It’s All Better Now…

I struggled yesterday all day with my mental illness. My injection was due in the morning and had petered out leaving me without that constant flow of medications into my bloodstream. I couldn’t concentrate on anything my mind was racing so fast. I went to open the front door and Tracy asked me where I was going late yesterday afternoon.

“I am going for a long walk to clear my head,” I told her with a grimace.

Tracy woke me up this early morning before heading to work.

“Remember your injection is this morning,” she told me worriedly.

She had never seen me get in such a state and it scared and worried her.

I got up and got ready to go. I was in a daze on the drive to the pharmacy to pick up my injection. To make matters worse, my father didn’t have my injection ready to go when I arrived. I had to wait about 15 minutes. I finally grabbed my injection and headed to Kamath Medical.

“You’re awful quiet this morning,” my nurse, Rebecca, remarked upon me.

On an interesting weather note, we had a freak sleet storm last night. My car was just covered with ice pellets this morning and I worried about slick roads. 

25 Degrees of Fun…

“It’s a tad bit chilly out tonight, eh?” I asked my father in a perfectly respectable Canadian accent last night as we briskly walked across the parking lot to Kroger.

It was actually 25° degrees outside. All I could think of were Terrence and Philip and the opening segue to South Park: The Movie.

He laughed and said, “Oh yeah, eh?” in a really bad Canadian accent that made me chuckle.

“We sound like that politician, Sarah Palin,” he furthered as we laughed some more.

“She was Alaskan by the way,” I reminded my father.

It was time to do some shopping and I already knew what I wanted. Tuna helper was the name of the game and I was going to spice it up with some cheddar cheese and broccoli florets. I also got lots of sandwich fixins. I am fixated on sandwiches at the moment. I guess because they are so easy to fix and clean up after. I just adore a sandwich with some of that spicy, horseradish infused mustard.

Well, Judy rang up my groceries and it was really cheap. I had only spent $59.99. I was perplexed. I realized when I got home I had forgotten to get my sandwich meats which would have been around $20. I called my father and explained the situation.

“Just go back up there and debit them,” he said with a exhausted sounding sigh. “Just don’t buy any beer.”

I hurried back to Kroger while my car was still warm. I got two “mega” packs of oven roasted turkey breast for $18.99 and went through the self checkout lane. The temperature had fallen to 24° degrees by the time I got back home. I shut the door to my chilly house and turned up the heat. 

When Your Dog Farts, Blame Your Girlfriend…

Tracy and I were spooning on the couch Sunday night. We were watching Masterpiece’s Victoria on Public Broadcasting. Maggie was laying on the rug just below us. Suddenly, this nasty, rotten egg smell wafted up from the floor. I saw Tracy wrinkle her nose first and I smiled. I knew it was Maggie, but I told Tracy, “Jesus honey, you need to check your drawers after that.” She elbowed me very hard in the ribs and it hurt.

“You know that was Maggie!” she exclaimed despondently.

By this time, I was laughing so hard it hurt. Tracy got to laughing as well.

“How can something so cute and cuddly emit something so nasty?” Tracy asked me.

Maggie looked stymied at all the commotion and then laid her head back down and went back to sleep.

Snow January 2019 was a Bust…

We were supposed to get 1 inch of snow this morning. The temperatures were just too warm. The National Weather Service got the forecast wrong all over the state and are having to eat humble pie this morning. They had to downgrade all winter weather warnings down to winter weather advisories. The temperature is supposed to fall into the twenties after sunset. It is going to be a cold trip to the grocery store tonight. I was feeling shaky last night, so dad and I put it off until tonight.

Getting Back On An Even Keel…

I feel much better than I did last week which was hell week. They say blogging is like riding a bike. You just have to get back on and start peddling. Hopefully, I will be back to writing on a regular basis now material permitting. 

Breakfast Just Hits the Spot…

It is a dreary day here. it is pouring rain and it is also 42° degrees. You’d catch the death of you if you were out in this weather for very long. Dad called this morning and said Charlie was coming for breakfast. He wanted me to come too. I hurriedly dressed and braved the horrid weather to reach my father’s house. Dad cooked poached eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits. Charlie and I agreed it was an extraordinary breakfast. We were all full of banter and good cheer afterwards. Dad jokingly said he needs to feed us more often if that was going to be the end result.

Charlie got his TV fixed. It was still under warranty and a serviceman came out and installed a new power supply motherboard saving me the trouble. He was thrilled to death to have it back working. I didn’t envy that serviceman’s job as there were at least fifty screws on the back of that TV that had to be taken out to get to the inside of the television. Things tend to work out best in the end.  

A Few Snow Flakes Flying?

If you’ve read me a long time then you know my penchant for winter weather. We have a line of snow showers headed this way and might see a flake or two. The National Weather Service says there will be no accumulations, but I am excited none the less.  It probably won’t get here until after midnight, but I am going to stay up and wait for it. I just called my father and Tracy spreading the good news.

Edit – I spoke too soon. It looks like the line of snow showers is fading as they hit drier air south.

Central Alabama Snow Totals...

Just Call Me Slick...

There are still a lot of slick spots on the road. I had to be really careful going over to my father's house this afternoon. Charlie hasn't worked all week -- contentedly painting his new house. He can't make it that far to Dadeville. He tried this morning to go into work and State Troopers turned him around saying a jack-knifed semi was up the road.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked my father as I plopped down in the chair in his den.

"I'm fine today, but I have been swigging Kaopectate occasionally," he replied.

"I've got the bug today," I told Old Fuss and Feathers. "I can't be too far from a bathroom."

"Damn you!" I said with a good-natured laugh. "You gave me this shit!"

Dad gave me some money to go buy some Kaopectate at Fred's. Fred's had yet another new cashier. You can't keep up with them all. It is like a revolving door. I was sure to bring the change and receipt back to him before heading home. I got some Pepto Bismal and sour Skittles candy as well making full use of the money my father gave me.

Despite being addled with a stomach bug and cramps, I was in good spirits and dad and I were laughing and joking about various things.

The Aftermath...

When all was said and done we got about 3 inches of the white stuff. I stayed up all night until the last band of snow moved through. I was definitely in my element. I should have been a meteorologist.

I just have driven to my father's house to get my Cokes and smokes and the roads are still pretty messy.

"Do you think you can make it across town?" my father asked me over the phone.

"I'll be fine," I told him. "It's the other drivers I need to be worried about."

I saw two fender benders on the way. If you don't have 4 wheel drive then you need to stay off these roads.

"Oh good, you made it," my father replied when he opened the back door and welcomed me inside.

Dad said he was going to work in the BMW tomorrow.

"You sure it has 4 wheel drive?" he asked.

"You also have a pretty sophisticated traction control system," I told him.

Charlie got the day off and I hope he stops by today. It would have been an impossible drive to Dadeville for work this morning with these messy roads. I think the Governor closed all nonessential offices.

Live Blogging the Snow Event...

8:00 PM UPDATE -- Right now it is overcast and cloudy. The temperature is 40°F degrees. Rain/Snow is just entering the counties to our north and west.

8:30 PM UPDATE --  The temperature has dropped to 38°F degrees. Still no precipitation. Papa should be here any moment with Cokes and smokes. He had to work today.

9:00 PM UPDATE -- The temperature has dropped to 37°F degrees and continues to fall. The rain/snow event should start in the next 30 minutes to an hour. It is snowing in Roanoke, AL just to our north. Papa has just left. He was in good spirits saying they installed a new Windows-based computer system at work and he amazingly picked up how to use it quickly and used it all day to fill prescriptions. This refutes the old saying you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Minus 88°F degrees in the Yakusia province of Russia last night. 

9:30 PM UPDATE -- The temperature has fallen two more degrees to 35°F. Still no precipitation yet. though. I saw on TV where the Weather Channel has a crew set up in Auburn just down the interstate.

10:00 PM UPDATE -- The temperature is now 34°F and snow is falling in LaGrange, Ga at this moment. It is just a hop and a skip away from us up the road. Still no precipitation. The weather gods are teasing me and torturing me. 

10:30 PM UPDATE -- It is now 32°F and sleeting. I guess something is better than nothing, but I am still holding out for snow. 

11:00 PM UPDATE -- The winds are just brutal right now. The windchill values are in the teens. No precipitation just yet, but the temperature has fallen to 29°F degrees. All that snow on the radar will grace us soon. 

11:30 PM UPDATE -- Well, it is now lightly snowing with a heavier band on the way. My wish has been fulfilled. This is something we rarely see this far south. 

Melancholy Me...

Today marks the one year anniversary of the day my mother passed away. I can see it and feel it just like it was yesterday. I had just been over at my parent's house. Mom was in good cheer and sitting on the couch. She told me not to forget my Cokes and cigars as I was headed out the back door. An hour after that, my father called me and said, "Your mother is dead." It took days later for the full emotional impact to hit me. I was stunned. I miss her dearly and all she did for me. If you went to my mother and said you needed something done, you could consider it done that day. If you do the same with my father, it can sometimes be weeks or months for what you asked for to be implemented.

This afternoon my father and I drove to Waverly, Alabama to put some flowers on her grave. It was the first time I had seen the headstone since my father had it placed. It was a quiet ride there and an even more quiet ride back. I told my father I wanted to be cremated and my remains buried next to him and mom.

Life Marches Ever Onwards...

"I'll meet you at the Piggly Wiggly at nine," my father said tonight over the phone.

I actually arrived at 8:45 PM and got started early. It is going to be another breakfast food themed week this week. I bought a thick cut brand of bacon straying away from my "Black Label" brand and we will see how it fares. It will probably take forever to fry to the crispiness I like.

The same cashier I got last week said, "Yes, you like eggs." She had remarked on my egg purchase last week as well.

"Do you think it is going to snow?" the cashier then asked me as we were checking out.

"Oh, it is going to snow. Just how much is the question," I replied to her. "Watch us just get a dusting."

"That would be fine with me!" she exclaimed. "I don't want any snow!"

I was surprised there wasn't a mad dash to the Piggly Wiggly tonight by the citizenry to buy milk and bread. I got my usual four gallons of whole milk and two loaves of Nature's Own honey wheat bread.

I ended up spending $75 dollars tonigiht which was within acceptable parameters.

May the Weather Model Gods Be With Us...

It doesn't look like much does it? The National Weather Service is hinting at a much larger event. They are waiting for the next few model runs and then will update our forecast. Even if it doesn't snow, then we are in for several very cold days and nights after the front passes from the north.

My Hopes are High and Reality Bites...

It is 2:30 AM as I write this. I am slowly watching the temperatures drop as rain moves into the eastern counties of Alabama. I have high hopes we may get some interesting weather before the night is over, but as I wrote about in the title, reality bites. The ultra-conservative National Weather Service says it is just going to be a rain event. I'd even be happy with a little sleet storm. God forbid we get snow, but I can hope.

Weather Gods? Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?

The National Weather Service said we would be beseeched with sleet this afternoon. I was met with overcast skies when I walked out of the house to go get my Cokes and smokes. Not a drop of rain fell on the drive over even though the radar looked really busy. It was probably virga and not hitting the ground.

My sister and family were at my father's house when I arrived. I got the treat of driving my sister's new Infinity sport utility vehicle. Wow! They, my brother and sister, live a lifestyle I can only imagine or dream of. My Honda gets me around just fine, though. Although she's starting to look a little ugly being 18 years old.

My sister and father were watching The Crown on Netflix and it was really racy with lots of sex and nudity. It made me squirm in my seat a little bit being around my sister, neice, and father with all that going on the screen. Poor Kathleen, my neice, kept having to cover her eyes and ears on the really racy moments.

"Are y'all bringing supper tonight?" I asked my father before I left as he followed me to the door.

"Charlie and I sure are," he said. "What do you want to eat tonight?"

"Just get me one of those Little Ceasar's $5 Hot-N-Ready pizzas if you don't mind," I told him.

Dad said Charlie and him would be around about 9 pm.

The house is a little worse for wear so I better get to cleaning and taking out the trash before they arrive tonight. I don't want to send Charlie into a cleaning frenzy.

Paramore Fans! Did They Jump the Shark?

I was aghast at the new album they put out called Hard Times. It was an extremely drastic change from their emo alternative rock sound to a more 80's sound. Well, I've listened to the new album several times now and have grown to really enjoy listening to it being a connoisseur of 80's music. I wonder what other Paramore fans think about it?

Their old alternative rock sound.

Comment Replies...

Blogger Summer said...

Did you get any snow?

Andrew Replies...

Summer, we got about 5 inches -- the most I can ever remember getting. The counties to the north of us got up to 10 inches of snow. I woke up at 5:30 am and checked outside and it was a winter wonderland. When I went to bed about 11 pm there was no snow. It was just sleeting like crazy. The snow was just coming down and fast early this morning -- big, beautiful fluffy flakes of snow. The roads stayed clear, though, thank goodness. I noticed they sanded all the bridges when I was out and about earlier. It took me quite a few moments in the freezing cold to just get my car cleaned of snow and ready to drive. Something we are not used to in the South. I just got back from my father's house to get my cigarettes and diet Cokes. I also wanted to survey the lay of the land so to speak and drove about town for a bit. Needless to say, this all thrilled me to death.

Winter Storm Warning...

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Snow continues. Plan on difficult travel conditions,
  including during the evening commute into the overnight hours.
  Total snow accumulations of 5 inches will be common, with
  higher totals up to 10 inches in the higher terrain in east
  central Alabama. Most of the accumulations will on be grassy
  and elevated surfaces, but some roadways will become covered.

* WHERE...Chambers, Dallas, Autauga and Elmore Counties.

* WHEN...Until 7 AM CST Saturday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Be prepared for significant reductions in
  visibility at times and hazardous driving conditions. Be
  especially careful as trees, limbs and power lines may come
  down due to the weight of the snow.

A Recipe for Baneful Bitchiness...

What I hope to see in the morning!

I told Charlie yesterday that if I have a little oversight then all his cleaning will stay clean. I told this to my father as well last night.  Well, Charlie stopped by tonight to check my bathroom and kitchen which he worked so hard to clean after my feeble efforts were met with a milquetoast and blase reception.

"Looking good!" he told me looking in both rooms.

He peered into the fridge as well.

"Your lemon meringue pie looks delicious," he said.

Then Charlie told me he was in a terrible mood and so was Horsefly who was currently at the bowling alley. Thankfully, I am sensitive about such matters and he didn't direct any bitchiness towards me.

"The weather is just deplorable and Horsefly didn't want to eat his supper. I sat in the drive-thru line at KFC for 30 minutes to get his chicken strips," Charlie furthered.

Papa's just left as well. He just missed Charlie by 15 minutes. He was bringing me my diet Cokes and my cigarettes. The Cokes were just ice cold from sitting in his car all day which added a nice perk to the evening. It's cold here!

"Now, you try to conserve those cigarettes," he told me. "They are godawful expensive."

Dad pays for all my cigarettes. He says disability money shouldn't be spent on addictions and he is right. I agree.

"Let me look at your bathroom," he said, "Looking good and let's keep it this way."

There is Also a Recipe For Snow...

The ultra-conservative National Weather Service is saying we might just get an inch, but The Weather Channel says no. Right now the temperature is 39° degrees which doesn't look so promising. The Weather Service said we should change over to snow about 4 am in the morning and snow all day tomorrow.

I'm Not Sully! I am Sullen!

https://www.quora.com

Well, winter storm 2017 was a complete bust. At least, for this part of the South. It was just an all night very cold rain event.  I should have known so and not set my hopes so high. It makes me feel like a stupid weather fanboi. The weather guessers are rarely right on a micro level especially when it concerns winter weather.

I set my alarm clock to wake me around 3 AM to see if all the rain had changed over to snow yet as they had forecast. A cold blast of wind met me at the front door with the pattering of rain could be heard on my roof. I heard Maggie potty in record time and then we both climbed back into the bed my hopes dashed and Maggie surely had to be relieved. I was like Horsefly not getting to go to the bowling alley. We awoke this morning to a beautiful sunny 25° degree winter day in the Southland -- the easterly sun shining intensely brightly surrounded by beautiful pastel blue skies.

At Least, I Didn't Have to Get Out in This Weather...

My father showed up at 10:00 PM last night with my medications. He seemed out of it as well. Maybe his hopes were getting dashed also.

His excuse last night was that he fell asleep while watching TV which is perfectly plausible as far as my father goes. That meant my mother was in the bed and most likely asleep.

"Johnny! Johnny! Go take Andrew his medications," she always says when she badgers him at night. "He probably needs them. Don't make him wait!"

And the beat goes on...

Look Who's is Going to Build a Tentative Snowman!

Well, it looks likely that we will get some interesting winter weather down South after all today.
If you know me well, then you know I am extra super excited and elated. An event like this only
happens every 5 to 6 years or so.

It is also going to be fun and interesting to see Maggie trying to poop or pee amidst of all that winter weather and precipitation! She will be out and in within almost a split second.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 409 AM CST FRI JAN 6 2017 ...WINTER WEATHER IMPACTS POSSIBLE FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY AND TONIGHT... COLD AIR WILL QUICKLY SPREAD SOUTHWARD THIS MORNING AS MOISTURE FROM A SYSTEM IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO SPREADS NORTHWARD. WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AND ADVISORY AREAS. SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO TRAVEL ARE LIKELY.

* ACCUMULATIONS...1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET.

Winter Storm Warning...

Yes, we are now under a winter storm warning at the moment so something better damn happen.

We are forecast to get mainly a sleet event and not snow, but I am happy none the less. Anything abnormal is fun and interesting to me and 2 inches of sleet will be a joy. Let's just not have 2 inches of ice on everything.

It should start at lunch tomorrow and last until lunch the next day. I told my father to be careful driving tomorrow and I then called Charlie (who doesn't keep up with the weather at all). Charlie always says if you want to know the weather then look out your window. Oh, if it could be so easy. lol!

"Nothing stops for the Horsefly," Charlie said with an air of foreboding. "We will still be going to KFC tomorrow night for our daily chicken tenders and then go bowling. We might be on a snowmobile, though, but we will get there."

Big Kudos to Sapphire...

http://www.guru3d.com/

I've never been more pleased with a video card than I have with this new Sapphire Nitro+ video card. It is Christmas money well spent. It handles everything I throw at it with aplomb and high frame rates. It also does all that for just under $300 (most of Nvidia's performance v-cards are over $600). You used to hear someone say their video card was going out. You would think, "big money!" Processors and video cards are two of the most costly items in a gaming computer.

Now? I am going to get greedy and buy another card. You can run two cards in tandem called crossfire creating an incredible "video crunching" powerhouse.

Let It Snow! And Snow! And Snow!

The weather guesser's confidence just grows keener and more accurate as this winter storm gets closer to arriving. I don't want the messy stuff this weekend like ice like they are alluding to. Just some nice uncommon snowfall would be great. I love getting to use my all-wheel-drive. It is really neat. "Move over! Here comes Andrew!" Also, the nice thing about snow in the South is that it is here one day and gone the next.

"Don't you dare to take the BMW out in a snowy mess," I told my father this morning,

"But it has all wheel drive!" my father said to me kind of aloof.

"Your Honda has all wheel as well," I said to my father, "Just look out for black ice!"