TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I don't know if I mentioned this before but Chewlee's teacher has this system of letting kids parents know how their child is doing on a daily basis by putting a smiley face, a squiggly face or a frowny face on a daily calendar that is part of each child's folder that goes home with them every day and must return with them each day.

The Princess told Chewlee that if she gets a smiley face for a whole week, she can go to the Nail Salon and get her nails done.  The gal there just puts on a light pink nail polish and, on occasion, a little decoration.  Chewlee gets both her nails on her hands done and her toes too.  She loves it and feels (and acts) so feminine after having it done. 

BUT...the bad news is....she just can't seem to go a whole week and get a smiley face every day.  Early in the school year (I think it was her second week) she did just AWFUL with a frowny face three days, a squiggly face one day and, finally, a happy face.  All the other weeks, it seems she gets at least ONE frowny or squiggly face.  Today was a squiggly face and a request for the Princess to call her teacher.  It was a real *ut oh* moment when I saw that. 

Chewlee swore to me that she didn't know why the teacher wanted her to call.  I said to the Princess that I had quizzed her and read the comment on what she did (there's a *key* to certain letters that refer to the offending behaviors) but didn't see anything really awful.  The Princess said, if it was awful, she would have put a frowny face, I'm sure.  OOOOOOOOK.  But now I am really curious about what she will have to say.  Perhaps she's noticed that most of Chewlee's bad days seem to happen on Thursday and wonders if there is something that happens on those mornings or the evening before that might have something to do with it.  We shall see.  She mentioned something this week and last week, too, that may or may not have something to do with it.  On the days she has a bad day in her room, it seems the girl she considers her best friend will do something mean to her and it really bothers Chewlee why she does that.  I don't have the answers but I told Chewlee.....*Maybe you need a new best friend.*  All that got me was a weird look.  Guess even at her age, best friends are not that easy to come by. 

Our weather has really taken a downturn as far as temperature goes.  I woke up this morning around 6:30am and it was 52 degrees outside.  I had my window open so I had gotten up sometime during the night and grabbed a quilt to throw over me.  I guess I have to get my winter quilt for my bed down off the shelf and fold it down at the bottom of the bed so it can easily be grabbed during the night if needed.  The Beast is going to wait another two weeks or so before he takes the window shakers out of the windows and stores them away in the big shed I'm sure.  When we talked about it, he said he wasn't really sure we were done with the hot weather yet.  But who the hell knows these days?  He could be right.

Chewlee was tired tonight after her bath.  I sat in my recliner and told her to come lay down next to me.  At first she resisted but then she asked if it was all right if she did.  When I told her yes, she turned off the overhead light (I had the small lamp on) and grabbed the blanket that Sheepie gave her for Christmas (she keeps it here at my house in case she forgets the other one or on these school days because she doesn't take her blankey to school).  She laid down next to me with the blankey bundled under her head and she was half asleep when the Princess got here. 

Chewlee kept telling the Princess she was sorry she didn't get a smiley face but that she would try harder.  She must have said it three or four times.  She finally said, *I love you, Mommy* and the Princess said, *I love you, too, Chewlee* and she gave her a hug.  That made me feel better because I know Chewlee was so worried that her mother wouldn't love her any more if she didn't get a smiley face every day.  I told her that mommy might get mad at her or be unhappy but that she would ALWAYS love her.  She may or may not have believed me.  Now I think she does. 

Love you all.  Take care and please tell those you love that you do. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I know we aren't the only people who put our doctor's appointments in the day/date blocks of a calendar.  Most of the *events* on the calendar are just that....doctors appointments for one or the other of us.  Right now I have three upcoming appointments in the next month; the Beast has two.  After the appointment with my vascular doctor, there will be more, I know.  There will be my presurgical exam then the surgery to explore the bypass he did for possible internal scar tissue that has slightly blocked it.  He suspects that is what is causing the problem he found from the sonogram that was done a couple weeks back.

Then, when I next see the vampire doctor, I know he's going to want me to schedule a colonoscopy.  How much abuse do I have to take to be healthy?  Huh?  Huh?  The retinal doctor was hinting at surgery depending on how my eye heals up from the laser surgery.  The idea of having my eye removed from it's socket just turns my stomach.  I'm blessed with too much visualizing capabilities and a vivid imagination.  When the Beast and I discussed this, even HE didn't like thinking about it.

We got a letter from a cardiologist today reminding the Beast about an appointment he didn't even realize he had.  He feels the doctor is just trying to drum up some end of the year business but I told him there had to be more to it than that because otherwise medicare won't pay him.  So I am going to call them to find out just why this appointment was scheduled.  Did something unusual show up on his cardiogram when he had it before his last bladder/prostate surgery?  We can ask for a reason or else cancel the appointment, which is what the Beast wants to do.  He really DOES hate going to the doctor and look what he's got to do every three months.  Which is another thing....I have to find him another urologist and I am going to take the nurse's advice on that and make one for him with the one her dad and uncle use.  She says they have never had the problems that the Beast has had with his current doctor.  The word is that his current urologist is a brute and very rough.  Yeah, the Beast agrees with that.  It hasn't gotten any better in over two years now and, since he got that staph infection after his last peek into his bladder, he's reluctant to go back.

Since he has recurring (virulent) bladder cancer and, now, has had prostate cancer, he can't go without seeing the doctor to catch this stuff early.  So far, he's been very lucky and they've gotten the cancers early.  So I will check and see when we can add the new doctor to our *doctor calendar* schedule.   I just had to change the time on one of the Beast's appointments because the doctor's office called with a new time today and it struck me as funny that it has nothing but doctor's appointments marked on it from now thru December.  But, hell, might as well get everything taken care of before we have new deductibles to worry about.

The Beast made his potato pancakes today.  I peeled the potatoes and got the onions ready.  They turned out great (or else I was just hungry for them).  The Beast had made a deal with the Princess that he would make them but she had to make US some of her chicken enchiladas.  She said *I* would have to shred the chicken and I laughed over that but she might have meant it.  If I have to, I will.  Her enchiladas are incredible.  Well worth the effort.

Love you all.  Hope you are having a great week so far.  Chin up!  The weekend is damn near here. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Today was the day to see the doctor about my anemia.  My surgeon wants me to find out if it's chronic or whatever.  I had never met this doctor before and was a bit startled when he walked into the room.  He looked so damn young!  Of course, most of them look like that to me these days...LOL.    He's in his mid-to-late thirties, I think.  He actually specializes in helping cancer patients who have problems while undergoing chemo and radiation therapy (like my brother has had).  He was extremely interested in our family history with cancer.  In fact, he said he was going to run a special blood test to make sure that my anemia wasn't caused by a type of cancer that might be present.  Oh just freaking wonderful!  Something new to worry about!!!!!

He put me on 325mg of ferrous oxide (I think that's rust...) tablets three times a day for the next couple of weeks.  We will then have a good comparison with the blood tests being done from today.  We shall see.  He also told me that he may send me over to get a colonoscopy to make sure that I am not having a problem there.  I haven't had one of those in quite a few years.  He laughed and told me I am about due for one then.  He laughed when I told him about my last one and the doctor showing me all the pictures taken and being so happy that it was all pink and in such good shape.  I told him I really had no need or desire to see that much of my interior.  He said that doctors sometimes forget that we don't have the same perspective that they do about those things. 

Regardless of how old this doctor is, I liked him.  He asked questions and listened to the answers.  He let me talk and listened.  He was very informative and said I should be in decent shape for the upcoming surgery with the vascular surgeon (yeah, another surgery!)  I told him that I have been very tired for a while now.  When he asked how long, I told him it was tough to say since sometimes it was the medications I was on that knocked me off my feet.  However, if we go by just since I am down to the three and the aspirin, it's been just a couple months.  He said, well, lets see what these tests tell us.  They then proceeded to take vial after vial of blood from me.  I asked if they were planning on leaving me any.  They laughed.  I think they thought I was kidding. 

Personally, I think a lot of the red cell count being down in because our dietary habits around here suck.  Me?  I like salads.  Not so the Beast except once in a great while.  Since he's been doing all the shopping for months now, you can guess how often I get a salad.  BUT....get this.....guess what kind of salad dressings he's bought for the house?  The kind HE likes.  How does that make any sense?  We were out of the ones *I* like for over a month until I really started complaining.  Then he got me my Ranch and the raspberry vinagerette that I like.  No Italian of any sort but we sure have his Thousand Island and Russian plus a couple weird ones that we've never tried and haven't been opened.  They may expire before anyone ever tastes them unless he starts getting stuff for salads.  I kind of told him that the doctor said I need more of that so that he will take the hint and get some in the house now.  I'll let you know.

Our weather has been weird with rain one minute and sunshine the next.  I had the umbrella ready for when Chewlee was dropped off....just in case.  We were being rained on heavily when we left the doctor's office but it had slacked off by the time we got home.  Then it poured again and stopped less than five minutes before the bus dropped Chewlee off.  But the Weather Channel says the rain will have moved away from us by tomorrow.  Hurrah!

Love you all.  If you live in the NE, be careful while you have all that rain.  NYC had tornado warnings tonight.  Hope you didn't get any.  Drive carefully and keep an umbrella handy. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I have to say that today was one of the most peaceful days I've had in ages.  The Beast did his hunting and gathering at Walmart, then went and picked up my cigarette supplies.  I cleared out the freezer of a few things that had been in there forever and were suspect.  Good thing because he brought home quite a few new freezer items.

I made us some ham and eggs (for dinner) because we were both craving them after the Beast bought home the really nice slice of ham.  I think he had visions of making some bean soup or something with part of it but that's not going to happen now.  I overcooked the first ham I was frying up so the dog got that and we ate the part I had tried to save for his soup.   He can always pick up some more, right?

I did nothing but fold some rags and towels that the Beast had (finally) bleached, washed and dried.  They looked nice and white this time.  I tried to tell him that the rags get so discolored because they are used for wiping up spilled coffee, greasy residue on the stove and things like spilled juices, dog food gravy, etc.  The smartest thing to do is put some hot soapy water with bleach in the sink and soak the poor rags before you wash them.  He was shocked at how white they got compared to just bleaching them in the washer.  The man doesn't get the bleach/water ratio difference between the sink and the washer.  Sheesh!

Other than that, I just played my Sloto games on my computer after I vacuumed my computer room.  It needed it.  I set it really low and it took a tremendous amount of effort to vacuum but the rug sure feels cleaner to my feet now. 

That's about it for my day.  Nothing exciting.  Just very peaceful.  Hope you had as great a day!  Love you all. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

When the Princess dropped off Chewlee today, all I heard was a loud pronouncement that Chewlee got no cartoons and nothing that was fun today.  Chewlee just cried like her heart was broken and didn't stop for quite a while after the Princess left for work.  The reason?  It seems that Chewlee used something sharp and scratched her mother's car hood and on the side.

When Chewlee stopped crying (finally) she told me, between those after-sobbing breaths, that she thought she was doing something nice for her mommy because she was trying to wipe off some bird poop on the car.  I asked her what she used to *wipe* it off and when I asked if it was a stone, she told me no that it was a shot-thingy.  I said, *What kind of shot?* and she said it was one like the doctor's use without the needle.  When I asked her where she got it, she said it was in the driveway.  It made me wonder if someone around there is a diabetic on insulin and THAT is what she was talking about.  After giving themselves a shot, they break off the needle but it does leave a part of it still stuck in the *shot-thingy*.  But, with a kid, it's hard to tell. 

The Princess was just furious (and I doubt she listened to anything Chewlee had to say) and was actually afraid she might HURT Chewlee if she touched her so she just vented.  It reduced Chewlee to ragged tears and she couldn't talk here for a while after the Princess left.  She told me she told her Mommy she was sorry and asked ME if *I* could tell her Mommy she was sorry.  I told her that it wouldn't help.  Her Mommy needed to hear it from her AND that she would never, ever touch the car again EVEN to wipe off bird poop.  I told her you only use rags on a car.  Nothing else except a sponge sometimes.  I asked her to repeat what I had told her and she did....twice.  This was one sorry kid.

So tomorrow the Princess is going to see if she can find someone who can buff out the scratches (if it doesn't go down to the metal which I kind of doubt Chewlee could manage but.....).  I think Chewlee is in for a rough week.  She had better get smiley faces from her teacher for the WHOLE week!

Mustachio is having his sister's (Buttmunch) teeth worked on tomorrow since she has a couple cracked teeth that have been keeping her in a lot of pain.  Although she's been doing a bit of applying for work online, she needs to get out for any real chances.   But you can't get out if you are in pain.  My sweet-hearted son actually took out a bank loan to do it for her.  Not a big loan, thankfully since the dentist does bill for extra work.  I just hope Buttmunch appreciates what he's doing for her (keeping her in cigarettes, giving her a roof over her head and food on the table plus this dental work).  She did apply for and receive food stamps so that will help out there now that she has those.

I have a question for you all.  Have you EVER known a person with NO kids who seems to forget THEY were ever a kid or what THEY were like but...they ALWAYS seem to know just how to RAISE a kid?  We have a truly prime example of that in the Beast's family.  His cousin, Bee.  She never married, never had any kids but....because she took her brother's three kids on a vacation with her once a year (when they were NOT in diapers, mind you...) she not only told people she raised HIS kids (he was divorced then) but I guess that qualified her to be an expert on how to raise children.  She really and truly thought she knew EVERYTHING and, if you didn't do it her way, you were a bad parent.  Needless-to-say, it didn't endear her to many people with children.  Now that she is older (and still knows it all!) she has very few friends.  Some of the friends she DID have, she lost once they became true parents.  She never learned to keep her mouth shut or her nose out of their business.  Sad but true. 

Well, I need to get this posted before it gets too late.  Love you all and I wish you a great week with wonderful weather.  Be good, be happy and remember to tell those you love that you do.  You just never know what tomorrow will bring. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

We left for the wedding about 1:15pm.  It was only about a 75 mile drive but we had missed the rehearsal on Friday and they wanted to do another one when we got there.  Arriving shortly after 3pm (the GPS took us on the scenic route), they quickly gathered everyone together....grandparents from both side, parents, siblings in the wedding party, ring bearer, flower girl and then came the bride. 

Her dad started her down the aisle and then gave her over to her brother who was on leave from the Marines for her wedding.  I found out he leaves for Afghanistan on the 15th of October.  He looked wonderful to me.  The Marines agree with him I can tell.  When the pastor asked *Who gives this woman?*  both Doc and his father said together, *We do!*

They had the typical candle lighting with the parents (mothers, actually) lighting an individual candle that the bride and groom used to light a large, single candle, showing how two lives are now one.  What shocked me was how young the groom looked in person.  He's slender of build and has a very young looking face for someone that is 23.  He looks very much like his father so, if he finally fills out in a similar way, it should be just fine.

Aimee was a beautiful bride.  Her only complaint was with her train, which did not have any kind of a strap to gather it up and keep it off the floor once the ceremony was over.  It never occurred to her nor her mother.  Her mother is a very good seamstress and could have whipped one up for her, I'm sure. 

The Princess and Chewlee ended up driving with us.  Tara got there about 20 minutes before the ceremony.  Afterward, we all went into the meeting area (I think it's the lunch and rainy day play area for the pre-schoolers) where they had some fruit, vegetables, fantastic small meatballs, cheese and crackers, a tuna spread that was homemade and delicious and a blue punch (the bride and groom chose blue as their color for everyone in the wedding.  That included us (grandparents) but....no one had told me.  By accident or karma, I ended up wearing a blue pantsuit so it worked out just fine.

The groom's family was very sweet and friendly.  His grandmother gave me a hug when we left for home and it felt just like family to me.  The Beast got some nice pictures and he says he's going to give me some after he works on them a bit.  If he does, I will post them and share them with you.  It was nice to see friends and the members of Raven's family, too.  I just love her stepmother and dad.

Chewlee had a great time.  There were other kids her age and the pastor let the kids play in one of the side rooms with all the various toys in it.  Plus there were swings, a teeter tauter for four that also went in a circle and a nice slide.  Chewlee should have been exhausted but she still had to wind down on our way home.  She ran over to give me a hug before they left and told me she would see me tomorrow.  She was just overjoyed to see everyone that is *her* family and meet some of the *new* family, too.  I heard her telling the little girl that was the flower girl that SHE (Chewlee) had been a flower girl, too, and had the same satin basket.  She didn't understand why the girl didn't know the bride, April, but I told her that none of them knew her.  She thought about it for a second, shrugged her shoulders and with an *Oh!*, she ran off to play again.

I was very, very glad to get home, take off my bra and change into my jammies.  I'm whipped from my walk from the gathering room outside to grab a smoke along with all the other smokers there.  It wouldn't have been so bad if there was anywhere to sit but it was an even longer walk to find stairs for me to sit on.  I can only stand upright for just so long......

That's been MY day.  I only cried a little when I got to see Aimee walking down the aisle on her father's arm.  Her father is my son, Marcus Aurelius.  Her brother cried at the end of the ceremony when they exchanged their vows and rings.  He's been very close to his sister and felt like he had truly given her away.  I told him later, when we talked that he didn't lose a sister, he gained that brother he never had!  He laughed then because he was the only boy amongst four girl cousins/sisters.  I don't know how much in common they have but it would be nice if they became good friends.  He DOES like the groom.  So do I. 

Love you all.  Hope you enjoyed your day and you have a good Sunday. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

I checked to make sure that everyone was ready for tomorrow's (Saturday's) wedding of my granddaughter, Aimee.    Tara, just to be sure, brought over her card for us to take.  She expects to make it but her babysitter won't be home from work (it's her older son...LOL) until 2:15pm.  She was worried that she wouldn't be able to find it and was going to make the ride with us.  Once she mapquested it, she wasn't worried any more about finding it.  She says she WILL make it but might be a tad late if the traffic is bad.

The Princess is coming with Chewlee, of course, but Johnnycakes won't be coming because he was committed to helping clean up the site where they go ATV-ing and camping.  Tara, since she is leaving Chance at home with her older son, isn't going to be Chewlee's favorite tomorrow because Chewlee loves Chance.  But I told her that Chance doesn't *do* weddings well.  She just sighed and asked if there were going to be any kids there.  I told her that another one of her cousins, Traci, would be there and that brought a smile to her face.  I don't know if it will to Traci's but we'll handle that when it happens. 

Now for the good news.  The Beast feels so much better today than he did yesterday after his eye surgery.  He said he could see his monitor better now, too.  However, he says (the bad news!) he definitely needs reading glasses in order to see the small stuff.  He made the drive to Walmart which was a totally new experience for him since it was the first time since he was about six that he wasn't wearing glasses.  He said he kept reaching up to push his glasses up on his nose and there was nothing there.    He ended up buying himself three pair of reading glasses.  A pair to put in each car and one for here at home.  It made me laugh because I have just two pair of glasses.  One that I wear all the time and the other is just in case I break or lose them.  I've done it before so I've learned over the years.  We shall see how things go with him and how long it takes for him to get used to not wearing glasses when he drives.

I debated going to have my hair done tomorrow since we have the time before we have to leave here for the wedding.  That's at 4pm.  We will leave here around 1:30 since it's an hour and a half or so away.  Since we are part of the processional, we need to be there a little early so my son can clue us in on what we are to do and where we sit.  I am going to see if I can find a decent pair of shoes to wear or else I am stuck with the sandals I've had now that the Beast bought for me a couple months back.  They look fine with my outfit but my missing toe is very obvious and I really didn't want to shock anyone.  What I would really like is a nice pair of sneakers that will do double duty for me this winter.  I'm just wearing my new pantsuit for the wedding.  Let's face it, I am not the dressy/sexy type.    I'll be comfortable and that's what matters to me at my age.

Love you all.  I wish you a great weekend.  Have a little fun for yourself. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

The Princess got here right at 5am and the two of them headed off to Huntsville so they would get there by the 6:30am time he was scheduled.  He was one of the first people there so it wasn't long before he was ushered into the prep room.  They cleaned off the gunk he had on his face (actually the cream he uses for his dry skin), gave him a surgical cap and a gown that went over his clothes then he got the shot to relax him.  He said the surgery went very fast.  I told him it was because there wasn't any serious problem with his cataract like there was in the other eye.  However, he felt really crummy after today's surgery where he didn't after the other one.  I figured it might actually be that there was something in the shot to relax him since he didn't get one for the other
surgery.  He had some coffee on his way to the hospital and was honest with the nurses so he didn't get the shot.

I didn't go with the Beast for the surgery but I had gotten up with him and I stayed up until he got home.  I encouraged him to go lay down and recover a bit, which he did.  I had been playing my slot games online and, wouldn't you know it, Bratfink came online just as I was going to lay down for a nap.  She told me to go ahead (she reads her email and news anyway) so I did.  Not that I really got to nap.  The Beast, as per his usual behavior, was a whiner and kept making these awful groaning sounds.  It took forever for him to actually go to sleep (his snoring told me when that happened) so I finally got to relax.  Then the dog needed to go out so it required me getting to my feet and then waiting for him to return to let him in.  That meant I had enough time to get my second wind so I just went back to my computer room and got back online. 

I told Bratfink that I was going to have to get off when the Beast woke up because I promised to make him something to eat.  When he got up, I excused myself and went to make him his *brunch*.  I made some hash browns (real ones), ham, eggs and toast.  It all looked and smelled so good, I had some myself.    I already had coffee made so he pigged out.  So much for not feeling well.  If he can eat THAT good, he's fine.  It wasn't his tummy that bothered him, however, but on a lower plane.  I'm just glad he was able to manage it and it didn't last long.  He said it had started at the hospital so it wasn't breakfast.  That he kept down.  He then took ANOTHER nap (without me so no moaning and groaning went on) and slept until Chewlee was dropped off by the bus.

He got up to watch his TV and have his dog lay in his lap for a while.  He went online later just long enough to check his email but he said he couldn't use his prescription reading glasses any more.  No, of course not.  But he will have to wait a day or two before he can go check out the OTC reading glasses and get some like I use.

Chewlee wanted to play school.  She and I were both teachers but I was the one in charge of disciplining kids that weren't listening or were disturbing the class.  It made me wonder......  She told me, *Make Zane put his nose against the wall because he wasn't listening.*  Same thing for another student (a girl this time).  She said to me, *When they have calmed down and are good, you can send them back to class but no treat for them from the Treasure Box!*  She was teaching her kids reading, then math, then art.  Then it was time for their lunch.  She sat down with me and told me how tough her day had been and had some tea and toast.  The bell rang (so she said) and she got her class settled.  I forget what she was doing with them but then she dragged in two students that weren't listening and it was *to the wall* with them.    Then it was math again for her class.  She was cute how she did that and it tells me a little about how she must be learning it.  Then it was treat time for her class and she came for her two students and asked me for a report on how they acted while I had them on the wall.  She talked to them about behaving and how their parents weren't going to be happy with a sad face BUT....since I said they had been good, she was only going to give them a squiggly mouth (which isn't as bad).  She did break down and give them a treat of some strawberry gum and took them back to her class.

I've got to tell you though, it's exhausting playing school with her.  I was so glad when it was time to get her bathed, you wouldn't believe it.  It's the only way she stopped.  I didn't listen but I'm sure her bathtub Barbie was in school while she was in there.    When the Princess got here, she had bathed and brushed her hair to almost straightness.  It was completely dry at least and she was happy to show her mother what she had done.  Her hair is getting really long again and is more than halfway down her back now.  I hated it when it was cut even though it did need some trimming, just not as much as her mother had done.  But it still looks good.

I was wiped out when she finally left.  I checked on the Beast (he was fine) and then laid down in my recliner to take a nap.  It's usually only for an hour or so but today....I slept for almost 3 hours!    Sorry about that but I really WAS too tired to blog before the nap.  Forgive me if you came earlier and it wasn't up.

Love you all.  Have a fantastic Friday.  I have to make a run up to the shoe store at our little shopping center and see if I can find a different pair of shoes to wear for my granddaughter's wedding on Saturday.  We grandparents lead the processional, I gather, so I need something comfortable to wear instead of the sandals I have.  Be good and drive carefully. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

Tomorrow the Beast has his second cataract removed and then both eyes will have been done.  The Princess is taking him once again and I am starting to wonder just what the hell kind of clout he used to get her to do this.  It involves her being HERE at 5am to drive him up to Huntsville to the hospital.  Not that I am complaining, mind you.  It just means *I* don't have to get up before the crack of dawn, especially with my bad sleeping habits lately.  I swear, I have to get up to pee every two to three hours.  Just enough to break up any GOOD sleep.  I've even tried limiting and/or stopping any drinking by about 9pm.  Unfortunately, when I do that, it doesn't help AND I wake up horribly dehydrated.  I have tried even switching to ice chips and I like that most of the time because I don't wake up dehydrated but it's still a liquid in a different form.

Chewlee was cranky today when the Beast picked her up.  Then she got mad at the Beast because she fell down on her butt and he laughed.  She came in my room with a long face, complaining that it was NOT funny!  When I laughed at her, then she got all bummed at ME.  I told her it WAS funny and she needed to learn to laugh at herself when she did things like that.  It didn't help.  Then I knew what the problem was just watching her as we played a new slots game I had advanced to.  She was actually tired.  But since it was her short day with me, I didn't even try to get her to lay down to watch her cartoons.  If she had fallen asleep that early, the Princess would have a tough time getting her to sleep tonight.  She sat and brushed her hair while I clicked and she waited for the bonus game of the new game to show up.  We took turns doing it and the stinker was waaaaay luckier at it than I was. 

Later on, when the Princess got here (and ate some egg salad I had made for the Beast), she made the mistake of messing her hair up affectionately and Chewlee got upset.  She came running in here, almost in tears, to tell me what her mother was doing and the Princess was right behind her, fingers twitching.  I laughed and told the Princess that Chewlee had brushed her hair very carefully and well.  The Princess looked at Chewlee and said, *YOU are tired!*  She picked her up and hugged her and carried her out to the car while Chewlee complained the whole time about her hair.

Against my better judgment, I made myself an egg salad sandwich on some wonderful Chicago Italian Bread which Publix makes.  I told the Beast, *I know I am going to be very sorry I'm doing this*.  He realized just WHY I was going to regret it and laughed.  It will only be a couple hours and I will be farting like a champ at a contest and it will last until sometime tomorrow.  **Sigh**  I hate how things I love no longer love me.

Bratfink is watching opera on PBS the next few days.  One of Wagner's most intriguing ones.  You can read her blog at Planet Bratfink for the name and other information.    But it means that I no longer have a buddy to chat with late in the evening since each part of the opera starts at 9pm Eastern time and I am at Central so from 8pm onward, she is preoccupied with reading the subtitles of dialogue being sung.  She will NOT be disturbed so that she doesn't miss a word.  So I find myself going to bed earlier which is probably a good thing anyway.  I go to sleep quickly so I must be tired or I would just lay there. 

Love you all.  Have a great day.  Drive carefully and drive defensively, for heaven's sake. 

TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

First my day, then what I did that was so embarrassing to me (although I know we have all done it one time or another).  Today I was supposed to see my doctor, the one who's done most of my surgeries.  He was going to check out the carotid area that he operated on and then discuss with me when we could do the arteriogram or whateverthehellitis that he wants to do to check out the surgery he did on my leg bypass.  He thinks from the *sounds* they got that there might be some scar tissue restricting the flow of blood to my lower leg.  Geez!  Just what I need.  My only solace is that there won't be any new scars.  They go in from the scar of the surgery on my left hip, across the abdomen and then down the artery in the right leg.  It's kind of scary sounding, isn't it?  AND THEN, at some point, I will need to have the carotid on the right side of my neck done because it, too, is obstructed around 60%. 

Beware vascular surgeons, folks!  They leave some ugly scars.  Not a bit neat looking.  They never consider that you MIGHT want to wear a bathing suit at some time or other.  Or that you have no desire for people to mistake you for a member of the Frankenstein family.  I'm telling you, it's true!  If you are in a vascular surgeon's office, ask the people in the waiting room to see their scars.  Trust me, they will be eager to show you like it's some kind of badge of honor.  That way, if you have to undergo anything like *I* did, you won't be surprised.

Anyway, I woke up around 7:30 or so and went over to my desk to wake up and grab a cigarette.  I looked down at the discharge paper from the hospital which gave me my appointments with the hematologist (which I ended up having moved to a later date) and the surgeon.  I suddenly noticed that, although it gave me yesterday's date for seeing him, there was no time on it.  So, I called the doctor's office and got the voice mail for his nurse and left a message for her to call me with the TIME I was supposed to be there.  She never called although I was ready to leave at a moment's notice.  His office is only a 15 minute ride away.  So, tomorrow I will call and reschedule it because I really DO need to see him.  I also need him to check this one *thing* sticking out of the scar on my neck, which I think is actually part of a stitch from under the skin.  It feels like a wire, it's that stiff.  I won't tug on it because I have no clue how important it might be and I sure don't want to start anything leaking like blood.

We had Chewlee here for a few hours until the Princess drove home from her college classes up in Athens.  It's about an hour and a half drive from there and her class doesn't get out until almost 4pm.  So Chewlee *snacked* with some toast, three slices of salami, an orange and some sweet tea.  At least she shouldn't drive the Princess nuts while she's preparing their dinner.

I ate after she left and then told Bratfink I was going to lay down and take a nap and let my meal digest.  She laughed but we said our *love you's* and I went to lay down.  Often, when I try to nap after dinner, I don't really get to sleep but I rest and I might doze off a bit but the Beast and Baron's noises will keep me from any deep sleep.  Today, I woke up with a jolt when the screen door slammed and I knew the Beast must have been woken up to let Baron out.  I turned over and a little later heard Baron being let in and the sound of his toenails on the floor.  However, I kept hearing him walking around and wondered why the Beast hadn't gone back to bed.  Then I heard him making coffee so I got up, opened my door and said to him, *Why in the world are you up this early?*  I figured it was very early because it was still dark outside.  Oh my....how he laughed.  He looked at me and said, *This EARLY?*  That's when I looked at the clock and realized it was evening and still Tuesday.  I was so embarrassed by my faux pas.  I actually thought it was early morning. 

So I will leave you with that and hope you have a great Hump Day.  Halfway through the work week now.  Love you all.  Drive carefully.  The life you save may be your own!