Savory or Sweet?

That’s what I asked Tracy about breakfast before she got in the shower to get ready for work.

“Let’s have savory this morning,” she replied with a peck on the lips.

I got in the kitchen and cooked some cheese eggs and buttery toast. I wanted to fry some sausage, but I worried it would take too long. Tracy remarked on the novelty of putting cheese in eggs. I told her it was a delicacy when I would stay at my grandmother’s farm growing up.

Tracy’s schedule has about gotten to where it dictates my schedule as well. We were in the bed at eleven last night and it seemed a short time before the alarm went off at 6:45am. Sometimes, I will go back to bed and catch a quick catnap, but most mornings I am up and ready to go choosing to take my nap after lunch has arrived. I try to have Tracy and I a sandwich fixed when she comes home for lunch between noon and 1pm.

I am going to call my father at 10:45am to see if he is up and at ‘em and mosey on over there for a while while we drink diet sodas and watch an episode of Dr. Phil. I love the days where he doesn’t have to work. My father and I have come so very far in these last few years of my recovery. He is less of an old fuss and feathers and more of a friend. We laugh and have the best time together.

Turn Around – Don’t Drown!

We got over 3 inches of rain last night and have flood warnings all over the place. I hope the bridge is not out on the way to my father’s house. Moore’s creek has a tendency to flood on a grand scale during such events.

Injectionaire…

“Let’s go to bed early tonight,” Tracy said commandingly, turning off the television and closing the lid to her laptop.

I was sitting at the den computer last night and shut it down. It was 10:45pm.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” I said sleepily as I yawned.

I didn’t need much coercion last night for me to turn in early. I had already taken my nighttime meds. I am taking a brand-new nighttime medication called Trazodone and it literally knocks me out. I was just beginning to feel its effects.

“Besides,” Tracy replied. “You’ve got your injection early in the morning.”

I was in my sleeping clothes (t-shirt and boxer shorts) before Tracy could pull on her warm flannel pajamas. Tracy got in the bed and snuggled up against me putting her head on my shoulder.

“Do you ever get scared?” she asked me wistfully with a nervous tone to her speech.

“Scared of what?” I asked perplexed.

“Scared of growing older.”

“You’re just twenty seven. You ought to not be worried about that,” I replied. “I’m the one who ought to be worried about growing older.”

“Will you still love me when I am wrinkly and old?” Tracy then asked.

“I will love you for always,” I replied as we then dozed off to sleep.

Fast Forward to this Morning…

The alarm sounded at 6:45am and we were off to the races. Tracy and I grabbed a shower and went our respective ways. Dad called me about eight to make sure I was up and at ‘em.

“Samantha never came home last night and I am worried sick about her,” dad told me. “Will you go by the house and look for her on your way home from your injection?”

I told my father I would be glad to. I called Samantha and she come running out of the woods next to my father’s house. I immediately called my father and told him that she was okay. He sounded so relieved.

“My pussy is being bad,” he said. “I know she’s got to be hungry and thirsty.”

Honey Do Projects…

Tracy has been complaining for weeks that my shower doesn’t get hot enough. At first, I didn’t know what to do other than call a plumber and that is expensive. I hated to get Charlie involved. Dad thought I was exaggerating when I would talk about it.

“I liked to have froze my butt off this morning,” she told me tonight. “It is like shards of ice prickling your skin.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I replied, putting on my best mojo.

I took apart the faucet temperature and flow fixture and there was an o-ring and stopper regulating how hot the faucet water can get. It also had a plastic ring on it as well warning of too hot water. I moved it so you can get much hotter water flowing through. I put everything back together pleased with my efforts. It just took a plier and a screwdriver. The hardest part was getting the tight rubber o-ring to come off. 

“It’s fixed,” I told Tracy enthusiastically. “Be careful because it gets really hot now. If I knew it was going to be that easy to fix, I would have fixed it years ago. I have just put up with a lukewarm shower all this time.”

The shower should be hot and steamy in the morning much to Tracy’s relief and delight.

Sleepyhead…

God willing, I will be able to sleep in tomorrow morning. It is going to be so decadent. I will sleep until time to take my medications at noon.

Colds and Flus? Insomnia? What Next? Plagues and Earthquakes?

I couldn’t sleep the night before last. This saps all my creative energies thus the quiet blog. I spent Thursday in a daze of mental illness symptoms on the verge of numerous panic and anxiety attacks. I finally slept last night, but didn’t get my usual nap today. Hopefully, I will sleep again tonight and get back on a normal schedule. I’ve done nothing more than stare at computer parts on my tablet while I listen to classical music.

As Slow As Molasses…

Well, my father and Sir Matt finally got my Christmas ordered today. It was the last day for free shipping and they just squeaked by. I sighed a big sigh of relief. Why we can’t just order it on my father’s computer I do not know. It confounds and aggravates me the rigmarole it takes to get computer parts ordered around here. Dad also ordered a watch for himself from Amazon and got Sir Matt to handle that as well so it is not just me. He actually had the acumen to email Matt the watch he wanted which surprised me. Welcome to 2018 father!

I watched a little of Dr. Phil at Old Fuss and Feather’s house this morning. Just your usual and typical dysfunctional family type stuff – families torn apart by an abhorrent family member or broken families, divorces, etc. Dad cooked breakfast for him and I as well. We had fried eggs and bacon and some frozen biscuits warmed and toasted in the oven. I didn’t stay too long. It was getting close to time for me to take my medications and I didn’t bring them with me

“For god’s sake go take your medications,” my father told me with a laugh when I told him I had to go and the reason why. .

I came home and took off my glasses and my ballcap and was just going to lay down for an hour and rest. It was about 1 pm. I fell asleep and awoke tonight at 6:30 pm and the house was pitch black dark – very disorienting and disconcerting. I guess I needed the rest. It was amazing my phones didn’t ring in all that time nor did Maggie bark. It left me with little to write about today.

We should’ve went and got my Christmas tree, but dad and I both put it off until after the weekend. We're both supreme procrastinators. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow type of stuff.

I Think I Like You!

No amorous affairs last night. Tracy was just exhausted after a busy and full day yesterday. She was just glad to have me as company. I was running late last night and didn’t arrive until 9:30 pm my time. I called Tracy on the drive to Opelika and told her to go ahead and order the pizza – that I would be there in about 20 minutes. We ate pizza and Tracy then fell asleep on the couch full and satiated. It tickled me when Wheezy got up on her curvaceous hip and took a nap as well.

Nothing good was on TV last night even though Tracy has every channel they offer so I got on my tablet and tried countless different blog templates until I found one I liked. I get tired of the same old template and have to change from time to time.

12 am my time rolled around and I woke Tracy encouraging her to go to bed. She followed me to the bedroom and we both put on our sleeping clothes. Sleeping on Tracy’s bed is like sleeping on a sea of feathers. It is so very soft. I usually wake up with a sore neck and back, but fared well last night. I was asleep about the time my head hit the pillow. All I remember is Tracy cuddling up against me and I was gone.

Tracy warmed up some cream cheese and cherry Danishes for breakfast this morning which were fresh and delicious. We were both groggy and sleepy eyed, though. We were also very quiet and not saying much. Tracy and I are both not morning people.

“I envy you,” she said. “You don’t have to work today.”

“I am heading home and getting on the computer,” I told her delicately with a Cheshire grin.

Volunteering is a Merit I Hope…

Tracy didn't arrive until almost 10:30 pm my time last night. I was beginning to worry about her. I called her on her cellphone and she said she was on the way and would be here in 20 minutes. Maggie went bonkers when she pulled into the driveway. Tracy embraced me at the door and welcomed herself inside. She said she was hungry so I fixed his some toasted shaved turkey sandwiches with a side of sour cream and onion potato chips and a dill pickle spear. She said it was delicious.

Later in the night, we were laying in the bed when she told me she knew I was going to be somebody special when I walked in and asked Mrs. Barbara if she needed any volunteers.

“You never miss and you show up on time and you don’t get paid for it,” she told me. “That’s dedication.”

I am still getting accustomed to having someone in the bed with me. Tracy wants to cuddle and spoon and it takes me a long time to fall asleep. I feel trapped for fear of waking her up so I just lay there on my side uncomfortable. I guess the old saying don’t look a gift horse in the mouth applies to this situation. It is just going to take some time and I wouldn’t trade her spending the night for anything else in the world.

Morning arrived when my cellphone alarm went off. Hit the snooze button Tracy said and I laughed. We laid there for a few minutes looking at each other longingly morning breath and all. Tracy then took a shower while I fixed breakfast. We had scrambled eggs and flaky canned biscuits this morning. Soon, it was my time to shower and then we both headed into the Humane Society.

The Animal Control officer showed up with a whole slew of new dogs to grace us. I muttered shit under my breath because that’s what I am going to be cleaning up. One was a Pitbull and I will have to keep an eye on him. I don’t care what anybody says they still scare me. All I can think of is the elderly Mrs. Pinkerton getting killed by a Pitbull in the middle of town while she was on her daily walk. Phil Pinkerton, her husband, was a friend of mine. He helped me keep my Chevelle running. The owner of the Pitbull received jail time.

As Snug as a Bug in a Rug…

Mrs. Barbara called me at 7am this morning. I moaned as my cellphone rang on my bedside table. My bed was feeling like heaven. I looked to see who was calling and already knew what to expect.

“Tracy and I are going to be really late,” she said. “Could you go ahead and open the gate and get everything up and running?”

I didn’t have to be there until nine my time which was to my favor.

“Sure,” I sleepily replied as I wiped the sleep out of my eyes. “I just have to be at my father’s house at eleven.”

I set the alarm on my phone and slept another hour.

This was supposed to be my day off, but when a friend needs a hand, you have to lend it. Mrs. Barbara has been so nice, kind, and accommodating to me and my foibles.

I didn’t even take a shower. I just threw some clothes and a ballcap on and headed out the door. It is about a thirty minute drive for me. I unlocked the gate and opened it. Then I unlocked the building and turned all the lights on. The dogs were barking like crazy and I could hear a few meows as well. Everybody was glad we were back in business. I had to go in and greet all my canine friends and check on them. We are about at half capacity at the moment. I also checked Little Man’s long line of stiches for any signs of infection.

Mrs. Barbara showed up at 10am and Tracy was not far behind her. Tracy gave me a high five of comradery when she walked in the door.

“Have you had any visitors yet?” was the first thing Mrs. Barbara asked me when she walked in the door.

We had only been open for an hour.

“It has been quiet as a church mouse on that front,” I replied regretfully.

“Well, I am leaving it with y’all,” I told the duo. “I am going to head back to dad’s house.”

“Thank you so much, Andrew!” Mrs. Barbara told me. “It will not be forgotten.”

I told her, “Anytime!” with a warm smile and walked out the door. I had a date with Old Fuss and Feathers that would entail Cokes and conversation. Time for us to be together.

A Double Edged Sword…

These new anxiety meds are kicking my ass to put it bluntly. Yes, they have helped with the anxiety immensely, but I am too sleepy all the time to enjoy it.

I got home from volunteering yesterday, took my noon dose, and laid down for a nap and didn’t wake up until 7pm. I then took my nightly dose and fell back asleep and didn’t wake up until noon today. I am tempted to try and not take them today and see what happens. I don’t want to sleep away my life. I am just scared of the anxiety monster.

“Give them time,” Old Fuss and Feathers warily and gently said over the phone a moment ago. “You will probably get over the initial sleepiness.”

“I’ll try,” I said not very hopeful.  

I dare say I hope so. If I take my noon dose, I bet I will sleep until late in the evening. This happens with a lot of psychiatric medications. The side effects can be worse than what you are trying to cure.

Sept. 10th Tablet Scribblings… Finished With My Day…

It is time to hit the road folks. I didn’t get to sleep until 2 am last night and I feel a serious nap coming on. I also almost forgot to take my medications and was wondering why I felt a little jittery and nervous come noon.

This morning started off FUBAR. Lopez Landscaping showed up to mow my lawn at 7 am. I was just leaving to head to the Humane Society. I had to scramble back inside and lock the dog door so Maggie wouldn’t escape when they mowed the back yard. I hope there aren’t any accidents when I arrive home. Maggie can hold it with the best of them, though.

“Y’all can’t come at seven,” I told the foreman. “You’re going to wake up all my neighbors. It’s inconvenient for me as well.”

I am very excited about the weather. We have a 70% chance of thunderstorms today. I hope to be awakened in a few hours by the clap of thunder. A line of storms is already forming to our South.

Enter the Rabid Zone…

Tomorrow starts a phase of existence in my father’s and brother’s life that can best be described as rabid and obnoxious. Yes, it is the start of college football season. I get left out during this time as I find watching college football akin to watching ice melt. So, you all be thinking of me the next 9 weeks as I put up with these crazed, rabid men in my family.

“Football is good for your soul!” my father keeps telling me to a milquetoast reception.

They need to be spending all those millions of dollars they spend on football on scholarships and the like. Or, at least pay the players. I am just an old fart of a fuddy duddy aren’t I concerning this matter?

Well, Auburn spent over $2 million dollars putting up a gaudy new jumbotron. Think of how many scholarships could have been afforded by that money.

Put Your Feet Up. It’s Okay!

I was one sleepy pups when I got home today. I was so drowsy – nodding off as I was driving home up through the Valley. I got in my skivvies and curled up in my computer room bed – the one bed Maggie can still jump up on. We went to sleep for over five hours. Maggie was like…don’t get up! I hope I can sleep tonight, but at least it was on a weekend in which I have absolutely nothing to do. I can catch some Rip Van Winkles when I need them.

A Shirt On Your Back…

Today, at the Humane Society, Mrs. Barbara had ordered a bunch of Humane Society t-shirts and they had finally arrived. Yay! I got a purple, bright orange, and black t-shirt. These are to be worn while we are at the Society so adopters can know who the staff are. I was so proud to get my t-shirts. I immediately went into the bathroom and put my purple one on. They are very nicely done. They are also for sale to patrons who come to visit and adopt – another way to support us through donations by buying a t-shirt.

It is 3:30 PM and I am Calling it Quits…

I was in the bed at 9 PM last night. Charlie woke me up at 9:30 AM with breakfast. I overslept this morning and boy was it nice. I felt like a million dollars is what I told Charlie and my father. Charlie made a remark about how good my hair looks and then he was on his way to my father’s house with my father’s biscuit and senior coffee. I ate breakfast, took a shower, gathered a bag of essential computer parts and tools, and headed to the Humane Society down through the Valley.

I did manage to upgrade Mrs. Barbara’s computer this afternoon after taking care of my feeding and watering chores. It now has 16 GB of system memory and I transferred the operating system and all her files to a 250 GB solid state drive which is now the boot drive. She can use her old 500 GB hard drive for files, photos, and such as I formatted it and it is clean and ready for use. It is like a different computer I tell you. It boots up in seconds instead of minutes now. She is going to be so surprised and delighted. I was tempted to upgrade her to Windows 10, but thought it may confuse her.

When I arrived home this afternoon, dad called me and told me to come and get some leftovers just as I had hoped last night. I got a huge bag of “the works” pizza and a big box of sausage and cheese lasagna. Dad said there is plenty more to be had after I eat what he gave me today. He inquired if I liked vegetarian lasagna and I replied that I most certainly did. There was a whole pan in the basement fridge.

Some Call Midnight Bedtime…

The last thing I remember last night was the TV droning on as I sat in my recliner. That show Without a Trace was on the Escape channel – one of the few channels I get. My dear Maggie was sound asleep on the couch softly snoring. I leaned back in my lazy boy to get more comfortable and a moment later it was light outside and the clock read 7 AM. Now, that’s what I call a time warp in this neck of the woods. I had to look at the clock twice to make sure the time was correct.

The phone then rang loudly at eight. I hurried into the computer room to answer it.

“Do you want me to bring you and Maggie some breakfast?” Charlie asked. “I am at McDonald's now getting Horsefly’s morning biscuit.”

“I better stick to my diet,” I told Charlie of those calorific biscuits from McDonald’s. “And Maggie can stand to lose a few pounds as well.”

I almost felt guilty for refusing. Charlie so enjoys feeding the Magster and I.

I looked out the window and George was rummaging around in his laundry room on his carport. That’s where he keeps his beer as he likes to drink it lukewarm. Soon, I heard the familiar cracking open of a Miller High Life as he lit up a cigarette and sat down to enjoy his wares. I couldn’t help but chuckle. Vices start early around here it seems. I worry about George, though. I can hear him hacking up a lung from the back room of my house.

Eyelids Like Lead...

Miracles do happen! After Charlie left yesterday evening, I went and laid down on the bed with my clothes still on. I was just going to take a quick power nap. I was so sleepy and it was a wonderful feeling. When you have insomnia, you never feel sleepy. You just feel doggone tired all the time. Maggie hopped up onto the bed and she was asleep within ten minutes. Myself on the bed is sheer bliss for my Maggie. Her rhythmic breathing was a wonderful serenade and I was soon fast asleep as well. I woke up this morning at 4 AM feeling my oats. I had slept for eleven wonderful hours. The only thing that kept me from sleeping longer is that the house had grown very cold and I woke up shivering. I got up to turn up the heat and then got captivated by my computer and my music.

Charlie will be along with sausage biscuits and that wonderful Coke in a little while. He usually shows up between 9 AM and 10 AM. It is pouring rain here this morning so the weather might make him a little later.

There's Light At the End of the Tunnel...

I hope I don't speak too soon, but it seems my insomnia phase is easing. I got some pretty decent sleep last night. Well, I slept about five to six hours, but it was a fitful sleep full of dreams. It seems I am also easing back into a diurnal existence. I think the two coincide. It is odd for me to be awake at 8:30 AM in the morning. It is also weird having all this daytime on my hands. I am waiting until about 9 AM before I call my father to see how is he doing and if he feels any better. I might just surprise him with some breakfast this rainy morning.

I heard from my dear Rosa last night. She called me and I just happened to answer the phone.

"I try to call you all the time, but you never answer the phone," she admonished me.

"Let it ring four times and I will call you back," I told her.

She lives with her daughter in Atlanta now taking care of her grandkids while her daughter works. Rosa is also on disability now so they have some extra income coming in. She has been clean and sober for ten years she told me. I blushed and said aw shucks last night when she told me I was the love of her life. She said I made her feel like a teenager again.

"So? When can I see you?" Rosa asked me catching me off guard.

I stuttered and stammered a little bit.

"I might just have to take a trip to Atlanta," I told her. "I could die for one of those greasy fried peach pies from the Varsity."

The Dam Broke and the Water Flowed Forth...

I finally got eight hours of uninterrupted sleep today. It was a true blessing. I feel like a hundred bucks tonight.

"I figured and prayed you getting that injection would knock you out," my father told me during his visit to deliver two of my essentials, Cokes and smokes.

I've been waking up with the most painful, stiff, and sore neck lately, though. Dad got ahold of me and massaged my neck painfully.

"Shit! That hurts!" I exclaimed loudly as my father massaged my neck forcefully as he laughed at my protests.

The Masochist! Dad was worried I had swollen lymph nodes in my neck. The pain subsides about an hour or so after I have awakened.

I have about 30 minutes until my "morning" medications to take effect and I hope I will feel even better then. Yeehaw!

Dining Out?

I was sound asleep yesterday when the phone rang. It jolted me awake and I let loose a moan. Maggie jumped off the bed on full alert. She gets excited when the phone rings. I stumbled to the phone to answer it like a lumbering Frankenstein.

"You were asleep!" my father said regretfully. "I hate I woke you up!"

He knows I am going through a hard time right now getting enough sleep.

"It's alright, dad," I replied. "Don't worry about it."

"I am going out to eat with my neighbors behind me and I thought you would like your Cokes and smokes as you call them. I probably won't get back home until late."

"Yeah, that would be great," I said deliriously.

"I will be over in 15 to 20 minutes."

Dad arrived and I was caught off guard. If I knew he was coming, I would have cleaned the house up some. My kitchen was a mess. Mainly just disorganized with stuff strewn about on the countertops.

"Don't let your kitchen get so bad, son," he told me.

"I would have cleaned up is if knew you were coming in advance," I told him defensively. "It'll take me only 30 minutes to straighten the house up."

Then he looked in my bedroom at my broken full-size bed. Yes, Old Fuss and Feathers frowned.

"I will get Charlie to see about getting you a new bed," he told me.

That bedroom suite of furniture was my fathers when he was a young boy. I slept in that bed countless times visiting my grandmother's farm. It holds a lot of nostalgia for us both.

And the Alarm Clock Blinks 12 AM...

I am so envious of Maggie right now. I picked her up and put her in the bed when I went to bed at 3 AM. Well, I lay there until 5 AM sleepless and finally got back up. Maggie is snoring loudly on the bed oblivious to the world. Oh, I wish I could trade places with her.

It's my fault for letting this insomnia happen. I stay up later and later until my circadian clock finally resets eventually.  Insomnia started last Sunday when Charlie woke me up for my Coke and our breakfast biscuits around nine in the morning. I was sleeping from 4 AM to 4 PM just fine. That set into motion that dire circumstance I put myself into and that circumstance is insomnia.

It Looks Gorgeous Darling...

Charlie came over and got me yesterday afternoon. He is miffed that I am not taking more interest in his new house. I have offered to help him paint but to no avail. I think my father told him not to put too many obligations on my plate. I have nothing but time on my hands if he needs me. He showed me all around and then we had to look at his new kitchen cabinets and appliances. This is all a labor of love for Charlie just like my computers and computer technology are for me.

Gigtopia...

WOW! started offering 1 Gigabit Internet service in our area this week which rivals Google's fiber Internet. That is 1000 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up (the much slower upload is a limitation of cable Internet). I would just have to pay $20 more a month to get this service instead of the 500 Mbps service I am having installed next week. I am sure debating over it. That would double my speed, but just how fast is fast enough? If you hate waiting for downloads then I say it is worth it.

Don't You Know that Rome Wasn't Built in a Day?

This is how he looks to Maggie...

The Mags and I got in the bed at 3 AM last night. I know. I am still lurking about in the midnight hours. The Magster got a bug up her butt around 9 AM and woke me up. I looked out the window and it was that shady character that walks by several times a day and he was all dressed in black as usual. He was walking by the house and it gets Maggie all torn up.

Well, I felt deliriously tired and as soon as Maggie calmed back down, I got back in the bed. Maggie and I slept until 5:30 PM. The Magster was like, "No, don't get up!" I think that is the most I have slept in forever. I feel fully rested tonight and ready to take on the night.

Old Fuss and Feathers is coming at 8:30 PM to bring my Cokes and smokes. He will also inspect my medications and the bathroom which keeps me on my toes as far as keeping it clean. We can't let Charlie down after all that work he did cleaning it. We will then check Maggie's food and water and he will be on his way -- Maggie's ritual as I call it.

I will probably be up all night playing Metroid Fusion on the Gameboy Advance and Shining the Holy Ark on the Sega Saturn. My two favorite games at the moment.

OMG!

My sister gave me the most comfortable clothes I have ever owned. An L.L. Bean fleece pullover and pants. They are so warm and super comfortable. I had to turn the heat down in here two degrees they are so warm. I am going to wear them to get groceries tonight and it will make for a much more comfortable experience. The grocery store experience always freezes my butt off every week. They keep it cold so the food lasts longer.

My brother and his wife gave me a very nice fleece jacket and the world's most powerful flashlight (torches as they are called in England). At least, that's what it says on the box. "You can see it from space!" I'll go over budget grocery shopping tonight trying to buy batteries for the thing. It takes like eight "C" batteries.

I didn't get into bed until 1 am last night playing some old emulated Sega Saturn games. My biological clock then decided I needed to get up at 9 am. I took my meds and got in the kitchen and fixed the Mags and I a hot plate. Just some cheese eggs and buttery toast, but it tasted absolutely delicious. It was all washed down with my last glass of sweet milk. I hadn't been on the computer for a few minutes when I felt as if the weight of the world were bearing down upon my shoulders. Back to bed Maggie and I went. The Magster and I didn't get up until 4 pm this afternoon. Can you say some serious sleeping? Dad would say I am depressed. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. Yes, I set my alarm and took my noon meds. It wouldn't be unlike my father to show up this afternoon and do a spot med check with Maggie and me in the bed and medications sans taken.