Obviously...

It's clear that I feel the need to write a post and you may ask yourself why when I have written one not such a long time ago. It's obvious, of course, I like to see my thoughts reflected back to me in black and white. It makes me feel that I really exist. Without the act of putting down my thoughts in a structured form, they would not take on any real meaning and would not become as clear to me. 

This is really a way of thinking out loud and giving shape to what is yet unformed in my head. The best thing about writing them down is rereading them and gaining understanding. I reread them immediately and some time later down the line when I have forgotten them and can be pleasantly surprised again. They usually offer some insight into the way I rationalize my behavior and think things through. It's a way of analyzing myself. 

I read between the lines and remember whatever was important to me at the time and what sort of mood I was in and what I didn't put down. My memory does not forsake me yet. I'm carried back instantly to the time I wrote it. Whole scenarios play themselves out in front of my eyes. Luckily, lately there's not been a lot of drama. 

The end of drama came with the end of my marriage so there has been no drama for almost four years, except for the occasianl bout. Those occur less and less frequently as I slowly normalize. If the word exists, it is possible to become it so I want no arguments about that. 

Speaking of exes, the Exfactor will not be able to go grocery shopping today so I will have to go without Greek yoghurt and bananas and vanilla pudding. That is a hardship that I had not counted on. I had planned everything down to this very day. I will have to eat different foods today and those are whatever is left in the cupboards and the refrigerator. I'm sure I'll manage but it won't be as exciting. I've got enough milk anyway and enough instant coffee. 

I haven't gotten my new telephone number in the mail yet so officially I can't make any phone calls. Of course I've got my mobile phone so I'm not cut off from the world conpletely. I had memorized my other number really well and hope the new one is equally easy to remember. I'm going to be very careful about who I give it to. Few people will have it. If I had known it was going to be such a problem having a land line, I wouldn't have done it. Now I'm stuck with the consequences. 

It's time for me to drink some buttermilk. It's the first glass I'm going to have. I look forward to it very much and I hope it's a s good as I remember it. It's been in the refrigerator for a couple of days and so far I've been able to resist it. It should be very thirst quenching anyway. Hmmm...that reminds me of buttermilk pancakes!

I hope you all had a good night.

Ciao,

Irene

Cherchez de la caffeine...

I'm having a cup of coffee after I took this afternoon's nap and was so rudely awakened by the ringing of the telephone. I was really done sleeping anyway because I had to make a phone call myself before the afternoon was over. The timing couldn't have been better. 

Usually these kinds of things work out well. As a rule to my advantage. I am lucky that way. Or I just see the positive side of everything, that's possible too. There are always more ways to look at everything. Well, not at everything. There are limits. 

The coffee tastes good but the caffeine is not starting to do its work. I'm not nearly coherent. I expected to be completely so shortly. The coffee was leftover and I just made a new pot. I'll see if that works better. It seems to me that leftover coffee doesn't deliver the punch I require to get me going. I think I've made that observation before.

I've already taken my evening's dose of medicines because I wanted to get a kick start. I tell myself this works, but I don't know if it actually does. 

I've been unable to drink milk today and every glass I've tried has upset my stomach. Needless to say this has caused me some grief because I do like my glasses of ice cold milk to quench my thirst with. It was not meant to be. I'm afraid to try it again now, but sooner or later I will be tempted by the icy coldness again. Hopefully things will go better then. 

The Exfactor put together the six drawers of the dresser and then he ran out of time. He will put together the rest of it later. I was somewhat tempted to do it myself, but then I came to my senses. There are mostly larger pieces left over and those would be hard to manhandle on my own. I'd hate to struggle with them and hurt my neck. 

I'm still using the anti-inflammatory medication for it and I'm going to use it all up, not wanting to take any chances. I'm hardly in any pain as long as I take it and I want to keep it like that.  I have the occasional ache, but I ignore it as much as possible. Mostly I try to stay relaxed and, of course, that's hard to do when you put together furniture. 

I'd hate to have to call the doctor's office to get a renewal for my perscription and tell them that I've not done the exercises. I'm notorious for not doing exercises when I have aches in my body. I'm a firm believer in painkillers. I always get over aches with their help and relaxation techniques. 

I have to end this post and walk the dog. It's that time of the day again. Luckily, it's beautiful weather outside. I don't have to wear a winter coat. 

Have a nice evening all of you.

Ciao,

Irene

And all the king's horses...

I'm sitting here feeling in a pretty good mood, although I have no special reason to, but I suppose you don't always have to. I guess you can have a pretty good mood just for the hell of it. Maybe all the right ingredients are in place to make me feel this way and I'm not even realizing it consciously. If so, I'm grateful for it and will take full advantage of it as long as the situation exists. 

There's one thing I do know and that's how to count my blessings, even if they are small and quite accidental. I look for them whenever I can and praise all of them. I never take anything for granted. God forbid that I should be ungrateful. I'm always thankful enough when things turn out well as they often do and count my luck along the way. Even when things don't look good, they always end up okay in the end. As a rule, of course. There are exceptions.

I'm not Pollyanna and I don't look at the world through rose colored glasses, although I may be accused of that. It's possible that I'm just naive enough for it. I refuse to see life differently, unless my own black mood dictates it, but then it is of a temporary nature and it doesn't reflect my normal state of mind which is a lot sunnier.

I've had my cups of coffee and they've woken me up enough. I was a little bit discombobulated when I got up but now I'm more than wide awake enough. It's a pleasure to feel so sharp witted, although that is only relatively speaking. I wouldn't want to have to complete a series of difficult tasks right now, Turning out a post is hard enough. I do have to think of amusing enough things to write about to entertain my public. 

It's very possible that the anonymous caller didn't call me at midnight. I normally wake up from the phone ringing and I didn't this time for which I'm very grateful. Hopefully he's gotten tired of calling me because I don't answer the phone anymore after I couldn't get anything out of him. If it is a him. The phone calls started right when I got my new land line and I can only hope that he's got the wrong person. He sure was persistent.

The dog woke me up by licking my hands and face. He had to go out back. It wasn't cold outside and it was a pleasure to stand by the open back door and get some fresh air. It was a clear night out and a lot of stars were visible. I always imagine what it would be like to be out in the countryside and see the night sky then. I'm sure it would be beautiful. You miss a lot of stars when you're in town because of the light polution.

I have to go back to bed and finish sleeping because tomorrow I have an appointment with my therapist. I do have to get enough sleep before that time. I've been drinking ice cold milk and settling down a bit. It agreed pretty well with my stomach and quenched my everlasting thirst. 

Goodnight everyone. 

Ciao,

Irene

Writing during the night...

It's a good thing that I wait with writing my posts until it is the middle of the night. If I were to write one during the day, it would be a very depressive one, because during the day I am in a depressed state of mind and not much good would come out of me. I would just bore you with doom and gloom stories, telling you how miserable I am and how I don't know how I'm going to make it through the day. 

I'm in much better shape at night and can actually see the forest for the trees. Some load lifts off my shoulders and I can breathe easily until it is morning again.

Yesterday I spent a lot of time in bed, just laying there or dozing. It was pure escapism and I didn't answer the phone because I didn't feel like talking to anybody. This did not prevent a friend of mine to try to call me 8 times. Now, I know there was no emergency. This is just what she does when she can't get a hold of me. It makes me feel like a hunted animal. She will do it again today until I answer the phone, by which time I will be very irritated.

Anyway, during the day I'm in a terrible funk and it doesn't clear up until I've put my pajamas on and I go to bed at night. I lay there for a long while listening to the radio before I fall asleep, and have my glass of milk and a snack. Crackers and I share them with the dog. I know I will sleep a while before I get up again in a better mood, although what passes as a better mood is not nearly as good as what I'd like a good mood to be. I'm not jumping up and down with joy.

I think I'll choose the side of caution this week and accept that I'm in a depressed state of mind and act accordingly. That way I'll not make the expectations I have of myself too high and not have any big goals. I'll just aim for little achievements. Getting dressed and walking the dog will be one of them. Getting through the day safely and sanely will be important. However I decide to do that. I'll have to find the best possible way. Sometimes you have to accept the fact that you're temporarily going to underachieve.

I suppose I'll get ready to go back to bed now. I'm not sure if there is any other kind of trouble that I can get into. 

Have a good night.

Ciao,

Nora

Gently falling snow...

I'm drinking my second cup of coffee while outside it is still snowing. It has been since forever, but it is very fine snow now and accumulates slowly. Still, there's quite a bit of it out there and it looks wonderful and white and pristine. No one has walked in it yet and there are no tire tracks. It's too early in the morning for that. Every once in a while, I go to the window and push the shade aside and look outside to take it all in. I seem to especially like this round of snowfall. It fits the upcoming holidays, doesn't it? A white Christmas is something special. 

I woke up very happily with a head of short hair and ran my fingers through it. Every hair was in place and that pleased me very much. I must remember to go to the hairdresser on time, because obviously it makes me very happy. There's nothing better than waking up with a decent hairdo. The only thing that bothers me is the terribly itchy skin that I have on my scalp. I scratch it subconsciously and make it worse. There must be a good solution for it.

Today I have a day off, The domestic help isn't coming, because she is sick and there is no replacement. I didn't want a complete stranger in the apartment and they couldn't tell me who was going to come instead, so I begged off. I don't mind if just for once there isn't anyone here. It gives me a little break. 

The Exfactor is going to try and be here in spite of the weather. He'll probably not make it on his motorcycle, but will take the train instead. The buses aren't driving. All services are canceled and the police are only coming out for emergencies. It's even a question if the trains will run. 

I do hope the Exfactor will make it, because he will bring the spare mobile phone that he's got  to replace the one that Tyke demolished and that's left me incommunicado. I feel very primitive without a phone, but at least I'm able to email when I want to reach someone. It's just a little bit slower if they're not behind their computer at that moment. 

I have to go to the tobacco shop to buy supplies and also buy a new cigarette case, because I'm using old cigarette packages now and they fall apart after a while. Besides, I can never get enough cigarettes in them and I'm always running out. They have nice sturdy cases at the tobacco shop and I will pick one out in a pleasant color. It will be an accessory, so it has to look good. I don't want to go around with ratty looking cigarette packages anymore.  I do have to show more class than that. 

I want to go wash my hair with the blond lightening shampoo. I think the girl at the hairdresser's didn't use it this time. It does make a difference with how well your hair looks and it brightens it up just a bit. It's early in the morning still and I have lots of time to do all sorts of things. I can dawdle for a while before I have to get the show on the road and get serious about anything.

Have a nice day.

Ciao,

Nora