Messed Up Sleep

 Sunday night I did not sleep well. Around 1am, I even took an edible, but it seemed to have no effect in helping me relax, or feel sleepy, like normal. In fact, I ended up watching TV shows until shortly after 4am, where I tried again to sleep, and finally getting there. Only to waken at 7:30a to get the day started. Needed to do the pills, measure the BP, the Glucose. And be at the hospital by 8:30a for my 9am Paracentesis. I wonder if that is the main reason I could not sleep - being uncomfortable. My abdomen was feeling more internal pressure than the past few weeks has been, and it was not comfortable rolling over, or any movement at all it seemed. This evening, I thought was planned out well - I was having trouble keeping my eyes open by 8pm. At 10pm I called it, and went to bed. I was out pretty quick. Then something woke me - suddenly, and made me wide-awake. 

I had to pee. So I get up to take care of this business, and realize just how awake I am. I go into the office, and realize it is barely 11:45pm. I slept maybe an hour? Oh, I'm feeling tired again already, but not the sleepy kind I was earlier. This is more of a 'realized fatigue' knowing my mind and body has to go through this sleep issue crap.

I have been trying to help out more around the house lately. Seems since all this medical crap started back in September, I have been doing more around the house: cooking, cleaning, yardwork. Most of it I leave to the Wife and the Boys, as I just don't have the energy (or the desire, or both). I did spend quite some time this late night perusing clips of crockpot meals. Some I want to try, so are just yucky looking, and others, I wonder why people would even make something like that.... I suppose now that I have a couple easy fix ideas, I may do a crockpot dinner again this week.

Speaking of food, I need to get to Sam's Club. RM and I were last talking about memberships, and she decided to cancel PT's card, and put me on under her account (he never uses his card anyways). So I need to get up to the one by my house and see if they can get my card issued to me, without RM being there in person. This would be nice for some of our dinner ideas and whatnot for Riders meals, as well as home stuff. The only negative towards it, is the more "bulk" items, which also means higher prices, and me with no room to put the extra "bulk" (especially if it needs to be frozen of refrigerated). Maybe I can get up there today, as I have nothing going on until my meetings tonight....

I have been trying this last week to get out into the yard to get some of the yardwork done, but have failed. Between appointments, not feeling well, and other events going on, I just haven't had the time. Maybe I can try to get out there this morning if I don't sleep in too late from being up late.

PeacE

Day 3

 These post titles are going to get pretty boring if I keep going on like I am.

Up early today. Woke around 3:30am and used the facility. Got a drink of cold water, and returned to bed, falling back asleep quite easily. Only to wake at 4:30am wide awake. So up out of bed and into the office I go. Which I guess in some ways is good. I needed to get a review up on the last book I read in 2022, as I have not taken the time yet. Got that done, jumped over to Goodreads.com and set my new goal for 2023 (at 200 books again, even though last year I exceeded at 266). Took a spin around the sites I peruse for ARCs, or other books coming out for future books to read. 

...and it is only 5:14am now. Sigh. I see a nap coming at some point today.

Only crickets can be heard when I check my emails for work related information. School starts back up tomorrow for the Youngest. I assume the 'City' was by yesterday to look at my front yard to 'approve' it has been cut to under 6", though I never saw them. We spent part of Saturday and between rains on Sunday trying to finish it all up. It would have been faster (and better looking in my opinion) if we didn't have to band-trim around all the freaking plants the Wife tries to grow in the front and along the side. For some reason, her flowers and other plants just don't like being planted by her it seems, and do not tend to live long. I swear, every trip to Lowes, she is in the nursery looking at more flowers/plants. But the yard does look pretty nice, even if it has caused me some physical aches as I am not used to that much physical activity.

The Wife came home last night and asked if I had heard about the football game on earlier. I said no, as I had no care for either team playing now that Washington is out. It was the big deal about a player that had a play, then staggered and fell. After reading an article this mornning, I see it was a cardiac arrest, he was revivied after several minutes of CPR on the field. He is listed as in critical condition at the local UMC. The game was suspended, with no info about a continuation at this point. I mentioned to the Wife that I had not heard, and I really gave it a flippant "Eh." when she told me. These players know thiese risks when they play. I'm sure the player wasn't expecting a heart attack last night, but they know their medical history well enough, I am sure. That's why they risk it for the big bucks. I feel for the player and his family, sure, but not for the the events that happened to cause/because of it.

Day 3 of the new year, and my 'Snack Basket' is still pretty full, and almost overflowing. I had taken not only the goodies that came in it, but added my food/snack goodies from my stocking and other gifts to the basket. It now resides here beside the desk, within hands reach, for when those hungries come visit. I thnk this was such a good gift from RM! Maybe next year it will be a box of 'Snack Basket Refills' for Christmas! Lots of pickles, beef jerky and snack packs to get through, woo hoo!

Today's agenda: Whole lot of nothing. The Wife has a Dr appointment to re-up on her BP meds. I got the text yesterday from Walgreens that my prescriptions are ready. I think I mentioned about a month ago that they called and set me up so all my meds come in and can do in one pick-up versus the several I had to do. Which is nice. And starts this month. I'll wait until this afternoon to go though, as I am sur ethey will call in a scrip for the Wife, and I will pick hers up as well. She also gave me the new medical insurance info to giv ethem. I guess the plan changes somewhat this year, even though still with the same company.

Welp, guess that was the best I got today for ya....

PeacE

Break Time is Over!

 Well, break time is over for the Youngest. He returns to school today, and all the extra band practices, games, competitions. It was a bit weird last week, when he had a home game they had to play... on the Fall Break. I don't recall them ever having to do that before....

No news on the work front for me. I know part of the HR/Recruiting staff were on vacation last week, so hopefully with them back in this week, some projects will be setting up to bring people in on. Though I do admit, in some ways it has been nice being off the last few weeks, I am ready to concentrate on something and make a few dollars.

Didn't do much this past weekend. Stuman, my brother, celebrated his 48th birthday. His wife was out of town celebrating her birthday (earlier in the week) so brother invited several friend s to his place on Saturday. I did end up going, feeling obligated somewhat. Only a few friends showed up, and I was there most of the afternoon and into the evening. A lot of rain (for AZ) came Saturday, and really soaked the ground, so Sunday, the Youngest pushed over the dead tree in our front yard. It wasn't huge - about 6-8 inches thick in the trunk. But it was dead, and bulk trash is coming up here in a couple weeks. Need to finish getting it chopped down to size for pick-up.

No plans this week, unless a project comes along. I need to get up to Walgreens, hopefully today, to pick up a prescription they notified me about. I think it is more glucose test strips, but am not sure. This mornings readings were back int he better/regular range than some of the ones from last week. Gonna change that up now as I drink some Sweet Tea from Church's Chicken. Boy, is that sweet!

PeacE

Monday Morning Downers

This morning has brought my crappy Monday feeling to a new low. I had a good day yesterday with some buddies (even though my team lost - again) and the Wife and I had a nice dinner out at Anzio's Italian (I had the antipasto salad and it was delish). Headed home, and again I was tired early so went to bed around 8pm. Woke up around 2am, and just could not sleep well the rest of the night. many wake-ups and roll-overs. Sweating and feeling hot (though it was a nice temp in the room). Then this morning, as I am doing my glucose and BPO readings, they are higher than I have seen them in the last six months. What? I've been taking the meds. I've been eating better/healthier. I've cut out a lot of sugars. But yeah, the numbers were a bit high today.

The Wife then informed me, as she prepared to head out the door to work, that when she went to do a load of laundry last night, the dryer decided to not work. Something about when she went to set the timer, it did not click at all, and the dryer would not turn on. It is quite older. I think the MIL bought it used several years before she passed away. So now I need to figure out what to do. I think I will end up over at a local used appliance place and see how much for a used one is. The cost for getting a tech out to look at the issue, then the fees for parts and labor are just out there - I know, I worked for an appliance repair company. And of course it is a gas dryer, so a little rarer to find. Looks like I will be tripping out either today or tomorrow.

I heard my email notification sound go off a few times last night in between my short naps, yet nothing in my email this morning regarding work. I was hoping to get out in the front yard today and see about trimming out some of the grass that has grown up into the rosebush and etc along the front of the house as it is starting to look pretty shaggy. With summer finally starting to cool off, it will be more bearable now to do it. But I admit, I just don't feel motivated to do it right this morning.

Welp, I've had my meds, and partaken of some ice cold water. I should scrounge around and see about finding something for breakfast (supposed to take some pills with food). I've a hankering for iced tea for the past several days, and it has not lessened today. I drank several glasses Saturday whilst at breakfast, and had several last night as well at dinner. Might have to go to the $1 store and see if they have any teas on sale, like AZ Tea, or Lipton in a  2-liter. But that constitutes going out in public, which I don't feel like doing right now. It'd be a couple hours til they open anyways. Maybe then I'll feel different.

PeacE

A Little Good News ....

 

I wasn't really implying that today's post title was strictly about a video.... As I was typing it, I thought, wasn't that a song as well? So I had to look it up, and sure enough. Then I had to watch/listen to it. As soon as it got into the second line, I realized the song, and that I had heard it quite a bit growing up. Anne Murray had a few other songs I liked as well ...that story maybe for another day.

Some good news: Got an amail from the Company and have a project starting today. The original email said it was slated to last three weeks, but a later email says two. Either way it is work. I'm just waiting on the meeting we are to have this morning.

Yesterday also brought some mail from 'The City'. It was a basic threat letter that our lawn has been reported/cited for being over 6 inches in heigth. It has a couple spots that are near that high, but really? We do not have an HOA in our neighborhood, because, well, I think they are nothing but a bunch of do-gooders that do nothing but go around reporting their neighbors. I undestand the purpose to keep the area looking nice, so property values stay higher, but still.... I know we still have some people around the neighborhood that go out of their way to report people. Sad part is, we get this notice, when there are multiple other properties that look way worse than ours...even from within sight distance of my front yard. Either way, I meant to get up extra early this morning to mow, but even at 7:30am it was too hot. So I decided to put it off to this evening after I run Youngest to his band practice around 6pm. Hopefully by then it will be under 100.

So, today has a little good and little bad news. 

PeacE

Floating on the River

 Out here in the desert, we have a place called Salt River Recreation, located out near one of the Indian reservations just over on the east side of the Valley. It allows you to rent out inner tubes, them provides travel by bus t/from different stops along the Salt River. This is always a big hit in the 100+ degree summers here. I have gone a few times, usually ending up burnt like a lobster (thank you Irish heritage for fair skin) but always had fun. The floating part is fun, with a few "rapids" here and there to keep it moving. 

Currently, my job is sort of feeling that way. Friday I was told to log out earlier in the afternoon. Supposedly there wasn't much left for QC to go over, and we had reached our end in the project. I will be login in this morning to verify we are done, but then I am afloat again. Just waiting until the next project I get selected for, to come along. Work is like the rapids - it comes along and I am busy, then goes away and I just float.

There are lots of things to do when I am not busy with work. One of recent note is the backyard. The neighbor and us had decide to split the cost of putting a cement block fence between our yards. Beats the old wooden plank fencing, that is seriously falling apart and needs replacing. In fact, part of it is being held up by some twine and strategic tying onto other things. Neighbor had found a company, and our half of the price is good. We need to move things at least 4 feet from he fence-line though. There were a couple stacks of 'shelved' wood pieces (from back when In-Laws lived here) that we moved. One of the things is a miniature log cabin. One of the BILs had brought the material down, and built this in the back for the grandkids to play in. Big enough you could fit maybe three 6 year olds in it, with a small door and window. But it sits against the fence. It has been in place many years, and personally, I'm all for trashing it. Of course, the Wife doesn't want to. So how to move it? Dismantle, then re-build it after the fence is up? Will it dismantle easily, or fall apart because the weathered wood? I am nervous to find out, and think I may just wait for the Wife to start taking it apart. then see if it breaks or not.

Almost time for me to log in and check on work status. 

With the switch in car insurance companies, this new one has an added discount if we put their app on our phones for 90 days. We are talking about around a $150 discount. Everyone is pushing back on me. The idea of being monitored by 'Big Brother' has everyone in a hissy. I loaded the app the other day, and took a drive. I sped. Seriously, I drove about 5-10 mph over the posted speed. When I reached my destination, I checked the app, confirmed it was me driving, and got a 'great' rating. On the way home, I did a 'hard brake' as I came up to a red light - on purpose. Again, once I confirmed my trip, I got an 'okay' rating. What's so bad about having this for 90 days to save $150?? They have a limited time to get the app onto their phones to get the discount. Guess I will be hounding them about it. Overall, I think it would force them all to drive a bit safer - and in my opinion, all of them could use it. But then, I have been told countless times that I drive like "an old man". Is that bad?

Welp, I guess I should get the inner tube and make sure it is inflated to a proper level to support me. As you can figure, a guy my size, I have one of the tubes from a Caterpillar truck to use- LOL!

PeacE