off the pizza last night and looking forward to something different for supper.  Variety is the spice of life.  Well back to it.  Talk with you again soon.  

Ugh

It took forever for me to fall asleep last night, which translated into a groggy morning for me.  I also downed most of the box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch which further added to my misery, but it was so good.  Got a shower and then made the final decision I was going back to bed and working from home.  I got dressed and then went back to bed, only to be joined by my furry family. 

They weren’t too happy when I got up but my phone was going nuts and email was pouring in with requests so I had to scoot.  Momma gave me a little bit of time to myself before she came down and crowed loudly at me.  I gave her some attention and then went back to work.  She started up again and I told her that she has to be a good girl and let daddy work, she was quiet for about 30 minutes and we had to go through it all over again.  Eventually the routine wore thing on me and we were edging closer to lunch so I opted to go up and pass out an early lunch for them.  That helped then I figured while I am up here why not eat, so I did.  I took an extended lunch break, which only you me and the cats know about.  I planned to stay on the couch for the rest of the afternoon but watch email but a couple messages came in when it was close to my normal time to go back so I did just that. 

For a day when I had nothing going on it sure was busy.  All sorts of things came out of the wood work today.  The best thing that happened is the fact Monday started so I am no longer on-call.  2 weeks of freedom or so I think.  I tend to keep an eye out regardless.  This week won’t be bad at all.  Next week when the boss is back and on-call I am right there with him because he is busy doing his own thing he can’t always shift focus during the day.  At night he’s on his own. 

Tomorrow could go either way I can stay here another day OR I can return.  It’s nice having the option and it’s also nice being able to save gas and not having to ask permission.

Well now upstairs to deal with the furry family, pass out food and watch TV.  Until it’s time for bed.  Hope you had a great Monday!

Sore Sunday

I was a little surprised at how sore I was this morning when I got out of bed.  I was up in the middle of the night to change beds and use the restroom and I felt it then but thought it would shake off.  My back and my feet are the worst.  Good thing that I sit on my ass to make my living or I’d be in trouble. 

Not surprisingly I was exhausted when I got up.  I went through the motions of a typical Sunday morning.  I thought I was going to loop in a trip to check out some shoes but realized I was wearing crocs and no socks, so I nixed that.  I also thought about going to make a Target run but by the time I was done with the grocery store I had it and just wanted to go home.  That’s exactly what I did.

I know there were plenty of tasks ahead of me but I honestly didn’t want to do any of them.  I brought down some water and soda to the basement and tossed the receipts on my desk, then headed back upstairs.  I wound up watching TV with the kids.  It’s an overcast colder day and that made for optimal sleeping weather.  By 11:45a I was back in bed and napping.  I didn’t want to sleep for long and my body knew that so I was awake by 12:30p.  Kind of a waste of a good nap but so be it. 

A couple of years ago there was a drug commercial for Enbrel and they said “a body in motion stays in motion”.  Perfect slogan for an NSAID.  Anyway that slogan applied I started with laundry, then went on to mold duty and after that I wanted to vacuum, then took out the trash and wow I knocked out most of my chores. 

On the mold front … I was really pleased with how well the one section I scrubbed to death turned out.  The dark stain of mold is gone, there is a light haze and I’m okay with that.  The other side I didn’t have great access to so I had to go over it again today.  It’s dry now and turned out pretty good.  I put in the foam sealer.  Jesus that stuff is so messy and you have zero control unless you go for the commercial setup with a gun.  Everything I read said go with a gun it’s a bit much of an investment but it will pay off.  I didn’t listen to that.  So things got a little out of control and I did manage to get some of it on my fingers.  A little nail polish remover (thank God I’m gay or I would have never had this in my house) and I got my skin back.  I’m on the fence about chopping off the excess foam.  It’s made to be trimmed with a knife or razor but it kind of looks neat in place the way it is.  I used an encapsulant to crush and kill the mold.  That’s what a pro would do.  I plugged up the holes I saw where bugs could get in.  Cleaned up the area.  The only thing I haven’t done is remove the rotten part of the floor.  That is something a pro would do and then replace it.  I covered that in my post yesterday so I’m not going to bore you with it again.  Long story short I think I saved myself a bunch of money.  For added peace of mind I could paint it with mold resistant paint but right now I want to leave the wood as is and continue to monitor to ensure that I am not fooling myself.  I mean if I have to I will call a pro but if I can save the money, keep people out of my house and wallet why not.  I truly think God helped me … I saw this as a hopeless situation where I was doomed and with time came answers, quotes and ultimately a web search last weekend that lead me to the encapsulant that was readily available for purchase.  I pray with all of my heart and soul that I am done with mold now and forever.  It’s nasty and it’s soul crushing to look at when it’s your property and your problem.  Thanks God.  I also think my late spouse helped me a little bit.  I give him the credit but it might just be my own intuition and knowledge that kicked in.  I don’t give myself enough credit.  I’m smarter than I think.  Problem is I was force fed when I was younger the idea that I was stupid and it’s taken years to shake that.  I can’t say I am 100% free of it but 90% of it is gone.  I just doubt myself way too much. 

On a different note.  I reset my main monitor to factory default settings and that seems to have taken the brightness down a bit and I am actually getting used to having my monitor directly in front of me instead of on the side.  I just don’t have a lot of desk real estate to deal with because the biggest part is taken up by 2 monitors.  What I would like to do is get an arm that attaches to the desk and will hold 2 monitors.  I’d need two new monitors that were designed to be mounted on the arm and then I could get back some space.  That is a long term goal and it comes with a nice price tag.  For now I am thankful for what I have and the ability to make it work for me.  My computer is over 5 years old.  I should think about swapping it out but that is the last thing on my mind.

This morning I wore one of my pride shirts to breakfast.  I was chatting up the waitress and telling her a little bit more about me.  I ordered a full size milk shake this week and I got it for free again.  I could get used to this but honestly if she keeps this up sooner or later someone will catch it and she will catch hell for it.  That is the last thing I want.  So next weekend I may opt to skip the shake and just eat my meal and call it a day.  As it is I was in a bit of a fog myself I forgot to get cheese and I’m not happy about that.  I’m also not going back out for it either. 

I picked the worst week for this but I am on sugar cereal this week.  I’ve wanted Cinnamon Toast Crunch for so long and the wait is over.  I also found Blueberry Chex so that will be something to look forward to.  Problem is one bowl is never enough so I have two or three bowls.  A box is gone in 2 days and if I am really hungry I can change that to 1 day.  I say I picked the worst week because the weather is changing and temperatures are cooler.  With oatmeal/hot cereal I at least had the warmth to look forward to.  I just eat that stuff year round and it’s nice to take a break.  There used to be many more flavors on the market and that has changed.  I don’t have a lot of time when I get up between eating, feeding the children, grabbing a shower and getting dressed.  I think I am out the door in 30 to 45 minutes.  I’ve got at least an hour commute and the sooner I get started the sooner I get to work.  I’m typically always at least a 1/2 hour early.  Before I used to start and just give away the time but I saw how that got out of control and I was taken advantage of.  So now I start early and leave early.  This past week is the first time in a very long while where that just wasn’t possible each day.  Since my boss is away I am looking forward to that being the case.  In fact I know I could work from home tomorrow and Tuesday because there isn’t a lot going on but I want to go in.  I actually like sitting in an office.  I can talk to myself and even get a little loud, no one complains at least for now.  I’m not pushing that too far. 

The one thing I don’t look forward to is Wednesday when the guy I have a crush on leaves.  That will really suck for me but I understand he has to do what is best for him and his family.  Sounds like he’s got a great deal.  His commute is much, much shorter and he will be making more money.  It’s not rocket science anyone can tell that it’s a better deal and that they should go for it.  I just know our paths won’t ever cross and I won’t see him again that is the part that I hate to come to terms with.  He’s not a communicator so it’s not like we will stay in touch.  Ah well I guess all good things come to an end. 

Speaking of guys, I have thought about doing a month of premium membership on one of the dating apps.  At one point I had 17 guys interested in me, it’s just we hadn’t matched so I had no idea who they were.  That number dropped down to 5 over the past couple weeks.  Yesterday it spiked at 7 and today it’s back to 5.  Kind of makes me wonder if the app isn’t fucking with me.  I know if I pay my money I will see my matches but the bigger question is will I like them?  I have a type that I am looking for and what looks good to me might not look good to you.  I’m white and want a white guy, I know that sounds prejudice but I think it’s natural.  I want younger but can settle for someone closer to my age if they look hot to me.  The whole dating game is a crap shoot, you never know who or what you will wind up with.  I just want to meet someone but don’t want to invest so much that I get my heart broken.  I think that might push me over the edge and at the end of the day who really wants to be hurt?  Were all looking for acceptance and validation, Oprah said that and it’s true.  I deserve it as much as anyone does but it’s not just going to get up and knock on my door I have to seek it out and that takes time and money.  Funny how most problems in life come down to time, money or both. 

There you have it a wordy Sunday post.  I hope that you enjoyed it.  Thank you for stopping by and reading my blathering.  Life looks so much better right now than it did a month ago.  What changed?  The mold issue and time.  Oh in case your wondering the Beanie Babies are still for sale, she is asking way too much for them and I have been told they won’t sell for that if at all.  I’m keeping an eye out, even though I shouldn’t.  Well on with the evening.  I’m going to try to work in a foot and back massage to hopefully help get me some relief.  I hope that you had a great weekend and that life is treating you well.  We shall talk again.  Bye for now. 

Time 4 a Change

Welcome back.  I made some changes.  Not only to the blog but to my computer setup.  I have two monitors.  They used to be at an angle off to my right and I moved both to be in front of me.  This will help me better when I decide or need to work from home.  It’s the most comfortable setup.  My eyes are taking a little bit of time to adjust, plus it’s been a long day.

I spent the morning in bed, was up for breakfast and tinkered around on my phone, watched some TV and then back to bed.  I said I would get moving in a bit but honestly I didn’t want to and well who’s here to push me, no one.  Unless you count the cats and they just wanted to cuddle. 

So I scooped up Marv from the floor and put him in bed and laid down on my side.  Marv was next to me just like the old days.  Gator was at my feet and Momma curled up behind me.  The whole family fit on my twin size bed.  It was crowded but we were comfy.  Marv was in 7th heaven because he hasn’t been in my bed in a very long time.  We fell asleep together and that was nice.  His face burred in my arm while the other arm was resting on his belly.  As he fell asleep his breathing slowed down, I eventually drifted off.  Then Marv woke up and so did everyone else.  I got him to quiet down for a bit longer but eventually he wanted up.  It was nice while it lasted.  I got him on the floor and then I went back to sleep for a little bit longer. 

Finally up and moving at 2p.  Off to grab the mail and then I wanted to try again for pizza.  Wouldn’t you know it another festival was going on and took up parking.  I decided to drive to the location that was over by the office.  It was a long haul for pizza but it was so worth it.  The place wasn’t crowded and my food came up at a reasonable pace.  I finished off my pizza with Pumpkin Cheesecake.  That was some good stuff!  Not worth the price I paid but it was delicious.  I have left over pizza for days.

I came back home, got the pizza in the fridge and threw the mail on the counter.  Then back out to run errands.  Cat food, stopped by the office supply store for a monitor stand.  That cost way more than I planned.  Then on to the home improvement store for mold supplies.  Got some Venom Latex Gloves.  These things are tougher than regular latex and what I think the medical field should switch to.  A brush which proved to be useless and some spray foam.  Then on to Sam’s club for paper products and soda.  Then finally home.  I dropped $180 total including the pizza which isn’t horrible but it could have been worse. 

Fed the cats dinner.  Managed to nick a couple cans of soda and had them explode in the case as I was trying to unload.  I use a pair of very sharp network scissors and they always manage to get 1 can but this time I was talented and got 2 cans.  I was hella pissed but that’s the way it goes.  Fixed that mess and the soda was unloaded. 

Now on to mold remediation.  I remembered I had a shop vac so I got that out and vacuumed up the dust, bugs and spider webs.  Then started to clean.  Sprayed a cleaner and used the brush.  I wiped off some of the mold and it looks better but it’s no where near perfect.  There are some products that claim to make things new again with no effort but that just sounds too good to be true to waste my time or money on.  I put down a barrier of mold control that I got last week, it crushes mold as it dries.  We did have rain today while I was out and things looked wet when I got home but they were not.  I’m letting this stuff dry and might put down one more coat.  I will break out the foam sealer to fill in the gaps and hopefully keep the bugs out.  Since the water problem is solved the mold isn’t going to grow.  That means I shouldn’t get sick and there shouldn’t be any mushrooms growing.  Which is good.

Now that the temperatures are changing, I want to see how things fair.   I am taking the stick your head in the sand method with this and trying to ignore it, considering the source of the problem (water) appears to have been solved.  It’s not going away and I know that.  I don’t want a hole in my floor or my carpet ripped up.  I’ve got the section of flooring that is “the danger zone” covered with a chair and everyone is avoiding it.  That is a good thing.  You can seal mold in foam sealer and that for sure will ensure it won’t grow but if you get a water problem again chances are very good you won’t know about it until serious damage is done.  So I am only sealing cracks and gaps at this point.  If that proves to work then I will put some insulation back in and put the tiles back in the drop ceiling.  Then were good for a while.  When the cats pass away and I some how manage to scrape up the money to have the carpet replaced I will address the floor issue then.  Unless the problem gets worse.  I researched rotting sub floors and you have to replace them from the top, which means peeling back the carpet – cutting out the rotten part and replacing it.  There are other ways to shortcut this and patch it but you really want a perm. fix.  I’m not looking to sell and if I did I would disclose the issue.  Selling is attractive but I know in my heart that I am better staying put. 

It’s highly probable that I will stay here for the long haul.  Provided I live long enough to be old enough I’d love to get a reverse mortgage and let the bank take this place after I am gone.  Meanwhile they pay me to live here until I die, that is my ultimate master plan not sure if it will work but I won’t know unless I try. 

So I am whipped.  Physically worn out.  I got a shower after working with the mold I felt fiberglass on my skin and the last thing you want to do is scratch.  I jumped in the shower and gently washed it off.  Then went full bore with a scrub down.  Jesus my back is killing me.  My feet are killing me.  I am just falling apart. 

The extra walking I have to do since the office moved is taking it’s tole on me but my hope is that eventually my body will get used to it.  It’s the closest thing my fat ass has gotten to exercise in a long time.  I need some better cushioned shoes and might go shopping tomorrow to see if I can find something.  Outside of that it will be a normal Sunday provided that I can move when I get out of bed tomorrow.  Popping some ibuprofen and going to hit the hay. 

I hope all is well in your world.  Take care.    

2020 Transportation

I stumbled upon the Lincoln Corsair which is a new model replacing what I am presently driving.  They have the bright blue color that I have wanted for so long as well as an optional cool blue interior.  It’s nice out of the box but you can also add on bells and whistles.

Like a good looking guy, it’s easy for me to fall for a good looking vehicle.  This one however has captured my attention and if I do make a move in 2020 like I’d like to, my hope would be to upgrade to this. 

Since this is a new model they aren’t even in local dealerships around me but that will change in the weeks to come.  Take a gander at Lincolns website and let me know what you think.  I know it’s a lot of money for an automobile but I also plan to do things differently on whatever it is I buy next.  No extended warranty or extra coverage like paint & fabric protection, road hazard warranty … it’s all added BS designed to take your money.  The chances that you will need it are slim to none.  The only thing I plan to get is GAP coverage that is actually useful if you wreck and total your vehicle. 

Well back to the grindstone, thankfully the day is almost done!  Momma’s been down here twice to yell at me.  1st time was for lunch.  2nd time was just to make sure I was alive.  Sweet lady she really loves me!

Out of shape

So my big move was yesterday.  Ye old jail cell  My new office is nice.  I thought it was quite small at first and compared to where I came from the space is in fact smaller.  It was hot as balls yesterday from crossing the street to trying to get things put in place.  Eventually I started to cool off but I had a series of interruptions when I was trying to get back to work.  I also found that I like sitting in a dark office where there is either no or very little light.  I think that will become my new normal, which I will miss because in my old space it’s lights on all the time.

Last night I elected to take a more direct route to the parking garage elevators and that required walking up hill to reach an elevator.  Wow was that a mistake I realized it as soon as I did it.  However as much as it hurt I kept going because I needed to reach my car so that I could finally get home. 

I was wiped out last night.  I woke up in the middle of the night and my hip and thigh were hurting.  I put some Ben Gay on them and tried to go back to sleep.  The Ben Gay helped but I couldn’t get back to sleep.  So I opted to start eating.  2 Blueberry Donuts heated, 2 fruit cups, several Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers Peanut Butter squares.  Washed it all down with milk.  Then I was wide awake.  I laid down on the couch and started to dose off eventually when Momma came to see what I was up to.  That woke me up and I got her to lay down but she wanted to groom herself and she was bothering me.  So I went back to my bed.  Got comfy and then Gator decided to puke, I chased her out of bed and she finished the job all over my chair.  Well I wasn’t happy but I went back to sleep with the comforter on the floor. 

I woke up as it was getting closer to normal time and opted to work from home.  So I slept in a bit.  Then a bit more and presto finally up.  I did a dash and got everyone fed and had breakfast.  Scurried to the basement with the laundry from Gators adventure in my hand and my cell phone and a soda in the other.  The day has started. 

I’ve got a long ass conference call to jump on in a 1/2 hour where we will be unproductive as ever.  I dread that.  Then lunch and my day is done, unless something comes in.  I can’t honestly say that I will be sitting in front of my computer the whole day I could be lounging on the couch with the phone on standby.  I am hot, my neck hurts and I could use a hot shower and a nap.  I honestly want to go back tomorrow. 

Oddly enough today is the day the gutter guy is supposed to be dropping by but he couldn’t give me a time.  Now I am here if he should actually decided to drop by.  I think he was blowing smoke and has no intention of coming back.  I’ve crafted a plan in my mind on how to deal with this mold.  Most of it involves leaving things alone but I am going to try to scrub some of it to see if I can clean it.  Then I need to get some type of sealer to keep the bugs out of the small crack they are getting in from.  Part of me wants to just foam seal a large area but I have some reservations.  If there isn’t water and oxygen mold can’t grow, so the other part of me thinks there won’t be any harm.  Need to talk it over with someone who is handier than me. 

Well my 1/2 hour is about up and almost time to jump on this long ass dreaded call.  Happy Wild Wednesday!

Let’s get physical

Lord have mercy on me.  I’m moved into my new office but my knees and legs really got a work out.  I’m tired and should sleep real good tonight. 

Initially when I saw my office I thought of a jail cell, I mean it’s small.  However, once I got moved in I realized that it’s going to be okay.  Small is okay and I have about 12 boxes of crap that I really don’t need.  The shit you collect over the years.  I did some purging but clearly not enough.  I am limping by with what I need and the rest is staying packed.  That way when it’s time to move back it won’t be so involved. 

I don’t like crossing the street, that sucks.  It will get worse when the weather changes.  The elevators aren’t automatic where you swipe your badge and just jump on.  The bathroom doesn’t have automatic sinks but they have automatic flushing, automatic soap and automatic towels along with an automatic door.  It’s also a public bathroom and I despise those.  However you do what you have to when you don’t have a choice. 

I came down to work on a request I got and figured why not blog a bit. So I am still alive.  Need to get ready for bed and call it a day.  Tomorrow will be calling soon enough.  Talk with you again soon.  Cheers for now.