Less Hustle More Coffee

Dexter has been amazing. He has hardly acted as if anything has happened since his Thursday neutering. He’s a little subdued and we’ve given him meds daily for calming/pain. I was worried how we would keep him off of bed and sofa but honestly it is no effort at all for him to do either as he has such long legs it’s no effort. He is actually more loving I think. He sees that we are caring for him and loving on him and I think our bonds are improving with him. He loves us. And I think he’s pretty happy being here. We can mark “Dexter’s snip snip” off the bucket list. Also his nails are so much better as they cut them for us too. I have scratches all over me from his sharp claws where he has jumped on me (in happiness) that I get up in the morning or come home from work. He also has a chip which I need to register this afternoon. (There is a LOT I need to do this afternoon).

So Friday, I was home with Dexter all day and mainly what I did was video about the changes coming to the vlog b/c I’m about to just jump into “real time” and the focus will be shifting to a format that provides more value than “just” following our lives, but I’ll still include our lives in there. I’ll still be taking our lives as video’d through Dexter, alternatively, threading that in. It’ll look confusing for a while. As it’ll be back and forth. So I video’d the “change” video and then also changed shirts and positions and video’d the first video in the new format. I just have to make some changes and it’ll go up next Saturday.

I also did most of our laundry and changed George’s sheets and cleaned the kitchen and made dinner.

Saturday morning I got up early and picked up Mom by 7:15, after promoting the video on social media, which I had to start “early” b/c I’d be on the road when I needed to be putting the links out there. Anyway, we dropped Fancy off and then headed to Cracker Barrel. Breakfast was some kind of wonderful. They are slower these days with fewer help, but it’s worth waiting for. They changed their breakfast menu around so it seems like you don’t get as much for your money. But it’s still a good deal and I can’t blame them in today’s economy. So I did the build your own breakfast and just ordered what I wanted: two scrambled eggs, bacon, grits, and biscuits and gravy, which Mom and I shared. I had two biscuits – one with butter and blackberry jam and the other with gravy. We hardly come here and also this was going to be my lunch.

Then we went to the Dollar Tree where Mom loves to go when we get our toes done. It’s in the same strip mall. And Mom got her things and I got mine. I bought some ornaments to hang outside Christmas gifts for some of my friends. I bought some Christmas decor items and I bought some things to send a surprise box to someone but I don’t want to say who.

Then we got our pedi’s. I would have gone last week but Mom wanted one too so we went Saturday. It’s always pretty easy to go when Fancy is trimmed. It was Saturday so even with our appointment we had to wait 30 minutes. I don’t think the appointments mean much, lol. They talk walk in’s and the walk-in’s were already walking in and being accomodated. But it’s today’s world so who can blame them. We all just….wait for everything now. While there at the salon. I got 300 of my 600 emails gone through. And I also got my weekly Amazon order placed. There is usually either dog food (wet or dry), pee pads, or vitamins, or some type of thing that I have run out of. (This dog is very expensive.)

Then Mom and I went to Lowe’s and she had what she said was “a mile long” list of stuff to get. I was a little scared. She gets testy in there when you cannot find things. And always our trips to Lowe’s involves someone on a scissor lift. Yes that is true. They have retrieved rubbermaid storage bins from the ceiling, flag poles from the ceiling, and seems like there was some type of storage shelving unit they had to get down – those were the last three times we’ve been to Lowe’s. But our trip was successful for the most part. She and a friend have been working on her storage areas in the garage. Thank the Lord she has a buddy or two over there and making friends so her week is not as lonely and they have been helping her with all that. Because now she is going back through and changing her boxes over to rubbermaid storage bins. If I did everything Mom wanted me to do I’d never leave her place, lol. I’d never even get to go to work I think, so I’m so glad she has help to get her Queendom set up over there, lol. I would say Kingdom but we just call her the Queen. lol. It’s all fun we are not being rude. She just likes things her way and a set way and everyone knows it. We are all very similar with our own Kingdoms and Queendoms, lol. We are ALL stubborn, demanding, and like to have our way. That said, it’s a blessing to have someone that can help her get things like she wants it in the garage.

After that we went to pick up Fancy and get her home and then I went to get Mom’s groceries. I was going Dollar General Marketplace but Mom said they would not have what she needed, so I went to Kroger which is bigger than Walmart now and it’s so hard to find anything. Mom gave me her list and I had to recreate it by section because I’d be all over that store 4 or 5 times. Last time I was nearly in tears b/c I couldn’t find things I walked the store over numerous times, I was tired and frustrated and about to combust.

Mom gave me her coupon for free Jif b/c she was part of the recall. And gave me instructions not to buy “Kroger” brand of anything. So once I realized I’d gotten the Kroger brand salad mix and then I had Kroger chili powder and both times retraced my steps to get a different kind. There was not much of an option for the Kroger eggs though unless she wanted to pay with her left kidney to get the cage free extremely good kind of eggs around $7 a carton. So Kroger eggs it was.

The price of toilet paper nearly gave me a coronary. I knew it had gone up but now they are wanting your first born.

When I got home the McCormick Chili mix was not in there. Last time it was the bananas. So this time I called the store and we will get it next time we go in. I was asked who the cashier was. I’m not sure what is going on, but I was also told this is happening a lot as we know people in Columbia Tn that this is happening to – every time some item is missing that the customer paid for but it’s not in the bag. So I don’t know if the employee’s are just incompetent or stealing but regardless, it’s a pain in the butt to deal with when your Mom doesn’t have what she needs and the grocery store is 15 to 20 min away.

Speaking of “situations” I also got a Christmas box from a company I ordered from on the internet. It had food product in it and something broke in the box getting all over the other items. And it was sticky. I’m not even going to open the package. It’s all just ruined. I’m just going to have the company reship everything. It’s a nightmare and I don’t even want to go through the package and I’m sure there’s glass all through it. I’ll have to deal with that on Monday I guess. I will just call them. They are not open on the weekends. Life is so difficult on every level in everything you try to do it seems.

So I got Mom’s groceries in the house, called Kroger about the chili mix and then headed home. I think it was about 5 by the time I got home. George was FaceTiming with Katy.

Then we went out to eat at Long Horn. We sat at the bar and had a glass of wine while we waited for our table. About 30 minutes. The meal was absolutely perfect. I thanked George for taking me out. I really needed that after our big long day.

I had a steak, loaded baked potato, salad with ranch dressing, and finished my glass of white wine. I was going to order a glass of red but I was still sipping the one white wine glass during dinner and didn’t need to. The bread lathered with butter was my dessert. I love Long Horn. They always provide a good meal. Always consistent. And the service is always good. Thank you Long Horn.

I came home and intended for us to watch a show but I needed to just unwind and so I’ve been playing June’s Journey, finding the missing items and decorating the land that has a mansion etc. lol. I also tapped into the webcam app to see what people were doing all over the world, lol. Then I got sleepy and fell into a deep sleep.

So today we are going to church this morning and we may have a few things to get at the store, although I may just end up waiting and get mine later after work one day. I have a lot to get done today. Here’s what that looks like. Some of it is projects but some of it has to be done today. Never mind the “reminders” times on each one – I just assign one so it’ll fall into the morning, afternoon or evening bucket fields. I put “check on Mom” as a daily task so I work in to call or text or check in. Today we’ll pick her up for church though so when we do that I’ll check off that box, lol.

Oh the Alaska Daily show is one I want to check out on ABC station and I believe we get that through HULU streaming. So we will check that out I hope. I am hoping to find a show we both like. We are in a lull right now.

The meeting with the Financial Guy is not tonight, but we just need to discuss as to when we can possibly do this. This month is not good but that is when they want to do it. It’s month/end and quarter end and I can’t take any more time off work. But I want to be there because this is an important one. I want to discuss a few retirement things and options. So I don’t know, I may have to leave an hour early or something. If we can get a 4:00 p.m. appt I can leave at 3 as that is my normal getting off time on a regular day. But George and I need to get our calendars out and discuss the best week as there are other things going on too.

I also have been just so worried about all this nuclear war and WWIII stuff that I have basically decided there is nothing I can do but pray that we won’t see or be involved in a nuclear blast, feel the effects of one, nor be in a famine or infrastructure crises, or complete loss of everything. It’s just all so overwhelming. I’m not happy with George’s suggestions of what we do in such a time. No confidence there. So I kinda feel all alone in the world, just me and God when it comes to this issue. I’ve read the Bible and I know it’s likely going to come to this. I just hope it’s not in our lifetime and I don’t want it to be in my kids or grandkids life time, but why not be in our lifetime. I can see God’s prophesies being fulfilled and the new heaven and earth coming to play. I don’t know what his role is for us in the meantime but it all makes me want to just enjoy the life we have while we have it because in a few weeks, months, years – life could be very different and we could be all clamoring to simply live and breathe. I can’t imagine how much hate there is in the world to just everyone hate everyone else so much that they just destroy a third of the world’s population and then the rest have to suffer and grapple with the destruction and aftermath. Then God have to rescue his Christians and come quickly to offset their suffering. This is what I read in the Bible. I was really hoping that this would not all happen in my generation. I love life and want to live our best life because it could all just be over tomorrow in any format. Very morbid thoughts but it’s a very morbid time. Our leader’s decisions in every land have critical decisions to make, and the one world order with the UN and all that – oh my. It’s just all coming to pass quickly. So find God while you still can.

On a happy note:

Little Roo enjoyed himself yesterday at a pumpkin patch. I think Katy and Cody had a good time too. Look at that sweet smile. I think I will order the pics of him on a tractor and in the pumpkin patch for a fall pic to set around.

Hope you are having a pleasant weekend and have a good week ahead. The sun is coming up and the coffee is good this morning. We are doing Maxwell House this morning – old faithful, lol. It’s still pretty good.

Gonna be a busy day and I need to get a shower and get dressed. I’m loving the short hair style again. It just looks so much better I think. And it is going to be a very busy week ahead. I have to make some really important dents this week. I have to finish month end, and get a chunk done for quarter end. It’s a critical week in the process so I may have to throw more hours in the bucket but I may need those extra hours.

I’m also going to be working toward getting some things done on the to do list. I’ve kinda taken some down time to work puzzles, to do June’s Journey, and just relax my mind some. But I need to hammer down and get a few things done because October is hurrying by. Oh and the leaves are pretty out there this weekend and our first frost just occurred.

I’ll be back mid week to check in and let you know how all things are going. Let me hear from you! As busy as it’s been, I feel rested getting some good sleep in and feeling organized, content and feeling ahead of the game.

Take care.