2014-05-31 Saturday

My bum leg this weak today, so I’ve not been able to move around as much as I would like to move around today. I was able, however, to prepare two excellent meals while sitting on the folding chair I keep in the kitchen.

Breakfast consisted of the last of my bacon strips and my last two eggs in the carton. With the final bit of orange juice and coffee—I have plenty of coffee—breakfast was a feast!

Dinner consisted of the last four frozen fish sticks. I wish I had a salad to go along with it; however, even the minced fish of the fish tasted yummy.

I can scarcely wait until Monday when my pension check will be deposited in my account so that I may do some shopping for the Kitty Kids and me.

I have been attempting to take a photograph of Midnight’s posterior past two days. Late Wednesday night as Midnight stood on my stomach looking at Alex who was curled up on my legs, I began to question whether or not what I thought was her vagina might not be testicles. Whatever it is, it is solid black and quite hairy. So, yesterday and today I have been trying to photograph midnight’s rear end so that I may share a photo with my Internet friends who are much better than I am in determining cat gender.

Normally Midnight is always sticking her ass in my face. However, each time I have attempted to photograph her posterior in the past 48 hours, she has turned toward me instead of away from me, which is the direction that I want her to point. I wonder if she is doing this because she perceives that I want to photograph what is beneath her tail.

Of course, Alex is always willing to pose.

I posted the May Graphic Wisdom on Nick’s Bytes earlier today. So I’ll close this Journal entry with a few of the wisdom graphics that touched my soul.

Please

2014-05-30 Friday

Late this morning I was going through stuff in the bedroom. I keep telling myself that when I find the energy, or, Veterans Affairs allows me to have a housekeeper again, I’m going to organize all of that stuff. That is not going to happen so I must continue to do things in 10 to 15 minute blocks of time with resting and having my leg elevated higher than my heart.

Anyway, I found a huge wad of all sorts of electrical cords and connections. Coming out of the wad I saw my long missing heating pad. “Ah,” I say to me self, “I can apply warmth with that the next time my back feels as it did the other day!”

There was, however, one rub: the long cord attached to the heating pad was buried throughout that huge ball of electrical stuff. So, I spent about 75 minutes this afternoon untangling the cord of the heating pad from all of the other cords. I am proud of my success.

Now, when I have the time, I shall work on separating the rest of the stuff from its entanglement. Some day. Maybe.

I published my Friday Funnies on Nick’s Bytes today. Here are the few of my favorites:

Ya'll have a grand weekend! 

I'll be back tomorrow, God willing and the electric company doesn't turn off my power.

2014-05-29 Thursday

Alex and I were up this morning before 4 AM. Actually, I got up and, since Alex was sleeping on my legs, ` he was forced to get up also. My first recording about vital signs takes place before breakfast. Usually, before that, Alex and I have a cuddle session. This morning I decided to record part of that session. The results are this video:

Do not turn your servant away in anger,

    you who have been my help.

Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,

    O God of my salvation!

If my father and mother forsake me,

    the Lord will take me up.

Teach me your way, O Lord,

    and lead me on a level path

    because of my enemies.

Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,

    for false witnesses have risen against me,

    and they are breathing out violence.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

    be strong, and let your heart take courage;

    wait for the Lord!

~ Psalms 27

Since Monday night, I have not slept well—at least not at night. During the day I have, as usual, I have napped quite a bit. I’ve been feeling a great sadness throughout the past five days. I’ve analyzed its cause; I think I know what started; but that doesn’t help me deal with the sadness. So I have advised myself using the prescription I would give a parishioner or a client in my counseling practice:

Do not analyze. It makes no difference what the cause is. Simply feel the sadness. It is temporary. It will soon depart.

As of tonight my sadness is still with me, to the point that it is close to a full depression. And so I pray:

Dear Lord, you are our refuge in good and in bad times. In your infinite mercy, bring peace and comfort to those of us who face days sometimes filled with pain and depression. Help us to realize that through you there is joy and the promise of lasting peace. Help us through the rough times. Walk before and beside us so that we may walk in your footsteps and reach out to you in our journey on this earth. Help us to focus on our blessings rather than our misfortunes, dear Lord. Thank you for hearing and answering our prayers. Amen

And I meditate. And I chant.

And I continue to do what I need to do. And to be gentle with myself. And to accept the curative love of my Kitty Kids.

        

2014-05-28 Wednesday

Midnight, our 11-month-old Kitty Kid, has developed a rather unique habit. She follows me into the bathroom, which is a frequent trip that I take that make, and, when I am sitting on the commode she leaps onto a stool that sits before the washbasin. Then she begins chattering nonstop. She leans toward me from the edge of the stool and initially placed her front paws on my thigh, still chattering.

I have learned that when the kitten does this, she wants me to scratch her head, ruffle her ears and stroke the sides of her face and her neck. As I do this Midnight continues to talk to me.

In the last two days our kitten Kitty Kid has added a new action to her routine. Now she not only places her front paws on my thigh, but all four paws are there and she balances on my thigh, turning around so that my hand is stroking her exactly where she wants to be stroked. And, of course, Midnight continues to chatter. I have no idea what she is saying, but her manner and tone indicate to me that she is a very happy kitten.

If I remember correctly, often when I wrote this Journal of the past, I would include a comment on my health. I can happily say that although I am not the man I was 30 years ago, I am doing better that I have been in quite a while.

As you may know, for about a year I have been taking and recording in the Veterans Affairs website, MyHealtheVet, my vital signs. I usually do this three times a day: when I awakened and before breakfast; about mid-afternoon; and before I begin my preparations for sleep. I share the data and graphs that the website maintains and creates with the relevant VA physicians and my nurse practitioner at MD2U.

I am unsure how much of this data is useful—I limit my sharing to the 2 weeks immediately preceding the day of my appointment—but the health professionals all review the data closely, making comments and asking questions about it.

Now, the reason I have told you all of that is to tell you this: over the last month most of my vital signs have been excellent. I still experience pain, but for the most part, my prescription strength ibuprofen reduces the pain enough that it is tolerable. When it doesn’t, as has been the case with the earache in my right ear over the past six weeks or so, I seek help.

Recently I have been following a routine based upon suggestions I have received from Facebook friends. First I irrigate my ear with warm water, then with hydrogen peroxide, then place an over-the-counter earwax softner in my ear and plug it with a small piece of cotton. I go through this procedure three times each day. I cannot say I have noticed much earwax coming out of my ear, but the pain has been reduced about 40%.

That’s it for now, folks. I'll be back tomorrow evening.

Please

I Am Back

A few years ago I created this Journal as a place to post personal stuff about the Kitty Kids and me that I had been posting on Nick’s Bytes. Then at the end of last July (July 25^th, to be exact) I began sharing that information on Facebook, thus neglecting this blog.

I was basically quite please was posting personal stuff on Facebook. Lots of very neat folks responded to my posts, I received a lot of support, and some tangible assistance. However, a few days ago, I was attacked by a troll—a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people (Wikipedia)—a very nasty troll who flamed—flaming… is carried out by individuals known as flamers, who are specifically motivated to incite flaming. These users specialize in flaming and target specific aspects of a controversial conversation (Wikipedia)—me time and time again.

This experience shook me. It was the first time I have encountered a truly vicious troll since the late 1990s and it was totally unexpected. After evaluating the situation and praying for guidance, I decided to return to full-time blogging. Nick’s Bytes will be as it once was, with both serious and humorous posts. This journal will be what it was originally intended to be, a place to share a personal happenings in my life and the lives of those I love, including the Kitty kids.

I can’t catch up with all that’s happened since last July. I will share one of the things that I did  today.

That is all for now. I'll post again tomorrow. Please come back when you were able.

Shalom, dear friends.