Just Wondering

Insomnia had me roaming the TV channels. I wonder if Michelle Obama has ordered her commemorative Obama Chia Pet? I am a deep thinker ........

I Painted The Broom Closet!

Yesterday was a good day ....... I painted the broom closet! I cooked dinner, too. Emptied the ice trays and did the dishes. Painted the inside of a cabinet in my bedroom and refolded all my t-shirts.

I was exhausted, but I felt a sense of accomplishment when I went to bed. I snuggled down into the warmth of the blankets and was balanced on the edge of sweet slumber when he sneezed. Three sneezes and a whimper. It was Oscar and that is his signal that he wants to go out. I considered asking He Who was already sleeping to take the dog out, but the last time he did it, he would not let the poor dog drink his fill of water. Oscar whined incessantly until I got up and took him to the kitchen and the water bowl less than an hour later.

Poor old dog. Makes me wonder how he was treated while I was in the hospital. Oscar is old and will not live forever. I treat him like I hope somebody will treat me when I am old and feeble. Oh, wait, I am old and feeble ......

Never got to tell the tenants about the rate increase. One of them had his grandfather bring the rent in the form of a check from the guy's mother. The kid doesn't actually work, he is "disabled" by some obscure injury to his back or his leg. He gets what folks around here refer to as "benefits" form the state. Money and food stamps. And his mother pays his rent.

Grandfather was quite forthcoming about the character of his grandson. The mother pays the rent and the grandfather provided the RV for him to live in ........ because they do not want him in their homes. Seems he takes things that do not belong to him. I guess I know who stole the heater from the ladies' room.

The other tenant "got laid off ". Okay, but you still have to pay rent. He did not tell me his problems, but confessed to He Who is sympathetic to such announcements. He says he will "try" to get some money together when his unemployment check comes in.

I think this is an excellent way to handle things and I should give it a try next time the power bill comes in. The power bill is FOUR DIGITS, people, and the tenants in question are the reason why. I think I will have them removed as soon as I get the rent due.

Winning Arguements

Still house bound here. Watching lots of mindless TV with a dog in my lap. We have Dish with the hopper. It automatically records all the prime time shows and if you are patient, and wait 24 hours, the kangaroo will hop right over the commercials for you. The height of TV viewing laziness ...... unless you are watching CBS. CBS makes you wait a full week.

But, all this to say that I seldom watch the commercials. Except for the Wheel of Fortune, which I watch in real time. I have to know if I won the $5000. I do realize that I could tape it, then watch it later, or even look on line to see if I won. But, I don't. I like to shout at people who buy every freaking vowel when the answer is so obvious.

The local commercials are just weird. You get that stupid jingle in your head and find yourself humming it at the oddest times. The one that is bugging me lately is for a tire company. I have no idea what they were thinking, but the jingle goes, "If it's round and rubber, Lee's has it." Really, really annoying.

In other news, I must be feeling much better. I am just waiting for two of my tenants to come up and pay, just so that I can raise the rent. Just on them. They are always late to pay and both have been using electric heaters. My power bill is double what it was without them. I warned them both that the rate would go up if they chose to use electricity, as opposed to LP gas. Both will deny it, despite the fact that someone stole the heater from the ladies room. It suddenly came back after one of them was questioned by He Who noticed it gone. I am itching to argue with someone. I always win. I always win because I gather all my facts before I open my mouth. Yes, I am up for a good argument. It does not escape me that they are not buying LP ......

Night Routines

If you visit here often, you will know that my nights are a series of naps. It 's my bedfellows. Those furry critters I love so much. Every night is not the same, but similar.

Last night I was up at midnight:thirty with the old guy, Oscar. He wanted to pee one last time and get a drink of water. It is very quiet and I counted the licks one time (78). Cujo joins us for the outside part, then scurries back to the bedroom to wait for a lift up into the warm covers.

Wall-E is always in my spot upon my return. He always looks apologetic, as if to say he was just saving my place. He scurries out of the way and I crawl back into bed to recapture the slumber I left waiting. Toni Louise never gets up for the midnight adventures. She sometimes raises her head and looks as I am settling in, but she knows that night time is sleep time.

I sleep blissfully until I hear the cat flip the shade up at the window. I look over to see him standing there with his head under the shade, looking like a statue of a decapitated animal. I have tried hissing at him and shooing him away, but he is determined to go outside, no matter the frigid temperatures. He will meow and cry until I slip out of the bed and walk to the back door, where he seems to appear out of nowhere. I open the door and he slips out into the early morning darkness. It is 4:22 am.

Yawning, I shuffle back to bed to move the apologetic Wall-E out of my space and crawl back into bed. I doze off as I feel Cujo wiggling under the blanket to nestle next to me. Oscar used to do that, but he prefers to maintain some space around his self these days.

Before I know it, it is 8:30! I hear Oscar sneeze three times in a row and feel Cujo stretch next to me. This is my signal to rise up and carry Oscar to the back door (old men can't hold their pee, you know). He scurries out with Cujo and I hit the brew button on the coffee maker before I head to the bathroom (old women have bladder issues, as well). I open the door to find a trio waiting to enter. Martha, the boy cat and the two doxies.

Oscar is usually hungry, but he heads back to my bedroom this morning. Being the good dog mom that I am, I go back to bed with my babies. I was just going to lay there long enough for the coffee to brew. A good plan.

Wall-E looks resigned as he makes room for me. He goes over to He Who sleeps peacefully through the night and noses his way under the covers. Toni Louise has decided she needs some face time with me and she pushes all obstacles, breathing or not, out of her path as she comes to rest at me neck.

Toni Louise is not one to be ignored. She settles in, then uses her front paw to move my hand to her side. I smooth her silky fur and murmur "good girls" in her ear. She watches me with one eye, so close to my face that we are breathing each other's breath. I try pushing her away, but she is having none of that. She keeps pulling my hand back to rest on her. There is nothing to do, but satisfy her petting requirements.

At some point her self esteem has been quenched and she settles in with her body next to mine and her head on my arm ........ and we both fall to sleep! Until 11:01!!!

Don't remember my dreams today, but I woke up wondering why 'snow' is spelled with a 'w'. It should be an 'e'. And 'shoe' should be 'shoo'. Makes no sense, the English language!

The Monthly Bath

The monthly bath for December did not happen. I am referring to the monthly canine bath that happens here  regularly. My surprise ambulance ride to the hospital and my subsequent stay in a holding room with no access to a shower got in the way.

I have been thinking about bathing the canines since getting out of the hospital and getting a shower myself after three days without one. If I felt that bad after only three days, then the dogs must be feeling awful!

When I woke this morning, very early to let Martha, the boy cat, out to roam (we made him stay in last night due to the extreme temperatures) and shuffled back to bed, I was suddenly hit with the aroma of four dogs in my bed. I knew it was time.

He Who is not known for attention to details had offered to wash my four legged babies. Several times, he offered and I did not deny him the pleasure of helping me out with this task. He just never seemed to get around to actually performing.

He has done it before, but he makes it such an ordeal for himself and the animal. Growling and splashing and shaking accompany his voice as he will tell whichever pet to "calm down" in a not-soothing tone. It escalates into shouts of "STOP THAT" and I always have to intervene.

So, while he was sitting in his recliner late this afternoon I gathered towels and dog shampoo and cleared the kitchen counter. Yes, I bathe my babies in my kitchen sink. Does not affect the food in the kitchen, as I scrub everything down before and after. But, I am not inviting you to eat here, I am telling a story.

My old boy, Oscar squinted up at me with his foggy eyes. I am not sure how much he sees anymore, but he was quite happy to be scooped and  placed gently into the nice warm water. I lathered and scrubbed his old body and he grunted with pleasure. He has come to appreciate a good bath and massage in his old age. I carefully cleaned his eyes and ears and dried him before carrying him, wrapped in a dry towel and placing him in the lap of He Who had offered to bathe him.

The only whining during the bath was Cujo, anxious for his turn. Cujo loves a good bath. He loves the wet down, the lathering and the rinsing. He tries to drink the water and gives my hands kisses as the bath goes on. The day I met him, when the swimmer lady was going to leave him in her car while her family was in the pool, I gave him a quick bath and he offered no objections then. I think he equates being clean with being loved. He would never have let He Who offered bathe him anyway.

Next was Wall-E. Usually, the hardest part about bathing Wall-E is catching him. He will hide behind furniture and go limp and heavy like a toddler having a temper tantrum. He will whine and cry ugly iodine tears on his white fur. During one of his first baths he bit me. I bit him back and he has never tried that again. (I always bite puppies back, that is what their mothers do and it works for them.) Today, Wall-E watched the other two dogs come in fresh from the bath and he did not hide! He just watched me walk over to him and let me pick him up. Must be getting old, or he knew my energy was going fast. He is a very sensitive and loving dog and he knows I don't feel so good.

I was pretty done in after three dogs and Toni Louise was hiding behind my chair. She was watching. She thought I could not see her. I told He Who is her person to take care of his own dog.

I almost sat down as I watched him haul her from behind the chair. He got her to the sink and was trying to shove her into a sitting position. I took over. I told him he would have to help and dry her when I was done. I was thinking about the mess I would have to clean up, but I was also thinking about Toni L and her sensitive skin. Her fur is long and if you don't do a very thorough rinse she will develop a rash and start scratching and gnawing at her skin.

I am exhausted, but happy that my house does not smell like a dog kennel.

Crap Day

I felt pretty good yesterday. Because, you know, I was going to see a doctor. Despite my early rising I maintained a fairly good level of energy yesterday. Besides strolling through Sam's, I did laundry when I got home. I even did a little housecleaning and the dishes from supper before I headed off to bed.

Today is an absolute crap day. My left arm and chest are achy and my heart is beating it's own unique rhythm while I sit here trying to catch my breath. Yes, I do have another appointment scheduled ....... next month. And yes, do accept my insurance. The one from yesterday accepts United Health Care .... just not my particular plan. Which they should have known, since all my information, including a copy of my card was faxed to their office. Had they looked at the plan, they would have known.

Anyhoo, I am dragging today. The sky is gray and my toes are cold. Watching TV has become really boring. While at Sam's yesterday, I grabbed a rotisserie chicken for less than $5. I like them, but have not been buying them of late. Looks like the store in town weeds out the tiniest chickens they can find and sells them in the deli for as high as $8. I have a rotisserie and like to do my own, but trying to find a small chicken that will fit in mine is near impossible.

Only chickens on steroids are in the meat case, while the anorexic ones that died of starvation go to the deli. The chicken from yesterday was a good size and the leftovers are in the pot simmering and waiting for dumplings to join them for supper. My big accomplishment of the day.

Empty Cup Holders .... a Neccessity!

Got up early, very early. Showered before the fire was built and got ready to go. No food, no coffee. My choice, but I always go hungry when I go to a doctor's appointment. They just might want blood, you know. Always better to be ready, just in case. It is a long drive, a trip of an hour or more and if going without coffee will save another trip ...... small sacrifice.

Got there only to be told my insurance was not accepted. He Who acts as my chauffeur was not happy. He was downright pissy. I was winded from the walk from the parking lot. I could have paid up front for the visit, but any follow-up would present the same problem as far as insurance goes. So, we left. My chauffeur was hungry and I was longing for hot coffee.

We stopped for some fast food and I carried my coffee into the car with me. Had the lid secure and just popped it in the cup holder. We were headed to Sam's to get dog food and toilet paper so as not to waste the trip. I was texting with my youngest child.

I suddenly felt pain in my upper thigh. It was like a bee sting, followed by a warm sensation. The coffee had tipped sideways because He Who drives my car puts EVERYTHING he can find in the cup holder. Loose change, drill bits, nails, screws, plug adapters ....... you name it.

So, there I was, strolling through Sam's with a big coffee stain up high on my pants when I realized something. I didn't know these people, so I didn't care. I scored some nice steaks and 5 lbs of carrots and a pint of vanilla extract ( the good stuff, not the "flavored" stuff). Came home happy and called my primary care physician (PCP). I am contentedly waiting for a call back with my new referral. I think He Who Drives might be taking advantage of the 55 degree weather and cleaning out my car. If he isn't, he should be. At the very least, the cup holders!