Side Effects

Yesterday I was a bad wife. I really thought in the morning when he was in his chair that was it for him for the day. I thought he was being lazy. We have so much to do with this move etc and I was thinking he was given this opportunity of a surprise day off use it to get some of the things done we need to be done. 
Bad, bad Margaret. 

I went downstairs late morning and took one look at him and realized he was sick.

He did not look like that in the morning over coffee. 

He kept telling me how tired he was at breakfast but he wasn't pale or sick looking while we were having coffee. We're both always tired so I didn't think much of it. But at 11am he was looking scary sick. 

Once downstairs I asked if he felt well. He said, " I feel like I did after my first vaccination shot. I feel beyond fatigued like I have the flu."  

By this time, he was so pale and he looked just awful.

His coughing began and it was not his allergy cough. I knew the difference. 

It scared me a bit. His skin on his arms hurt and that was a weird symptom.

I felt his head he had a slight fever. I went to get the thermometer and he did indeed have a slight fever of 100. He then closed his eyes and slept off and on most of the day. As he said he felt like he had no control, he just had to close his eyes.  

He kept saying he was sorry but he can't keep his eyes open. 

I wondered if he got Covid? 

By 4p when he woke up again, he was feeling a lot better. He said he felt like he awoke from a winter-long nap or hibernation like a bear. He felt pretty darn good he kept saying. He took the dog for a walk and when he came back he came to the office and he looked like himself. The color had returned to his face. 

He was fine the rest of the evening. Tired, but nothing like earlier in the day.

He no longer had a fever either and the coughing stopped. 

Okay, now this was odd to us.

This morning he says he still feels slightly off but nothing like yesterday. 

His skin on his arms hurt yesterday. What the hell was that? 

He kept saying, "it's not muscular it's my skin and it's tingling like I got a sunburn on my forearms."  Weird right?  I asked if the day before he got some chemicals on his skin. He insisted he had not and he wears protection on his arms. He was adamant about that so I let it go. 

But my goodness his skin hurt? 

He was doing some research, you know on google, where we all get our "facts".

He saw an article that stated after your second shot you can get side effects many days after the shot. It had been 4,5 days for Rick when this started. Was this a side effect? The coughing he had most of the morning just stopped yesterday late afternoon too.  The only lingering issue this morning was fatigue but it too was so much better than what happened to him yesterday. He said he could function just fine today. We sure did get lucky that the appointment had to be moved so he had the day off yesterday.  I can't imagine him trying to work like he was feeling.

One of those divine interventions.

I was not aware that anyone could get side effects so many days after the shot. 

I thought I'd share so if it happens to you or someone you love you won't be as scared as we were. If it were Covid, he'd still be feverish and sick. But since he is just a bit tired today and has no fever I think he is just fine. 

If his symptoms were the same last night and this morning I'd be making him go to the doctors and not give me grief about it. 

I hope none of you have bad side effects. I have heard from folks who got the Moderna shot who got violently sick. vomiting etc. I wonder if it is not so much the vaccine but just how your body responds to it. I have 2 autoimmune diseases. I don't think my immune system is at its best so I just want it to fight it off. 

I at least know that Rick having these symptoms that his body is fighting and doing what it needs to do. If I don't get any symptoms I worry my immune system is asleep at the wheel. But who the hell knows. I feel like it's a crap shoot.

Thanks to Mike who answered my questions yesterday. I felt I knew the answers and you agreed with me so that made my decision easier.

My next vaccine is on the 7th.  Same time and place as last one. I am hoping that my symptoms are not as bad as Rick's. Still better than Covid. 

If only the dumb ass anti-vaxxers would understand that. What is in the water in Florida and the Great Lakes Region? They seem to be absolutely nutso and causing a lot of the uptick in the cases. 

Sometimes I feel if we had done what New Zealand did - just close down EVERYONE and EVERYTHING for 2-3 months and then it's so far down they can get back to a semblance of normalcy. They did receive a financial stimulus of around $600 a week. Not great but better than $1,200 for a year. 

All of this here in the U.S. should have been done from a federal level and not allow states to make the decision. It is so obvious that DeSanti in Florida is a moron.  I think he lost oxygen to his brain when his head was up trumps ass. 

But we Americans can't have things taken away from us because we are bratty children. So this will just keep going on and on. We will never be "back to normal" again. There will just be a new normal. We cause our own problems I swear.

And yes, New Zealand's population is far less than NYC but Australia did it too. Why can't we?  Rhetorical of course.

So this bad wife had to apologize to her hubby for thinking he was just being lazy. He just laughed it off thankfully. He didn't know I felt that way so he found this amusing thank God.  He said that he kept thinking he'd get up.  

He told me he thought at one point he'd just close his eyes for 30 minutes and then he would think to himself I'll get up and I'll tackle this job or that one.

But each time he awoke he just couldn't keep his eyes open.  He tackled nothing as you know but I did indeed feel bad that I was thinking he was choosing to be lazy instead of taking advantage of a free day to do the things he needed to get done.

Back to normal functioning today. Whew.

It's the little things really!

Spring

I'm in baseball mode right now. 

My favorite time of year when I have high hopes for my team. (not really we aren't World series good this year, maybe playoffs, and haven't been for a decade or more)

I read as well as watched something on MLB on this topic that I found interesting. There are 2 very large boys on our team. Both of them are always hurt. 

Both missed most of the last 2 yrs. Pitiful.

They each are great hitters so when they are hurt we miss their bats. 

One is a good outfielder as well. Since they are always hurt they implemented new training for them.  They asked them to cut back on the weights and do some yoga or pilates. It is my understanding they both chose Pilates and in the off-season, they began this training as well as continuing to do it now.

They are both a bit more lean-looking. Less bulky. 

In fact, to me, Giancarlo looks a bit too thin. 

One of them is 6'6" and weighs in at 245lbs. Which is Rick's goal weight. 

Rick is not 6'6" though. 

The other is 6'7" and 282. He too looks lean as well. 

Not that they were ever overweight but they look less bulky. 

It appears Pilates has worked for them. 

But can they stay healthy? Will it help in that area as much as they think? 

Guess time will tell. Aaron Judge who is 6'7" hit a ball the other day and it left the stadium in Tampa. They talked about it being just under120mph. 

So that leads me to believe that adding Pilates and not only lifting weights didn't hurt his swing or power.  I took Pilates for years, never made me look that good. I think I may have also needed a stretching machine, that would have helped.

Cherry Blossoms are out in full. Gosh, they are gorgeous. 

I don't wish to walk through them this year at the tidal basin. Too many people probably. But gosh they are gorgeous. And with Rick's allergies this year I think it's best we don't make him worse. I know they are having a thing on TV with Drew Barrymore and a local anchorperson but it's not the same on TV.

Okay, I know none of you are Dr. Fauci but I'd like your opinion, please. 

I could write to my doctor on the portal but I think she may frown on me using the portal for these questions.

Scenario 1 - If person A is vaccinated and person B is vaccinated they are fine to hug, chat without a mask, correct? Away from others etc. Just those two. Person A is 80ish yrs old and has had open heart surgery and there are some 'small' issues there.

Scenario 2 -.Person A and B add in a 3rd person who is not vaccinated and does not wear a mask and is an anti-vax. Could that non-mask-wearing non-vaccinated person infect them all?

Is that correct? (yes they are vaccinated but they can still get the virus right?) 

Can the 3rd person give it to Person A  or B who could then be a carrier to infect others - is that correct?

Inquiring minds need to know.

Fun Week Already

 It's Tuesday and it has been a helluva week already. 

Today Rick was to begin a 2-day job at this family's home.

On the estimate/invoice they received it states in the notes at the top - Reminder - Grout Company must be called in first. With a little star and a phone number to a company, we refer folks to when they need this type of work.

Rick talked to the female of the home when he was there on the estimate and she said she understood all of this as he explained. He writes in the note section what they discussed if not in the body of the estimate.

  

I talked to her for probably 2 weeks if you add up all the calls. The last call was to reschedule. I asked her at that time has the grout been done and she said yes we are ready for you. 

That was my fault. 

I should not have assumed she meant what she said. 

I should have been a mind reader and asked, What company did you use? To see if it was really done.  

She was thinking we were doing it and she was ready for us to show up. 

I assume she meant, the work has been done and we are ready for you. 

At 5:10pm last night Rick comes into the office as I am trying to finish up. He asks me if I've talked to A and if she got the grout work done. I said I assumed so when I asked she said they were ready for us. We are always the last one on a job site for optimal results. But for some reason, I began to doubt that they were ready. Something felt not quite right. I get these "feelings" sometimes and I felt I needed to pay attention to this one. 

Besides if things are wrong I have to deal with Rick and a customer's grief. 

I'm not certain who's is worse! I think Rick cuz he lives here.

As Rick left the office I called her. I had left a message earlier in the day reminding them of their appointment etc. But I tried again to see if she would pick up. She did indeed pick up. 

I know they have moved from this home to a mile away. They are meeting Rick to let him in the home. So I played it that I wanted to be sure everything was still on track. She said she couldn't wait. I asked again, has the grout work been completed? She said isn't that what you do? OMG.

She became hysterical. A pregnant, moving, buying a new place frantic woman. 

She put her husband on the phone. They did not have a copy of their estimate so I scanned and faxed them. He sees all the info on the estimate form. I hear her tell her husband," when he told me this for some reason I just assumed he'd do it."  Now the two of them have me on the phone as they argue. He realizes his wife's mistake. He asks if he can call me back. But not before I hear her say, "yes she told me that several times but I guess I just misunderstood." Good to know because I did tell her this several times. 

Oh God love her. I felt bad. She's pregnant, moving etc. Talk about stress. 

He says he will call me back and as I hang up they are still going at it.

Not in an ugly way but she is crying and he is angry but still being kind to her.

He calls me back in 10 minutes. Rick is downstairs making dinner and boy it smelled good, I wanted out of this office. It is now 5:45p.  The man said to me that they were able to reach their contractor who is doing all the work in the home. His contractor would go there on Thursday and do all the grouting in both bathrooms and then he tells me we can we do our work then on Friday. Well of course we can't. We are booked.  

That let the air out of his sails.

I suggested I call all the folks that were all booked on Friday and see if each one would be willing to move.

So I did that and actually reached them. That never happens that fast. 

All were willing to move for them. So now Rick will work Friday and Saturday. 

He is not happy but it was better than losing that money. These folks thanked me and were nice about their mistake. I was too - until I hung up. 

So guess who is home today? He ruins my schedule and I hate when he's here with the exception that he can walk Izzy and I can actually work without interruption.

But he asks questions, he makes food, he disrupts calls.  

I fear this will be my retirement. Him underfoot. I love the guy but come on.

I should be rewarded for not killing him when I work with him and live with him.

He opens emails then I don't see them. He touches things he shouldn't touch and then puts them back somewhere else. Last week I told him to stay out of the office and if he must enter - do not touch anything. 

Of course, he was laughing like hell.

AND he had to touch everything. 

"Margaret, I'm touching the bookcase....in his childish sing-song-y way he says...🎵Ooh I'm gonna get in trouble."   

I told him a stapler can hurt him in many ways. 

He just laughs. I am not certain I am joking.  

I think I should go to his work vehicles and just move everything around. 

If it would not make him stark raving mad I'd do it. 

I don't need that wrath either because not only do I have the pleasure of living with him I have to fucking work with him. 

He is currently in his ugly chair watching wood porn. 

He better not sit all day or you may read about me in the papers/social media.

Short wife gets a ladder and beats her husband.

Taking Advantage

Do you all remember the woman I spoke of that she and her husband were toxic together? They were mean to one another. I had to break the thread we were hanging on by and say I couldn't do this anymore.  Well, she may have gotten the memo but her now ex-husband called us to do work for him.

Now, his house is a shit hole. That is the nicest thing I can say other than the land it sits on is gorgeous. (7 acres of rolling hills and horses in a pasture) But the house is falling down and awful. He would do these things like what he called building a deck. I could have done better. I was afraid to walk on it as was Rick. When he described to Rick what he did Rick said, "don't go on the deck, he has no support and yada yada yada"  So I didn't go on the deck. 

It ended up falling down and thankfully as his ex wife walked into the house and no one got hurt.

He is now trying to fix his home as cheaply as possible. 

That is his M.O.  No, he is not poor. He is just extrememly tight. The man has his first holy communion money, he is that tight.

Friday - 

He sends me a message via messenger while at the doctors office on Friday morning. I deactivated FB but I still get shit from messenger. I need to figure out how that can be deactivated too!  He wants an appointment. 

I tell him I'm at the doctors and even if I weren't right now you need to call the office phone number and I give it to him. I said I don't know the schedule off the top of my head. I will then walk you through the appointment and all you need. I tell him I can call him when I return to the office which I am hoping to be back by 10:30a. He writes and tells me that doesn't work for him because he is hopping a flight to Boston but if he must he will wait for me depending on what time I think I will get out of the office.

Can you feel the tension in my shoulders? I say - just go to Boston I have no idea how long this will take me. He writes back. Why not? What are you doing there?

WTF that is none of your business. But I politely say, I am still sitting in the office waiting to be seen. Greg, call me later. I think the next opening is the 7th but I am not 100% positive. I will book it as soon as I get to the office so you will not lose your appointment. He obviously went to Boston because he left me alone.

Saturday - 

Saturday morning he began messenger again. By this time I was already doing Saturday chores. I wrote back to him Saturday morning explaining that I was not in the office so I didn't know the schedule. I was actually in the front of our house mulching, weeding etc. My phone was on the wall out front. I heard the ding and saw it was him. 

He kept pressing. I was rude, I said, Greg, it is Saturday, I am knee-deep in mulch right now and I don't know the schedule off the top of my head. An email was sent to you confirming the date/time and a doc was attached to the email explaining things. Please look at that until Monday. I do not work on weekends so let's touch base on Monday. I said unless you wish for me to go over all the details now and then you can refer to your email for confirmation. He says no, I'll wait. 

I gave him my work email, my work phone number again. I tell him he has the appointment and no one will take it. These questions can wait. He says okay. 

In the meantime late Saturday night I went to the office (which I try like hell to avoid all weekend) and turned on the computer. 

I made sure there was nothing earlier than what he was given. He said that date was okay. I saw the email I sent him and thought he has everything. We can talk Monday morning. I will call him if I don't hear from him. 

Sunday -

Sunday morning I awake to a slew of messenger messages. WTF? It's him again. After I told him to email me he does this instead of what I am asking him to do. 

He is showing me his 1990's looking tile that he will be installing and asked if we should do white? What time is Rick coming?  

You said you'd send an email and I never got it.  

I am about to explode.  I asked him to call the office so we could go over all of this as I do with all customers. He is refusing and then he can't remember anything. Aargh!

I told him an email confirmation was sent as discussed yesterday. It should be in your email box and if not check your spam folder. He writes - you didn't send it.  

I sent it again - then I get from him- Oh now I have two, I found the first one it went to spam. No shit sherlock.

Later he messengers (is that a word?) through FB yet again and asks if white is what we planned to use or do I think a brown would look better. 

BROWN? What is this 1970?  I told him to call the office on Monday morning and we will go over the shades of white.  IF HE HAD CALLED THE FIRST TIME WE WOULD HAVE GONE OVER ALL OF THIS. 

If you are using this brownish and cream tile then our white we would choose would have a warm undertone so it does not clash with your walls making them look out of place or yellow. Our most popular white is a cool undertone, you don't want to use it against a warm undertone of white and brown. (cream)

Rick can match the tile to the correct white. I believe it will be our China White.

So by Sunday, he had all the information. 

Monday  -

On Monday morning he again goes through FB and I refused to respond. 

Then he calls Rick while Rick is at a client's. 

Rick tells him to call the office. Then Rick says, Greg, you are taking advantage of our friendship. (we are not friends but that was nice of him to say) CALL THE OFFICE. I believe Peg said you were on the schedule and she sent you a confirmation of the date/time and the scope of work and costs. We do not work via Facebook, we have proper procedures in place. Call.the.office.
Does he call me? Nope, another message which I am ignoring. 

We don't need his job. It was nice of him to call us. But don't take advantage of us.

No customer could get away with this. 

While standing in mulch I don't know our schedule off the top of my head. 

Why was it so important it couldn't wait until today? (monday)

I called him this morning and he doesn't answer. I don't care. He is a douche.

I've known him since 1987 and I thought he was a douche then, nothing has changed.

He is the boss or supervisor of some sort of mechanics at United Airlines. 

I should text him and ask him to make me a reservation. And then just keep texting him about the weight of my baggage and if it is a direct flight where are we stopping? (direct flights stops but no plane change, not to be confused with a non stop flight) I mean I could be a ball buster with that but I did not. Only in my head so I feel better. 

That is my Monday Morning Rant.

I may need a cigarette after that one. (and I don't even smoke)

Insomnia

I am not sleeping and it's killing me.  I can fall asleep but never for long. This weekend when Rick does not have to work I am taking one of his sleeping pills. This way Rick can handle the dog going out in the am and allow me to sleep if it will work out that way.

To those who can sleep all the time they just don't understand this insomnia.

I had a family member tell me to just turn off the TV and go to bed. 

Ah, do that all the time, I lay there awake. If I fall asleep I awake within the hour. This then goes on all night. Last night was a bad one. I was determined to stay in bed and sleep. I tossed, I turned, I listened to Rick's rhythmic breathing. I even tried to breathe in and out with him thinking that may make me fall asleep. I ended up coughing, didn't work.

I had been awake for almost 3 hours now. Finally at 4am I just got out of bed. Izzy was fast asleep in her bed in the living room. I opened the back door to see if it was still warm. You never know around these parts in Spring. It can be 80 degrees then 45 the next day. But it was still warm. 

So if Izzy wakes I can wear what I am wearing outside.  

But she didn't wake up. Yeah!

I sat in Rick's ugly chair hoping to fall asleep. I began reading a magazine. Reading usually can get me to sleep. But not last night. Then I turned on the TV around 4:45am.  I watched an old Mom episode and laughed. At around 5:30 I decided to make myself some coffee because sleep was not going to happen. As the coffee was being brewed I heard Rick's footsteps upstairs and knew he'd be down soon.

At exactly 6am Rick came down the steps and Izzy lifted her head. 

We're all up now. The day has begun and yet I've had no sleep.

Yesterday I thought I'd nap during my lunch break. Izzy and I had gone for a walk prior to this so she was napping. I thought maybe a nap would work. I dozed off and awoke and thought well I got some sleep. I looked at the clock, I slept for 10 minutes. Geez. So much for that idea. Then back to work.

I have tried melatonin, sleeping pills (Ambien and others) I have tried eliminating coffee for weeks on end, essential oils, I have tried no TV, computer or phone for 3 hrs before bed. I have tried it all. Someone told me to take a shower before bed. I laughed but tried it. It did exactly what I figured it would do  - envigorated me. Not helpful. 

Rick got the benefit of that. :-)

As I sit at my desk I don't have the energy for anything. 

I think over the last couple of months I have been in a low-grade depression.

I fight it. But it's looming. Just like everyone else this year. But lack of sleep doesn't help that one bit. 

I get so frustrated that I can't sleep. I tried a mediation app. I tried another app for sleep and it just made me feel worse because now I can't even sleep with help from sleeping apps. Look if I wish to feel bad about myself I can just go visit my family. They are great for that. 

But feeling bad about yourself because you are just dog ass tired sucks.

I want to sleep for 8 hours straight. I want to do that on a nightly basis preferably without drugs to do so. Yes, some pot does help me sleep but only temporarily. No CBDs have worked either. Nothing is working for me. No, I have not tried warm milk. Yuk. Well unless there is chocolate and peppermint schnapps in it. A warm peppermint patty is always lovely but I know the chocolate would only help keep me up - or so they say.

I know as we age sleep is less and less. But less than a couple of hours is so not good. Now I get why my grandmother and my dad would fall asleep during the day. They probably weren't getting any sleep at night. 

This morning I saw an interview with Jake from State Farm.

He too has insomnia issues. He said someone told him to buy a weighted blanket and that has solved his problem. From a heavy blanket? 

I sleep with the windows open and in my birthday suit. 

Why would I want a big heavy blanket? 

Does it really work like that? I hate being hot. So this sounds awful to me. 

Anyone use one? Do they really help you sleep for some reason? 

Under TMI,  Rick and I may be touching when we go to bed but then we go to our corners. I am not a girl who wants to be all huggy to sleep. Nope. I am not that girl who wants to lay on her man's chest for 8 hrs. while he tries to chew off his arm that is under me to roll over.  Nope, I am not that girl. 

So if I don't like to be warm and I don't really want to feel hugged while sleeping will this be the answer?  Anyone have a good answer?

I just need some Zzzz's.

30 Year Old Movie

I love Albert Brooks. 

I loved him in the 70s when he did stand up. I love his movies. 

Lost in America, Defending Your Life and Mother are my favorites. 

While Broadcast News was not written by him he was GREAT in it. 

One of my favs from the 80s. I recall watching it and I felt I was living the character played by Holly Hunter in so many ways at that time. Ah, the 80s. 

The movie Mother made Rick and I laugh out loud so many times because it was our mother's too. When she takes a brick of cheese out of the freezer we lost it - that was our mom's. No matter how old they say, "but it's been frozen" as if 3-year-old cheese is going to be okay now after being frozen.

Since pickin's are slim we have decided that since Defending Your Life is 30 years old this week we would watch it again. We don't rewatch a lot of movies but we don't have a great memory anymore so we figured a 30 yr old movie would be okay to retry this weekend. I don't care for Meryl Streep like everyone else does but she was okay in this one. Okay= I am not screaming at her on the screen.

But if you wish to torture me make me watch her in Bridges of Madison County. 

I will chew off my arm to not watch her in that. It's like cats in heat noise. 

She was horrific in that movie. Her accent was so very awful. 

She was not the part of a voluptuous olive-skinned dark-haired beauty as described in the book. She was not sexy in her jeans and tied white shirt as in the book. She was frumpy as in a hausfrau way.  Casting if you read the book did not translate to the screen. Clint Eastwood is always just Clint Eastwood, not like he has any range so he was okay here and far better than her but the casting was horrific to anyone who actually read the book. I sadly read the book and despised the movie on every level. Boy did I digress? 

So I hope to watch Defending your Life while I wait impatiently for the plethora of seriel TV shows on Netflix and Prime to come back. 

While this was 30 yrs ago I do recall a scene where the character that Meryl plays can eat anything and never gain weight because she was such a good person while on Earth. Which of course makes Albert Brooks character upset to say the least.

Here is what the internet says about his movie.

Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) isn't having a good week. For starters, he died after he got hit by a bus. Then he discovers that in the afterlife he must defend his actions on Earth in order to ascend to a higher plane of existence. While awaiting judgment, he falls in love with Julia (Meryl Streep), whose near-perfect life on Earth seemingly makes her a shoe-in for ascension. However, Daniel's actions in his lifetime might not be enough for him to move on.

So that is the sad highlight of my upcoming weekend. 

What have you got planned? Since I can't go anywhere yet I will wear a new pair of pj's and watch a movie....again.

Springtime

Rick is suffering from extreme springtime allergies.

That meant that he came home and showered to get off all the pollen and crud. Took Izzy for a quick swim. Then he sat in his ugly chair and crashed. He didn't even eat.  What that means is I had a night of no harassment. No jokes at my expense. 

He and Izzy were both asleep by 7pm.  I had stereo snoring. I put on my headphones to listen to TV and not either of them. 

At 10p he awoke and said, "I am really tired, I'm going to bed"  

That proclamation made me laugh. I rather figured you were tired when you sat down and instantly fell asleep for the last 3 hrs.   

He is taking so many OTC drugs for his allergies. He is one drippy mess. 
He can't breathe and is just plain miserable. I seriously don't miss that. 

I had severe allergies to the point of all of my 20s I had shots. Then I was just a hot mess and on some drugs but overall nothing helps until it's all gone. I'd rather have a cold or the flu than allergies. Far easier to have those others because they don't last as long as allergies.  Once I went gluten-free I had no more allergies. Talk about a major surprise to me!  

But I was thrilled by it. 

I still get a bit, like last week my ears itched. Weird right? That was always a symptom for me. So I had a little of that. But that was it. As soon as that hit I said, "Rick your allergies are going to start soon" And boy did they.

I asked him last night if he went gluten-free and never had to deal with this misery again would he do it? He paused for the longest time and I said, "that was an answer"  He laughed. If you had asked me that before I HAD to go gluten-free I would probably have said no too. But since I had no choice I am thrilled it fixed my allergies. They were far worse for me in Fall than Springtime. But neither one was ever fun. 

This morning ole drippy was a hot mess. He is a mouth breather now and his voice is wonky. He took Dayquil this morning. He shouldn't because he has high blood pressure but it does help the drippy. As he explained to me this morning his work today was on tubs so he was bending over and he didn't want to drip in his mask. So he had to take Dayquil.  

You know that whole mask thing and being drippy never occurred to me. 

The poor guy. 

So I have a limp-y dog today, a husband who is miserable and I'm just fine.

I think I need to run away before they mess me up. 

The other night when I was up all night with the dog I watched a nightline episode I wish I had never watched. It was on the DeepFake App.  I am certain by now you all know about this. It's an app that changes everything to the point of seeming real.

They showed how this was used with the dictator from Korea. It was his face but it was all fake. I can see wars starting from this if in the wrong hands.  I find this so damn scary.

Here is a clip of the nightline story on DeepFake. Take a moment to view this so you too can be scared shitless. I hate being this way alone.

Pigs

We had a very busy weekend. 

Then Saturday night after all the outside work on the house was finally done we just plopped down to watch a little TV. 

We were watching something on the Food Network.
They were using chicken sausage for this dish. 

I was thinking that this will certainly lack flavor. 

Then I made the enormous mistake of saying, "I just don't like a beige sausage"  

Big mistake.

My husband moaned (Aww) a sad pathetic moan as if I was hurting his feelings. 

I look over at him and he repeats what I said and made a sad face and said, " since when babe?"
Then it hit me. He's laughing and I realized what I said now.
The pig. He tells me I set him up. No, I didn't. Besides he didn't need to swing at that one. But his headed would have exploded if he kept that in, I'm sure of it. 

I know Rick.

I meant I prefer a sausage with color and flavor like hot sausage. 

But I didn't dare say the word sausage again because I knew he would make this dirty and he'd say, "I have a hot sausage for you baby" in the damn Ricco Suave voice. 

I just ignored him because if I don't, it only encourages him. 
How do they go from food to something smutty in a split second?

He tells me it's just a talent. 

I think one of many reasons I always hung out with men more than women was because I am not easily offended by things like this and I can normally go there and banter with them in the mud. But honestly, I was not giving him this one. 

I suppressed laughter and that drove him nuts. 

Ha - without an audience you may straighten up and fly right I tell him.

His response? "Why the hell would I start that nonsense now at my age?"

Dog Tales

It happened again. The woman Rick is seeing this morning I called a wench.  

I explained why to Rick.  The hoops I jumped through, her entitled arrogance, how she doesn't return calls when asked etc. 

So after hearing all that this morning he just text me something she said to him.

She told him 'his employee, Peggy, was the best first contact for any company she's ever dealt with. Don't let that one go'

Like I could get fired. If only. Does that make me feel bad that I said those things?

No. She was all of it and worse than I wrote above. 

I sucked it up and kept a smile in my voice until I hung up.

I am Sybil. I am nice and then I hang up and say things to my phone that would make a sailor blush. I should be fired. 

Now it's all about my dog so you can leave if you don't like dog stories.

This week I have seen the writing on the wall with my dog.

My dog Izzy is old. She is 12 now and Labradors don't live much longer.

12-14 is the average. All the labs I know usually pass around 10. So we are lucky to still have her.  But these last two weeks have been difficult to watch play out for me. Rick seems to know what is coming. I only can assume. I don't think she'll be here much more than a year to be honest with you.

Last week when it was in the 70s we took a long walk at lunchtime. Farther than I would normally go but she was loving this and I was letting her take me where she wanted to go. She kept turning around and looking at me she was so happy. Her tail was high and wagging up a storm. I think she smelled every blade of grass along on the way.

I finally realized the time and noticed she was slowing down and we still had to return. Okay, we're going home now and turned her towards home. She had slowed down now even more and I kept telling her to move it along. I have short strides as you can well imagine so if she is walking slower than me, it's barely walking. 

We got to a grassy area and she just laid down. I couldn't get her up. She just laid there. She got up, walked two steps and laid down again. So I sat in the grass with her and rubbed her legs/joints. (she loves this, her eyes roll back, it's funny)

Her arthritis is obviously bothering her. Yes, she takes medication and CBD dog "treats" for this. 

She had never done this before. I got her up, she'd take 2 steps, then lay back down.

I could see our home. (3 blocks more to go) I didn't want to hurry her. Work would be there. I never saw her like this and it scared me. I just sat with her. She got herself up and then walked a bit then laid down again.

I so wish I could have carried her but 78lbs is too much for me to lift. She is still her winter weight which is far more than her summer weight. Either way 70 or 78lbs I can't carry either.

I finally got her to finish the trip home where she came in and laid in her bed and snoozed for a couple of hours. 

Tuesday was a very bad day. I knew she was hurting because she only wants me when she hurts. Every waking moment she wants Rick and can ignore me but something about her being sick or after her surgeries, she wants to snuggle with me. I'm okay with it.

She wouldn't go out all day. She only laid on the floor or her bed and stared at me. She laid on my lap when I got on the floor with her. My sick lap dog. I just pet her and was ready to cry. I was seeing my future here with this dog. I have never lost a dog before so this is going to kill me.

When Rick got home he saw her trying to walk. I told him I had given her the morning medication along with her CBD treat that she gets 3 x a day. 

We may wish to think about 2 a day/12 hrs apart for her arthritis meds per the vet when needed.  I think she needs more for today. She has only been getting it once a day. I think we turned a corner now.

We also had some gabapentin from one of her surgeries and we decided to give her the lower dose one with her dinner. She was so not herself. By 7pm she wanted to go out, she was so much more spritely. We could both tell the pain meds had kicked in. She wanted to walk around her neighborhood. She saw Smudge, a dog she loves, (black lab) and they played a bit.  As much as this ole gal plays these days. 

We honestly don't want her drugged all day but we don't want her in pain either. She tends to get a bit loopy with this gabapentin drug and she has been known to walk into a wall when on it. But this time she didn't. This time she was just her normal self. 

Izzy goes out before bed between 10-11p. That is her last pee and maybe poo and we can all sleep. But now she wasn't going outside. She can no longer go up the steps to get us if she has to go in the night. So I slept on the sofa. She hadn't gone to the bathroom and she can't get up the stairs so either I stayed downstairs or she soiled the wool rug again. Side note: I have a ruggable, they are the washable rugs you may have seen advertised. (awesome!)  It goes in the washer. Does she poo or pee there? Heaven's no, the wool rug that needs to be professionally cleaned is her spot.

She woke me at 3am. I jumped up to get my coat and realized she just wanted some lovin' and did not wish to go out. I tried. So I sat on the floor against the sofa and just let her put her head in my lap and I rubbed her back to sleep. I am certain she was in pain. I was awake all night...again. 

I have not slept much this week because of her. Yesterday she seemed so much better. Then this morning at 5:30a, she came up the stairs to get us. Either she is feeling better or she made the trip because she really had to go. Or both. We both felt bad that she climbed the stairs before we were downstairs but she seemed to be fine. She has been sleeping until 6-6:30 and she has never ever done that her entire life. But this morning was back to her younger self at 5:30a

She is now sleeping all curled in her bed. She looked so cute and when I went to snap a photo she stretched and opened her eyes and lifted her head. She hates my camera in her face. 

She began swimming again now that it's spring. We used to take her every day. 

God she loves the water. But two days in a row were a bit too much for her so now we're doing it every few days. We just have to see how she's doing. 

The darn dog torn her ACL a few years back mid-air as she jumped in the water. She yelped but kept swimming. She came out of the water and collapsed. So we know she will swim in pain so we have to be the ones to control how often and when. 

Her first day this year after her long winter of no swimming was a hoot.

We loaded her in the car. We drove to her pond and she sat up after we stopped.

She made all kinds of grunts and groans because she knew where she was at.

Suddenly, no pain, and she ran to the water as soon as the back door was opened. She ran back and rubbed her face on Rick's thigh. A thank you if you will.

Then she ran to me and did the same. Then she ran back to the water.

She is so happy in the water. Honestly, if she passed after swimming we would know she died one happy puppy. She lives for water and Rick, equally. 

Most of my pics of this dog are of her wet. She loved to perch here to watch the fish. Then she would dive for them. She is so focused it makes me laugh. This was at our lake house. This ramp helped her out of the water up to the dock. 

Again hanging off the boat to stare at the fish. Note the different colors of her coat. Summer she is reddish. Winter she is darker. 

Wet Dog staring at her human dad driving the boat. She is obsessed with him. No one understands until they see them. Trust me it's a bit sickening. (of coure if it were me she was so smitten with it'd be different of course) 😉

She is watching Rick's lure in the water hoping to see that fish caught!

Perched on her favorite mans legs in the water. She rests to catch her breath. If she sees him in the water she will go over, put her legs on his and just rest a spell.  

Wet Happy Dog Smiling

She sees it and is going after it. 

 This below was taken at the lake one day. She swam for 5 hrs. Just going back and forth looking for fish, turtles, and just swimming. When she sees a turtle she will come to get us and point it out. I don't know why, but she does it every time.  She'd get out to rest for a small amount of time and then back in the water. She slept for so long that night I had to make sure she was breathing. When Rick prayed for a water dog he got what he asked for. Now if he could ask for some financial help that would be great!

Then my favorite which I have posted here before. After swimming, we used to throw this on the ground for something different. She doesn't really run these days, more of a chubby shuffle. She really talks back as you can hear here. I think it's funny. The other day when we took her swimming these were the noises she made in the car until we let her out. I imagine she was telling us to hurry the hell up and open the damn door. Her tail was banging the seat she was so happy.

Side Effects from Round 1.

I had my first Pfizer vaccine shot. 

I did not get a microchip planted by Bill Gates, I don't think it changed my DNA and so far no side effects except I am now tall and blonde. So to all those anti-vaccers, see it is okay.  Who doesn't wish to be tall?

I was registered with the state. But then CVS locally opened up so I registered there and got an appointment time quickly. 

Now when Rick and some neighbors went to the state one - it is at the Dulles Town Center which is a large mall. There were 75 booths giving shots. It went smoothly, ever so quickly, and everyone said it was easy peasy. There was a whole area with chairs and some juice and water to replenish you while you sat out your 15 minutes. Nothing like that at CVS. That is the big difference between the state and CVS's facility.

CVS was different. I got a text to link when I arrived. I hit the link and it told me I couldn't check in yet I was too early. So Izzy and I sat in the car and listened to the radio. Then it was time. I could hit the link now that it was 12:15.  My appointment was at 12:30pm.

I entered CVS and was greated by a thermometer for my temp, thankfully I didn't have to bend over it was on my forehead. They made sure they had all my insurance and to show my ID. I then had to stand in line.

As you can see it went around the store aisles.

 

Thankfully I was not in any candy aisles! I can't be trusted if in the candy aisle, my God it's Easter time and there are Cadbury eggs to be eaten!

Instead while standing here above I picked up mascara, makeup remover pads, and a lipstick. Then I realized I don't need the lipstick because I am wearing a mask all the time so I put that back. 

I saw a SALE sign and went a bit crazy there for a moment. 

It was all at eye level while I just had to stand there and I thought, why not, I'm here and I need mascara.  

Then I rounded the corner I was in the greeting card section as you see below. I bought a birthday card for a friend. I mean I'm just standing here might as well read a few cards and get what I needed.

By the time I got up to actually receive my shot, I had purchased all I needed from both aisles.

After the vaccine shot, they told me there were chairs to sit and wait for 15 minutes. But all the chairs were taken by people older than me so I walked around and then thought that was silly - go home.  It took me 45 minutes to get there. It took 20 minutes to get my shot and 45 minutes home. 

So I got in the car and came home. Izzy was in heaven because it was more time in the car which she loves for some strange reason. 

I came back to the office answered a few voicemails and worked until 5:15pm.  I had a headache and took some Tylenol and was fine.

No stinkin' side effects other than I am now 5'9" and quite happy about it.

Vaccination

Out of pocket today.

Working and then heading to a town a bit southwest of me to get my vaccine at a CVS. 

As soon as I booked this I finally was called by the state where I registered. Figures. Either way I'll get vaccinated. 

I will of course share. 

Let's hope with all my medical "crap". (The professional term) that I have no side effects any worse than Rick.

And since this is 46 minutes away from my home, I hope I don't get sleepy until I get my ass home! 

I sound gorgeous.

As I begin this post it is just past 9:30am.

I've had to reboot the computer twice, put out a fire for Rick and laugh at a man who told me he could call me every day because I sound gorgeous. Jokes on him!

I laugh about these men who tell me this on a regular basis.

I was told in my 20s that I gave good phone. 

That line cracked me up and I have used it since.  

In my late 20s, I worked the day shift and my 1st husband worked nights. 

He and I would talk on his lunch break. He worked at GE. He did something with locomotives. Hell if I know. I mean I know what his title was, but what that meant was still a head-scratcher to me. An armature winder.  See? 

Do you know what that is? I am certain Mike will but most of my readers will not.

Anyhoo, there was a payphone in the factory that I would call him on at his lunch hour or my after-dinner hour to talk to one another. 

This so dates me because there were no cell phones back in 1980. 

When guys would answer they would always want to talk to me and all I wanted was my husband. It was so odd to me. When Rick saw them flirting on the phone he knew it was for him and he'd walk over and take the phone from them. 

He had a photo of me where I thought I was fat. (110lbs, yeah right) 

He carried it in his wallet. 

Oh, how I'd love to be that fat now. I had on a pair of very very short jean cut-offs. A top tied at my waist and I am tan with long hair. I look at that photo now and think, hey I didn't look so bad. I'd love to get both legs in those shorts now - never gonna happen. But they would ask him to see a pic and he'd show them that photo. When I found out about that I had a hissy fit for 2 reasons. The shallow reason was because I thought that was an awful pic of me. Oh, young women are so dumb. 

This old broad would love to still look like that. 

I just wouldn't want to be 24 again. Last but not least of importance was the fact that I really didn't approve of showing off your girlfriend like a piece of meat either.

I was in speech class for the entire time I was in grade school. Grades 1-6. 

I stuttered and I could not say my R's. While it made Barbara Walters famous it was not a sound my parents or teachers were going to allow me to have.  

I do admit it gave me good diction/enunciation but over the years I have gotten lazy in that arena too.

Then in high school, all I wanted to do was be a disc jockey which I have told you all about before.  I was told no in so many ways. Some ways were really ugly that if a teacher said that today to a kid the parents would be marching into the school and it'd be all over the papers. But in those days my parents just went along with the narrow-minded teacher.  

So my speech and voice were not good enough to be on the radio but every man I speak on the phone with mentions my voice. So tell me again, Mr. Dunbar, why you think no man would listen to a woman on the radio? Oh, you think they drone you say? Maybe your mother droned and it was just her, not all women, you little shit head.

That man made me so very self-conscious of my voice. He made me so nervous I stuttered and I hadn't done that since 5th grade. He was a creepy young man who should not have been a guidance counselor.

So this morning a contractor called me to reschedule his appointment. 

He said I could talk to you daily, you sound gorgeous. 

I laughed and said, "it's all in your head Matt"  

He said, "I don't believe you"  I don't know what else to say. 

Once I told a guy I was hideous. He didn't let up. I may have to start sending my picture to them. 

It's funny how this has come 180degrees. I spent my youth wanting to do 2 things. Work in travel or be a disc jockey. I had disc jockey beat out of me. Making me self-conscious and horrible about myself. 

Now everyone loves my voice. 

It's an odd thing how that turned around, isn't it?

I'm picking the house.

Speaking of clothes....

When Covid and lockdown went into effect last year Rick's mode of dress changed too. He would NEVER walk the dog in his pj's. It could be 11pm and he'd change into jeans. 

Now my husband will walk the dog in most anything he has on and has no shame about it. See what a year can do to you?   

Last evening he was wearing pj bottoms and a t-shirt. He was doing that annoying whistle others find so delightful that makes his wife's ears bleed. He was a happy camper. He had a shower, a nice meal, made himself a cocktail and was wrestling with the dog on the floor. Then the dog runs to the front door. We know what that means.   

Rick got up and grabbed his jacket and I asked, "Are you wearing your pj's outside at 8:30p? Oh, you rascal you!"  

You know, just making fun of him like I enjoy. 

He said to me, "They are pants. My ass is covered therefore I am presentable to walk my dog"  

I chuckled and replied, "yes you are big fella, and gave him a peck on the cheek as he walked by."

 
When he came in he said, "You know that felt good!"   

"Dare I ask what that was that felt so good, I'm kind of afraid"  

"Not giving a shit. The best part of being 65."

So there ya have it. I went there with my hair and clothes and now Rick has joined me.  I love when that happens. On the same page once again. 

Then later I hear him talking to his sister on the phone.  He repeated something I said to a close friend and mom. I couldn't believe he told her this. When he hung up I asked him why he said that. He responded with, "oh come on when you said it to your mom and me we both laughed. It's funny. I bet you wrote this on your blog"

I. did. not.

He didn't believe me. He does not read me so I told him to look. 

He asked again, "you really didn't?"  

Nope. 

Then he said, "I dare you to share that with them. I bet they will laugh too."

"You can dare all you want mister."

"I double dare you."

"How old are you, you little shit?"

Now he is really laughing.

"If you do it tomorrow I will give you an hour-long massage - no sex required - just a great massage." 

Nope.

"How about a massage, dinner and you get to pick and get the final say on the next house."

Done! That is worth embarrassment.

'Nothing says you're having an adventure like pooping at 70mph."

I'm picking the house this time!😁