A Rough Couple of Days

We've had a rough couple of days here at Pisswilly Ranch.  Goober was sick a few weeks ago, but dad got him some antibiotics and a steroid and that seem to perk him up a bit.

But then, in the last week, he's gotten disoriented and lethargic and just mean.  He fell off the porch a couple of times, and was bumping into walls.  We came to the conclusion that he just wasn't seeing well.  And the change in behavior (i.e. biting mom at every opportunity) was indicative of something seriously wrong.

So, dad and I took him back into the vet yesterday and asked about all of the symptoms we were seeing.  The vet said they send us to Morgantown and do an MRI, but if it finds that there is something in his head, there's nothing we can do anyway.  And the poor cat was about 15 years old.  So we made the decision to end his pain and send him off to kitty heaven.  Dad couldn't stay in there with him, but I did, and I stroked his head and gave him kisses until he was gone. 

I've never been through that before, and I can't imagine going through it with Tom or Elvis.  But I also couldn't imagine not being there with them when they go. 

The vet put Goober in a bag, tied it up, and then put him in a tiny little cardboard coffin.  Dad got out the backhoe and dug a hole for him and we sang a little kitty song while we filled the hole back up.  Then he got a big rock to put on top of it - mom will write on it soon.

The house is quiet.  Mom's not yelling at Goober and Goober isn't yelling at mom.  Dad isn't hollering at him to come in the house when it gets dark.  I haven't cried today, so maybe it's getting easier.

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In other news, I took ma and pa to the Outback Steakhouse for dinner tonight and I DID NOT buy a bloomin' onion!  Even though I love sayin BLOOMIN ONION!

I did have lobster tail, though.  Cause I could.

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I had a few glasses of wine last night and, crap, I'm paying for it today.  Not your typical hangover by any means, but I slept until 11am and although it's only 9pm right now, I am ready to go to bed.  I think it just takes my body extra energy to process it.  So I have to plan any drinking I do, like make sure I don't have to be uber productive the next day.  This is all probably a good thing, huh?

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Only 56 days until Christmas.

That is all.

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I've cleaned the whole house, except for the office and mom's shower stall.  I'm just taking my time.  Still have a week left.

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I also threw away the K Cup holder in the new coffee pot, so I had to order a new one. 

Sigh.

Only in West Virginia?

Mom and I ran down to the Shop-n-Save today to pick up a few things (pie, ice cream, candy corn...you know, the staples).  While we were standing in line, there was a man in front of us who was purchasing Pringle potato chips.  He and the clerk exchanged a few words, and then he bolted past us, to go back into the store.

Odd.  But okay.

We were paying for our stuff, and the man came back up with another can of Pringles.

"I didn't know they had Pecan Pie flavored chips!"

He was so excited.

"Well, hell, I'm going to buy them so let's see how good these are!"

He opened the chips and offered the can to anyone who was nearby.  So, mom and I stood there, trying out Pecan Pie Pringles with some guy and a couple of clerks.  The chips were interesting - tasted like maple syrup.  Mom didn't like them.

After checking out, we walked down to the Dollar Store for a couple more staples (syrup, Mounds) and while standing in the line, the Pringles man comes in and says to the clerk "I forgot my Cheese Balls!"  The clerk replied "I tried to chase you down, but you were already gone!"

So the Pringles man grabbed his cheese balls and laughed a hearty laugh and walked out.

I love it here.

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I also got out in the shed and went through all of mom's Christmas stuff.  Most of their lights are multi colored, so I don't need those, but there were some white lights I could use for our Griswald Christmas decorations.  I so wish I had a place to put her big village.  She sent me the small one that I put up on the barmoir every year, but she has a bigger size, and there's probably 20 buildings - houses, stores, a church.  So freakin' pretty.  We used to put up a few saw horses and planks of plywood in order to set this thing up.  Took up the whole dining room.

Here's one corner.

And dad would put his train around it.

I will make sure our next house (our CASTLE) will have one room for this village.  Oh yes I will.

Today's Fun

I scrubbed the kitchen.  Counters, cabinets, walls, dishwasher, stove and doors and baseboards.  And we had pancakes for dinner.  And Hippy and Jeff came over to visit.

And that was my day.

Church, Cleaning, Shopping and Netflix!

I slept like a freakin' rock on Saturday night!  Awesome.  So, I was up early Sunday to have some coffee and breakfast before getting cleaned up and heading to church.

Church.  I don't remember the last time I've been to a church service.  But mom has been going for the last few months and just thoroughly enjoys it, so why not?  It's a small place, only about 25 people.  Lots of kids.  The pastor is very friendly and didn't even damn me to hell when I didn't take part in communion.  It did bring up a lot of questions about the bible, so mom and I had a nice discussion on the way home.  Cause we can do that with each other.

As soon as we got home from church, Dad took me shopping for some new jeans.  My jeans are a bit, ahem, snug and I was being funny and saying how maybe I should buy some bigger ones.  Dad was on it.  We didn't find any jeans that I liked, but he bought me some spiffy black corduroy stretchy pants.  Hawt.

We also bought mom a new laptop.  She's had a netbook for a few years (set that up one time when I was home) but it's starting to crap out, so she needed to upgrade.  And I think Dad really wanted to buy her one to make her happy. 

And so that was Sunday evening.  Setting up the new laptop.  Cause I'm a good daughter.  And mom is very happy.  And she's promised to make me brownies.

Monday was a more domestic day.  Cleaning, snoozing, TV shows, reading, mowing.  Oh!  And setting up Netflix for dad!  I'd signed him up for Blockbuster movies a few Christmas' ago, but Blockbuster has been sucking lately, so we cancelled that and got Netflix.  Much better.  And I even setting up the streaming feature through dad's PS3, even though he couldn't grasp how they would play through the internet onto the TV, but boy, he's got the hang of it now and he's already burned through a couple of instant movies.  Ha!

It was a fun day.  I also cleaned the crap out of my room and the guest bathroom - like toothbrush to the cracks kind of clean.  Tomorrow will be the living room and family room.  Baby steps to the deep clean.

And today was the shopping marathon.  Well, as much of a marathon as it can be with a 70 year old woman with a bad back and legs and a lethargic 38 year old who's lugging around 50 extra pounds and needs a two hour nap every afternoon.  I also didn't sleep very well last night (coughing and stuffy - I think it's allergies) and then I got up at 7:30am and just haven't been right all day.  Like, carsick on the way to the mall kind of not right.  But by gawd, we hit Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy, Game Stop, the mall, and the grocery store.  And both of us were grunting and wheezing by the time we got home.

Like mother, like daughter.  Thank goodness for her handicap tag in her car.  Whew.

Then dinner, and a nap, the nightly phone call with my hubby and in just an hour - Sons of Anarchy.  Yay!

Maybe a finger or two of Jack Daniel's tonight too, just to knock me out.  I could do the cough syrup with codeine again, but I don't want to get too used to that.  Jack's cheaper.

Welcome to Pisswilly Ranch - Luxury Rehabilitation Resort

Dearest Reader,

It is Day 1 of my stay at Pisswilly Ranch, the internationally unknown rehabilitation center hidden deep in the hills of Belington, West Virginia.  Simply brillliant - no one would think this homey, modular, single guest room center could host someone of my stature, with my laundry list of anxieties and issues.  I shall relish in the privacy and serenity of this isolated location.

The hosts seem nice.  A husband and wife team, obviously taking the "parent" approach in their technique.  They were gracious enough to pick me up at the airport (after a night of wild gambling, they said) and bring me to the center.  En route, we stopped at a quaint diner, Bob Evans, for lunch and I witnessed their technique in full force as they bantered and inquired about my well being.

Upon arrival (after stopping for kitty litter - it was my pleasure to help the Mrs. at Family Dollar), I was shown to guest room, with adjacent semi-private bath.  Simple and comfortable, although the bird shower curtain and bird pictures in the bathroom, at first, caused me alarm (you know how I hate birds), my fear was calmed by the gentle blue and gold tones.  The Mrs. had the bathroom stocked with my preferred moisturizer, face soap and body wash, so I am well accommodated.

I unpacked my belongings for my three week stay, hanging clothes and plugging in my computer.  I have laid out my clothes for tomorrow's 11am church service, which the Mrs. has asked me to attend with her.  It has been years since I've been to a church service, but the brochure tells me that this is part of the parenting therapy and if I happen find the spirit, well, that's just a bonus.

There is a resident cat, Goober, that is quite old and a bit disoriented these days, I'm told.  He's very much a love and lets me rub his belly while he purrs.  I was adamant about cat therapy - it is a must for me.

Between arrival and dinner, I had a much needed nap, as I did not sleep a wink on the plane ride.  I say that I sleep very well on planes, but that is apparently no longer true.  I may forgo the red-eye flights in the future, as it makes the day a bit difficult once I'm at my destination.

Dinner consisted of pinto beans, a baked potato and white bread, with butter.  My initial inclination was to wrinkle my nose at beans and a potato, but as fate would have it, it was exactly what I needed after my long night of travel.  The baked potato was perfect and the pinto beans took my back to my childhood.

I assisted the Mrs. with some computer technical support (also required, per the brochure) and we shared recent pictures of family and the bathroom remodel Todd and I are currently tackling.  The Mrs. very much liked our choice of flooring, tub and surround, which warmed my heart and gave me comfort.

I took a moment to call Todd, since phone calls are not restricted, to catch up on the day's events back in Seattle.  Todd is still getting over the horrible head cold that we both shared at the beginning of the week, and I shared that I've had a slight relapse due to traveling. 

Luckily, there is a pharmacy (of sorts) on site here at the center, so the Mrs. was kind enough to give me a dosage (or three) of cough syrup with codeine.  I am writing quickly, as I can feel it taking hold as I sit here.

I am confident that this stay will be very positive and helpful in getting my head cleared of the recent fog, and reconnecting me to what is important in my life.  Music, writing, family and simplicity.  Autumn is in full swing in the country, and the leaves are falling silently from the trees.  There was a brief rain shower, during which the resident deer (nine of them) came to dine on the corn the couple provides.  The weather forecast predicts a bit of snow on Wednesday, about which I am very excited.  I will be sure to take pictures. 

Until next time,
Rae-rae