Am I Dead Yet?

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That’s only funny because I used to work in a Nursing Home as a Med Tech and one of the elderly residents used to ask, “Am I dead yet?” And then she would laugh hysterically. The next second she’d box your ears. Literally. I digress.

I feel like I’m half dead. Not really. Where am I going with this? Pfftt… Don’t ask me. I’ve been sick for the past week and my head is in a fog. I don’t know if I’m coming or going, as they say. I am feeling a little better today, Day 5 of this blasted cold or flu or whatever the hell it is. The first 4 days were miserable. I’m coughing my brains out as if I can spare any of that. I’ve been neglecting my Facebook pages and the only reason you’ve seen blog posts from me over the last 4 days is that I wrote them ahead of time!

I’m going to be resting a few more days and then hopefully be back to my old self. Actually, I’d rather be “a new self” but that apparently is not in the cards. I guess I’ll have to settle for the old creaky me that can barely walk and chew gum at the same time. Haha!

I just wanted to toss a reminder out there to you wonderful bloggers and readers, that our Facebook group Weigh To Be Healthy, is eagerly waiting for your request to join! You don’t have to be on a weight loss journey to join this private group. If you’re just looking to make lifestyle changes and become a little healthier in 2020, then you’re welcome to join! You will be required only to answer a few simple questions to be approved. (This is only to weed out spammers and bots!) Our group is for support and camaraderie, sharing of information and a few (ok, LOTS) of laughs along the way. So, please come join us!

I will return when I’m feeling a little less like a zombie and a little more like a human being! Thanks for following my blog, my friends!

The Ex-Files – Cleaning It Won’t Make It Work Better

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Have you ever known someone who didn’t like it when you cleaned something? For some odd reason, CP couldn’t stand it when I cleaned certain things. It could be just about anything and I suppose it was probably all based on the mood he was in.

One time, I had some free time for cleaning because my Day Care kids were on Spring vacation with their families. I was sick and tired of looking at the pile of pennies on the top of CP’s dresser so I decided to put them in a big green vase that was sitting there empty serving no purpose. I dusted the dresser top and put his stupid little knick-knacks (a key, a carabiner, a rusty bolt, a button) back where they were. His brush and comb were put back in exactly the same spot they were, as well. But those blasted pennies – a huge mound of them – were in the big green vase. CP practically had a freakin’ meltdown. “What’s wrong with where they were?” he asked. “What’s wrong with them being in the vase?” I retorted. “I just don’t understand why it was necessary,” he complained. I said, “And I don’t understand what your aversion to things being clean is.” He didn’t speak to me for hours. He pouted and sat outside drinking beer like a big ol’ cry baby.

It was always something. He could have a problem with how I cleaned something or when I cleaned something. It could be the laundry or the kitchen floor. It could be just about anything! One of the things he used to say was, “Why clean it? It’s just going to get dirtied up again.” Really. I guess I should have never cleaned the toilet since it was just going to get dirtied up again. Dumb ass.

Another time, I decided to take the fans apart and clean the blades. He came home from wherever the hell he was before I had finished. You’d think I was doing something wrong by the way he acted. “What are you doing?” he asked. I said, “I’m cleaning the blades.” What I wanted to say was, “What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” I didn’t because that would have made it an even bigger issue. He asked, “Why are you cleaning the blades?” I said, “Because they’re dirty!” “Cleaning them isn’t going to make them work any better,” he insisted. I said, “Yes, they will. The weight of all the crud stuck on the blades has to have an effect on how well they work,” I explained. I was always having to explain myself to him. I went on, “And they look better if they’re clean!” He just grinned at me, put his hand on my shoulder and said, “They aren’t going to work better, Deb.” I was pissed now because he was patronizing me. I asked him, “Do you have something against things being clean?” He started to speak but I was angry so I cut him off. “If you do then I won’t clean anything in this house ever again and if you don’t then I’d advise you to just let me do whatever the hell I want because it’s not hurting you one damn bit!” By then I had the last fan put back together and I left the room to put it back in the bedroom.

Too bad we didn’t have the internet and Google back then. I would have gladly looked it up and shown him that, according to Bob Vila, “the fan grill and blades can suck in and amass a fair amount of dirt and dust, making your fan work less efficiently. Regular cleaning of your oscillating fan with inexpensive supplies is the best way to keep microscopic intruders at bay and keep your fan operating in peak condition.” But isn’t it just common sense??

gray round floor fan

Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

Oh, My Achy-Breakies!

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I’m surprised I haven’t coughed my brains out by now. I started feeling a scratchy throat on Wednesday night. I felt pretty good on Thursday so we went out for some groceries. Since the weather has been colder and we already had a little snow, I figured we’d better stock up on water, canned goods, cat food etc., and maybe get Thanksgiving dinner staples just in case.

I held up surprisingly well. My pain level wasn’t too bad. Of course, it would have been a completely different story had Walmart not had a scooter available. Afterward, Dad and I were both exceptionally hungry, even though we had breakfast. He had cereal and I had oatmeal. Dad said, “If it wasn’t for your diet we could go have pizza at Vaccaro’s.” At that point, I was so hungry I didn’t give a crap about my diet. I quickly swerved over to the left turn lane, “Pizza, it is!” My weight-loss buddies won’t be happy with me, oops.

I went to bed early because I didn’t have my usual cat nap and I had that scratchy throat so I figured I’d better get as much sleep as possible. I felt ok other than the scratchy throat but once I laid down the coughing started and it wouldn’t quit. I hacked and hacked all night long. Then I got a chill that I couldn’t shake. No matter how high my ceramic heater was set, no matter how many blankets or how much clothing I put on. I don’t think I slept 2 hours all night.

Yesterday, Friday, I was like a zombie. No sleep makes for a lousy day. I couldn’t crochet. I couldn’t read. I tried playing Mahjong on the computer but my mind just wouldn’t (couldn’t) focus on anything. I even tried writing Friday’s Funnies to post as per the norm but I just couldn’t. I felt like I was a little drunk. I was achy and that chill persisted. I tried to nap but I was still cold and that damn cough!! Every single time I felt as though I was drifting off into sleep, I would start hacking again. I took a couple of Tylenol and at about 10pm last night, the chill lifted, the achy-breakies subsided, and I was able to crochet a little. I went to bed early again, hoping to sleep better than the night before.

I was in luck. I did sleep better with less coughing and I stayed warm. Today, I’m just one big, walking, coughing mess. I’ve been drinking hot tea with honey or hot tea with lemon, sometimes both. I’ve made my tea with slippery elm bark, as well. I’ve had my fill of chicken soup. My cough drops and lemon drops are nearly gone. It’s all just temporary relief…but so is the cough, so I guess I’ll survive!

photography of blue ceramic coffee cup

Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Life Is Better With A Cat

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It’s absolutely true except when they weave between your feet while you’re trying to put groceries away! One of these days I’m going to fall and as if that’s not bad enough in my condition, I just might land on one of them. That would absolutely kill me.

Another exception is when you have a floor scattered with grocery bags and they’re screaming at you to feed them because you’re an hour and a half late to feed them dinner. God knows they are starving to death with only a partial bowl of kibble left!

I suppose there are other reasons that cats (or any pet) can be a pain in the butt but we love them all the same. You know what makes it all better? The lovins. The purrs. The slow-blink stares. The moments you just get lucky enough to catch on video, like this silly moment of Jack chasing his tail. He stopped for a minute and I didn’t think he would do it anymore since I grabbed my phone but he did for just a second. It’s really hard to get them doing cute or funny things on video. It’s always easy to get photos of them being cute and innocent while they’re sleeping though.

Wah, Wah, Wah, Wah, Wah…

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This afternoon I started feeling crappy. My throat was scratchy and I kept clearing my throat. That turned into a little cough and I hope I can fight it off because I have an appointment tomorrow to get my hair cut. I’m in desperate need of one, that’s for sure!

Anyway, about the time I started feeling crappy the phone rang. It was some woman from my doctor’s office. Let’s say her name is Mary because I can’t remember what her name was. Mary introduced herself and told me where she was calling from. She said she had been going through the records of patients and was trying to reach out to all those who had been diagnosed with depression. She explained that she knew how depression felt and what it can do to your life because she had been diagnosed with depression some time ago.

She started talking about all the effects and how we can try and combat depression by doing this, that, and the other. I kind of zoned out because she was literally starting to piss me off. She never let me get a word in edge-wise! All I started to hear was the sound of Charlie Brown’s mom: wah, wah, wah, wah, wah!

About the time she said that one way to help depression in the winter was to sit by a window with the sun coming through. I interrupted her, “Is there something you want?” She kept talking about how hard it is to deal with depression. I said, “I have a therapist, thank you very much. What do you want?” Again, more about depression. I added, “I am managing my depression just fine, thank you.” Wah, wah, wah, wah…

She just wouldn’t shut up! I said, “Unless you’re giving away free trips to Scotland, I’m not interested,” and I hung up. I don’t know why this doctor’s office thought it would be ok for someone to start calling people like that but I’m going to give them a piece of my mind tomorrow. Wanting to help people is one thing but a) there is a therapist listed in my records (who is no longer in practice but they don’t know that) and b) this call was unsolicited and I had never been seen at this particular doctor’s office for depression so there was no reason for the call, in my opinion. Oh, and c) PRIVACY ISSUES! I don’t know if she was a nurse, or if she even really worked there.

I expected Mary to call back but she didn’t. Have you ever had someone call you back after you hung up on them? I have, once. Funny story, actually. This was back when I was running a Day Care for kids in my home and I was busier than a cat covering up shit. I get this call from a man doing a survey about political bullcrap. I answered a few questions and I said, “Look, I’m very busy and I don’t have time for this.” He said he would just need a few more minutes of my time. I said, “My time is MY TIME and I don’t have time for a damn survey.” I hung up. After less than a minute, the phone rang again. I answered and the man said, “Ma’am, I’d like to finish this survey.” I said, “Oh, you would, would you? Well, you can go fuck yourself and DO NOT call here again!” I hung up again. Can you believe the nerve? And don’t worry, none of the kids in my care were in earshot of what I said!