THOUGHTS AT THREE A.M.

NOTHING QUITE SO SATISFYING AS A JOB WELL BEGUN! OR IS THAT HALF-DONE?

Have you ever had the experience of getting involved in something that just got you so worked up, even though you were tired, you didn't ever think you were going to get any sleep? Well, the last day or so has been like that for me. A situation that just haunted your mind, that all you did when you did lay down was to toss and turn and jump and roll? Sit up, take a sip from your night- stand water-glass,chew a tums,read a few pages from this book, and one or two from that one, and re-adjust your pillows,and then finally give up and get up and have a cup of hot cocoa?

Well, now, there is a solution in the works,and I am so relaxed, you would think I had had a turkey sandwich, with lettuce and celery on it!

Nighty-night everybody!

Sleep well.

I certainly plan to!

OUI?

THE DOCTOR HAS NOW DECIDED HE WANTS TO DO A SLEEP-STUDY ON ME!!!

Which as far as I am concerned, can take place any time in the next decade! I don't know if you are familiar with particular brand of torture. I have friends who have had this done,and not knowing the total picture, really never paid that much attention to what they told me. Mea Culpa.My Doctor's office referred me, and within 24 hours the bunch that does this study was on the phone, wanting to set this thing up,as soon as possible. Well, I balked. I didn't like the sound of it when my Doctor mentioned it to me, and liked it even less when the office of the sleep-peepers called to set up a time. I don't know about you, but I don't care to sleep away from home. You go for one night, and have to drag all your accoutrement's with you. There are some medications they would rather you not take, and there is a certain time you must be there,and they expect to have you sleeping for at least 6 hours. Once they have you in their clutches, they literally tie you down with any number of monitors and straps and this and that, so that if the urge to visit Mrs.Murphy hits you, they "Will be happy to have someone come in and undo you, so that you can go to your own private bathroom!" I really didn't know whether to laugh or moan at that point, because if I have to wait for some officious little technician to come unhook me, by the time they get there, the whole trip will be pointless,and I will have to change my clothes,and they shall be forced to change the bedding! Naturally, Betsy, or Pepper, or Cindy...whatever her name was, did to the best of her ability try to sell me on this arrangement, by informing me that their facility was more like a Five Star Hotel, than a medical lab, with color t.v. and head wedges to lift your upper body, in place of piles of pillows,and yes, they have oxygen if I need it,but the one thing they couldn't get around, because there is no happy fix for, is the fact that I doubt if I could relax enough to even sleep, given the fact that I am so dreadfully camera-shy, and I would have television camera's on me all night long! So, I told her I would think about it, and get back to her. I imagine that, of course, I will not be made to see any images of myself from that night, but just the mere idea that there is a camera trained on me could prey on my mind all night long, and I could lay there, stiff as a board and wide awake the whole time. What a fun, productive possibility that is!

OUI?   

THEY SAY,GO TO BED, AND IT SOUNDS SO EASY...BUT!!

They did it to me again, just last night.Oh, honey. Oh, Mom, Oh, Featherhead, you look so tired. Don't you feel well? Wouldn't you like to go lay down and take a nap? We'll get out of your way and let you rest! Uh-Huuh. I respond, (said with dripping sarcasm.) I so believe that, too. not. See, they still don't get it.Now, if I have help, I can do that, in practically no time flat.But, left to my own devices, it takes me a good hour...a busy hour, from the time I decide to nap, to the time I can actually settle in bed,and drift off. I think I may have touched on it before, but for those of you who don't know the drill, let me say, there is a lot to do when one still "runs" the house, along with conditions and physical limitations,to actually secure the home, and get themselves all arranged for bed.Water in and water out.Fill my cup, and visit Mrs.Murphy.Find Molly the cat,and make sure she is not in the kitchen with the bird, Teddy.(no re-enactments of wild kingdom in my house!) Make sure the doors are locked.Just those three items alone are enough to fill an hour, considering that my flat is huge, and from front door to kitchen door is fraught with an unbelievable obstacle course with chairs and rugs and cat toys that love to grab on to my chair and tie me up in knots for minutes at a time, that Molly has dozens of hiding places and delights in games.Then, there are the things I must transport to the bedroom from the kitchen and dinning room, it takes me at least two trips, unless there is something I am willing to do without..and I never really want to do without them.I must have my ice water, my puffer, my glasses case, my book of the moment, tissues or paper towels, and a breath mint, just in case I need them. Why? Because once I have donned my jammies,put my slippers just so in front of my bed, turned on the lamp, the oxygen concentrator,and my fans, and rolled into bed, plumped and arranged my pillows,blown my nose, put the air hose on my face,used the puffer, had my sip of water, taken off my rings, used the hand creme, put my glasses in the ashtray,and sat back with my book, I am certainly in no mood to get back up to get something I forgot. So, I must make doubly sure that I have done all it is necessary to do, before I get to that point. But, that is when I am alone.

On the other hand, with help  in the house, I can go straight to bed, as I have been urged to do, and then I can say, Oh I forgot this,and did you check that, and make sure the doors are locked,and is Molly in here ? You get the picture.

So, last night, I did it to them.I went to bed, before they could make their get away.I did all I could to do in one trip, and then I settled in, and like the sweet darlings they are, Yon son and the rest of the "family" trooped in to get their good-night kisses,and then THEY said, (ahem) notice...they said, Is there anything else we can do for you?

Okay, it wasn't the nicest thing I have ever done, but it opened their eyes. I know that is true, because half way through the routine, someone said, (slightly exasperated) "Mom! What would you do if we weren't here?"

What did I say?

I said, "AHA!" So, I told them. Point by Point, step by step, exactly what I would do, which was just what they had been doing for me, and I saw little lights going on over their heads." And that is why I usually end up falling asleep in my chair, and not making it to bed!"

And, amazingly,the conversation ended rather abruptly as I recall, things got done, and I was asleep before they left.

Not only did I not have company tonight...but I didn't get a phone call to check and see if I had fallen asleep in my chair,and get scolded about it either.( not that it would have done them any good.)

All but Yon son. He always checks on me, somehow.

And so, to bed!

hehe!

OUI?

THE BEST PLACE TO BE, AND THE THINGS THAT HELP YOU GET THROUGH BEING ILL!

Okay, I haven't been very active lately, because I've been struggling with a bought of the creeping  crud.You know the creeping crud, don't you? That's when you're not really sick, but just on the cusp of catching a cold maybe...or maybe not.You don't feel well, but you aren't quite actively sick either. You have no energy, and you're sort of Blah! I have all the symptoms of an allergy, and my allergy medicine makes me sleepy, but I feel better when  taking it, but then I have no more ambition than to check my stats,and go back to bed. This morning, I woke up thinking perhaps I should stop taking the allergy stuff, but once I missed a dose, my throat got so sore, you would think I had been swallowing razor blades, and my glands swelled up. I'd go see the doctor, but I don't feel good enough to leave the house.I hurt all over, but anything I take for that, just makes me sleepier. So, says I, the best thing to do, is cuddle down into my nice warm bed, with my library books,and my ice water, and sleep when the mood strikes me, sup on tea and soup and toast, and keep taking my meds, and one way or the other, I shall recover. I've gotten a lot of reading done. I've finished " Chocolate is a vegetable" and OH! I really recommend this book. It is gooood! It is so good, that I wish I hadn't finished it yet, so I could savor it longer.Hm. Maybe, I'll peruse the other two...or perhaps I'll go slinking back and read some of those stories again....or both. At any rate, it is pill time again, and soon I shall have to nap.

Whatever you do, stay away from the creeping crud! Don't let people who are sniffling and coughing come near you! TTFN!

OUI?

GRIPES, GRUMBLES AND GOTCHA!

Okay, I just got woke up by the cat, yeowling into my face....so close she was almost sitting on my face. What could I do? I got up! I love Molly to pieces, but when she makes such a racket she wakes me up out of a sound sleep at three a.m....! So, I came out, opened the kitchen door,and she raced in, and right to her food dish, and starts crunching away. Well, okay, but it's not like the animal is deprived. If anything, she is spoiled rotten, and fat, but...okay. And the first thing I notice is the kitchen REEKS of Garlic! So, they must be cooking something strongly Italian upstairs, because we had Nuna and toodles  for dinner, and it was cleaned up before the kitchen was shut down.So, I visit Mrs.Murphy, check my caller I.D.and Sherry's name comes up, so I think, well, maybe she called, so I call her, leave a message on her answering machine and turn on the kitchen t.v. Come to find out, she also had gone to bed early, and I then woke her and her cat up! I apologize, she mentions a storm coming in and then we ring off,just as a crawl starts across the screen, advising of a thunder boomer coming in.Sherry lives South-west of me, so she would get a Storm before I would even hear the thunder. As a rule, I love rain and wind and thunder, but just now, my face hurts, so I am not the most amiable of persons at this moment.I go to the freezer, and there is almost no ice...so no ice pack for my eye...but I grab a Philly cheesecake bar, so I can take a pain pill...run my blood sugar, it's 79, so I'm okay there, and open the door, just as the first bit of rain, wind and thunder rolls in. Molly and I sniff the breeze for a few moments, but all we get at that time is a smattering of raindrops and a few grumbles from the heavens, so after she saunters off, I close the door, hit the remote for the t.v., grab my stuff,and leave for the dinning room, closing the door behind me. This indicates to Molly that I could be going back to bed anytime, and she falls on her side in front of me, doing her cute "baby-cat" thing. This is where she flails her little white paws in the air, to charm me into sweet talking her, but I have low blood sugar,a sore face,and am in no mood for play. I say, "Molly, move!" When I use that particular phrase, without a sugary voice, she does not hesitate, she gathers her silly self together, and gets out of my way with all haste.Not that I would ever intentionally run over her. But there have been two incidents, where she left the tip end of her tail in my path, once when I was backing up,and once going forward, where I absolutely did not see her, and Oh! The screaming! Of course, on both occasions, I chased her down and apologized,and we made up instantly, but she has a very good memory, apparently.So I finally make it to the desk, rev up the computer,and then, I see my mailbox. I have an email from a favorite ol' pal, buddy, and friend type person! What fun! So, I click on the link and peruse the site, read the blog, and then I notice something is missing. HARRUMPH! Yet, I leave my comment, anyway, and make mention of the...Oversight?? HM! And I went my way. One hopes this is simply an accidental thing, not an intentional snub. We will see.

All in all, this has NOT been a good start to my day. Now the lights are flickering, and so I must hurry up with this, and save it. Because, should I lose it, I will be extremely annoyed. In my present condition, it takes me twice as long to do anything, and particularly, to type, so I certainly don't relish the notion of trying to duplicate this entire rant! Oh, by the way. Just in case you're thinking that this doesn't read much like a Christian's blog, just remember, we have bad days too.Yes, I am usually more up than down, but My personality is what it is. I am a work in progress, and so, unlike some others, It's not going to be all wind bubbles and air soup and all ittsy-bitsy-happy-wappy!  Sometimes, I just have to Vent! Oh! and in case you're wondering, what Nuna and toodles is? That's just Tuna and Noodles, but my way, it sounds more interesting!

OUI?

EVENTS MARCHED

There will be no beauty of prose or long drawn out story tonight.I faw down and go boom this morning, and was rushed to the shop of bandaids.I will tell you all, all, when my left eye re-opens.Yon son will be checking emails until I am better.Please pray for me, and I will for you, too.Love and Hugs,

FEATHERHEAD

TEDDY,MOLLY, AND ME

I have had a very busy day.I gave teddy his bath, which he hated.He always sings when he sees me setting up for it, but once I have his cage next to the sink, and take the floor and all the food and water dishes out, he gets wide eyed and skinny, for a cockatiel.But, afterward, when he's soaking wet and looking all bedraggled, I feel so guilty. But it is a chore that has to be done, and I am careful with the sprayer,and sweet talk him all the way through.Fortunately I had the eggs on to boil for the potato salad,( I told you I was going to do it) and the steam from the egg pot kept the kitchen nice and warm.So I turn back to the job at hand, after getting teddy all cleaned up,and restoring his cage acutriments,and realize as I am settling in to peel the potatoes, that I am being regarded by a fishy eyed stare.Golden, suspicous eyes were fixed on me. "Why Molly." I said,"What is your problem?" Whereupon, she jumps up, and away she goes, at breakneck speed, wild as a march hare.I giggled all the time I was slipping the peelings off those spuds. Molly thought she was next on the bath list, and believe me, that cat wants no part of a bath.Anyway, to make a long story short...(too late!) I finished up the salad, made a nice batch of mexi-burgers, fed the bird and the cat and the fish, and I've had my own dinner, and it is time for my nap.If I don't go roll into bed, or go to nest as they say, I shall surely fall asleep in my chair.Not a nice thing to wake up from.It hurts my neck, and my back.Now, if I can just convince Molly to settle down and take Her nap, all will be serene.

oui?

DRIFTING AND DREAMING: EVER GET CAUGHT DAY DREAMING?

I CAN'T COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE COME BACK TO

REALITY, ONLY TO REALIZE THAT THE BOOK I HAD BEEN

READING WAS FACE DOWN IN MY LAP, OR NEXT TO ME ON THE

BED, OR THE MUSIC OR THE PROGRAM I HAD BEEN LISTENING

TO OR WATCHING HAD FINISHED, OR GONE TO COMMERCIAL, AND

I HAD TOTALLY LOST TRACK OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

OR, WORSE,  I HAD COMPLETELY ZONED OUT ON THE

CONVERSATION IN WHICH I HAD BEEN INVOLVED.

HOW EMBARRASSING! THIS LAST, IS DEFINITELY, THE WORST.

NOBODY CARES IF YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ALONE DRIFTING

AND DREAMING ON YOUR OWN BED. EXCEPT, PERHAPS, MOLLY

MY CAT. SHE HAS DEVELOPED AN INTENSE DISLIKE FOR MY

BOOKS, TO THE POINT THAT SHE ATTACKS THEM, AND CHEWS ON

THEM LIKE A DOG. LUCKILY FOR ME, AND THE LIBRARY, THAT

MOLLY HAS A TINY LITTLE MOUTH, WITH TINY LITTLE TEETH,

AND SHE ONLY PUTS TINY PUNCTURE MARKS IN ONE OR TWO

PAGES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE, WHICH SHE HAD ALL

AFTERNOON TO WORK ON ONE DAY,AND RIPPED MOUTHFULS

OF CORNERS OUT, AND THEN SPRINKLED THEM AROUND ON

MY FAVORITE BLUE COMFORTER. FROM THE STORIES I HAVE

HEARD FROM OTHER CAT OWNERS, I AM MOST GRATEFUL

THAT HER DISPLEASURE WITH ME DIDN'T GO ANY FURTHER

THAN TRYING TO DESTROY MY BOOKS.

QUITE HONESTLY, IT IS RATHER PLEASANT TO "COME TO"

AFTER A MENTAL STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE, AND SEE

THAT SEVERAL MINUTES TO AN HOUR HAS GONE BY WHILE

ONE HAS BEEN DRIFTING AND DREAMING, BUT,OH, HOW I HATE

TO GET CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

YOU GET THIS SMIRK, WHEN YOU BECOME AWARE THAT YOU'VE

BEEN GAZING VACANTLY AT NOTHING. A LOOK ACCOMPANIED

BY TEASING..

"EARTH TO FEATHER HEAD,COME BACK!"

THEN, NATURALLY, I AM FORCED TO PUT UP THIS INANE

DEFENSE, SUCH AS,

" I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING

ABOUT..BLABBLE,BLABBLE,BLABBLE..." JUST SO THEY DON'T

FEEL INSULTED, LIKE I THINK THEY ARE BORING OR SOMETHING

EQUALLY HURTFUL TO THEIR FEELINGS.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, SOMETIMES YOU JUST CAN'T HELP IT.

YOU HEAR A WORD, OR PHRASE, OR BIT OF TUNE THAT CATCHES

YOU UP AND WHISKS YOU AWAY WILLY-NILLY,AND JUST

THAT QUICK, YOUR GONE. EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS

TUNED OUT,AND FLIGHT OF FANCY TAKES OVER.

WHAT I CAN'T UNDERSTAND, IS WHY ANYONE WOULD FEEL

HURT OVER A COMPANION DAY-DREAMING, UNLESS THEY

HAVE NEVER DONE IT THEMSELVES.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR AN EVEN SEMI-INTELLIGENT PERSON

TO HAVE NEVER DAY DREAMED?

WHAT DO YOU THINK, DEAR READER? AM I JUST BEING RUDE,

OR HAVE YOU DONE THIS, UNINTENTIONALLY, TOO?

GIVE ME A COMMENT, OR SEND ME AN EMAIL, BECAUSE

SUDDENLY THIS IS AN ISSUE. YOU CAN HELP TO SETTLE A

DISPUTE, WITH YOUR INPUT.

THANKS, EVER SO..... 

OUI?

SNORING IS SOOTHING

SO, I AM BACK. I HAVE RETURNED FROM MY LONG JOURNEY,

AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE HOME AGAIN. ONE WOULD THINK,

FLOATING IN THE CLOUDS AMONGST THE VAPORS WOULD

SO QUIET AND RESTFUL, AND IT CAN BE THAT WAY. BUT, IF IT IS

NOT WHAT YOU'RE USED TO, IT CAN BE TOO QUIET.

PARTICULARLY WHEN ONE IS SEEKING SLEEP. NOW, DON'T GET

ME WRONG. I LOVE TO FLY. I DO MY BEST THINKING WHEN

I FLY. BUT, WHEN ONE IS ACCUSTOMED TO A SOFT NOISE

IN THE BACKGROUND, COMPLETE SILENCE CAN BE RATHER

NERVE WRACKING. EVEN BORING. (BUT DON'T TELL HIM I

SAID THAT) I SAID A SOFT NOISE. LET ME EXPAND ON THAT.

IT IS A RHYTHMIC IN AND OUT, RATTLING RUMBLE, COMPARABLE

TO A HUMAN BUZZ SAW. I HAVE HEARD IT EVERY NIGHT FOR

40 YEARS. WHY WOULDN'T I BE RELIEVED NOT TO HAVE TO

LISTEN TO IT OCCASIONALLY?

I AM BIZARRE, THAT'S WHY. YES, IT IS ODD. YET, IT IS TRUE

THAT IT IS ALL IN WHAT YOU ARE USED TO.

AFTER THE INITIAL SHOCK OF HEARING THAT NOISE, I WENT

THROUGH A PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT. I ATTEMPTED IN EVERY

FEASIBLE WAY TO "CURE" THE SNORER OF HIS AFFLICTION.

SPRAYS AND PILLS, AND ELBOWS IN THE RIBS TO WAKE HIM, AND

MAKE HIM TURN OVER. NOTHING WORKED. YEARS WENT BY.

NOTHING CHANGED, BUT ME. AT LONG LAST, I HAD TO ACCEPT

THE SNORER JUST AS HE WAS. HE HAS SNORED SINCE HE WAS

A BABY. GOD MADE HIM THAT WAY, AND I JUST HAD TO GET USED

TO THE IDEA, AND LOVE HIM ANYWAY. IN SPITE OF HIS BEING

A HUMAN BUZZ SAW, I LOVED HIM.

NOW, YOU MAY THINK I AM SOME KIND OF SAINT, TO OVERLOOK

SUCH A GLARING IMPERFECTION. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER

FROM THE TRUTH. IF I AM A SAINT, IT IS ONLY BECAUSE I AM

BORN AGAIN, AND NOT BECAUSE I HAVE SHARED MY HOME WITH

A MAN WHO RATTLES THE WINDOWS ALL NIGHT LONG. WHY?

BECAUSE AN AMAZING TRANSFORMATION HAS OCCURRED OVER

THE YEARS. I NO LONGER "TOLERATE" HIS SNORING. I AM

USED TO IT. I EXPECT IT. IN FACT, I WORRY ABOUT HIM, IF

I DON'T HEAR IT! BESIDES WHICH, I AM FAR FROM PERFECT

MYSELF!

IT IS TANTAMOUNT TO LIVING NEXT TO A RAILROAD TRACK.

AT FIRST, IT DRIVES YOU NUTS. BUT, AFTER A WHILE, YOU

HARDLY HEAR IT ANYMORE. IT IS SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH

THE HUMAN BUZZ SAW. IT IS A HOMEY, COMFORTING SOUND.

LIKE THE CRACKLE OF THE FIRE, OR THE SOFT RUMBLE FROM

A PURRING KITTEN. OR THE BUBBLE OF A SKILLET FULL OF

FOOD ON THE STOVE.

IT SAYS, WE ARE HOME, SAFE, AND WARM, AND ALL I LOVE

IS UNDER THIS ROOF.

YES, IT SURE IS NICE TO BE HOME AGAIN...

OUI?

TOO SLEEPY

I HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED, AND VIEWED WITH ALARM RECENTLY

FOR FALLING ASLEEP IN MY CHAIR.

YES, I DO IT, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, AND NO, I DON'T FEEL GOOD

WHEN I AWAKE.

BUT THERE ARE TIMES, THAT IT IS EASIER THAN GOING TO

BED.

IT TAKES WORK, TO GO TO BED, AND THERE ARE

RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES, I CANNOT SHIRK.

SOUNDS SILLY, DOESN'T IT?

OKAY. FOR EXAMPLE;

I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE CAT ISN'T IN THE KITCHEN WITH

THE BIRD AND THE FISH. FEED THE FISH, AND TURN OFF THE

LIGHT OVER THE TANK. TURN OFF THE OVERHEAD LIGHT, AND

CLOSE THE BATHROOM DOOR AND THE KITCHEN DOOR, TURN ON

THE BEDROOM LIGHT, AND THE FANS, GO BACK AND TURN OFF

THE DINNING ROOM LIGHT, TURN ON THE LAMP IN MY ROOM,

TURN OFF THE OVERHEAD, TURN ON MY OXYGEN

CONCENTRATOR, AND THEN, I CAN GET INTO BED, AS SOON AS

I HAVE SMOOTHED THE SHEETS, AND BANKED MY PILLOWS,

THEN THE REAL FUN BEGINS. I AM TRYING TO GET SETTLED,

TAKE OFF MY GLASSES, FIND MY BOOK,AND USE THE PUFFER,

GET A SIP OF WATER, WHILE THE CAT IS JOCKEYING FOR

POSITION ON THE BED. FIRST SHE IS IN THE MIDDLE, WHERE

I USUALLY PLANT MY BEHIND, SO I HAVE TO GENTLY SHOVE HER

OVER. ONCE I HAVE ATTAINED MY SPACE, SHE IS STOMPING

ACROSS MY LEGS, OR BALANCING ON THE GOLD-VELVET

COVERED WOODEN RAIL THAT FRAMES MY WATER-BED.

RIGHT THERE BETWEEN THE STAND-UP CANE WHERE MY AIR

HOSE IS KEPT, AND THE TABLE WHERE THE WATER, BOOK,

PUFFER AND CRYSTAL ASHTRAY WHERE MY GLASSES LIVE.

   "MOLLY," I SAY,"PLEASE, HONEY, MOVE..." ALL THE WHILE

ATTEMPTING TO REACH AROUND HER. THIS IS ALMOST

IMPOSSIBLE, BECAUSE SHE IS WANTING PETTING AND COOING.

THAT IS WHEN I RESORT TO DIVERSIONARY TACTICS, AND FLUFF

THE THIN SHEET I USE TO COVER MY TOES, MEANWHILE,

WIGGLING SAID TOES. MOLLY FREEZES, EYES WIDE. SHE SEES

THE INTRUDER UNDER THE SHEET. SHE STALKS SLOWLY

TOWARDS THE FOOT OF THE BED, AND I WIGGLE MY TOES AGAIN.

SHE POUNCES. WIGGLE. POUNCE. WIGGLE.POUNCE.

BY THE TIME SHE REALIZES THAT IT IS ONLY MY FEET, I HAVE

TAKEN OFF MY GLASSES, USED THE PUFFER, GOT MY SIP OF

WATER, AND LOCATED MY BOOK AND AIR HOSE. I SETTLE BACK.

WITH LUCK, MY PILLOWS ARE RIGHT, AND SHORTLY MY

BREATHING SETTLES DOWN, TOO. THAT IS ON A GOOD NIGHT.

LIKE I SAID. SOMETIMES, I AM JUST TOO TIRED TO GO TO BED...