so that was christmas

It was quiet here well except for the dog bedlam. Jen came over and we had a lovely visit. We ate lasagna, rhodes rolls and green beans. Nothing fancy. Watched Prom on Netflix. Tried to watch the new George Clooney movie, TRIED. Couldn’t get into it, he was way to good at looking like he was dying. Justin was under the weather and stayed in his room. But he never like the holidays or much of anything. I am fairly certain he is hiding from the dogs. They are too intrusive and seem to be under a misguided theory that Justin will pet them. Umm just leave mr grumpy pants alone. I try never to talk to Justin the first four or so hours of his waking up. Its like a ticking time bomb. Usually a dud with a wave of a hand and a swift return to his bedroom. Its okay I am getting used to living by myself with this silent person who comes and goes like the wind.

I could have picked up a male golden this week or when its done growing to 12-16 weeks. Holly sent out a bulletin that one of the families who reserved a male pulled out from the group. So close but no not yet. I will get my Henry but not yet. Betty is going to need a buddy eventually. But Zsazsa is still going strong. She has remembered how to play and likes to steal Betty’s current toy of choice. Betty will take any toy she is playing with and push it into Zsazsa or Bonnie’s face to get them to play tug of war. Sometimes it works. Mostly it annoys them and the barking and growling ensue.

Gary and Carol came over the other day. They heard that I had jury rigged a ‘more’ stable stand for my heavier AC unit. Justin had bought it from them 2 springs ago and we found out it was double the size of the one it was replacing. After the first summer Justin somehow took it down and put it in the shed for storage. And some how by hook or crook got it back in at the start of this summer. Thing must weigh 300 pounds. He then went on to complain that it was heavy and he was not taking it down again and I better have an idea of how things would happen at the end of the season. I asked him why the hell he took it out. He said the bracket was to weak for it. And it was but I am not my father’s daughter for nothing. Whatever the hell that means but its true. I am not. So at the end of AC weather. We pushed it from the window sill where this behemoth of an AC wobbled precariously on this shitty bracket. I got one of my ‘decorative’ wooden 6 ft ladders to set under it. There was a gap of like 2 feet. So then I added 2x4s and shims until it looked like it wouldn’t fall then left it for a couple of months. It looked like shit and I mentioned it this week while up at Carol and Gary’s, where I invited myself for a snack of smoke salmon dip with wine. The next day I was told they were coming to fix it, Merry Christmas. Well I actually asked if they would and they said yes. I love them. I try my very best to not ask them or siblings for help and try my damndest to do it myself. But this time? It needed a little educated help.

in charge of unreasonable demands

At the end of the day, I am a little tired. Or was. With the pandemic raging on I have to deal with entitled people who demand to be seen today. Geriatrics demanding to be put on a list for the vaccine. The general public asking questions of covid. And faxes. Dear God, the faxes. My calls are hovering about 100 every day and double that on Mondays. Calls from people stating that ‘clinic’ down the road said we did such and such and I WANT THAT. People calling in asking why haven’t their prescriptions been filled, (backlog of faxes) And I think because we were all told in a meeting that our department should realistically have 7 more people on staff. Now that really made me tired. sheesh. As each day ends now? It is all that I can do to walk out to the living room. I don’t fix anything to eat. I sit so Betty can rub all over me, knock my glasses off, and wash my face. nice. I am in zombie land.

BUT? I still love my job. I like that I have more leeway to do what I know is the best for my nurses or patients. A lot of common sense comes in on this. A situation happens? Can’t fix it? Write a note in the patient’s chart and send it on to the nurse. A lot of my coworkers in most situations tend to freeze, put people on hold and send out messages for help. Um did ya not pay attention in training? A lot of times the call is dropped then the call comes back and guess what? Yeah I answer and end up writing a note in the patient’s chart to send to nurse, which is what should have been done in the first place. Then this very thing? Adds to my exhaustion. It’s like if you would do your fucking job so I don’t have to….

They hired two people and they should be whipped into shape to add to the flow. But we are still short handed and if this pandemic thing continues? We are going to keep needing more people. Hey! Can I get a freaking raise?

Thursday we got a sign up sheet to get the vaccine. We were told to sign up so we wouldn’t lose out on not using the ones that we get now. But? You can only go on your lunch. I seem to be the only one who would have to drive in anywhere for 39 to 51 minutes depending on the location. That is just half. Lets double that for the drive back and I will be missing some time. So I decided to NOT go. I want to give this thing a couple weeks maybe months to see what happens. Plus this vaccine needs to go to the people on the frontline. Which I am not. So I am taking one or not, for the team.

And to add to the pot, I am still not receiving the correct amount of medication from my new provider. The one main med which keeps me sane and on an even keel had been reduced to 1/2. So I am a little tense and for some reason agoraphobic. Or just lazy. I don’t sit and cry all day but I do take offense easily. Usually it all rolls off like water off a something something. But people on the phone are mean and stupid. So I must get back my protective shield of chemicals.

Almost forgot this story. Answered a phone call from a young man who wanted to talk with his daughter’s provider. He said he needed to straighten his wife out. Oh here we go, instantly my hackles are raised. He went on to ask if vaccinations caused autism. They were having a running argument and have been researching via the internet. Every answer they found was no, nada, nope, zip. What the ever loving fuck is this? I said no it does not. Listen to people who are educated in science and not some blonde starlet with a media page. He then said Thanks I will tell my wife. god!!! Do you see? This kind of shit is exhausting. But good fodder for the blog.

And I would like to add. I firmly believe Trump is insane.

get yer christmas on

Yeah I am going to decorate. Started already with changing to my christmas themed bedding. I have white flannel sheets that are decorated with red Currier and Ives christmas scenes. Then I put on the christmas themed quilt with its matching shams. Where I will dream visions of sugar-plums I don’t know if they will dance in my head. I already spread the cheer to my bike out front with garland and fake poinsettias then sprinkled a little cheer on the planter box below the front window.

I have been gathering and poking into my Christmas ornament totes. I am rather overwhelmed with the number of totes that I have. I have my ornaments that I have collected (still collect) then I got like 4 boxes of ornaments along with 3 trees from Rocky’s mom. Not to mention all the stuff from mom. I kind of cherry picked thru her stuff and made it mine, And like a total dumbass I took the rest over to Jim when he had his house here. There went her spendy Hallmark collections, the 12 days of christmas made into a picture and her little tree with her hallmark ornaments fixed to the branches. Why what did he do? No he didn’t burn them in the barrel out back. Nope, he took all that stuff out to his friend Steve’s house. the hell boy! So when they broke up Steve and what’s her face, they went who the hell knows where. Yeah should of hung on to them and hand them off to a more deserving family member. But I still got boxes to poke into. And thru all the searching I cannot find the Christmas Story leg lamp that Justin got me one year. Probably find it next April.

I have 3 trees left. I have the cheapo miniature that I have used for years, a white 4 foot tree for when I want to decorate with all the glass vintage ornaments I was given. This year I purchased a Hallmark miniature tree for like 1/2 off. So I will decorate that. I will leave the white tree alone for now. I offered to let Jen go through the totes to see if she wants anything. I hope so. I had sold the 3 trees mom had given me in a yard sale some time back, they were matching stair step lodge pole trees, cute. Then last week I dragged my 7 foot pre lit fake fir tree (boxed) to the road with a FREE sign affixed to the side of the box. I had signed off on it as Sincerely Scrooge. It sat there all day Sunday and Monday. Tuesday is trash day and they won’t take anything without a sticker on it but will take anything that can fit in my luxurious mansion sized garbage can. So Monday night I was getting ready to go outside and try to lift this huge box into my bin…it was gone. So I am spreading cheer in some anonymous persons life. Probably not by much, no guarantee the lights still work.

Also? Pardon my debbie downer post last time. I was really down in the dumps but am currently working on it.

so have some cheer, I will share