TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Tomorrow (today) is my day for surgery.  I'm not so much afraid of this one which means I probably should be with the way things go for me.  Other than some rain today, it was nice and peaceful, not too hot or too cold.  I spent a lot of time either sleeping or dozing off until my Godzilla movies came on.  Unfortunately, Bratfink doesn't get the channel (Sony Movie Channel) so she couldn't watch with me.  But she has channels that I don't so it kind of evens out.  It really didn't start raining until around dinner time but it's still drizzling tonight and Baron (the wimp) won't go out until he can't hold it any more.  The Beast tried to get him to go out front (which he normally loves!) but he wouldn't budge off the front porch.

I have to shower tonight and early in the morning with this awful smelling soap.  Worse, after I soap up, it has to stay on for approximately 5 minutes.  Sheesh.  We aren't talking about hands here, guys.  Nothing worse than having to either turn off the shower or step back away from it for five minutes.  Unless the room has gotten warm and steamy, I'll definitely be cold.  I may just wash the area up and leave the soap on it for the five minutes instead of taking a whole shower again since I don't usually shower until around 11 pm or so.   It all depends on how tired I am at 4:30am when I get up to get ready for the hospital.   I may make an exception and take an earlier shower tonight.  I need to go to bed earlier because I haven't been able to take a nap like I normally do.

I know this is short but nothing really went on that's newsworthy or even to give a second thought to.  Love you all.  Have a great week.  If you are up around 6:-6:30am central time, say a little prayer for me that things go just fine and no fixin' is needed. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I told you the other day about the Beast's computer.  He crashed it somehow and couldn't even get into his Bios.  So he got on the computer, went to his favorite site for computer parts and ordered a new motherboard plus a few more things he knew he would need.  Oh, and a new hard drive.  The hard drive holds about a gazillion bits or so.  I forget what he told me it was exactly but it's a hell of a lot of information.  He could probably store the Encyclopedia Brittanica on it.

He likes the computer parts site because they give you free overnight delivery if you order a certain amount.  Since he found the site, he's never paid a dime for any delivery.  I'm just saying.  Hell, the hard drive alone gave him that but...I have to tell you, I was skeptical about that part until I looked at his notification from the company and he really DIDN'T pay a dime for the delivery plus at 2:30pm the following day, the parts were here! 

He put the new computer together and used some of the parts from the old computer for the new one (he had bought a new cabinet for it too.  It's really nice.  Especially since it has the USB slots at the top of the front instead of the bottom.).  He got it all together and....it wouldn't work.  He was .  So he started going through it and discovered the power supply was bad.  Guess where the power supply came from?  You got it!  The old computer.  So, on a hunch, he put the bad power supply into our spare computer and it acted the same way the Beast's computer had acted when he figured he had crashed it.  Now he's decided to go ahead and put the old computer back together with a new power supply and we will then own TWO spare computers.  I'm just glad he was able to discover that it was the power supply or he would have driven me nuts with his bitching.  Here's the real kicker.  He's done this more times than I can tell you...mostly about A/C problems he'd found when we had our company.  He went to bed with the problem on his mind and woke up with the solution!  I kid you not.  I'm just glad he's got it up and running now.

He started working on the wedding pictures from our granddaughter's wedding on the 15th.  He takes really nice pictures.  He asked me to come in and take a look at one of the pictures he's doing up for the kids.  I mentioned that I thought the groom's face looked a little bit red to me.  He told me that he didn't really know if the picture we were seeing on the monitor was the picture we would get because he hadn't adjusted the monitor yet to Photo Shop that he'd put on the new hard drive.  I can't figure out why he would even start on the pictures without doing that first but he was anxious to at least get the pictures set up for printing and wait until it got dark outside before he adjusted the monitor.  When he printed out the picture, it turned out just fine.  I told him that he should wait until he had all the pictures done for the kids and then give them to the Princess.  She can drop them off to them since she stops in there at least once a week when she is at school in Athens.  They live close to the school.  He said he hadn't even thought of that. 

They supposedly had a professional photographer there taking pictures but no one took pictures of anyone at our table or us either.  All the pictures seem to have been ones that Raven took or one of the other guests that we knew.  I'm going to be curious to see what pictures they DID take once the kids get them.

The Beast did something really nice for me.  I had mentioned the other day that I would love to have several spare pair of reading glasses to put here and there (like one pair in each car) for those times I forget to grab my normal pair or, heaven forbid, I lose the pair I have that I really like.  This conversation came about because the Beast had three pair that he has in different spots.  He keeps one pair on his desk for when he's on the computer; another pair he put in the glove compartment of the car he drives most of the time (mine) and the other is always on the kitchen table where he sits when he's reading most things (a magazine, Reader's Digest, the newspaper, etc.).  He told me he bought them at the optometrist's store inside Walmart and they were inexpensive.  I've been buying mine off the rack in the pharmacy and they are NOT cheap there.  That's when I said I would love extras IF they didn't look like the ones the Beast bought for himself.  He looked and found some that are definitely feminine.  It's a 3pk and there is a blue pair, a black pair and a reddish pair.  All three of his are black.  They also don't have the decorations that mine do so I doubt we will mix ours up.

I'm going to drive Chewlee nuts when she's here because I will hide the other two pair and, when she's not looking, I'll change to a different color.  Since she notices things like that, she will go nuts.  It will be fun.

Got to go now.  Love you all and I wish you a great Sunday.  I'm hoping for some good television but that's probably a hopeless cause.  At least I got to watch some Godzilla movies on the Sony Movie Channel all afternoon.  I hadn't seen two of them and I thought I had seen them all.    Be good, be happy and enjoy your day. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Ever feel like an escapee from a funny farm?  Today was a day that was worthy of a comedy routine.  I had to call two doctors offices and change appointments.  One was for the Beast, the other for me.  Then I had to contact the hematologist's office to let him know that I had blood tests done at the hospital on Thursday in case he wanted to get copies of it to check on my red cell count plus let him know I was going to be in the hospital on Monday in case he wanted to order some different test for me.  Why not get it done then?  I also needed to move the appointment for a few days or a week since my post-operative instructions led me to believe I wouldn't be up to going anywhere for a couple days.  The first nurse I talked to kept saying, *Uh huh.  Uh huh.*  I should have known what THAT meant because within an hour, the doctors main nurse called me and asked me what I had called about. 

I repeated what was going to go on as well as the fact that I had blood drawn on Thursday.  SHE says to me, *Did you have that done HERE or at the hospital?*  I was a bit taken aback but I said, *The hospital* and she said, *Oh, well I guess we will have to send for those tests to see if the doctor wants to order any different ones.*  What is so strange about that statement is that particular doctor has his office in the Cancer Center located in the hospital I will be at.  I kid you not.  It's on the north side of the hospital but it's all easily accessible both inside or outside.  You would have thought they couldn't just walk down the hall to the lab and get a copy.

THEN, when she went to reschedule my appointment to see the doctor, she was going to make it for the following Monday.  I shook my head because I had changed the Beast's eye doctor appointment just about an hour earlier to that Monday so I had to say no and make it for Tuesday instead.  I'm standing in front of the appointment list I have for the doctors and it's like a big joke.  I told the Beast afterward that I insist on getting one of those calendars with the big squares for each day like I've usually had for years so I have an easier, more visual place to write down our appointments.  It's just better than having them on my computer because the place I put them is a special program and the date is typed in so it's not as easy to figure when they are.

Chewlee did not have a good day with me today.  She started giving me orders instead of asking me politely for things.  She spent a lot of time in tears because I told her NO and stuck to it.  Later, after she had calmed down and was sitting quietly, I asked her if she knew why I had told her NO.  Know what?  She had figured it out.  I don't know what kind of a day she had at school or if she was just seeing if she could make me do what she wanted me to do without having to be polite about it.  But she found out that she can't do that to Grandma.  I even made her peel her own orange because of her attitude.  She discovered something.  She actually CAN peel her own orange if someone starts it for her.  She was proud of herself so it was a good thing.  By the end of our time together, she and I both were in better moods.  She was calmly drawing (she's getting pretty good at some things and I'm so happy she colors in the lines, including on pictures SHE draws) when the Princess got here and she proudly showed her mother the pictures she had drawn.  She took them home with her because one of them was for her teacher, the other for her mother.

I'm tired today.  I didn't sleep well at all but I did feel wonderful about one thing.  My brother is now CANCER FREE!  All he has to do now (and for the next five years) is follow-up visits and the occasional test or two.  Thank you everyone who remembered him in your prayers.  I believe that prayers are powerful, especially those of strangers who are praying out of the goodness of their hearts.  Thank you again!  May God bless you all now and in times of trouble.

Love you all.  Have a great weekend.  I'm going to try getting to bed early and I might even (don't faint now!) sleep in my own bed with my (gasp) husband!  Just don't tell anyone, okay?    I usually end up on my recliner just because I DON'T sleep well and one of us should have a good night, don't you think? 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I went in for my preop exam today at 1pm.  The papers were ready for my signature (as well as the little electronic thingy).  I got the bracelet put on me then took the elevator upstairs to the waiting room.  I no sooner sat down when my name was called by a nurse and we went into the area where they do the actual blood-letting, weighing in and the EKG's.  Because I had been in the hospital (and had received the EKG) within the previous 30 days, I didn't have to have another EKG.  AND...because my surgery will not require my being put under a general anesthesia (it's done with locals), I didn't have to meet with an anesthesiologist either.  I got weighed, they checked with me to make sure I had the same meds (we had to add the iron tabs) then drew my blood and I was told I could leave.  They handed me the instructions for both pre-surgery and post-surgery and I was out the door.  I called the Beast on my way out and he left the restaurant with the rest of his food in a doggie bag to pick me up.  We had left the house at 12:30pm to make it to the hospital by 1 (we got there 10 minutes early) and we were home by 2:15pm.  I was shocked when I realized that.  I knew then why the Beast was so shocked that I was done when I called him.

I have to be at the hospital at 6am on Monday.  Figures, right?  But it means I am the doctor's first patient.  I just hope he's wide awake.    I know *I* won't be.  Heck, I'll probably fall asleep from the IV shot they give me to relax me.  I've did that the last time I had something similar done (just not in my leg).  I was having a colonoscopy and really did fall asleep.    I read everything I was given on my way home (just four pages) and it said if anything more needed to be done, I would then be kept overnight (because of having to keep my leg straight while on my back for six hours).   The Beast has his eye drs. appointment on Monday at 12:30pm but he says their office called four times today while we were gone so we should call to see about changing it anyway...just in case I can't go home right after my surgery.  His appointment isn't a critical one and it won't matter if we move it a day or a couple of days.  The doctor is just going to check to see how the eye has healed from the cataract removal.  It seems just fine.  He's had no problems other than constantly wanting to push glasses up on his nose that aren't there. 

I got a phone call from the Princess this afternoon telling me not to panic if I didn't have Chewlee dropped off by the bus today.  It seems Chewlee conned the driver into dropping her off at home instead of at my house.  Now the driver has his instructions on just what days she is dropped off here so how she managed to convince a grown man (unless she cried panicky tears) that she was supposed to go home today, we haven't figured out.  He brought her to her house but he honked the horn and wouldn't let her off the bus until the Princess came to the door.  When the Princess found out what happened, she told him it was okay for today and she would drop her off here before work but do NOT, under any circumstances, believe her again.  She said if there was a change of any sore, she would call the school about that.  Of course, we both had talks with her about what she did and why.  She said she thought it was Friday and she goes home on Fridays.  She's right about that but I told her she couldn't have said that to the driver because then he would have known to ignore her because today was NOT Friday.

So the Princess dropped her off here on her way to work.  I felt kind of bad and a little put out because, for the second day in a row, Sheepie called me to say she was coming over for her measurements to be taken but she didn't show up and she never called either.  Yesterday Chewlee was all excited about seeing Sheepie and very disappointed that she didn't get to see her.  Today I didn't tell her anything but she was hoping that Sheepie might show up so I was glad I hadn't told her she was coming.

Got to get this posted so I will just say *Love you all* and wish you a great weekend. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was the day for Chewlee and her class to go to the Pumpkin Patch and pick out their own pumpkins.  I expected Chewlee to bring home one that was really too big for her but I was surprised at how small (but heavy) hers was.  Hers is about the size of a normal round balloon when blown up.  It WAS very heavy, I will admit.  When I quizzed Chewlee about why she didn't get a big one, she told me that she couldn't pick one up that was a big one and she raised her arms above her head and made a big circle.  She looked at me with a sad face and said, *I wasn't strong enough to pick one up, Grandma....but I tried!*  I had to smile.  I could see her trying and even how frustrated and disappointed she had to have been.

She wanted to wash it as soon as she got here but I told her to wait and do it with her mother.  She gave me the most disgusted look and said, *I don't need her help.  I can wash it by myself.*  I told her that I didn't mean her mother had to *help* her wash it.  I just thought it was something she could show her mother that she could do.  She relented at that but said she wanted to wash it up by herself.  I hope the Princess lets her since it seems so important to her.

I gather they had some small animals at the Farm that the kids got to hold.  Chewlee said she was holding a baby hedgehog and someone pushed her and the hedgehog curled into a ball and she got stuck in her tummy by the little quills.  She said she didn't see who pushed her but she was more upset by getting stuck by the quill.  I looked and her shirt had to have kept her from actually being pierced.  I think it was more a shock to her than a real injury.

The Beast picked her up after her gymnastics class and he got there a bit early so he was able to see how much they had all improved from the first class.  He said that there is one little girl there that is going to be a future star.  She not only is the most improved but she's way ahead of the rest of the kids, Chewlee included.  Chewlee did tell me that she can finally do a back bend but she was too tired to show me today.  She said she would show me tomorrow. 

She must have been tired between the Pumpkin Patch and then gymnastics.  She complained she was really sweaty after her class but, guess what?  She didn't want to take a bath!    She actually told me she would do that at home.  When the Princess called me after she got out of class, she wanted to be sure that Chewlee had eaten and had her bath.  I told her she had eaten but I wasn't going to bathe her.  I said it was early enough that she could take her bath at home.  I didn't tell her that it was what Chewlee wanted.  I said at home she had clean clothes and here she would have to put her dirty clothes back on because I don't have clean clothes here for her any more.  Because she grows so damn fast, I sent the clothes I DID have home with her a while back so the Princess could use them before she outgrew them.  I used the last two outfits I had here on her last week and sent the dirty ones home in her back pack.  They were new ones and I know the Princess would miss them since they fit her nicely.

Chewlee didn't take her back pack to school today since her teacher told them not to bring them.  But she told me she would get a happy face because she was good at the Pumpkin Patch.  I said, *Are you sure?*  She just gave me THE LOOK and said, *Yes, Grandma.  I'm sure.  Trust me.*

Her new thing is saying *trust me* a lot.  And I mean A LOT!  I finally told her that I didn't want her saying that all the time because if she didn't do what she was supposed to do, it made me very, very sad.  So she tried but it kept slipping out.

It wasn't until her mother got here that we found out she had left her shoes and socks in our car.  I really didn't notice because she is always taking them off as soon as she hits the house here.  I usually bug her to go get them and put them on before her mother gets here but we got involved in a game and I lost track of time.  I gave the Princess my key and she went out with Chewlee so Chewlee could retrieve them from our car and then get into their car so they could get home right away.  I think the Princess will be serving leftover meat loaf to Johnnycakes when he gets home from work tonight.  She looked tired to me.  It gave me an idea, however.  I think I am going to make some tomorrow for our dinner.  It's something that Chewlee will eat that's made of beef.  Chewlee only seems to like white meat...boneless is preferred.  She likes chicken and pork mainly.   She DOES eat hotdogs, too, thank goodness.  I keep her favorite ones in the house just for her.  I just wish she would eat potatoes that were mashed, baked or fried (like home fries) instead of just french fries.  She won't even try potato soup although heaven knows, we've all tried to coax her.  She only ate cauliflower once she was convinced it wasn't some strange potato.  After she tried a taste, she ate some.  She does love broccoli and other green veggies.  She won't touch a tomato but loves spaghetti sauce.  In that, she reminds me of Mustachio, my son.  He was (and still is) the same way.

Love you all.  Have a great day and please drive carefully. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was doctor day and we arrived in plenty of time.  I spent more time waiting in a room than I did in the waiting room.  But I knew what was in store for me.  We had to schedule the procedure (the camera cable) that would take a look at the bypass and see what was causing the *swish, swish* sound like it was obstructed by scar tissue perhaps.  If there is an obstruction found and he has to use the balloon or the roto-rooter (his words), then I will have to stay overnight but go home in the morning.  He told me, after checking my neck where he had done the last surgery to clear my carotid,, that he was both pleased and amazed at how well I was healing and that my recovery from everything had been without any complications of any sort.  He told me my retinal doctor had told him the same thing after he had completed the laser surgery on my eye.  I just wish that I didn't need any of the damn surgeries in the first place.  To me, that would be more desirable. 

So, here's the deal....pre-op tests are this Thursday at 1pm.  After that is done, they will tell me what time to be here on Monday.  My arterial doctor told me not to take my oral medication for the diabetes on Sunday.  I won't take it on Monday, either, because I will not be eating breakfast or even coffee then.  I DO take my other meds with a minimum amount of water.  I'm getting way too knowledgeable about this stuff, don't you think? 

I chose Monday as the day to do the surgery/photography (LOL) because I don't get Chewlee that day so there's no worry about the Beast being home in time for her bus to drop her off.  I'll be home early on Tuesday so I can wait for her bus as usual.  On nice days, I sit on the front steps and wait for her.  I always wave at the driver and Chewlee told me he told her to say hello to her grandmother for him the other day.  I laughed.  A wave goes a long way, I guess.

Chewlee already had a squiggly face yesterday so she won't be having a whole week of happy faces this week.  But, if she hadn't gotten a happy face today, I found out she wouldn't have been able to go to the Pumpkin Patch tomorrow.  Not that her teacher would have kept her from going but her mother told her that was what would happen.  She would keep her home from school and she wouldn't go and pick out a pumpkin for herself for Halloween.  Chewlee was so excited about it that it would have just KILLED her if she couldn't go.  When she found out her mother wouldn't be going because she had classes (and tests, too), she then asked if I was or even Papa (he was her last choice).  I told her that I would be here, waiting for her to bring her pumpkin home.  I told her I would be at the end of the driveway so I could help her hold it (she will pick out a big one, trust me) and get it into the house without dropping it.  That's when she told me it would be a really BIG pumpkin she picked.

I told her she might not be allowed to pick out a pumpkin she couldn't carry and she flexed her arms into a muscle and said, *I am really strong!  See?*   She makes me laugh when she does stuff like that.  She believes she is strong because she can now carry my 5# hand weights, one in each hand, easily.  A year ago, she could hardly pick up one and that was with BOTH hands.  It is cute to realize that she can lift them like I do when I am exercising my arms.  She tries to do some of the same things but she can't do them as many times as I can.  The fact that she can do any of them while holding a 5# weight is amazing, don't you think? 

When the Princess got here after driving down from Athens, Chewlee was barely out of the bathtub and dressed.  She still hadn't put her shoes and sox on but she scrambled to do that when her mother got here.  She really loves her mother and is always excited when she gets here to pick her up.  I think that's adorable and I encourage it when I can.

Sheepie called me to find out if I knew how to take her measurements.  She is working for Hampton Inn now and she needs to turn them in for her uniform.  I did that for a friend of mine a few years back when she became the concierge for one of the major hotels so I know the measurements they will need for her skirt, blouse and jacket so that it has that *fitted* look.  She gets off work around 3pm so she and Teach will be here shortly thereafter. 

She told me if the Beast and I go somewhere, to let her know two or three days in advance and she will make sure we get a room at Hampton Inn wherever we go and get her discount.  Since the rooms there are around $99 a night, her discount will bring that down to somewhere between $49-59. and that's about what we pay at motels that aren't as nice as Hampton Inn.  The Beast wants to go down to Mobile on the Gulf or somewhere nearby for two or three days so we can take advantage of that when we go.  That is, IF the warm weather hasn't deserted us.  He wants to do this soon.  So do I.  I miss the ocean and even the Gulf.  We plan on doing *tourist-y* things, including having drinks at the Tiki bars on the beach.

Love you all.  Have a great *hump day* and enjoy the weather we are having over most of the country. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Sometime during the night, it got really cold in my room.  I mean cold that penetrated under the light blanket I had on me.  I felt like I was outside on a cool day naked!  When it woke me up, my skin was cold to the touch so I knew I should probably have closed my window before going to sleep.  I got up and got a nice comforter that I folded in half so it would be VERY warm on me.  I then turned on my computer (with the comforter wrapped around me and my robe that I had slipped on) to check the temperature outside.  It was 40 degrees!  AND it was windy, too.  I tried closing the window behind my desk but only managed to get it slightly down.  To close it, I would have to squeeze behind the desk and I was too damn tired to do that at that time.  I went back to bed IN MY ROBE and covered up with the doubled comforter.  It was enough that I fell asleep quickly and slept late.  I didn't wake up until almost 10am and it was only because I could smell the fresh coffee the Beast was making.  It told me he had slept in, too.  When I heard Baron wanting to get in, I figured it was probably because Baron wanted to go out and woke the Beast up.  That made me chuckle since Baron usually wakes ME up, regardless of where I am because I am easier to wake.  He must have thought it was late enough for the Beast and he should be up and about anyway.

The Beast spent the day cutting down some branches from the trees at the back of our house.  The branches are so long and hang so low that it makes it almost impossible for him to get back there to cut the grass on his John Deere.  He ended up having to go get a new chain for his chainsaw.  He knew it needed one but he's usually stupid about spending the money until he is absolutely positive that it must be done.  He actually makes things harder for himself that way.  It's really dumb.

I just spent my time folding clothes that the Beast had thrown in the washer and then dried.  I get so frustrated with him, though, because he just doesn't understand that you MUST hang up clothes that go on hangers as soon as the dryer is done.  Now I have a couple of his things that I have to throw back in the dryer until they are dewrinkled.  I should just hang them up as they are and let him end up with a closet full of wrinkled shirts.  It would serve him right and he knows *I* won't iron them (I gave that up years ago and only have an iron for when I make something on my sewing machine).   He knows how to do that since his mother always made him iron his own clothes when he was a teenager.  You don't forget how to iron.    He's done it here a time or two.

I normally will fold his clothes but make him put them away in his drawers.  Hell, I used to do that with my kids when they were growing up.  I spoiled him for years even though we both worked but, god forbid!, that he would give me a hand doing ANYTHING like wash or cleaning the house.  After a few weeks of trying to keep our pool in balance, he hired a company to do that.  He even hired a company to mow our lawn so he didn't have to worry about it.  But do you think *I* could hire someone to come in and clean once a week?  Or even twice a month?  Hell no!  So, when he HAD to help out when I injured myself and then after my surgeries, I figured it was OWED.  I didn't feel the least bit guilty about it.  Now, when I am able to do pretty much everything, he has taken over certain things (like the care and maintenance of our wood floors).  I love it!  I figure let him do it if that is what he wants.  Even if he feels that I can't do it as well as he could, he's sure not hurting MY feelings.

He decided to make sloppy joes today and use some Manwich for the sauce.  I told him that if he found he didn't like it, he could always *fix* it, I'm sure.  Turns out he wasn't crazy about it (too sweet).  Bratfink told me to try adding a little mustard to it and he did.  That really helped cut the sweetness down but I like our regular way to make it best of all.  He was just hoping for something FAST and EASY. 

Tomorrow I go to see my vascular doctor and we are going to have to address the surgery to check on whether or not the swooshing sound in my leg is scar tissue from the bypass or not.  That means inserting one of those camera thingys to take a look and then to fix the area.  I'm not looking forward to this event but I have to do what must be done so I can outlive the Beast.  All my kids keep telling me that.  Also my sisters keep saying, *If you don't, HE wins!*  It is NOT going to happen.  I swear.

Oh well, I have to do the dewrinkling and then throw in some more stuff to wash so I'm going to say....Love you all!  Hope you have a great week and you are enjoying the cooler weather.  Just keep warm, ok? 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I love watching documentaries on the Animal Planet Channel and Discovery Channel.  They show some amazing things.  Like showing coral reefs growing, fighting for space, fish behavior in those areas.  On Discovery, they showed some fantastic looking fish that live in the lower regions of the ocean.  Some look like escapees from a horror movie.  Others look like they aren't real like this octopus with short arms but ears that allow them to move around.  All I could think of was Dumbo the flying elephant...LOL.  There are plants that are gorgeous and are actually a kind of worm that lives in colonies.  In water hot enough to cook them live shrimp and crabs that thrive in the area around black vents in the ocean's bottom.  The heat is actually from magma underneath them.  The shrimp and crab move back and forth between the hot water surrounding the vents and the ocean beyond. 

There was an epaulet shark that is often stranded on reefs that are exposed during low tide.  It can actually walk and it shuts down unnecessary functions so that it can be out of water for a long time.  It finds pools of water and breathes then continues while it looks for food.  It has no teeth but sucks in it's prey that often hides under the sand in the small pools of water.  Fantastic to watch.

I didn't know that hammerhead sharks are extremely fond of sting rays.  The sting rays use it's poisonous barb to try to get away but the shark is immune to that.  They found one shark with 96 barbs imbedded in it's skin.    The decorator crab is incredibly beautiful with it's furry looking texture that is quite colorful.  The pearl fish looks like a snake and it actually hides itself in the anus of a sea cucumber when it isn't feeding.  Sometimes there are two or three of these fish hiding there at the same time.  It has to be uncomfortable for the poor sea cucumber.  His only relief is when the fish leave to feed.

There are just so many interesting things you can see that you will probably never see otherwise.  I have been watching *Escape to Chimp Eden* which is about chimps that have been saved from captivity by abusive or badly informed people.  The men who save them attempt to rehabilitate them so they can be released into the wild again.  They are released on an island, owned by the government, that has the perfect habitat for chimps.  It has an immense forest full of trees good for them to rest in and lots of food trees also.  I've learned a lot from that show about how their societies work and how you can actually learn their body language.

There is also a show called *Orangutan Island* which is about orangutans that have also been saved.  Many are babies that were orphaned by poachers or their mothers were killed while the forest they lived in was stripped of their trees.  Many are killed by the trees they are in hitting the forest floor.  Orangutans normally live solitary lives, only getting together briefly when the female is in heat.  But on orangutan island, they are learning to live in colonies for survival.  It's an amazing chronicle to watch and see when various ones are set free on the REAL orangutan islands.  There are now two because of the amount of saved babies that are now ready to be released.  The woman responsible for them has saved such an incredible amount of them she may single handedly have saved the species.

Big Cat Diary chronicles various species of cats such as lions, leopards and cheetahs.  They tend to track lion prides and the same individuals of leopards and cheetahs.  It's not easy at times explains one or the other of the brothers responsible for tracking them.  They have teams of people with cameramen on each vehicle that scour the habitats that are common for whomever they are scouting for on any given day.  You see new babies, watch them grow and learn to hunt.  There was an episode where cape buffalo attacked baby lions that were hidden in some long grass and they headed for thickets nearby.  The buffalo did kill a couple of the babies.   It was so sad but showed the harshness of life in the wild for these animals.

As you can tell, I love these type of documentaries and they touch me in many ways.  Sometimes I wish I was rich so I could travel and see some of these areas.  I would love to travel to Australia to see the land and the animals that are native to it.  My son, Mustachio, spent a lot of time there when he was in the Navy.  If they weren't docked there, he would fly there when he had leave because he loved the land and the people.  If he could, he would love to find work there and live there.

Well, let me get this posted.  I hope you are having a nice Sunday.  The Beast told me not to cook anything for when he gets home from church.  He's going to stop and pick us up shrimp dinners from a nearby restaurant we like.  My mouth started watering almost immediately.  They have wonderful cole slaw and hush puppies.  I just hope the Beast doesn't get me okra like he did last time.  I'm just not fond of it unless it's in soup, tyvm!  Love you all.  Have a great day! 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was finish up and clean up for what was started yesterday.   Then it was just do a couple loads of wash and either fold or hang things up as they came out of the dryer.  The Beast washed the electric blanket yesterday.  Rather than hang it out to dry today, I discovered he had put it in the dryer.  Now we will have to check out if it is still working or not.  I'm almost afraid to try it.

While the Beast finished washing the floors, I put the various other items he had used away, including the vacuum cleaner.  He ran up to the store to pick up a few things and came home with all kinds of cookies, some grapes, some chili sauce, bread, some great rolls that we use for hamburgers and other types of sandwiches (the Beast discovered them a couple weeks ago) BUT.....he originally went to get more milk and some juice.  I had to send him back for them AND some chicken for Baron's meals.

I was going to have Chewlee for the night but it turned out that she was cranky and tired and the Princess was tired when she got off work so she just put Chewlee to bed.  Johnnycakes was meeting up with some friends so I guess he went out alone.  We will get Chewlee tomorrow when her mother goes to work.  I think the Princess only works a regular shift so it will only be for four or five hours depending on how quickly they can get the customers out once the restaurant closes.  Been there, done that!

The Beast went to some community center not far from the house to meet up with people from his church.  They were having a get-together with food and he's all for that!  My feet were just too tender from a flareup of the neuropathy.  I knew it was going to be a bad day when I woke up to go to the bathroom and my feet were almost too tender to get me there.  I took another of the pills I have for that but it didn't really help.  It didn't help until late today (after taking 3 pills and two pain pills...not all at once but at the prescribed times).  I did take an extra pill but the doctor told me I could....he said I would have to take a very large amount of these pills (around 10 at once and several times a day) before I could overdose on them.  I will have to call my doctor if this continues and find out if he wants me to increase the number of times I take the med for it or perhaps I need to change it.

For several hours, it was just me, Baron and the TV.  I watched some old SciFi movies on TCM (Them, *The Thing From Outer Space*....the original, non-shape shifting version....then Starship Troopers on another channel).  I love the movies but I could tell Baron was totally bored.  He moved from room to room, floor to floor, up on the Beast's recliner and then he pulled the Beast's pillows off the bed and put his head on them and fell asleep.  If I hadn't gone to look for Baron, I wouldn't have known until the Beast went in there and discovered where his pillows were since Baron was on the opposite side of the bed from where he normally sleeps.    I also had to go on that side to put away some of the Beast's folded underwear and the socks I had mated.  It tickled me because at one time Baron would have jumped up on the bed and just slept on the Beast's side.  However, we've broken him of that bad habit (I hated the hair all over, too) so I guess he figured he could still use the pillows.  When I told the Beast, he just laughed....but he DID shake his pillows well before he went to bed.

My life can be boring, boring, boring in the eyes of most people but to me, it's peaceful.  No Beast.  I can eat what and when I please.  I drink my coffee or make myself a drink (the Beast bought me some vodka last week) ...I think I've made three drinks so far....LOL.  I usually have a drink with Bratfink.  We don't like to drink alone.    But we will if necessary!

Love you all.  Hope you are enjoying your weekend.  Drive safe. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was a cleaning day at the Brat Farm.  The Beast and I got busy working on the floors and things like cleaning the lamps, under the beds and other bedroom furniture.  I worked on my rug.  The Beast got me some spot cleaner instead of the foam rug cleaner I wanted but I have been using it on the various spots.  It looks better even with just that done.  I still have quite a few more areas to do but, hey, winter cleaning is just as bad as spring cleaning.

I cleaned up my door and door frame.  One side had some tobacco residue, the other was mostly Chewlee's dirty hands and Baron's nose.  I cleaned off the baseboard heater and the wall it is on.  Chewlee is constantly putting her hands or feet on it if she is in my chair or hiding behind it for some reason or other.  Tomorrow I will take down my curtains and the wooden blinds and clean those.  I'll also do the window which is one of those that you can clean both sides by just clicking these little levers on the inner frame.  The windows then come down inside and you can reach both sides.

The Beast will need to get the ladder out to take the screen down so it can be cleaned.  It has some serious lint and dirt from the fans on it that need cleaning.  I'm going to start lobbying for a new desk because this one I have is seriously maimed and needs replacing.  I loved the design basically but I need one that is just a little bigger.  I also need a new chair.  The *vinyl* has been peeling off the arms forever and I really need one with a well cushioned seat.  I know they have them.  I just hope we can afford a decent one.

I have this sudden need to get this room in some real order.  I have things I would like to get painted and a few outside things that never got the good sealer on them that need repainting and then sealing.  My Welcome Gnome looks great still and it's been two or three years now since I sealed that after I repainted it.  It hasn't even faded like the old paint did.  But then, I bought good paint for it.  I'm sure that helps.

The Beast and I put fresh linens on the bed and he even decided it was time to clean the electric blanket.  It SAYS you can wash it on the gentle cycle and we will put it on my umbrella lines to dry in the morning.  I am NOT going to take a chance on drying it in our dryer, regardless of what it says.  Of course, we have to have good weather.  Even if it's cool out, it will still dry.  It will just take a bit longer.  I told the Beast how we used to judge when clothes were dry on the line during the winter.  First they would freeze, then when they actually dried, they would get loose and flap in the wind.  He looked at me like I was crazy.  I told him my family was poor and we did what we had to do.  When you have seven kids, you can't go without doing wash for more than a day or two.  I remember when we finally got a real dryer.  It was a gas dryer that we got along with a gas water heater after our landlord put out the money to bring it into both buildings he owned. 

My uncle, who owned a furniture and appliance store, gave it to my mother either as a gift (he had a lot of kids, too...more than we had even) or at his cost.  I really don't remember which.  But it was heaven to have hot bath water that we didn't have to heat on the stove and clothes that got dried in an hour or less.  Sheer heaven!

That was also when my dad and a couple of his brothers put a real bathtub in the house.  We lost our big pantry to it but, hey, we learned to step up (the plumbing and all had to go on top of the real floor so they built a floor over all of it before putting the toilet, tub and little sink in place.  One uncle ended up putting his leg through one of the back step when they carried up the cast iron tub.  The landlord laughed about that once he was sure he wasn't going to be sued.  He replaced the step with some thicker wood the same day.

We take so much for granted these days with all our appliances.  I will always love my dishwasher.  That's one appliance I could hardly wait to own.  I have always hated washing dishes and pots and pans.  We own one of the top of the line ones in this house and I am very grateful for that.  The Beast also got us a very good hot water heater then he insulated it and boxed it in after making sure it wasn't sitting on the garage floor.  As a result, we have it on a timer but the hot water lasts us for almost 24 hours we found out when we lost our electricity from a tornado last year.  That means we save a lot of money on electricity because the Beast is always looking for ways to do that.  He's been pretty successful on it, too, as we can see on our electric bills when we look at how we compare in usage from last year.

The Beast finally got down to the floors in the main part of the house.  He moved all the furniture but hasn't worked on the lamps yet.  After seeing the difference in the lamps in the bedroom, it's going to be amazing to see the big lamps we have in the living room cleaned up.

Well, time to get this posted.  Love you all.  Hope you are enjoying good weather and you have a great weekend.