Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Church or not?
I was quite amused today as the CEO told me of his belief in his patriarchal religion. I forget the name of this movement. It started about 10 years ago. It helps men learn to be "more giving" fathers and husbands. It's a pretty good idealism that, I'm sure, pays back when followed through.
Unfortunately, it doesn't fit into my reality at all. I guess I am my father in the sense that I've always felt it my responsibility to manage the household and I've always been the bigger breadwinner. That's my own doing so no illwill toward my hubby. He works his ass off for what he gets and I respect that. Certainly, I couldn't do it without him. Regardless, that particular faith just doesn't fit me. (so I wish he'd stop trying to push it on me. UGH.)
I've decided that I'm joining a new church. The Church Of Google
There! Now I've pushed my faith off on everyone else.
You're not buying in either, are you?
Happy Wednesday and a better Troutday tomorrow. Does anyone do half-nekkid Thursdays anymore? That's a good faith to follow. LOL
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
1-29-08 external conversations
And I replied: "In what capacity?"
He took a pause to ponder that. This isn't the last of THAT conversation.
He said, "She's not comfortable w/moving to the other side of the wall."
and "Help me figure out how to give her more room."
and "We need to be sensitive because she thinks no one cares."
and I thought... "If EVERYONE cared, she'd still think no one cares."
He said, "There's some depression going on."
I'm no longer speaking at all. Just thinking.
And I thought, "Oh yeah? Ya think? Shrinkette maybe??- Oh wait - it's not her. It's all of us. It's a conspiracy."
The CEO said his wife is taking a class on how to be there for others. (THAT was transparent.)
And I thought "I could teach that class - but I'd advise against it. It's not good on the health. Does your class teach how not to let them drag you into hell with them? It's pretty exhausting. Do you just keep a distance? If you do, then your sincerity is fake."
And I thought, "Also, if I offer to take work from her - (which I have and she refuses because you'd feel less sorry for her if she didn' t have such a big burden) - then I've enabled her. Then I've paid her off....and that's what she's after. It will only begin again. There is no way to satisfy that. It is entirely cyclical. This will not end, nor will it better. She will continue like this until she self-destructs and I'm not willing to watch that again. Sorry. Been down that road. It ends badly. I will not care again. I will not feel again.I am sorry that I can't be compassionate anymore. Compassion is for suckers. Once you're a big enough sucker for it, you'll know too."
....and internal conversations.....
Saturday, January 26, 2008
1-25-08 And the Oscar goes to...

"I would like to thank The Academy, my family for teaching me priorities, and all of my past employers for teaching me self preservation. More than anyone, I want to thank my Dad because Mom says I'm just like him and he would have loved this!"
Ladies and gentlemen, when the stuff hit the fan, I dug deep...
No, I didn't just lie. I PERFORMED. I acted my ass off. I became someone I'm not and I sold it like space heaters to Eskimos. They not only bought it, they PRAISED me because of it. I am, all at once, very jazzed about it and very, very ashamed.
Not ashamed enough to change it. <----THAT is the person I really am.
The movie is called: "They Filter E-mails, Don't They."
The plot: If you update your resume at work, don't e-mail it to your house with the word RESUME anywhere in the e-mail. (snicker)
I was busted.....but.....in a good way. See, the CEO panicked at the knowledge that I was searching for another job. He doesn't want to lose me. He and I work well together. That is true. We do. I genuinely like the man. He isn't the problem. SHE is.
So, he gently called me out on the job searching and he already had a real good idea of the problem. (Thank God for that!) I just kept agreeing with his explanation of the situation and he was pretty much spot on.
Then he and the owner asked me why I didn't tell them earlier..........and that's when I started to lie.
"Oh Rhett, (bat eyelashes) I really felt that the problem was all mine. I didn't think anyone had any issue with her but me. I thought it was just my inability to tolerate her. Ah'm so very sorry for not bringing it up earlier." Swoon. Fake faint. Fade to black.
Puh-leeze. The lady's lucky she doesn't have my serrated letter opener sticking out of her neck.
They came back with a very sincere, "You can talk to us about anything. Is there any other problem with the job? Is there anything else we can help fix?" And then they told me how they'd prayed about it and decided it was best to move her away from me.
That part they got right.
Ladies and gents, I am not the person I pretend to be. I am much darker. I am much less forgiving. I am very, very selfish. I will always, ALWAYS do what is best, in my mind, for my family and for myself. Those are my only priorities.
The CEO said to me, in his very devout way, that he read a book which taught him that the opposite of fear is love. When you love enough, you will sacrafice anything to protect love.
I'll buy that.
I love me. I love my family.
It ends there.
That is all I will ever protect.
The rest of them are on their own.
**Final note** I got it into my head that someone at work has made a connection between this blog and me. Maybe, maybe not. (I've only opened this site 3 times at work and then deleted the history. It could just be paranoia)
Here's the check: If I get a better offer, I'll take it. I've got about 20 years of life left. I'm not going to spend them being unhappy. That's "who I am because of what I've been through." If you grant HER that, then you have to grant me the same.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Week Three - Katie bar the door!! (1-14-08 - 1-18-08)
Mine: Didn't quit smoking. Grumpy and silent.
His: The antibiotics worked (thank gawd!) and he's not coughing or sneezing now. He also found Fortifense by Theraflu. It's vitamins and Ecinacia(sp?) and he believes it's keeping him in better health. Good. Keep taking it!
OH MY GAWD WHAT A WEEK! The co-worker got bombarded with extra work and she made everyone around her miserable for 40 straight hours (for the record. I am everyone.)How can ANYONE complain so much?! Her biggest problem, (and there are many) is that she doesn't just focus and get the job done. She has to exaggerate and blow everything out of proportion. This wastes so much time and makes things look even worse.
For example; on Friday she wasted an hour in the morning pulling a report to show how much work she had "been forced to do" all week. She said "I did 90 orders in 5 days!!" So, I ran the same report and edited out the ones she didn't actually have to enter and the number was 27. She did 27 orders - or 5ish orders/day.
I have to add that I did not offer to help. I'll explain why next.
The blowups got so bad, all of them "pity me", "poor me", "life sucks", "I'm burned out", "I want to quit", "Maybe they'll fire me." and mean, hang-up phone conversations with the sales reps she supports, that she called the CEO at home after hours to scream and cry about how unfair life is for her. I didn't offer to help because I WILL NOT play into that kind of attitude. If I do, I will eventually be stradled with the majority of her work and my own. I think the CEO knows this because he didn't ask me to assist her at all either.
HE DID ask me if I had any issues that needed airing out - because he would hate for them to fester. I said, "No. I'm fine." and "I'm certain that I could manage more work than I'm doing." (giving him an out if he needed it - but only through him, not her) In the end, he didn't give more work to me. He, having worked with her 7 years now and I'm certain he's used to this, ended up delegating some off to another person. I'm HIS assistant and he's selfish with me. Yay. I can live with that. haha
The final outcome for me was a conflict. I uploaded my resume to Monster.com AND I got a call on it the same day. I was excited about the possibility of leaving that insanity - but at the same time I felt wrong for not allowing the CEO the opportunity to resolve what is "festering" in my situation. He feels sorry for her and that's why she's still employed there. She won't go away. The self-pity is her lifestyle. There simply is no point in telling him how bothered I am by it. Nothing will change.
She will have a nervous breakdown when I do.
.....but then....who'll notice? Nothing will be any different than normal.
Next week will be better. I'm starting Week Four on 1-19 because I have Monday off and I want my better week to start now. :)
Love, kindness and peace of mind to you all.
Aggie
Week Two - Patience, where art thou? (1-7-08 - 1-13-08)
Mine: blue and a bit of a cough – trying AGAIN to quit smoking completely.
His: Better since the antibiotic. Less “tired” feeling but still needs more sleep than “normal”. Could this be from the additional milk he’s drinking? (tryptophan) Cough is not as bad.
The week was rushed and very busy. My dislike for my job seems to expand the busier I get. I resent the demands because I resent the job and the coworker. The busier she gets the more she cries and complains and offends.
I flew to Houston Friday to attempt “our” family Christmas. It went badly. My brother’s family was in turmoil. My sister’s family was moving to their new home (YAY- First home! It’s beautiful and I love it. Good job kiddo!!). My mother was overwhelmed with children, worry and lack of sleep. (The final straw coming when she accidentally backed her car door into the carport post. Sometimes things happen that make everything too real. Thank god neither the door nor the post were badly damaged.)
We did try to be patient and we did try to find humor. (Canadians - inside joke.)
In the end, it got the better of all of us.
I did fix Netzero on my grandfather's PC. No one else knew how or was willing to take the time. It saddens me that no one will help him. He has so little to enjoy and our family acts like he's such a burden. It isn't fair. He's stuck here and he only has us. How dare we not take the time to make his life as enjoyable as possible.
I was pretty proud of getting that Netzero fixed - but even better than that, he and I spent a couple of hours just enjoying each other's company. He told stories of things he remembered and we laughted about our younger days. He gave me a great book, (Turn South at The Second Bridge by Leon Hale <-- that's for you Rupen). It was a time I will hold dear in my memory and hope to have again some day.
We had Christmas and collective-birthdays (the neice and both nephews were born in Jan & Feb) at my brother’s house on Sunday brunchtime. It was rushed because I had a 2:30pm airport arrival time. On the same note, everyone was glad of that because we were all exhausted. Overall it was quite depressing. It made me miss Dad even more.
This morning I am applying my “Better living through denial.” Motto. I will deny to myself that it was bad and remember things like; Nora’s crazy 1 legged floor scoot. Riley’s wonderful laugh. Andrew’s super-quick wit and artistic talents. Nora’s quirky little smile – so many facial expressions on that one…and she’s a THINKER. Ooooh she is planning! Riley is so very sweet and caring for a boy. He’s all boy but he sure loves deeply and obviously. He’s not a terribly manipulative child. He’s more about honesty. I hope he keeps those traits. Andrew wants so much for everyone to be proud of him. He minds very well and takes such good care of his little cousin, but he does have a hurricane of bottled-up-energy to release…and it’s LOUD energy. He seems to have the need to take care of the people around him. He sees things from other perspectives than his own. That’s pretty impressive for an 8yr old boy. Boys generally lack empathy. He’s a sweet kid. I hope his only escapes from the insanity of his surroundings are music and art. Never anything more addictive than that.
The Continental flight home was not without problems. Their track record is now something like 75% failure rate for me. This time there was a “broken indicator light” which prevented us from taking off. 2hrs later and we were on another plane headed home – finally. The evening was sullen and sad.
I’ll get the brakes fixed on my car and drive back down next month.
To look forward to:
1) I have brunch with my “best friend” on Saturday 1/19. She will drink too much and complain even more.
2) I have next Monday off.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
2008 Week One
Mine=fine - but noticably short tempered
His=The "cold" lingers on. He developed a cough 12-30-07 and went for antibiotics 1-4-08. He's been sick in one way or another since he quit smoking 18 months ago. It unnerves me terribly. I worry.
I created a compilation video of the kid's Christmas. I shared it via PC this year. I taped it because it was Nora's first and because my sister couldn't find her camera. The compilation is here for the sake of memory:

Christmas 2008 Video
The Texas twangs are overwhelming. LOL
I bought my first Ipod! After years of denoucing them as "a ridiculous waste of money", I now cannot understand how I ever lived without one. I'm completely addicted. 4 gig= 600+ songs (no commercials), 2 videos and 4 games...and counting. AND it allows me to listen at work thus blocking out the cellmate and making the time pass more quickly. Ahhhhh - there is no substitute for music.
We adopted cat #3 in early November. It was someone's pet, escaped and lost. The hubby took to feeding it outside back in October and when the first freeze came in we had to act. Turns out the cat is fixed and, thanks to us, now has all of its shots. I considered trying to find the owners, knowing the heartace of that loss, however, the cat is solid black and the hubby feels it was sent by his own, now lost, kitty. How could I deprive the hubby or the cat of a life of guaranteed mutual admiration. Besides, I KNOW that cat will be overly-cared-for in our home. It's what we do.
Welcome home Shadow. You live with us now.
Princess Mishu is still pissed about it.
Going back to work after 5 days off was quite difficult. My internal conflict rages on. I still have no patience or empathy for my cellmate. I keep trying to hang on to Randy Pausch's words "If you don't like someone, just wait a while. They will almost always surprise you." The internal conflict is that while she isn't an entirely bad person, she is a sympathy whore. I lost patience for that type of person on August 11th, 2006. I feel I have good reason. I can't find it in myself to find patience with those who pity themselves publicly. This week she found out that her beloved pet is not long for this world. I, of all people, can empathize with that - but the sobbing at work (literal sobbing) angers me. (and she did it 4 times in one day within earshot of me - as if some kind of sick instant replay. Being around her is like watching a car crash over and over and over - only there's no curiosity, just disdain.) I didn't do that. I didn't even do that when I lost Dad.
I do not display my emotions publicly. I think that I believe it to be a sign of weakness.
The very fact that I have given it this much space only exemplifies my inability to come to terms with it. I suspect that I am jaded. I know, partly, that I am in the wrong to judge - and yet, I am powerless not to. It goes back to the wall that I've built these past two years. Empathizing would put a ding in that wall and I refuse to allow that. The wall stands strong. I will not feel, lest I be hurt myself.
There is an entire dissertation on that wall that I have been writing for a long time. It isn't complete. Maybe, if I ever let anyone through it, I will be able to complete it and move on. Maybe I will never let anyone through it again
On that note, I've had this bizarre longing to re-connect with people from my past. I suspect it has to do with the wall. There is some kind of comfort that I am seeking and not finding. In the past month I have located the Loftons, the Norreds and the Nerrens via the intenet. All people from High School or before. I said "hello" and some said "hello" back. It feels comforting but it also feels separate and temporary. Rejoining the blogosphere is a part of that desire as well.
I need something to hold on to.........but what? I know we can never go back again.
the snow turned into rain"
Same Old Lang Syne
Dan Fogelberg
Peace, love, and random acts of kindness to you all.
Aggie
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Happy New Year 2008
May you all have a happy, healthy, safe new year filled with joy and memories.
Remember to hold the ones you love above all other things in this life.
(Each year I spend a good while searching for the "perfect" New Year's graphic. New Years day has always been so important to me. I think it's my favorite holiday - right after Independence Day. Maybe it's just the fireworks. I like fireworks.
Actually, I've always seen New Years Day as a new beginning. It implies hope. It says "Throw away the mistakes of the past. Start over. Make good. Be happier."
Hope is good. Damned hard to find sometimes, but good. Necessary even.
We lost my father on 12/31/05. He didn't make it into 2006. That makes the holiday hard. It marks the time gone by just a little too clearly. Regardless, I gain perspective from it as well. I note the changes in the world that he's not a part of. The changes that I am a part of. The things that I have to take the time to enjoy for him. For us.
I leave you today with the words from The Eagles' new album Long Road Out of Eden. The song is "It's Your World Now".
It's our world now. That's how it's supposed to be.
Wishing you all Peace, Love, Hope, Kindness and the eyes of a child to view your world through.
Aggie.
AS EVENING FALLS, THE GENTLE BREEZES BLOW
THE TIME WE SHARED WENT BY SO FAST
JUST LIKE A DREAM, WE KNEW IT COULDN’T LAST
BUT I’D DO IT ALL AGAIN, IF I COULD SOMEHOW
BUT I MUST BE LEAVIN’ SOON
IT’S YOUR WORLD NOW
IT’S YOUR WORLD NOW – MY RACE IS RUN
I’M MOVING ON, LIKE THE SETTING SUN
NO SAD GOODBYES; NO TEARS ALLOWED
YOU’LL BE ALL RIGHT
IT’S YOUR WORLD NOW
EVEN WHEN WE ARE APART
– YOU’LL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART
WHEN DARK CLOUDS APPEAR IN THE SKY,
REMEMBER TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES
BUT FIRST A KISS – ONE GLASS OF WINE
JUST ONE MORE DANCE, WHILE THERE’S STILL TIME
MY ONE LAST WISH: SOMEDAY YOU’LL SEE
- HOW HARD I TRIED AND HOW MUCH YOU MEANT TO ME
IT’S YOUR WORLD NOW
USE WELL YOUR TIME
BE PART OF SOMETHING GOOD
LEAVE SOMETHING GOOD BEHIND
THE CURTAIN FALLS
I TAKE MY BOW
THAT’S HOW IT’S MEANT TO BE
IT’S YOUR WORLD NOW
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy....

No. No No NO! THAT is not Thanksgiving. Step away from the ToFurKy. Ewwwww.
THIS is Thanksgiving.


Most importantly, Thanksgiving is about Flying Frogs. It just isn't complete without a flying frog.

Go ahead, go out and get yourself one. Ok, you can just watch mine instead. He'll be floating by at noon or so.
Y'all have a great holiday. If you're not from around here, take the holiday off anyway. Tell 'em I said so.
Sending big waves of love across the planet.
Much love to you and your.
Aggie
Monday, September 17, 2007
FORT E
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Saturday, August 18, 2007
Oldness, manic depressives and Steve Perry
I had an odd thought last night. We hide things from the elderly. "Don't tell grandma that you're sick. She'll only worry." "Don't tell grandad that the kids moved in together but didn't get married. He'll get upset." Why do we think they can't handle news? They've been through and seen much more than we have. Certainly they can manage. Do we get less able to deal when we get older? I can't imagine.
Life, in our middle age, is about what is going on. We keep up with the stories of family and neighbors. We are involved. These things keep us "in the loop". They keep us active. They make us care.
When people get older we start to cut them out of that loop "for their own good". Is it really for their own good? Doesn't it just isolate them not to be in the know? Maybe it's one of those things I'll understand when I'm older and start hiding things from Mom.
Manic Depressives
My co-worker, now referred to as "my cellmate", is manic depressive......or possibly an alcoholic. Or probably both. She spends most of the days in a deep blue funk which she pours over everyone around her. I'm trapped 5 feet from her so she blue funks all over me all day long, 40hrs a week. She throws things, slams things, sighs like a widow all day long. It's MISERABLE to be near her. HOWEVER, she did this one day last week for the first 4hrs of the day......then she went to lunch. When she returned from lunch she was GIDDY. Seriously giddy! She suddenly loved everyone. She loved her job and thought everyone was so "silly".
Uh-huh. I get it. Had a little drinkypoo at lunch did we?
Two hours later she was blue again. Yep. That alcohol wears off dammit.
She should spike her morning coffee.
I need a new job. And yes, I'm looking.
Steve Perry
About 3 yrs ago Dad called me up on the phone to tell me of a radio show in Houston. He said the hosts had a competition to name "The Voice of Rock and Roll". I don't recall who the contestants were but the final outcome of many phone calls was Steve Perry. He called to tell me this because he wholly agreed. I did too.
In all of 70's-80's Rock, that crystalline, chiming voice still holds as the icon of the era.
Long about Dad's birthday this year I couldn't get that thought out of my head. I knew that if Dad were still here, I would have bought him some Journey music. The hubby, being sweet and thoughtful that he is, bought for me the Time3 set. Some fifty-odd Journey songs in chronological order. They're playing in the background now.
I started Youtubing Journey and Steve Perry. There's a lot out there.
I ran across an interview with Steve Perry done many years after the "O' Sherrie" era. He hadn't put out an album in 7+ years but was coming out with a new one. He said, "Steve Perry had to stop to find out what was left standing after a very large circus ride." ... " I really didn't have a lot to say for 7 years. I had nothing to say. I was...dry..."An Interview with Steve Perry
I think that's where I have gone. I can relate to Mr. Perry on a couple of levels.
I have a voice inside my head that drove all the blog posts from 2004-2006. That voice is much more still these days. Part of the voice left with Dad. There was a part that lived to relate my world to him. I sought humor and irony to phone him and share that laughter. That ability is lost now with no outlet.
Secondly, my mental focus has been wrapped in other people for a year now. Who needs support? Who needs love? Who needs help? What can I do and for whom. The entirety of my internal world has been external. The ONLY times I have spun that voice inside, I have found not much but my own heartache and that seems selfish at best so I avoid it.
I avoid a lot these days honestly. I am, if you will, living in the moment. Isn't that what we are supposed to do? I do not worry the future for I have NO control there and I am VERY aware of that. I wish for nothing - I no longer believe in the power of wishing. I do not dwell on the past because I can't change it and I can barely face it. I am here. Now. No place else....and then "poof" I am off to the next thing.
*******Sidenote - Aug 11th was the anniversary of Jessica's death. I do not believe, Elvis, in celebrating the anniversary of deaths. Ridiculously painful act.
Regardless, her mother, with the help of some wonderful neighbors, set a mass of helium filled balloons to flight in her honor. Symbolic and lovely and well done.
August 28th is the date set for the trial of the young man who sold meth to Jess. that will be a stressful day. What is on the other side of that I don't know.
Finally, yesterday, August 17th, 2007 marked the beginning of the last month of 39ness for me. I will be 40 soon. Expect a blog of 40yr old quotes because I've been reading them. LOL
Hugs and love and kindness to each and every one of you and to every one you love through you.
Aggie
Monday, July 23, 2007
Vista Child

Happy Monday all.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Afghans for Everyone...or...How to Fill the Time
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Satan (a.k.a. Fang-Baby, a.ka. Boo Bear) 1986-2007
Good-bye sweet baby. I hope your eyesight is back and you are playing (chasing) Mickey and Moochie. 19 years was a long time. I've loved you like my own since we met. Daddy has loved you all your life and still does.No more insulin shots. No more hurting teeth. Back to your beautiful, fat-cat self.
Daddy will come get you first thing when he can. You wait for him there. I hope that wait isn't more than a minute in the sun for you.
Momma super-loves you little pur-baby. Daddy misses you terrible. He'll never cuddle again like he did with you. Thank you for loving us back.
Monday, April 30, 2007
What's gnu?
Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't. -Pete Seeger
What in the world is new with you? Have you any stories to tell? Anything will do. I'm not picky. It helps to know that life goes on outside of my silly, little bubble and the TV news.
What's new with me? My AOL software began registering the count of my un-read e-mails, but not showing me what I hadn't read. That is to say I had collected two hundred and twelve e-mails but when I opened my box, I saw one or two. All of the e-mails that get generated when one of you wonderful people stop by here...they were mysteriously not here.
I found them. I found them when I decided to open AOL Mail in IE. Imagine that. There they were. 15 messages from here and an ENORMOUS amount of junk-mail. Pics of the kids. Messages from grand-dad. Lots of stuff all holed up somewhere in cyberspace. That's my story.
Secondly, (please note the previous post) my boss's appendix did NOT heal. She went back to the doc on 4/19 and had her appendix removed on 4/20. It is not an easy surgery, regardless of her being sent home mere hours post-op. (It's "outpatient" surgery thank you Insurance Companies of America.) She phoned me the next day just bawling because she couldn't understand why she couldn't WALK! She lives alone, save the 5 dogs she cares for. Insane - our medical society. Someone might have told her she wouldn't be able to walk for a couple of days.
Way back in 1992, when I had a similar surgery, I was hospitalized for an entire week after. Crazy, I tell you.
She's healing now and I expect her back at work next Monday-ish.
(My whining, self-pitying inner-self points out that my boss has worked 3 of the last 9 weeks. I did not know I was getting into this. I've had NO assistance at all. Last week I started asking the higher-ups when they were planning to hire me an admin!!)
Anyhoooo - that's my story.
Oh, and the hubby has a horrible sinus infection that I think he's being kind enough to share with me. What a sweetie, huh? I love him. Hope he feels better soon. Don't be surprised if I call in sick once that boss of mine gets back to work.
Also, the in-laws got themselves a webcam. It's nice to see North Carolina on occasion. It's odd how intrusive webcams can be.
We got one too (had to reciprocate). I aim it at the outdoors and the kitties. Muuahaha.
That's my story.
Thanks for all of your well-wishes. Thanks for popping by to check in on me. Thanks for 10pms, happy days and happy weekends and for not forgetting me. I love you all dearly. I'd hug every one of your necks if I could. Aw heck, I already am. :)
Wishing you all the best always, of course.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Current
Yes, Spring has sprung. (Thanks Terry. You helped me notice.) Does it count that it snowed IN DALLAS on the day before Easter. Not in 20 years has that happened. There wasn't enough snow to photgraph, but I do have proof of spring. My irises gave me 24 blooms this year. More than ever before. (by about 20)



Boo Kitty is still with us. We fight daily to regulate his blood sugar vs. insulin. Currently he's on 3 units, twice daily. He tops about 450 and drops to about 180. We're close (between 300 & 100 is ideal).
He has trouble eating because his poor old teeth are too sensitive but we can't pull them because he can't be anesthetized. We give him a pain shot (anequin) and subcutaneous fluids every 4th day. We refer to him as "grandpa kitty". We love him desperately but it isn't time to put him down. We'll know it when it is. HE doesn't really know there's anything wrong with him. He just goes through the days being a cat and doing cat things. :)
Mishu, our kitten, is almost a year now. She owns the house and has grown to be a true Kitty Princess. She is very clear about how we are here to tend to her every need.
Last week she got to spend the day at the vet. She wasn't bothered at all. She just charmed everyone and they all loved on her. What a magical way she has about her.
Her mother, on the other hand, well.....we love her, but she's just not right.

-----
The rest of the news is:
My best friend is still with us. Shame on me, but I told her "I lost three last year. Please don't be number four. Please don't let me cringe when your father calls me because I think he's going to tell me you're gone." It's very sad, but it seems to have worked. She has changed her meds and is trying to be less caught in that depression and more involved in life. I DO NOT know how a person survives the loss of their only child. I just don't. I wonder if I'm being selfish by asking her to keep living.
Next month would be Jess's birthday. Her mother and grandparents are going to Washington D.C. to spread her ashes near the Supreme Court building. That was Jessica's dream - to be a Supreme Court Justice. She would have made it too. I hope they don't get arrested for dropping a powdery substance near the building. You know how paranoid we all are now.
If you know anyone who does methamphetamines, just call the cops on them RIGHT NOW. You will lose them to the drug and it's a crappy loss.
-----
My boss has returned to work. Appendicitis seems to have been cured.
I have pretty much grown to hate the job. The people that I work with are weird, narrow-minded, fascists. (in a Jim Jones sort of way.) That's my opinion. I do not fit in and I'm very unhappy. I'm looking for work elsewhere BUT this one pays well and it is so close to the house that it has allowed me to check on Boo at lunch every day. I guess it has it's benefits. Time will move on and things will change. I'll lump it until then.
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That's all the news there is to report. That is the current state of things.
So much love to each of you for dropping by and wishing well. Tree, I still look at that moon. Autumn, every wish of a happy day and weekend is taken to heart. Becky, you hang in there. That beautiful kid is the whole world of reasons for living. What a joy to experience life through her eyes. Rupen, I keep meaning to drop by your half of the world. Soon, hon. Don't quit writing or reading. Christa, I miss you every day. I'm sorry I haven't stopped by lately. You know I'm always wishing you and Robin the best. Terry, I know your blog is filled with beautiful photos. You are so great at seeing the beauty in the world. You're always good for my spirit!
I love you guys. I'm sorry I haven't been a very good friend lately. Thank heavens all of you sure have.
Much love and many bear hugs.
Aggie
Friday, March 23, 2007
3-23-07 Just blue...

The kitty is still alive, and doing better. It was a long road, without much sleep, to get to this point. The lack of sleep sent me into a depression and the husband into crankiness. That's not a fun combo - and we're not out of it yet.
My new boss has been out for two weeks and will be out again next week. She is 53yrs old and has been stricken with appendicitis. She was misdiagnosed by one of those drive-in doctors. (PrimaCare, CareNow, etc) He told her she had a stomach flu and sent her home with anti-nausea meds. A week later her appendix ruptured and she's been hospitalized. It has been difficult for her.
As much as I sympathize, and I do sympathize, I am left in a new job doing her job. I am overwhelmed. I am exhausted. This has only served to deepen the depression.
Finally, my best friend is suicidal. Her daughter died in August of last year. She has attempted suicide twice. She has been hospitalized both times. She is then released and told to see a therapist. She has tried therapists. They do no good.
The last one told her to "make a list of all the losses you've suffered in your life". This only served to depress her more.
I cannot save her. I don't know how.
Call 911, send them to her apartment, have her hospitalized, wash, rinse, repeat.
I've lost hope. She will die. I know this. I am powerless to stop it.
I will understand when she does it.
For all those people out there who are diligently analyzing Anna Nicole's tragic death, I ask that you stop. It doesn't matter if she was a drug addict. It doesn't matter her mental stability.
She lost her son.
She killed herself.
I understand.
Leave her be.
I'm so very sorry to come here and tell of only sorrow. We have our downtimes in life. I'm having one. For me, it will pass......and surely enough....it will come again.
This is one thing I've learned about getting older. There are a lot more tragedies to live through.
I wish you all well. I hope you are healthy and happy and have someone to hug and love.
Blessings on you all.
I will be back soon - in a much better mood, I hope.
Love,
Aggie
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Alien Abduction?
All I could see was the light. It was bright and warm and......
....and then I was on the spacecraft.
The room was dark. Multicolored lights flashed all around. Sound reverberated from the walls. What was that sound? It was oddly familiar. It was...wait...yes..."Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting."
Yes, that's right. I was abducted by Disco Aliens.
I'm back now.
Ok, ok. I wasn't abducted. But it was a good story, right?
I honestly haven't even turned the computer on for two weeks now. (Imagine my e-mail inbox! Gads!)
I suppose an update is in order.
Kitty is doing ok. He's been most of our preoccupation for these past two weeks. See, he lives in the upstairs bedroom alone. He doesn't come down. This is because his eyesight is nearly nil and it's entirely his choice to stay in the confines of a space he is familar with. We promise not to move the furniture.
We've been trying desperately to regulate his diabetes with new insulin. We're using PZI which is made for animals. It is less than good. I could go into great detail about how the curve is supposed to be 24hrs, even though he gets insulin every 12hrs, and how it actually seems to be curving about every FOUR DAYS. I could tell about how is BG stays in the higher 300s and lower 400s regardless of our raising his dosage a bit every week.
None of it would make sense to anyone who doesn't do this to survive, so I'll spare most of the details. I will say that he seems better yesterday and today. At least his appetite is back. (which is good because he's skin and bones at 7.5lbs)
Today I'll try to get a new BG reading but we've worn out his little paws and blood samples are a challenge now. He's old. 19yrs. Circulation isn't his best feature.
Also, last night, for the first time since Mickey died, he wants to come downstairs - even go outside. We have to lock up Mishu and Sophie to let him wander. They are young and spry and would kick poor grampa-kitty's bum. We'll try this at least once a day. I hate do deprive him. He doesn't have that many years left in him.
Work is better. I'm learning. I'm also setting myself in a grand position. It's detailed but I've realized that I will be the only person in the whole company who has total knowledge of both the original company and the new one. Processing between companies is my territory. I'm laying the groundwork. (say "JOB SECURITY")
Aside from that, they still can't keep me busy enough to fill the days. I think that's changing though, since the webstore opened. I'd post a link but that will make me searchable, which goes against my anonymity. Anyway, the webstore is for customers to buy logo-imprinted stuff in max bulk. The webstore opened last week and I suspect it will double the business (and my job) rather quickly. Yay! Busy is so much better than bored.
Finally, my brother came to visit. Yay!! I hardly ever see him anymore. He's two years older and we grew up together. We have the same sense of humor and the same taste in music and a whole lot of the same memories. It's odd though. We talk so seldom but when we do it's so much fun. I miss him terribly but never seem to realize it until I hear his voice or see his face.
Life is funny that way, isn't it?
Well, that's my update. Grampa kitty is calling and I'm off to check on him. When I've got him settled a bit, I'll zip around the web a while. I got up early today just so I could go catch up.
Love and Hugs always!!!
Aggie

