Monday March 30 2026

Good morning!

Grief for our pets can linger.  When Billy died unexpectedly at just 10 years old it took a long time.  Yesterday for no good reason I thought of Slow Bro and shed a tear of grief.  I really miss him.  But he was old and frail and it's different.  

I slept long and hard last night without getting up until Waffles was telling me it was time for her breakfast.  I fed her, took my meds and went to sleep and set the alarm for 9AM and slept again, shocked that the alarm was ringing.  Guess I needed it.

I'm getting some labs done soon in prep for my annual physical next week.  Will be interesting to see if the steroids are affecting me metabolically.  Also hope to get my steroids renewed.  I'm annoyed because I wanted to renew them Thursday while I was at work and could pick them up as I know I'm running low and the app said it was too soon.  Then the app sent me a notification that it was time to renew on Saturday when they are closed.  

Otherwise will go to the gym and it's clean the bathroom day but might bump that to tomorrow.  Bowling tonight.  

Have a great day.

No time to say hello-goodbye.........gotta get dressed and take Tinker to her vet appt.   Tawk whichoo's'all laydah on............

Okay, we are back from the vet's appt. Got one flea/tick/heartworm pill because for 6 of them it would've cost well over $200! Her blood test was negative, her stool sample was negative, and she had her nails trimmed. But she has GAINED weight (4+ 1/2 lbs.) and since she is in heat, she has to lose weight and come out of heat before I can get her spayed. At the same time she will have to have a (not very severe, but still present) herniated umbilicus repaired. I wonder how many days she will have to wear the 'cone of shame', as it is called. I'm seeing more dollar bills floating away, but what's got to be done, has to be done. But that's what part of the inheritance I rec'd from older bro is going to be used for, so maybe it won't be such a hit to my wallet. And I can get the remainder of the flea/tick/heart-worm pills, too. It is so weird to have money set aside for the 'big ticket' payments; I'm not complaining, mind you, but I am so used to having to get by on the skin of my teeth, that any bill still makes me feel pretty "UH-OH!" 

What am I going to do for the rest of the day? I dunno. I'm guessing I will have to go pick up Nannie from daycare, around 4:45 PM; but that's not for 4 hours. What a thrill. And there's always those dern dishes soaking in the sink. I have drained out the cold water and refilled with HOT, soapy water....oh, at least 3-4 times in the past two days. One more sinkful of hot, soapy water will be the one from whence the dish-washing will happen. (I hope).

You know, I haven't cried for a long, long time.....through 3 animals having to be put to sleep, or when hubby died; I just can't manufacture the tears I think would really help me to shed. I did cry about a year and a half before my mom died, when I realized at my next to last visit with her that she was no longer like she always had been. I suppose one day tears will happen, but I am so used to having to put a cap on my emotions, I am STOIC. Besides which I had expected all the deaths that have happened in the last few years, so I kinda feel like I have already grieved while I was waiting for them to happen, but  maybe, sorta don't think I really have. Who knows.

Yesterday I looked at some cellphone videos I took of Momo.....she was a very CUTE little girl and I miss her smiling and her happiness. Tinker is not a smiler; she is sweet and smart and all, but not much of an 'emoter' if that is a real word. She gets excited when I put her harness and leash on her, and right after she eats she wants to play with one of her toys. The only time she acts 'joyous' is when she sees a squirrel she can bark at. It's interesting how each animal has its own personality. Moosie-Cowdog and I had a really tight bond; extremely smart, and he had a tuned-in personality and a sense of humor. I still do miss him, but to everything there is a season.

All for now--------

I'm not much of a crier either.  My mother tells of an age I stopped crying when spanked (and she REALLY believed in fierce spankings).  I cried after I left Ellie in the hospital when the vet told me to come back and put her to sleep. But during the process did not cry when I said goodbye.  Same with Slowbro, I did not cry while he was being euthanized for really much that day.  As I said his was an easy and compassionate decision.  Ellie's was not expected.  I think too gay boys grow up learning to stuff feelings and emotions that are rejected by society, and bullied kids do too (lucky me to have been both) and I came into adulthood real screwed up.   

Anyway, I was very impressed when I went to the lab and in the parking lot the app asked if I'd arrived and I said yes and I walked in the door and the receptionist said have a seat, you're all checked in because I did some online checking in.  Then I was called in a couple of minutes and headed on out.  I called the pharmacy and asked them to do me a solid and fill my script while I was there and they did.  

Overall, I'm quite pleased with my lab results.  Cholesterol is 146 despite having added meat and dropping beans and tofu.  Blood glucose and A1C normal.  My chronically low platelets doubled and is in the normal range for the first time since I've had them checked many years ago.  Weird.  The only abnormal was my Vit D level is low which surprises me as I take a daily supplement.  Anyway TMI.

I just Googled and steroids can increase platelet counts so that's why I was "cured".  

I stopped by best friend's house for coffee and I stopped at McDonald's to bring a lunch and we had a nice visit. 

The contractor is coming by this evening to get his deposit so he can order supplies and he will start my project on April 22nd.  

So far the goal of gym and cleaning bathrooms is unfulfilled but I can at least go get some gas and groceries before the contractor comes.

Jimminy-Crickets! I have to head out to get Nannie soon, and I have yet to do the dishes. Reckon I better ought to do them NOW!