Lunch at Dan River Family Restaurant

It's a small BBQ restaurant near Hanging Rock state park that we end up eating at every time we're at the park.

Troubled

MonsterMustDie seems to be missing more words than usual lately. I hope this is just because of fatigue at work and lack of quality sleep. It worries me because of the gorilla in the room - the fact that his mother and aunt died of alzheimer's disease. He never misses names and words, unlike me, so when he starts making mistakes or struggling to remember an actor's name it scares the hell out of me. I wish I could talk to him about it without upsetting him. I wish I could simply ask him to have a checkup and make sure everything is working right. There is also  the complication of the strokes he had years ago, which might mean this is just a temporary effect of that, brought about by stress and/or fatigue. We need to know what's going on. Otherwise, everything is fine. He was especially nice and attentive tonight. He even got off facebook long enough to sit on the couch and watch an old DVD with me.

Maybe I worry too much about these things.

Sleeping in trees

I went camping overnight with Karen at Hanging Rock state park in North Carolina.  We slept in hammocks enveloped in insect netting that Bob likes to call "bear pinatas". The net-covered hammocks worked well as a minimalist way to sleep outdoors. It was a reasonably warm night but much more windy than anticipated. I had a very soft camping blanket wrapped around me. I listened to the wind in the tree branches and felt it against the sides of my cocoon.
Woke up find that the coffee in my thermos was still warm. Karen was still sleeping while I sat in the camping chair with the blanket over my legs, drinking coffee and reading about Night of the Witches by Linda Raedisch.
We had lunch at the Dan River Family Restaurant.

if I won the Lotto

1. I would buy a house in our old neighborhood of Northcrest.
2. After buying the house in Northcrest, I would sell my condo in Midtown. 
3. I would buy a new car. 
4. I would update my computer, electronics and photo equipment. 
5. After acquiring these things, I would talk with a financial planner and figure out how to properly and conservatively invest the remains so that I could have a bit to live comfortably. 
6. Give 10 percent of what I live on to charities I believe in. 

Last week

Last week, I was lucky enough to go with MonsterMustDie on an overnight trip to Atlanta. We drove down Tuesday in a rented cargo van. The plan was for him to oversee final removal of everything his employer had remaining in Atlanta in a truck as well as transporting some items in the cargo van.

Good thing: We met up with six friends at Holy Taco in East Atlanta for dinner and conversation after we arrived in Atlanta. We ended up spending two days with no online access other than MonsterMustDie's cell phone  - which was actually a very nice emotional break.

Bad thing: It all started with the company credit card being denied at the hotel, which also did not provide free internet access to guests - that was $20 more. MonsterMustDie's entire business trip was a complete fail because no one on the other side had gotten proper confirmations or checked their emails. We got to the site the next day and his key did not work because the landlord had already changed the locks for a new tenant. The company was notified of this two weeks ago but did not respond or pass this on to MonsterMustDie.
Also, the landlord had not been properly notified that anyone would be there to recover what was left in the empty space and the company next door had some of its largest trucks parked in their lot, which had to be moved to leave a clear entrance to the warehouse and loading dock. He had to walk into their office and ask them to move their trucks out of the lot.
The drivers called to say there were no trucks ready for them. The trucks weren't there to pick up because no one had confirmed the reservation of them after filling out online forms.
The person responsible for all of the arrangements was in meetings and did not answer his phone or voicemail all day.
The landlord was also unreachable to get a key, anyway. MonsterMustDie started going down the chain of contacts and got the landlord's personal cell phone number and finally reached him. He had no idea anyone was supposed to be there.
 All of this was scheduled to happen at 8 a.m. We waited around until 1 p.m. before heading out for lunch and then on the road back to North Carolina.

lost today

Today is kinda a loss. Woke up feeling awful with what felt like a very bad headache, mild nausea, a huge sleep deficit, and the desire to spend most of the morning in the bathroom. By 12:30 in the afternoon, I'm already feeling better but just an hour ago, I could not convince myself to be up long enough to take a shower. I called into work and, quite fortunately, the manager on duty, Kimberly, was very reassuring of my decision to call in. This is the month when everyone's hours are cut drastically anyway at work and she assured me that I could easily one sick absence today and to please not come in if there was any chance I might have anything contagious.

Not that I think I have the flu, although some of my coworkers have recently. I think it was just the perfect storm today. MonsterMustDie was working in Atlanta this week and insisted on driving back late Wednesday night instead of staying overnight in there and coming home the next day. Thus, he got home just after midnight. I had to work at 4:45 a.m. on Thursday for store inventory and one excited cat roused me just enough to get up, have some water, and even though I was already in bed when he came into the house and did not acknowledge his presence I never could go back to a deep sleep before my alarm woke me at 3:30 a.m.

While having to be up and at work so early, I did not make coffee before running out the door. I had one cup (which I did not finish) from the keurig machine at work on break - they provided free coffee and muffins for those on inventory duty - and didn't have any more that day. I am currently on a four-cup-a-day habit at home.

After work, I was starving. MonsterMustDie was taking half a day off work to rest from the trip and both of us met Karen at a Chinese buffet in Greensboro. It seemed like a good idea at the time. The restaurant seemed clean and it was cheap and we filled up there. By the early evening, when I wanted to be in bed, I was still too wound up from the day so I had what was probably too much hot sake.

So extreme sleep deficit + greasy, large quantities of questionable food + hot sake + my existing winter cold = very ill morning.

Now, I've had a cup of coffee and am brewing a fresh pot. I also had a bowl of ramen soup (the last in the pantry). I think after two more cups of coffee and some solid food I'll be at least in good enough shape to do housework meander around. I plan for this to be a recovery weekend for the entire household.

Christmas and New Years

Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve this year were spent with Karen and Bob at their house in Greensboro, again with neighbors, friends, and family. Their living room this year displayed a new grand piano and an enormous Christmas tree. The tree was bigger than they imagined it would be when they bought it still bundled up tight. It opened up over the holidays as wide as it was tall but it was glorious.

The Christmas eve tradition at their house is Bob taking command of the kitchen and making fresh pizza. Everyone got half of a large pizza with the toppings of their choice. I brought marion berry pie and my own holiday traditional snacks of butterscotch haystack cookies and ruffles potatoe chips with French onion dip, just like my grandmother Crowe always served on Christmas eve (although she always made cake rather than pie).

Christmas day was just spent quietly at home with MonsterMustDie. We opened gifts and ate leftovers.

New Year's eve was a potluck followed by fireworks in the street at midnight. They had gone to South Carolina to buy the good stuff to bring back to welcome the New Year.

New Year's day, MonsterMustDie cooked blackeyed peas and kale, which we had with rice in front of the TV.

Relax

Having a relaxed day just taking care of routines. Having a fresh haircut and color. Next,  planning to take a few old things to donate to Goodwill. Then, perhaps I can find inspiration to cook dinner,  though it will probably just be pasta and green salad.

Trying to accept where I'm at and where I'm not without letting my brain melt down. Feeling the beginning symptoms of a winter cold. I've got a foggy sore throat now.

Thanksgiving 2017

I am thankful for our friends Karen and Bob, who invited us to spend Thanksgiving day at their home in Greensboro with their family and neighbors. We had a fantastic heritage turkey that was cooked perfectly, home-made cranberry-pear sauce, traditional green bean casserole, ultra-fatty mashed potatoes, multiple pies, homemade dressing and lots of little munchables in between. We brought a marionberry pie from Deep Roots Market and roasted root vegetables that I cooked in two separated batches - one with carrots and fennel and shallots; the other with garlic, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. Separating the batches was a smart move for anyone not sure if they liked fennel and carrots. Me and Bob enjoyed the little batch with fennel while Karen and MonsterMustDie could have the rest without the fennel flavor. Lots of spirits and conversation. Oddly enough, in a twist of normal roles, MonsterMustDie was very happy to socialize and he managed to say the most inappropriate things all night (not me!). Good times.

I work the usual four hours today at my little retail job. Should be interesting to be there on a Black Friday. Despite the fact that our store does nothing different for this day other than being open holiday hours now until the new year, I am sure it will be a wild time and grateful that I do not have to open or close the store today. Thankful for my coworkers.

Interesting Week

It's been a very interesting week, both good and bad. Mostly fun. This past week I got to see three friends who live far away - John from California last weekend and then Gillian and Brandon from Atlanta during the week. I was incredibly happy to see everyone. After the sad no-show at both gatherings I tried to get neighbors to attend in October, I was in need of love and I got it.

Tonight, the pipes under the kitchen sink decided to let me know they've had enough. The sink and the base of the cabinet aren't doing too well, either. MonsterMustDie thinks he can fix it himself. MonsterMustDie just got home from Phillipe's party where he drank too much. We shall see what his more sober thoughts on this are tomorrow - after I work my retail gig and he marches in the High Point Christmas Parade as a banner-bearer for BuzziSpace USA.

 

John and moi got to meet up for dinner at The Pit and a good hang out and conversation,

followed by watching him play bass with Lukas Nelson in Durham, North Carolina.

 

Then it was back to reality the next day, going back to my little part time retail gig.

I did something I rarely do - I actually bought something for myself. I could not resist buying the  Red Fox pajamas. MonsterMustDie has not seen them yet. I think it might be a good idea to spring it on him one cold night when I get home from work after he has already gone to bed.  I did confer with Gilli, Sandy, and Karen via text messages before deciding that I must have this. 

A couple of days later, I was delighted that Brandon and Gillian made a trip to High Point just to see me. Gillian, never missing a shopportunity, brought me multiple belated birthday presents. We gave Brandon and Gillian the short tour of Casa WereMonster. Then we had dinner at 98 Asian Bistro before they headed back on the road home to Atlanta.  

 

 Love you, Gilli. 

 

 

Ghost

I invited everyone I have met and my immediate neighbors to the house for jack o lantern carving and no one came. We did, however have one guest I did not expect.  MonsterMustDie's cousin, a political journalist and photographer, came to visit us on his way south for the winter.  He parked his van in our driveway and spent the night there. He refused our offer to stay in the guestroom,  preferring to stay in the van, which is his little home. It was a good visit for the cousins,  remembering family stories and mutual friends.  He left early the next morning. 

I invited everyone I could to come by Halloween night and only one couple I know showed up,  bearing food and beer. The four of us enjoyed trick-or-treaters together.

I will continue to host Halloween here because the trick-or-treat makes it worthwhile but I'm giving up on everything else.  I only hope I can visit  Atlanta next October and during the holidays next year.

no golden eggs here.

We started out today with MonsterMustDie talking about money and the lack of it and how we aren't making enough for both of us to live on. He started talking once again about me starting my own business with a JulesPerryPhotography website. I told him I have two websites - one on wordpress and one on Wix - that have created absolutely no interest on old photos of musicians or in selling me as a graphic designer. There is no huge pot of money waiting for him in my corner. I suggested not wasting money on small things and concentrating everything we have on finishing the most important parts of the house, like the kitchen, to have the house itself generate income during Market weeks as an AirB&B. He is appalled at the idea of sharing our home with other people who we do not know and says we might as well give up and sell the house if we are going to do that. He also wants to make money with no investment or debt whatsoever, which is an impossible task. I think it probably defies physics and all laws of nature and economics to expect me to come up with a way to bring us instant money with no risk or investment.

All this weeks after I told him that I did not want any discussions or mention of money unless it was options for improving our lifestyle or income. The photography and graphic design website idea is at least three years old and I am tired of hearing about my failure in it. He thought I would be a big fish in a small pond when we moved to High Point (despite saying things would be so cheap here that I could be a kept woman - he forgets that now) but instead I am a dried up flounder lying on dry rocks where there is no place to swim. We have burned all of my bridges and extra-support by leaving the city and there is no going back - only forward from this place. He shoots down every other idea I come up with and tells me how it can never work and how stupid I am if I pursue it.

This is a typical day when we are both at home. Being trapped in the house with him here makes me want to pack a suitcase and drive away as far as I can until the car runs out of gas and fling myself off a bridge somewhere.

Halloween Decorations

I am beginning to get my happy Halloween on here at Casa WereMonster.

Adding to my burdens

The ache and sting in my left arm that started in September is still with me and has kinda changed to more of a sting than a bruised feeling. Not always there but springs up predictably when I move my arm or have to hold something with my left hand. Always some small malady going on. At least my back is better now.

A stray cat came up to us one night last week and introduced himself by jumping into my lap while we were sitting around the fire talking to Karen and Bob. He was extremely friendly, emaciated, and coughing with a labored breathing. He came back up to me every night afterwards and was obviously sleeping in the dried leaves at the end of our back yard. I took him into a veterinary clinic that was recommended to me. He tested FIV positive and had a respiratory infection. Rather than have him euthanized immediately, I had his other vaccinations updated and had the vet give him a long-acting antibiotic shot. Now, he's living on the back porch here until I can figure out what to do with him. I'm feeding him as much as I can to put some flesh on him and the cough is already lessened. His appetite is much better now too. He still longs to be outside and we really can't keep him in the back room permanently. We have to find another home for him, euthanize him, or put him back outdoors despite the vet telling me that I couldn't let him be outside again. I would LOVE to find him a new home as a solitary pet for someone or in a FIV+ cat rescue. Of course, all shelters of that sort that I've found are not taking in any new animals. Normal animal shelters don't take FIV+ animals - they are put down immediately, which is what I probably should have done, but he is such a sweet cat I thought I should try to do what I could to give him a chance at a longer life.

MonsterMustDie has been fighting a cold and what might be an intestinal virus or mild case of food poisoning this week. He's been completely depleted at the end of every day and short tempered, both from the physical stresses he is enduring now and the mental stress of this cat I put on the back porch. Every thing that was on the porch as far as laundry hampers, chair covers, etc. is now in the house to make room for the cat and to keep that area easier to clean.