Earlybird

I got up at 5.  It was late for me, on a Saturday, but still, 5 AM in the morning. 

My stepmother used to call my "Earlybird" because I got up early as a child.  Even now, on a day off, I'll generally "sleep in" until 7 or 8 in the morning, no later. 

I, of course, had horrible PTSD nightmares last night.  It's sad how events won't let you go.  I don't have problems with anything after 1992, my issues are all before that. 

I never, for instance, have a nightmare about Ron having a blackout, but I have to correct myself, I have had nightmares about things relating to his accident.  So, no nightmares about events AFTER 2003. 

I remember telling my aunt, "My whole life is going to be Before and After this event" and she agreed with me. 

I don't generally have issues with the accident, in nightmares, because Ron's family disowned us and they are out of our lives.  And I had probably better stop right there and leave you to draw your own conclusion. 

So, we went to the warehouse.  I wore my capris, workboots, and a moisture-wicking t-shirt.  Of course I wore a bra, and the other appropriate garments. 

I just remembered I need to "poison" the cats.  I need to apply their topical flea killing stuff.  I'll be back. 

Done.  I did Biscuit first, he was comatose on the floor behind my chair.  The hardest part was rolling him over.  Then I did Torbie.  If I have a build-up, or let her see the vial, she will carry on like I'm raping her.  I think it's vestigial issues from the shelter, I'm sure she got picked up by her scruff a lot, so she is sensitive to being grabbed in that area.  Then I did Baby Girl, who tried to bolt, surprisingly.  I talked to her and she settled down, then I got her. 

I warned Ron not to pet their necks, he was upset but understands.  I don't want them itching, and they have been, some, lately.  Plus I have to take Torbie to the vet and get her shots in a week or so, I don't want to bring in a fleabag. 

I try to do all my monthly things on the first of the month.  Clean the washer (put the tablet in and run the cycle), "poison" the cats, etc.  That's all done.  The washer is running right now. 

So, back to my day: at the warehouse, I decided sales were pretty dead so we only bought 27 cases, including 7 cases of water. 

[Torbie forgave me and came by to say hello]

Jack came and we got someone to help load the truck.  We got to work and unloaded.  As I was pulling a loaded cart down the hall, sweating freely, I saw the manager from the other day, the one who wants to clean under our vending machines. 

First, let me say, I saw a lot of managers at work today.  I'm not sure what's up with that.  But it's impressive. 

She found me later and asked me how I was doing, I said "Good" and she said she wanted to schedule an appointment where our guy moves the machines, her guys come in and clean, and then our guy puts them back.  I took her to Ron.  Ron said he would make some phone calls on Monday and get the ball rolling. 

I think we should have our repair guy do it.  He knows how to move vending machines and he has done it before with ours.  Ron has to call his boss, and then we will see what he wants to do.  If he says "handle it yourself" then we need to call the repair guy to do it. 

That settled, we went to work.  Snacks were not very busy, I didn't even touch them except for stocking some pastry.  I helped Ron stock his sodas and organized my stockroom.  I ate some junk food.  I sat down and drank one of the La Croix sparkling mineral waters I bought (with my money) at Sam's today.  Then I drank another one. 

Pretty soon, time to go.  I put everything away and Ron got his wheelchair. 

Our ride was already outside.  She used to be a Postal Worker.  She said she had been a temporary worker but had failed the exam to become permanent.  At least she was honest.  She was a good driver, though. 

We picked up another client on the way.  He had a big attitude and tried to tell everyone what to think.  I found it interesting, he took one look at some "development" near my house and said "They're building warehouses" in a very authoritative tone. 

"No" I replied.  "They're building a detention pond so it doesn't flood".  He shut up after that. 

We got home and I took a nap.  I had some weird dreams but not as bad as this morning.  I slept in pretty late.  I got up, dressed, and made sure Ron was awake. 

We went to the BBQ place and got some dinner.  I got French toast and Ron got a BBQ chicken sandwich.  He wasn't very hungry, he had eaten an enormous hot dog at Sam's Club. 

Dinner was fine except for the guy in dreadlocks pestering everyone for money.  He didn't bother us, probably took one look at Ron and figured we didn't have any money.  He was part of a family group and I wondered if they knew he was begging.  I figured he had a drug problem, although he looked pretty clean (maybe he had good enablers).  It was just rude, and disturbing. 

They (the family group, including him) left right about the time I decided to talk to the manager.  I ate 95% of my meal, and all of the bacon (I ordered a side of bacon, they have really good thick-cut bacon).  Ron ate his whole sandwich. 

I saw a paratransit van drive by, and park in the parking lot.  It had to be for us.  We left and boarded.  The driver wanted to get something to eat when we told her how good it was, so she ran and got something. 

We had a straight ride home. 

It was too late to call my Dad, and they have a visitor anyway, so I may wait until he goes home.  I doubt they are missing me right about now. 

I ran the washer on the clean cycle (I always keep a stash of the cleaning tablets).  The repairman who came out for my issue (the one that turned out to be, the installer didn't turn on the hot water), said it was really important to clean it regularly.  He said the tablets were great, or I could use a half cup of vinegar, instead.  So I always run it on the clean cycle on the first of the month.  I am supposed to run a clean cycle either every 6 loads, or once a month.  I don't run 6 loads a month. 

Considering what we spent (about the same as Ron's root canal) on the washer/dryer pair, I want to keep them in good repair and make sure I do all the PM's (preventive maintenance) I need to do. 

I try to do the same with the vending machines.  I need to order some more bill validator cleaning cards so I can clean the bill validators on all my working machines. 

It doesn't take much to make my thoughts turn to work. 

So, I'm home.  I have a trip to Walmart for tomorrow.  I really don't want to go but I need to get a new sheet for my bed.  The old one was so covered in cat hair it looked like an animal.  I tried to clean it but only had limited success.  I told Ron about it and he told me to throw it away and buy a new sheet.  I planned, anyway, to buy the cheap polyester/cotton sheet at Walmart so I feel OK doing that.  I have learned an important lesson. 

Years ago, back in 1997, I worked for a linen company.  They sold some of the most luxurious linens.  I always wanted to buy one of their Charisma 400 count cotton sheets but they were prohibitively expensive.  I did get a very nice towel (it was given to me by the manager on my employment, so I could rave about the product), and bought a few little things, but overall I kept my money in my pocket. 

Anyway, my taste for fine linens had been awakened.  When we moved to Houston, I bought a twin bed (Ron, with his back, slept on a twin mattress on the floor, but I had to reverse that after his accident until my aunt gave me an old daybed!).  I bought a really nice set of sheets, sage green, pima cotton, very soft and luxurious.  After Ron's accident, I gave him my bed.  He slept in the bed naked, on the pima cotton sheet, but he didn't like the top sheet.  He didn't want anything on his body, so I folded it up and put it away. 

Fast forward to today.  I have a problem, my cat likes to sleep in my bed, which I love, but she sheds all over the sheet.  How to fix this? 

I took out the old pima cotton sheet (nothing is too good for my cat), folded it in quarters, and laid it on the bed where she sleeps.  She has accepted it as "her" bed.  When Biscuit slept in my bed yesterday, he slept on the sheet, too.  I plan to lint-brush the "bed" once a week or so to keep the cat hair down. 

When I bought the washer, I bought a very nice 300 thread count, 100% cotton (I hate polyester in my sheets), sheet set.  Ron paid for it, said it would be "the rest of" my birthday/anniversary present.  (The main gift being the washer/dryer pair). I've been sleeping on that. 

But, TMI here, when my cycle starts I have a couple of really heavy days.  I don't want to bleed all over my nice sheets.  I can drop large blood clots, heavy flows, etc., all that fun premenopausal stuff.  I would rather have a cheap sheet (yes, even one with polyester in it) on the bed so I don't have to worry about ruining it.  I do have a water proof mattress cover on the bed already. 

My cycle just started today, days early, (another fun premenopausal thing), so I'm really glad I'm going to Walmart tomorrow.  I will get myself a new sheet, wash it, and throw it on the bed quickly, wash the nice sheets and fold them up for a week or so from now. 

My washer is done with it's cycle, I left the lid up (also suggested in the manual).  Now there's a question, how many people actually read the manual that came with their appliances?  I always read the manuals for the vending machines. too. 

I'm an engineer's daughter, and that comes out in surprising ways sometimes.