I felt a bit better after I FINALLY got some sleep.  Sheesh!  Between the Beast and Baron, I was ready to commit murder before I could finally fall asleep.  The two of them were so restless and the Beast's coughing made me nuts.  For whatever reason, even the ear plugs don't help much when the shaking of the bed accompanies the coughing.  But, once I got up (it was 1pm ), I actually felt pretty good after I had my first cup of coffee.

Once I got started, so did the Beast, who was really quite helpful.  I still have to mop the floor tomorrow but that's a minor thing.  The washing is done, the house is dusted and doors and windows cleaned.  Even the coffee and end tables are cleaned off.  I even got my stuff down from the attic so I can get down and dirty with the decorating inside here.  Having the fireplace this year sure will add a new dimension to the decorating. 

He's feeling a bit better also, thankfully, but his disposition is now showing it's true character albeit kind of irregularly.  He'll be fine then get snappy for now apparent reason then will try to chat me up a bit so *make up* for his snappiness.  I'm used to that shit from him.  Just means he's feeling more *normal*.

The weather still sucks and the skies are still crappy looking.  We had a bit of sun this morning...err, early afternoon....but it didn't last long.  The dog stretched out in it on the deck to take advantage of it but soon came in because the wind was just a bit too chilly.  It only got up to about 39 today for our high and Weatherbug is telling me that we can expect snow flurries tomorrow evening.  Great!  Just what I wanted to hear.  I'll have to watch for it, though, because I'll have Chewlee here with me until her mother picks her up after work and she still loves the sight of snow falling.  If it snows at all while she is here, she'll want to go out on the deck or the front porch to watch it.  Even Baron might not mind if he's got Chewlee around to play with him.  The poor dog has to be just bored out of his mind.

The Beast is still stunned at how many of the trees here still have a lot of their leaves clinging to the branches.  It really IS kind of weird.  That includes a lot of our fruit trees that should be totally bare of them by now but aren't.  Strange times.  Stranger weather.

I haven't felt warm all day long except when I was pulling clothes out of the dryer.  Usually my room warms up nicely with just the lights in it.  I have the overhead lights (four of them) on the fan and the one lamp with two bulbs on my desk.  The air purifier on top of the bookcase helps move the air in the room and you know how the heat rises to the ceiling.  I was kind of surprised to discover how much that helped.  But today, the only thing that helped was putting the small heater on for a while.  I have both socks and warm, fuzzy slippers on my feet.  I realized today that I am going to have to buy replacements for them.  They really are starting to look shabby.    They've lasted a long time considering how much I wear them.  In Florida, they only lasted me two years.  So far, I've had these for twice that time.    I hate to see them wear out for fear I won't find any as warm as these are.  They aren't expensive, either.  I think I only paid $10 or $12 for them.

I hate days like today.  It was dismal outside and my IBS played hell with me today, resulting in a couple changes of underwear.  "Nuff said.  In between episodes, I was able to get a few things done but nothing like I had planned.  I didn't dare get far from the bathroom.  I got some clothes washed, folded and put away.  Ordered a couple things I needed for the house and for Christmas presents.  I love how many of the online stores have free shipping because that saves a whole lot of money.  I charged some things but that's because I pay them off at the end of 30 days...well, before then but I prefer to use their money for a change.    They sure don't make anything on my charges, other than the profit made on my purchases. 

Since I was kind of confined to the house, I watched the Harry Potter marathon on the Family Channel.  I own all of the movies but they had some scenes in all the movies that aren't on my dvd's.  I was kind of amazed at what they cut out because some of them (to me at least) made a few things clearer.  Nothing earth-shaking, of course, and I could understand why they were cut for reasons of releasing it to theaters so people wouldn't get restless.  Most people can't really sit through too long a movie without getting antsy.  But I enjoyed seeing those parts and I looked for them, too.    I've watched my HP dvd's so much that they were readily apparent to me.

I drank a lot of chicken broth today and ate crackers to help settle down my IBS.  I finally managed to eat something a little more substantial late this afternoon and it gave me the hiccups then settled down to the occasional burp.  The Beast is still feeling poorly.  He's dressed like he is going outside in the cold only he's indoors.  I'm usually the one that's cold but he had chills all day long.  He's still sleeping a lot but his appetite has improved so we have to wait and see with him.  I'm glad I got two gallons of milk for us the other day because he's been drinking a lot of hot chocolate when he isn't drinking tea.  I tried to get him to add some lemon juice to it (the tea) but he made a face when I suggested it.  We are out of honey now and he says he couldn't stand that unless we had honey, too.  So I put it on my list for when I feel better.

I was thinking that I might do ALL my Christmas shopping online this year with the free shipping being offered but I know I will be looking at clothes for Chewlee (love the Garanimals line) at Walmart.  They are inexpensive but very well made and cute as heck.  I usually buy Chewlee an outfit whenever we go shopping together since that only comes to $7. an outfit.  For as fast as kids outgrow their things, that seems darn reasonable to me.  I always let her choose which of the ones *I* like that she likes, too.  She amazes me at times with the things she likes about them.  She told me one time she didn't want the pants with the *button*.  She wanted the ones she could just pull down.  I know that helps a lot when you are potty training because kids like to do their own dressing and undressing and having a snap closure is not easy for them to manage.....or a button one.

The day here was so darn dismal that it was depressing.  We had all the lights on, that's how bad it was.  Even the Beast made the comment that, it it hadn't been too warm for it, he would have expected snow.  I remember those skies vividly.  You never forget, no matter how many years it's been.  We DO get the occasional snow flurry here but nothing major.  It doesn't last long once the sun comes up.  I haven't seen any snow stay on the ground longer than a few hours.  I've only been living here full time now for four years but we did come up during the winter a few times the couple years before we retired officially.  The house was only supposed to be for the Beast during the summer.  Like a cottage.  If I had known we would end up retiring in it, I would have picked a different house with more floor space and slightly bigger bedrooms for guests.  If this computer room were a bit bigger, I would have put a convertible couch in it for when I have the kids here.  Oh well, we use a blow up mattress.  It works.  My son Marcus Aurelius and his family live closer to us and don't stay overnight.  But Buttmunch and her daughter, Sheepie will probably drive down from KY with my son, Mustachio and they stay a few days.   The girls get the guest room and Mustachio gets the blow up mattress. 

Well, I am going to cut this off now and get it posted.  Love you all and I really hope you don't get much in the way of snow or bad weather.  I have a feeling this may be a brutal winter.  So, stay warm, be careful when driving and remember to take time to relax and laugh a little today.  Have a great Sunday. 

I mentioned the fact a few days ago that Baron, the Beast's best friend, has stuck by his side all during this illness he has.  He seemed to be getting a bit better and had a relapse yesterday.  Today more chills and coughing, coughing, coughing.  Thankfully, the Nyquil for coughs works wonders.  I've used it for a while but the Beast just started using it because he was so tired of the coughing.  Why do men always feel they should *tough it out*?  Is it some sort of rite of passage thing? 

Anyway, Baron normally is a very active, physical dog.  He is a very large (not fat but taller with a very broad chest) Doberman.  He's also just 3-1/2 years old so he's not quite out of the adolescent stage.  He was/is used to being run around the circle here with the Beast on his scooter.  It's one of the only ways to calm him down.  He NEEDS the release exercise gives him.  The Beast also plays tug of war with him and a rope toy that Baron picked out at Pet Depot.  The Beast usually takes him for rides in the car and down to this one park not far away so Baron can run up and down the bank of the river.  He also loves to chase the ducks there and he's gotten really funny because he actually tries to fake them out and be sneaky.  But, the flock that stays in the area has gotten used to his antics.

He's a good dog and becoming a good watch dog, too.  He still gets excited when we get company.  What is funny about that is he usually goes nuts when Tara visits.  Tara is a high energy personality and very bubbly most of the time.  On Thanksgiving, she came over and spent a few hours with us while Sheepie was here visiting.  She was very tired because she had helped serve food at her church before coming here (and she brought treats, too).  I guess it was because Tara was so tired that Baron did not go nuts for the first time.  He was happy to see her but.....he actually walked away and laid down on his bed in our bedroom and just watched the action.

While the Beast has been sick (and sleeping a LOT), Baron has stayed right with him.  He would go into the bedroom and lay down next to the Beast.  Sometimes, when I went in the bedroom, I found him laying with his head on the Beast's hip or shoulder.  He went from an extremely active dog to one that barely moved except to eat and go outside when nature called.  But then, he was right back with the Beast.  I think that Baron has been very worried about the Beast.

Baron is the first dog we've owned that listens to me but he is most definitely more attached to the Beast than to me.  Our very first Doberman, Tante Domina (we just called her Domina) was MY dog.  She would ignore the Beast most of the time until we actually went back to basic obedience training (at home) so that she would respond to him as well.  But, they shared one thing together and that had to do with exercise, too.  We lived in a suburb of Chicago at the time and it was most definitely city-like.  You know...sidewalks, street lights, traffic, traffic, traffic.  We were on a street between two major roadways.  But we also had a street that intersected ours and made a *T* a couple blocks long.  The Beast would drive his motorcycle on the street while Domina ran along the sidewalks and tried to beat the Beast.  He did that every day with her except during the winter because of the snow.  The kids exercised her then by having her drag them on the snow in either a box or on a sled.  It was fun to watch.

If we had kids now, Baron would LOVE to have to pull them or have a kid that would wrestle with him.  But, alas, no such thing.  Now he's so big (110 lbs) that he makes other Dobermans look puny in comparison.  He's very muscular and looks regal when he goes into the Doberman stance.  Because we give him only natural food (chicken, lamb, vegetables, rice, barley, apples for example), he has the greatest looking coat on him.  Even when he is dirty and we know it, his coat still glistens.  The vet we use just loves him and thinks he's the greatest dog now.  She's glad he's calmed down a lot from when he was a bit younger.  He ALMOST will sit still while she or one of the tech's clips his nails.  It used to take at least two people to get it done because once you start doing it, you MUST finish or the dog wins and the behavior continues. 

The Beast was saying he's sure cut down on his smoking while he's sick and I told him that was a good thing since he smokes too much normally.  They tried to get him to stop after his strokes because the doctor told him the smoking was a big contributor to his high blood pressure problems.  I mentioned that Baron wasn't eating as much as he did normally but it was because he wasn't active right now.  The Beast felt so bad that he bundled up and took Baron for a run on his scooter.  The temperature outside was 54 degrees at the time and I watched out for both of them until they got back.  It really tuckered out both of them.  Baron because he hadn't gone on a run in over a week and the Beast because he hadn't either. 

But, shortly after getting back, the Beast was bundled up again due to chills.  Baron was already on his bed next to my side of the bed but I know he will be laying in my spot when I go to bed later.  Baron will be on the bed again when I wake up in the morning at the foot of the bed with his head on the Beast's leg or feet.  He has to be touching him. 

One night Baron came into my room and I thought he wanted to go out.  But, when I headed for the door, he gave a funny whine.  He wanted me to come in and check on the Beast, I figured.  So I checked on him and he was sleeping peacefully and breathing (dammit!).  When I started out of the room, Baron gave the whine again.  It dawned on me that Baron wanted ME to go to bed.    I turned and told Baron, *I will come to bed when I am good and ready, dog*.  Baron stared at me and then plopped down on his bed in disgust, I believe.  He can be very strange at times.  He sometimes gives this little bark when he thinks the Beast should go to bed.  I laugh every time I hear it.  Mostly it happens on nights when the Beast is either watching a basketball game or one of the night football games.  It drives the dog nuts when the Beast isn't in bed by 10 pm.  He will lay down on his bed with his face towards the living room (and a direst stare at the Beast the whole time).  I've seen the Beast cave in because Baron KNOWS when the Beast is tired.

Baron even knows when the Beast is planning on taking a ride in the car.  He doesn't have to do anything except THINK it and Baron starts to get excited and jumps around the room.  I really think dogs see our *aura* and KNOW the color that means *road trip*.  If the Beast tells him he can't go with him (for whatever reason), Baron knows he can't go and he starts sulking.  Then, when the Beast leaves, he jumps up on my bed and looks out that window until he hears our car coming down the road.  He will then run to the garage door and wait for the Beast to come in.  He knows just how far back he has to be for the door to open so it won't hit him.  If the Beast has either a treat for him (Baron) or a new toy, he knows that immediately and starts to use his nose on any bags the Beast carries in.  He can actually zone in on the right bag.  That always amazes us.

Enough on Baron.  Chewlee is going with the Princess to see Disney on Ice tomorrow.  Chewlee is so sweet, she told the Princess that *I* should come, too.  I told her that mommy only had two tickets so she had to go and then she can tell me all about it when I see her next.  One cute thing she did today when I picked her up.  She had colored a picture of the Wise Men (Magi) that was their letter *M* day color page and she was telling me about them.  She said they went to give presents to the baby Jesus.  Then she looked at me and said, *I want to go see the Baby Jesus, Gramma.  Can I?  Can I....PLEEZE!!!!!*  I told her to ask her mommy about it and she remembered to ask when the Princess got here.  They have a manger scene set up at the school so the Princess told her she could see baby Jesus when she goes to school on Monday.  That satisfied her and made me wonder if that is where she wanted me to take her?

I think the Beast is having a bit of a relapse.  He not only slept for more than 12 hours but he also looked very pale and started putting on a couple layers of warm clothes, including a pullover fleecy-type jacket shirt.  I don't know what else to call it because he normally wears it during (normal) fall weather when the temperature is just a teensy bit nippy.  He isn't QUITE as sick as he was because he has been whining about how bad he feels.  I can't just roll my eyes at him because he even LOOKS awful.  But I DO try. 

Sorry about the lateness of this but it's been a very, very bad day for me.  I did not wake up in a fun way.  Know how sometimes you wake yourself up suddenly because you dream you are on the toilet and starting to pee and you KNOW you are dreaming but the sensation is so intense that you are truly afraid you are wetting the bed?  Well, that's kind of how MY day started only peeing wasn't what I was doing and I didn't make it.  Thank you very much IBS!!!  It was awful. 

The only thing that would have made it more unbearable was if the Beast had been home but....he had an early doctor's appointment and he wasn't back yet.  And that's why I didn't venture very far for most of the day.  I got myself cleaned up, put my pj's in the washer and took a double dose of the OTC IBS medication that works for me.  I should have done that last night but...hindsight and all that.  Yuk!  It took until almost dinner time before I dared move around too awful much.  I put on double underwear and headed out to pick up Chewlee and made it home with no problems.  Phew! 

However, once started on that pathway, you worry.  I could finally manage something other than soup (and some cheese, which I figured would help out) but stuck with the soup to be safe.  Chewlee, thankfully, was in a cute mood and just wanted to talk and point out a few things to me.  Like...Diego is taller than Dora.  She also told me she was *just the right size* and when she needed to be bigger, her mommy was gonna fix her. (?????)  I had to ask the Princess about that when she came to pick her up later but she had no idea what brought that on so we both just laughed over it.  I guess mommies can fix ANYTHING, right? 

The Princess is finally going to go back to regular college classes.  She and her new manager figured out how she could manage that without killing her income or benefits.  The new union contract allows for them to be able to use up vacation time one hour at a time but the new manager thinks they can manage her schedule without having to use that up on her unless corporate notices and objects.  It will really be easy for her with the way she has in mind except it means that she must get up very early two mornings a week and THAT is going to be a real chore for the Princess.  Also for Chewlee, who will have to adjust also.  She, like her mommy, likes her sleep.  Plus, if it's still dark out, she objects even more. 

I know the Princess loves the atmosphere of regular college so she is really happy to be able to manage it finally.  Tomorrow (today to you) she goes in to get registered and find out about a grant she applied for.  Her company will reimburse her for all her classes as long as she maintains a C average so she should have no worries there.  She does well in school and has done well in college so far.  The Beast was worried that she wouldn't go back to regular classes and it's too easy to slack on online classes.  Especially when you have a young child to take care of and a household.  At least Johnnycakes is a blessing there because he's no slacker.  He cooks AND cleans.  One in a million. 

I had a truly awful night and I hate when that happens.  First of all, the Beast spent most of it coughing (still) plus tossing and turning.  I got up and moved into my computer room but couldn't find any rest there either.  The Beast got up and took some of his icky green liquid that he swears by to stop his coughing.  I had my door open so I heard the room get quiet and decided to try sleeping in my own bed (again!).  Then the dog started in with some of the most god-awful farts you have ever been subjected to!    It was about then that the thunder started...then came the rains!  I just couldn't win.

I was so damn tired that I staggered into my computer room, turned on the computer briefly and talked to Marcus Aurelius for a few minutes.  He just got glasses and said he was shocked at being able to see street signs again on his way home!  He linked me to his picture with them on and I told him he looked great in them.  He does, too.  Smartie pants told his eye doctor that he could blame both me and his dad for his eyes but I told him that I never needed reading glasses (and those are over-the-counter) until I was in my mid-50's.  His father, on the other hand, has had glasses since he was 13 and had to get reading glasses (prescription) in his 40's.  At first, he tried the bifocals so people wouldn't know he needed them both but he had problems getting up and down ladders so he abandoned THAT idea and just bit the bullet.    I shut down my computer because we were under a tornado alert and the weather was so bad I didn't want to take chances on losing it. 

I finally managed to fall asleep in my recliner (I was exhausted and not feeling well).  I never heard the Princess stop by nor the Beast leaving to go to the store.  He needed more of his icky green OTC medication and he got some of the cherry kind for me.  Unlike his reaction to that stuff, it doesn't have the same effect on me but I thanked him anyway.  I don't have a cough like he does.  I just feel nauseous half the time and my nose is full of snot.  I know part of it is the IBS which has NOT settled down yet and I'm sure the septic tank is not loving the toilet paper in this cold weather.    My nose is starting to get a bit sore from constantly blowing it.  At least it's clear so there's no infection, just a huge amount of annoyance for me.  If I don't blow my nose, it starts draining down my throat and that is worse.

One weird thing about our weather today.  When the rain moved in, our temperature ROSE!  It went from 38 degrees to 65, which was the last temperature I noticed.  But, after I woke up the first time, had something to eat and fell back asleep, it was already dropping down into the 40's.  I'm making myself stay awake now even though I could easily fall back asleep.  I don't want to end up in some weird kind of sleep cycle where I am up all night and asleep all day.  The Beast and I might actually get along a whole lot better but I have my Chewlee to worry about, don't I?  Plus, I have so much I need/want to get done in the next few days.  I refuse to give in and treat this like an illness.  Right now, it's just a lack of sleep.  I really AM alive but hate the fact that my sleep has gone to hell.  I WILL get to bed at a decent time and put my ear plugs in so I can ignore most of the Beast's disruption to my sleep.

The dog actually woke up the Beast last night to let him out.  I was so shocked when I heard the door open that I had to get up and make sure I really heard it.  Sure enough, the Beast shot me this look of venom and said, *He had to go out.*  I said, surprised, *...and he woke YOU up?*  He nodded and was heading back to bed at that point.  I just mumbled, *Now that's WEIRD!*  Usually, Baron will come to ME to let him out when the Beast is asleep at night.  Why last night was different, I have no idea, especially because my door was partially open and he could easily have just nudged it open to get my attention.  I always know that is what he wants and let him out.  But, he made up for it about an hour later when he DID come to get me to let him out.  I took the time to set up the coffee for morning while I waited for him to come to the door to be let back in.  I even turned on the dishwasher since both the Beast and I had forgotten to do that earlier.