Sleepy

I have been excessively tired this week, like naps after work tired, cover up with a blanket tired,  turn the alarm off and go back to sleep tired. Is it the time of year? Is work exhausting me? Am I staying up too late and getting up at an ungodly hour? Am I cutting back on afternoon coffees? Ahh... that last one just might be it!

Who knew working in a coffee shop could be so absolutely crazy? I never knew so many people ordered espresso drinks (or that there is apparently a preferred time of day for them... Seriously! They come in in bunches!!!) Previous to working at Dunkin (which I know is far from exotic and shunned by coffee snobs), I didn't know the difference between a latte, a macchiato, and a cappuccino (and I seriously can't spell them without help...). Throw in an Americano and a Triple Espresso and the option to make them hot or iced (along with flavors and whipped cream) and it's a recipe for chaos and confusion. We were short two staff members today and somehow survived, partly thanks to another who came in to rescue us, and this is a tiny Dunkin on the corner of a gas station convenience store... (Mobile orders don't know the difference.)

Well, it's after 9 pm and time for me to think about going to sleep again...

PS. My allergist says the serum for my injections is ready. Here's hoping it makes a visible difference.

Too Much and Not Enough Too

Two weeks. It's been two weeks since I last published a blog. Two are in forever draft form (never to be published), but they don't count. And now, because it's late and I'm thoroughly exhausted from chasing children during the day and not sleeping at night, I have little to share and yet much on my mind. Late fall problems...

I've not taken any wonderful, autumn woods walks this year and I am a little sad about that. However, I do have a great stockpile of woods walks from years past and if I close my eyes and hold the picture in my mind, it's almost like being there. I soaked those memories in deep; the sights, the sounds, the smells. All of it. I am so grateful for those years. If I ever slide into dementia (which is a terrifying thought), I'm sure I'll be taking some woods walks in my memories then too. (Which really doesn't sound half bad. LOL!)

It's been an emotional week with a cherished family member being diagnosed with a terminal illness. (I'm keeping the identity private out of respect.) The time and miles between here and there make visiting impossible. There is nothing I can do except to pray. For peace. For pain free days. For God's grace. For those who can to be there. Life, it seems, is all about learning to let go...

Tomorrow is a day with friends. We're going to a craft sale and then out to lunch. This is good. This is what I need.

Physical Therapy

 I started going to physical therapy a couple of weeks ago. The PT agreed with my doctor that I am suffering from sachroiliitis. I've been given some exercises to strengthen my glutes which in turn will help the tendons and ligaments in my back hold everything in place better, including my sacroiliac joint which has been acting up since this trip to Chimney Bluffs back in August of 2016. (Click here.) My foot slipped on some loose stones giving my back a quick twist and I felt a sharp pain in my right, lower back. I expected it to go away, but it has continued to hurt off and on through the years despite chiropractic treatment. I am hopeful this will take care of the issue and give me relief.

I am thoroughly exhausted this evening and have already fallen asleep reading an online article. I'm sure there are multiple factors contributing to my fatigue, one being physical therapy. Allergy season is in high gear with the cottonwood trees releasing their fuzzy fury upon us. Everyone has a cold and all the babies are boogery. On top of that, I get up quite early each morning and am attempting to wean myself off that afternoon cup of half caffeinated coffee (or large Dr Pepper).

It was a beautiful day. The lake must have been lovely tonight but I wasn't there to see. I came home fully intending to head back out again but ended up in bed instead. Ha ha!

And Then It Was Monday

 I didn't sleep well last night, but tossed and turned instead. It could have been the little bottle of grape juice I drank just before turning out the light. Or the half a box of Stoned Wheat Thins crackers... I have enough on my mind to keep me awake, but it typically doesn't. Normally, I sleep, unless I ingest too much sugar. Good thing I got enough sleep on Saturday. Ha ha!

I made it through the work day, passed out and received a bazillion hugs, made lunch, and changed a few stinky diapers. Sounds just like what I done for most of my life and I like it.

I had an appointment with my favorite chiropractor at six and from there I went directly to the pottery studio. Someone had left some pots to dry on my new shelf. They were removed to a nearby table and a note was left to explain why. I had a small amount of clay in my possession, so I wedged it up and tossed a couple of pots myself. The clay is soft, very soft. The first one flopped, but the second one looked pretty good until I tried to take it off the wheel head. Maybe it will be okay. It looked alright once I got it onto a board to dry. (I'm so not ready for an advanced class. Ha ha! Someone encouraged me in that direction and, well, here goes nothing. I'm a little nervous though.)

I arrived home this evening just in time to give Number Nine a hug and kiss before he went to sleep for the night. Perfect timing.

Bits and Pieces

 * We had some unseasonably warm weather last week, but by the weekend the temperatures had dropped back down to normal. I could be disappointed, but I know the fruit farmers are relieved and so I am too. Saturday was cool but sunny. I went for a long walk along the Cayuga Seneca Canal with my sister Priscilla and her brother and sister in law. Then Priscilla and I went to Sauder's, ate a late lunch, and bought some treats.

* I stopped at the lake Sunday afternoon and found an icy wind blowing, but the lake ice had melted. Cold wave battered Only the shore and pier were still dressed in ice and snow.

* I changed my clock early Saturday evening and woke late for church. On Sunday night I set my alarm to rise early this morning, and then woke up with barely enough time to squeeze in a shower. (But I did anyway.) I was so tired at work that I went to sleep on my break, and didn't hear my alarm then either. Thankfully I was not late getting back in.

* Summer is on the way and I am making vacation plans. (I'm kind of excited.) I've never planned a real vacation before, especially not a solo vacation. This one will take me back to a piece of my childhood. It's a rare and beautiful opportunity that I don't want to miss.

Here I Am

It's been an exhausting week; allergies, emotions, and a restless night to boot. I have the allergies under control again, at least as far as the throat and congestion. They're still making me sleepy, but maybe that's from taking the allergy medication twice a day instead of once. I think I'll drop it back down again this coming week and see if that helps.

I'm not sure if anything exciting happened. I didn't make any pie, but I did freeze one bag of elderberries and drop the other two off to a friend. Mid week I was given a personal sized elderberry pie and a jar of blueberry jam. A very sweet gift indeed.

Last night I took myself back to the lake for some evening pictures. The park was occupied, but not heavily populated when I arrived, but half and hour later the parking lot and shoreline filled with people. We were not disappointed. The sunset was spectacular.

Today I went to find my friend Gail at her cottage again, picked a few pieces of beach glass off the shore, and dipped my feet into the late summer, lake water. It was warm and wonderful. I am not ready for tomorrow to be Monday.

*Photos from last night's trip to Lake Ontario at Webster Park.

I Crashed

As you might expect after a week packed with activity, I came home from work today and crashed. I stretched out on the living room carpet in front of my glass bookcase, pillow under my head, and closed my eyes for a quick nap. When I finally hauled myself off the floor and out to the kitchen, it was 5:12 pm. I'd guess I was there for 3 hours, mostly sleeping.

I woke up with an allergy headache, medicated myself (back on the allergy meds regimen) and went out to fill my gas tank. (Is it even okay to have a headache anymore?) I went to Target for a birthday gift. My sweet Aubrey Rose (Number 4) turned nine on Wednesday. She's invited us for a swim tomorrow.

Since tomorrow may prove hot and busy, I opted to do my laundry this evening. My bedroom smells like fresh linen... Ha ha! A little relaxation on The Veranda this evening and now it's time for bed. The world is still getting crazier every day, but I know God is still in control.

Oh! The nurse from Tim's place called to let us know how happy he was all afternoon yesterday. She said he just kept smiling. What an answer to prayer!

Bits and Pieces

* Last week I witnessed a rescue. Just across the railroad tracks on the other side of the Erie Canal, a white truck was stopped in the middle of the road with several cars waiting behind. Traffic in my lane had also come to a stop. A black man with a shovel, and his white female companion, were scooping a turtle toward the swampy area along the road. I can only assume it was a snapping turtle or they'd have likely picked him up with the hands. Once the creeping reptile was safely on the other side, they hopped back into their truck and we all went our separate ways. I'm guessing several of us were smiling. I know I was.

* Today I got a surprise at work. I opened the refrigerator to take out the milk and was greeted by a blast of warm air and the scent of old hot dogs. You know as well as I do that the interior of a refrigerator is supposed to be cold... Ours was not. I put my hand on one of our milk jugs. It was not cold. In fact, it was quite warm. (blech!) One of our staff ran down the road to Walmart for two more gallons of milk and I took a new package of hot dogs out of the freezer. Pretty much everything in the refrigerator was lost. I saved some fresh carrots and a jar of grape jam. Everything else went into the dumpster. The garbage men don't come until Friday and to tell the truth, I'm a little concerned about those three unopened gallons of milk in there. I might just park as far away from that dumpster as possible for a while.

* I was surprised at work one day last week too, but it was a good surprise. Someone sent me a card with a little gift inside. I haven't a clue where it came from, except that I don't think it was one of my coworkers. It was sent in care of the daycare center. How fun is that? On the way home I bought myself an iced coffee to celebrate. So yummy!

* Tonight I am finding myself tired and achy. Wearing flip flops can make me achy, and spring allergies always make me sleepy. I'm going to bed early again tonight.

(No photos of bulging milk jugs or snapping turtles. Not even a shot of my coffee. Instead a couple of photos from my drive home from the party the other day.)

Coffee Klutz

Lat week I worked 20 hours from 9 am till 1 pm. This Monday I worked from 9 am till 3 pm, and since Tuesday it's been 7 am till 1 pm. I arrive home sleepy. Sometimes I close my eyes for a few minutes, but not until I make myself a cup of coffee. You know, just to get me through the day.

Today I filled the Keurig (a newish acquisition), popped a pod in it, and pressed the button. Sometimes I stick around to watch it fill, but today I came upstairs while the cup was brewing. Several minutes later I returned to the kitchen where I found my cup sitting in the middle of the counter. "Strange," I thought, "Sergio must have moved my cup to make one for himself..." and then I saw the puddle. Stretched across the counter, from the base of the coffee maker to the sink, was a long brown puddle of coffee. Two large onions and a basket of coffee pods stood like islands in the middle of a coffee lake, and I realized what I'd done. It had absolutely nothing to do with Sergio, who was still out in the living room. I'd never put my cup under the spout. Oh, me... Ha ha! I sopped up the mess and started over.

Did I mention I was sleepy?

It was a crazy kind of day with coffee. I often re-use my cup and this morning I found last night's tea bag floating in my mug, along with an unidentified black speck which I fished out. I was at work when I got to the bottom of the cup and found a carpenter ant. Blech.

So Sleepy

Sleep is descending. I've taken a melatonin and tucked myself into bed. It won't be long before my eyes close and slumber ensues...

My beautiful daughter was permitted to remain at the hospital with her baby until at least tomorrow. Adam came home around noon and so I am home in my own bed. I slept half of last night on their couch and the other half in bed with my granddaughter. I must admit sleeping with Jilly in a read bed was much preferred to sharing the couch with the dog. Ha ha! Baby's birth was somewhat traumatic and he will spend a few days under observation in the NICU before being discharged. Safety first.

I did not walk around town with my family after dinner this evening. It was cold and I am tired, so I chose instead to stay home and clean up the supper dishes. Hannah smiled when she came back to a clean house. Tomorrow is another day and it will be faced mush better with a good night's sleep. and I am getting very sleepy...

More Bits and Pieces

* As our daycare numbers dwindled last week, I began to come home early. Thursday evening I walked in the door to my family sitting together in the living room. There was a little gasp and Idris cried out, "It's Grammy! Now we're all here! Me and Mommy and Daddy and Grammy!" I couldn't help but smile.

* Our weather has been fickle. Friday was quite warm, so on the drive home I flipped on my air conditioning. While stopped for a traffic light I noticed an odd, burning odor. I turned the air off, opened my windows a bit, and hoped it was someone other than me.

* Other than filling my gas tank and running into the grocery store Friday evening, I stayed home. My car didn't move again until Monday morning. I started the engine and proceeded to scrape the night's accumulation of ice and frost off my windshield. In the process I noticed the car seemed to running louder than usual.

* I've been listening to my car's engine upon starting it and while idling at stops along the way. I didn't like the new sounds I was hearing. Something under the hood was amiss, but I didn't know what, so I sent a text message to my favorite mechanic. I stopped by after work to have him take a look at it. Good thing. It was something having to do with the unit that hooks into the air conditioning, a belt, and some bearings. (I can't keep it straight) All I know is it could have left me stranded and been a much more expensive job than it already is. (My feet as I sat waiting to find out what was wrong with my vehicle.)

* My boss, bless her heart, is covering for me in the kitchen tomorrow. The baby teacher will come in early, and I will stay home from work while my car is being fixed. This evening, after a cold, late afternoon walk, and no coffee, I am exhausted. I'm turning in early tonight. My eyes don't want to stay open.

Just Weekend Stuff

The weekend has come to an end. My Friday night pottery class was a great help in melting the stress from my back and shoulders. I made a return trip late Saturday morning and spent some time glazing my pieces. It is a wide variety of random stuff. Next week is our final class. I'm not ready for it to be done and would sign up for another if I had the extra cash, but that will have to wait. I am grateful for the shelf I rent because I can still go in anytime.

My sweet Number Nine, who dodges my camera, enjoyed taking selfies yesterday morning with my phone. He is quite the character! Ha ha!

Today my sister Priscilla and I went out to see our brother Tim and take him out for a ride and a small chocolate Frosty. He was terribly sleepy. He was asleep with his head on the table when we arrived, ate his snacks in the car and fell asleep on the drive, and ate his Frosty at an average speed today. Not at all like his normal self. And then he fell asleep on the way back to his house too. Not much of a visit.

After driving out to pick up Priscilla, taking Tim out for a ride, and driving back home again, I was terribly sleepy too. I pulled into the driveway, parked the car, leaned the seat back, and conked out myself. I should have gone for a walk, but I probably needed the sleep.

Back to work again tomorrow. It'll be dark out again when I leave the house, rather than just getting light, but I'm looking forward to a bit more sunlight when I get home in the evening.

A Ruffled Mind

A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow. 

- Charlotte Bronte

A restless pillow filled my last night's dreams. I was quiet and tried to lay still, but no matter how still my body was, my mind could not be hushed.  Perhaps tonight the mind will be quiet and at rest.

(This is Frankie. He lives with my friend Lorrie.) I needed a "pillow picture" and so I am borrowing this one.)

Hugs and Kisses

It's been a week of sleepy headaches. Last night it dawned on me that it just might be my sinuses rather than caffeine or tension, and so I stopped for some sinus medicine. Although I woke up with a dull headache and battled it through the day, I am beginning to feel relief. No wonder I was so tired over the weekend!

I was early for work this morning. (Go figure.) On a normal day I arrive five minutes early, but this was more like ten or twelve minutes. Too early to punch in right away. We had five babies before 7:15 am (which is the reason I go in at seven) for the first time since I came home from Minnesota. They are a boogery bunch!

Every day I am blessed with hugs. I sat on a chair in the three year old class on Monday and was surrounded by six or seven little people all clamoring for a little attention. Some of these children were in the baby room when I started sitting in there a little over two years ago. My friend Addison soaked up an extra long hug.

In our toddler rooms are more little friends. My buddy Jonah was smiling on Monday as he climbed on my lap and wrapped his arms around my neck. Once upon a time he cried every time I left the baby room. Even now, when he is really upset and I am able, he will crawl into my arms for some comfort. How I wish I could always be available! My friend Chase smiles and says, "Hi, Parta!" and the others all want to collect a hug and kiss too. My friend Parker has been back since school started. I love hugging that little guy who I sat with all last winter in the baby room during Meg's lunch break.

Swearin' Maren is still in our baby room, but she's more of a scowler than a swearer these days. Sometimes I call her Tipsy because she's always losing her balance and falling over, a casualty of being 13 months and having a little fluid in her ears. Mylah does the army crawl every time the door opens, Brayden makes noises like a tugboat, and Maggie is six months old and mad at the world because she can't sit up alone or move on her own. I think most five and six month old babies are miserable. Ha ha! Penny is our new baby, She belongs to my friend Parker. She's his baby sister.

I came home from work tonight. It's cool and rainy, and the headache that I had earlier left me sleepy. Idris and I stayed home to clean the kitchen and play cars while his mommy and daddy ran out to the grocery store. We played cars, shared a cup of lemon tea with honey, and looked out the window until the car came back in the driveway. It was nice to have someone to share my tea with.

Alarming

Silent and sleepy. Dark clouds vainly attempted to thwart the day's sure arrival. I opened my eyes and blinked. Morning struggled through the window. No bright sunshine flooded in, and yet the dark of night was dissipating...

"What time is it?!" I grabbed my little clock and pressed the button. "7:17."

I literally flew out of bed and made a grab for yesterday's blue jeans which were on the floor by my bed. I heard my flip phone fall out of the pocket and hit the floor. I blinked some more, trying to find the runaway phone. In the end I got down on my knees to peer under the bed before locating the digital device and making the dreaded phone call.

"Hello. Tot Spot. This is Heather." said the voice on the other end, and what could I do but tell her I had just woken up and was on my way. I wasn't just going to be late, I already was. By fifteen minutes. "We'll be fine," she said. In truth, they hadn't even yet missed me, but they would soon have been missing breakfast.

Waking up in a panic leaves one rather disoriented at a time when there isn't any extra time to be so. I opened one drawer to find a shirt, and another to locate a pair of socks. Both instances left me feeling blank and confused, like my brain hadn't completely turned on. I dragged a brush through my hair, turned a circle or two in the middle of the bedroom, and tried to clear the fog from my brain. There was no shower, no application of deodorant, and no changing of the undergarment. I tossed two waffles in the toaster and a cup of water in the microwave on the way to the bathroom where I relieved myself and washed my face.

I have no clue what time it was when I left the house, but I made it to work by about 7:50 am, less than an hour after I'd flown out of bed. In a stroke of luck, or Divine Intervention, our fifth baby had just arrived and an extra assistant teacher was taking my place as I came in. (I'd envisioned a room full of tiny tots and infants, at least six or seven of them, but God was way ahead of me.)

The Daycare owner thinks I get too much overtime. He'd wanted me to start taking a "long lunch," which means leaving for my break a half hour early when I am typically cleaning the kitchen and setting out afternoon snacks. (I end up staying an extra half hour to 45 minutes almost every day because we still have too many children in the center at 4 o'clock.)  I told our director I wasn't going to give him 2 1/2 hours of my time every week. She could try to send me home early once a week, but I wasn't going to bust my butt trying to give him back time I needed to do my job and have it wasted. Today I found a new way to save him from paying me overtime... I overslept. Oops.

Tonight the alarm is turned on, and I am turning in. I gained about 2 1/2 hours sleep last night by going to sleep an hour early, and oversleeping for another 90 minutes. Honestly, I think it was much needed. But I don't intend to do it again anytime soon.

Here I Am in Minnesota

I did not pay attention to dates when making plans to fly, only to days of the week. The wedding is on Saturday (my son's best friend) and I wanted a couple days with my family as well. I considered flying out on Thursday morning, but that would have meant getting up at an ungodly hour to be at the airport for a 6 am flight. I opted to get out of work early and fly out at 5 pm on Wednesday instead. It wasn't until Tuesday that I realized I'd purchased a ticket for 9-11.

I arrived safely in Minneapolis at about 9 pm local time just as the storm clouds were rolling in. It's been a dark, dreary, rain-filled day and that is perfectly okay. This morning I sat on the floor and played with my little grandson. It comes so natural, just like I was made to snuggle little ones. Ha ha! We took it easy today, caught naps this afternoon, and went out to play indoor mini-golf and eat pizza this evening.

Sleep has been elusive and I am totally tuckered. Weirdness fills the dreams I can recall by morning. You know, the kind something akin to chasing a school bus from one stop to the next, never catching up to it, and finally arriving at school only to find you are not fully clothed... ? Except it wasn't that one this time around. And it wasn't the one where I am in desperate need of bathroom facilities that are all occupied, filthy, or nonexistent. This dream, which occurred a few days ago, had to do with me needing a shower and all kinds of complications in getting the task accomplished; falling shower hooks/curtains, a public shower facility, a man in the adjacent shower, people knocking on the door to get in... I don't recall ever being successful in acquiring a shower while still dreaming. I only know I'm still tired.

It is a strange thing to lose all track of time. Not only have I entered a different time zone, but I've almost completely lost track of what day it is. I knew what day it was when I got up yesterday morning, but lost it somewhere along the way. Maybe that's a good thing, huh?

On another note, I got this little bit from my sweet Hannah this evening, "We pulled onto our street tonight and Idris gasped for joy and said, 'Honey Gram is home!' 🙃 He’s going to be so excited when you get back!" He probably saw my car in the driveway and forgot that they took it home from the airport. Aw, I miss him too.
:0)

Fashioning Figures

Last night I came home after work. I was tired and I was achy. I needed to get in bed early and so I came home. My people were downstairs when I arrived, but soon after I came upstairs the house fell silent and I was alone. It was an empty, aching silence, and though I am fully aware the problem is mine, I remain overwhelmed by sadness if I let the emptiness take me by surprise. Being tired couldn't have helped.

Tonight, after a visit to the therapist's office, I made my way to the pottery studio for a bit of mud therapy. Although there wasn't much conversation, I wasn't alone. The shelf full of glazed work held a few treasures with my name on them, or at least my fingerprints. I was expecting to find my last sculptures, but was surprised once again by the presence of three small, speckled vessels.

I have "rescued" a couple of pieces from the box of discarded bisque-ware and broken pottery. They make fine sitting spots for molded figures whose feet dangle precariously over the edge.

It was a relaxing hour or so of fashioning figures and perching them atop unwanted pieces. Actually, the bottom piece may have been my own, but there was no signature on the bottom, just a penciled date telling when it came out of the kiln. It looks mighty fine with this fellow taking a rest on its turned up bottom, and I feel better knowing it's been put to good use. Playing in the mud is as great therapy now as it was when I was a very small girl with a stick, a mud puddle, and a friend.

Bits and Pieces

* All I want to do is sleep. I was wondering what in the world is wrong with me when I suddenly remembered... it's allergy season! It's been a cool, wet spring, but one look out the window at those flowering trees, bushes, and flowers will remind you there is an abundance of pollen in the air, on the ground, and covering anything in the vicinity of flowering plants, which is just about everything. (I'm not sneezing yet, but that could happen tomorrow...)

* Today I received a very special package in the mail. It came from Minnesota and a sweet almost six year old. I hate that he is growing up so far away, but I know he has a set of grandparents there who love him and his baby brother very much, and they don't have other grandchildren like us. We have a plethora of grandchildren, which makes sharing just a wee tiny bit easier.

* Two of my boys brought me flowers for Mother's Day. So sweet of them. Especially the one without a wife to remind him. He is a treasure, but then again, aren't they all? I only wish I could gather everyone under one roof again, ... or at least in one yard. That is the hope and prayer of this mom's heart.

* It's supposed to rain most of the week. I hope that means we'll have a nice weekend.
:0)

Happy Mother's Day

We had a little gathering out at the house. Four kids, two in-laws, four grandchildren, James, and me. It was a dark and rainy afternoon. Although I'd hit my snooze button a hundred times before dragging myself out of bed this morning, I was still feeling like a sleep deprived child. I took my last chance to curl up and take a nap on the couch in the living room, while my family watched a video. One of my favorite boys took a picture.

Migraine Day. Yeah!

Migraine headaches are no picnic. I haven't had a bad one in years now, until this morning. Nausea threatened as I attempted to eat my dry, bland breakfast. I felt spacey, like I shouldn't be out driving, but I was. My head throbbed, my eye, nose, ear, and neck ached. I wanted to crumple up in heap and go to sleep, but I passed out breakfast and headed to the baby room... I sent my boss a text, "I am here but I have a migraine. I don't think I can stay." She texted back, "ok" and I waited for 9 am to arrive. I'm sad to say, I don't think I was much help between 7 am and 9, but I did hold little ones and bottles and let the others sit on my lap and crawl across my legs. I sat on the floor with my eyes closed and my back against the wall. When I was able to punch out, I went to my car and slept in the parking lot for an hour before going home to sleep some more. This evening I went to the chiropractor and played in the mud at the pottery studio. Now I am tired and ready to sleep. Pretty sure I'll be good as new tomorrow.