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Musings from the Laundromat: Limping Manatee and a Surrogate Angel edition
Laundry lady has bronchitis – but is here anyway. It is SO humid inside this building today. I feel like I’m breathing in water. That can’t be good for bronchitis right? Or is it the opposite? I can’t remember and I’m the Queen of Bronchitis.
Outside it’s grey and cold. I debated putting off the trip when I woke shivering this morning.
I had slept fitfully. Tossing and turning and looking at the clock.
I had arranged for a friend to take my mum some lunch and a smile from me. A surrogate to bring a little sunshine to what is a dreary routine day for my vigilant and loving mum.
Every time I woke, I looked at the clock trying in my sleepy state to do the math to figure out what time it was in England. Felt like a bittersweet Christmas Eve.
THANK YOU to that friend by the way. I think I can use her first name without her minding. Theresa and I went to primary school together. And, she just happens to be married to the brother of my first love. Crazy how things turn out eh?
So now I’m here. I decided it wasn’t going to get any warmer from the looks of it and would be nice to get everything done and relax for the remainder of my last day off.
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In other news, Butters, the cowardly manatee, injured herself.
She started having difficulties getting around about a week and a half ago? I thought perhaps it was the shift in the weather. It’s been cold, windy and rainy in our desert. On some days colder than the East Coast! I did the math, realized we’ve had the pleasure of her company for almost 5 years and she was certainly no pup when she found us.
But then she started to noticeably limp.
I checked her legs – she didn’t cry out.
Checked her paws and pads for those evil rams heads that inevitably find our feet at least once a week.
Nope. Nothing.
Then I had a small panic.
I couldn’t afford to take her to the vet – and lamented this on Facebook.
Someone mentioned ‘Care Credit’ which I applied for the very next day and qualified for. Made an appointment and yesterday afternoon we were off to the vet.
I make that sound pretty smooth right?
Um – no.
Butters on leash, realized we were exiting ‘the gate’ AND we were headed to the car and proceeded to freak OUT.
I got her in the back seat then she upped her freak out a notch. Her excitement had me blocking the back seat with part of my arm whilst trying to change gears with the same arm. (Well, the hand attached to the same arm – you know what I mean.) So, I’m elbowing the divide between us and making cooing sounds until we arrived.
Now she realizes where she is and is immediately overcome with sensory overload.
Hyperventilating began. As did excited shaking. And wind passing. And panting. And it was 20 minutes of this fun mode until we were put into a room.
For some reason, she also managed to shed more??? I kid you not, there was hair EVERYWHERE. I kept petting her, it kept coming. I mean, she worked herself up so much she was losing her hair. Lol.
At this point, I’m thinking the vet is going to assume I brought her in for an exorcism.
She was a trooper for the staff. (Okay, I did have to get on the scale with her to get her weight, but other than that and trying to sit on the thermometer while inserted, she did very well.)
The vet examined the offending leg. OH! I should point out that the vet only knew which leg to examine after watching videos of her limping that I had taken the night before.
Because, the minute we got there, guess who was no longer limping? Ding! Ding! Ding! You win.
Yup, Butters, in her adrenaline pumped state – suddenly had no signs of an issue. Other than mental.
Her range of motion was amazing (better than mine actually) – and other than a few joint pops as the vet pulled and bent and prodded, he concluded she had just over extended or sprained the leg. (Not surprising since she thinks she’s super dog every time she fly’s off the porch in pursuit of a rabbit or car.)
She has anti-inflmmatories to take and is meant to chill out for 6 days.
Didn’t end up having to use the Care Credit as no X-Ray was taken. If she isn’t improving in the coming week though, that’s the next step.
So it’s been quite a week.
Nic and I spent the rest of the evening gorging ourselves on Chinese food (courtesy of a gift certificate I received for Christmas) and watching a movie together.
Butters limped around the house as if nothing note worthy had happened that day.
Which is good, because I think she’s right pawed, and it would be difficult to write in her little diary if she had thought it worth noting.
Musings from the Laundromat: Twirling Umbrellas and Alien Babies Edition
Someone is twirling the rainbow umbrella furthest from me.
Sitting there and just spinning it.
When I walked in there was no one at the twirling table.
No one at all.
I had the place to myself again for a while.
I saw this sign and after filling my machines, had to take a photo of it for you.
I saw the figure and thought, “It doesn’t look like it fell. Looks like it’s relaxing on the floor.” Then I thought maybe it DID fall, but then was trying to play it off like “I meant to do that.”
If I fell here, I’d hope to look as nonchalant about it as that little figure.
Twirling lady has left. There’s now just a man at the counter chatting with the laundry lady.
I remember loading the machines and leaving. Taking the opportunity to run errands. That was before I mused for you.
Oh, I got my car back Wednesday. And Friday it was back in the shop after overheating.
Got it back the same day, but I’d be lying if I said I’m driving it with any confidence.
I feel like I’m hemorrhaging money when it comes to my car. The fridge is pretty empty.
We DID have leftovers in there for a small time – from my son and his girlfriend. They had been to Vegas and stopped at red lobster.
The leftovers had since run out of ‘time’ so I put some of the crab in the cats kibble bowl. Then I thought I’d do an alien hand thing – and my honey created this. Cracked me up.
The look on Butter’s face is classic.
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Just went and refilled my coffee and was stopped by the laundry lady. We had a little chat.
She made coffee last week for me and I didn’t come. How sweet is she?
“I reset the WIFI and made a pot.”
“Yeah, I was out-of-town.” (Which, is technically true as I was across the river in another state.)
She then told me about another regular that she’s worried about.
She didn’t show up either – she’s undergoing chemo.
“You should get her number next time she comes.” I said. “I bet she’d like having someone check on her.”
“Yeah, I should. I’m the only one she let’s do her laundry.”
I can see why.
I love my laundry lady. ‘My’ laundry lady lol.
But she is mine. Another person I adore in my collection of people I adore. I treasure her. I love that I’m ‘her’ regular too.
The Menagerie – and the wounds.
My parents cool deck needs some work. They do what they can, but I came out of a day of swimming looking like I’ve been beaten up. I had to explain each wound to my co-workers.
No, he doesn’t hit me.
No, this isn’t a ‘sex’ wound.
No, I didn’t fall down.
I DID take full advantage of the pool. But the coating on the side is like cut glass – and when they’ve spent as much as they have getting the INSIDE suitable for water and swimming, who could blame them for waiting on ‘aesthetics’?
Not me.
But I suffered. Every knuckle. Every knee. Every arm that hung onto the side to chat, then turn to respond to someone – injured. I can LOOK at something and be injured by it. It’s ridiculous. I bruise so easily.
I bleed easily too.
I will not speak of that night. Let’s just say, 95% of it was freaking awesome, and the other 5%? Well, when you have people imbibing and that love one another – shite happens. Because we feel safe being ourselves.
And sometimes ourselves isn’t who we want to be.
Then there was the ‘plank off’ which I INSISTED on – although my very fit mom told me was not a great idea. My core is still hurting today. LOL!
Here’s some pics from the party, then we’ll get to the menagerie.
Fun time was had by all – until it wasn’t a fun time.
I have GOT to learn to let go.
To appreciate what I have and quit living in the past.
ANYWAY – this thing showed up ….
Did I NOT tell Nic “no more critters???”
So, now he has like a dozen fish – a hamster (the first critter, whose name is Scarelett, but forever I will call ‘Scratchy’.) Now a Guinea Pig who looks at me with sad eyes.
I thought tonight, ‘Eff it!’ and brought Butters in. Let her explore the new smell.
She did great! But then … Draper marched in – and I, in my ninja, stupid, only human mode did a tuck and roll onto the floor I’ve only seen in movies.
Was enough to alarm the cat who I’m sure was thinking “What the ‘F’ is she DOING??????” And I twisted my toe.
SO unnecessarily twisted my toe. Add that to the injury list. LOL!
Sorry Paltrow, I can never be a body double, because I maim myself just LOOKING at something.
Animals are settled for the night.
Nic is gone, because he’s saying ‘bye for now’ to his true love going back to college out-of-state – and I have my honey working his arse off for his art.
And wounds.
Wounds I couldn’t let go that 5% of the night.
And very visible wounds I can’t stop saying ‘ouch!’ to today.
My life right now
So, Jim is working on 4 paragraphs about ‘life right now’.
For a very interesting project.
I thought I’d give it a shot.
I don’t think there’s a word count, so technically, I could be done right now.
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Life. Everyday I am alarmed at my alarm. No pun intended. It’s obnoxious. And loud. And nothing ‘snooze’ mode will help.
Tonight, I was bitten 4 times by my sons hamster. It hurt. But, no, I did not fling it.
I have always loved rodents. Hamster is lonely. Master is gone a lot. Mother is lonely. Son isn’t technically around a lot. I mean, when he IS around, it’s ‘technically’ – games and such.
Anyway, this happened.
Clearly, son did not care about the four bites I took without fling mode.
The temperature of the fish tanks was of importance.
This weekend I lost my car to a tow truck, am trying to make the best of things.
Trying not to stress out.
Life as it is right now.
Honestly?
I FINALLY have someone in my life and in my home that I love. (Other than my son – that’s a given, I hope it should be anyway.)
Life as it is RIGHT NOW?? Dog is anxious to go out, I’ve got YouTube on pause and wondering about dinner.
Life in general? Is a hamster wheel. I’m not going to lie.
It’s the same thing, day in, day out.
But, I’m grateful for the job, grateful for my family.
Grateful.
We did all the cleaning today since I had my car towed away – (almost rhymed no?) so tomorrow, it will be very odd waking up to see empty dirt outside of our fence. No cars at all.
My life today? Was filled with worry – then silliness, and various states of undress. Deciding it isn’t worth it to worry anymore.
Life will be what it will be.
As Doris Day would say (Yeah, met her – at Pebble Beach) “Que Sera, Sera”
I’m just along for the ride at this point – and making sure the bills are paid. That is MY life.
Debauchery Soup 