Kevin's Watch

Overtired.

Meh.

--A

Went to see the consultant last Friday about having the gallstones out. He's obviously not happy about my "head event" as he kept calling it. I have to have another scan and on the 11th November an Endoscopy to make sure that it is the gall bladder causing the problem. I'm going for "conscious sedation" which will presumably be similar to the valium I used to have when I went to the dentist. And apparently I can't have keyhole surgery if it is the gall bladder as my hysterectomy scar is in the way!

My strength is gradually returning. I'm pottering about and doing small things like getting the washing in from the line and folding it up. Ironed four pairs of trousers yesterday, not too tiring. Haven't got round to hoovering yet but I had a friend round 2 Fridays who has a cleaning business and she cleaned up a bit and changed the beds for me.

Went to the local family history meeting on Saturday and just ran a small bookstall. Felt a bit blurred after 2 hours but survived.

Sorry I haven't been here much but I'm still not finding any motivation for sitting at the computer. It's been just over a month now.

Iolanthe wrote:Went to see the consultant last Friday about having the gallstones out. He's obviously not happy about my "head event" as he kept calling it. I have to have another scan and on the 11th November an Endoscopy to make sure that it is the gall bladder causing the problem. I'm going for "conscious sedation" which will presumably be similar to the valium I used to have when I went to the dentist. And apparently I can't have keyhole surgery if it is the gall bladder as my hysterectomy scar is in the way!

My strength is gradually returning. I'm pottering about and doing small things like getting the washing in from the line and folding it up. Ironed four pairs of trousers yesterday, not too tiring. Haven't got round to hoovering yet but I had a friend round 2 Fridays who has a cleaning business and she cleaned up a bit and changed the beds for me.

Went to the local family history meeting on Saturday and just ran a small bookstall. Felt a bit blurred after 2 hours but survived.

Sorry I haven't been here much but I'm still not finding any motivation for sitting at the computer. It's been just over a month now.

Sorry to hear you are going through such a difficult time and sorry for my absence. Go slow and feel better.

Thanks Lorin. I'm a bit fed up with "resting". It is very difficult to do nothing. I admire those who can. This is taking a lot longer to get over than I thought it would!

I was just thinking of you, Io - glad you checked in.

Wednesday.

--A

You mean, only Wednesday.

Well it was...but now I feel like it's quiet. Too quiet...

--A

I have an extended weekend off!

And after the nonsense I dealt with at work this week, I need it.

the day before Julie's birthday (Oct 10th) we went to the local theater to see "A Streetcar Named Desire" and were so impressed that we became patrons. our name will be listed on the playbill as such for upcoming plays.

the play was awesome. the actors brilliant. the set was awesome. got to meet the lead actor. as I have never seen the movie, he will always be my Stanley.

the day of her birthday, I took Julie to Maine-Ly Sandwiches in Houston. a restaurant that specializes in New England cuisine. Julie had the lobster roll, I had the fried clam strips with fries. treats we had not had since moving to Texas some seventeen years ago. we enjoyed a pair of Maine sodas.

we then headed to Harwin Drive, littered with many retail outlets. we find a great shop and Julie picked out some great costume jewelry, sunglasses and an amazing scarf.

and being able to spend the day together was great.

we did stop at Cactus records and found out Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses, 50 Ft. Wave) will be performing there this Sunday. that night she will do a show at the Mucky Duck. we are hoping to attend both. she has recently written a book about Vic Chesnutt.

we are also in talks about getting another dog. I am trying for two, so they don't get lonely during the day. Sonny was very anti-social when it came to other dogs. and cats. and people really. he was happiest with me, him and Julie. Julie is receptive to this happening, at some point.

my younger brother, Kevin, just started dialysis and is up an down, health wise. prayers appreciated.

have to cover a fellow sergeant's shift next week. but our new captain has promised second shift after that! at last. I am hoping week after next.

sgt.null wrote: we are also in talks about getting another dog. I am trying for two, so they don't get lonely during the day. Sonny was very anti-social when it came to other dogs. and cats. and people really. he was happiest with me, him and Julie. Julie is receptive to this happening, at some point.

I got two dogs at a time once. Littermate's. It was a disaster. Housebreaking two puppies is very hard. Also they bond to each other instead of the human. Just a suggestion but get one puppy first, housebreak it , bond with it, take it to the dog park to learn to be social, then when he or she is around 3-4 months get the second one. The older one will teach the younger one about socialization, the younger one will follow the older one with housebreaking. And it will be easier on you to train each of them. Just a suggestion spoken from experience. But I agree, two is better.

Thwarted! Went into town today for the first time since my "head event" with my husband, feeling a little dazed at the moment - surprising how hard it was to walk about with lots of people around.

Anyway, popped into Waterstones and enquired about the Kings Justice etc. Can't get it until next year. Amazon the same - 16th June next year. Has anyone else on this side of the pond found a way to get hold of it? Otherwise I shall have to studiously avoid any discussions that appear. Or persuade one of my American friends to get me one and I'll refund the postage.

Ah, just found some almost new on Amazon so will try to get one of those.

If you're not set on getting a puppy, shelters often have pairs who are already buddies (and housebroken!).


Io - if you have an Amazon account, you should be able to log into Amazon's US site with the same info as your UK account. I've used their UK site, as well as the ones in Canada, Germany, and Japan (that one was fun to navigate) - it's all connected.

If that doesn't work for whatever reason, my local bookstore should finally be getting it in tomorrow. (Their original shipment was lost in transit.) I can grab an extra copy.

Damn cats.

My semi-feral female turned up the other day with a wound on her tail, but would not let me get her in the carrier to take her to the vet. The she disappeared for a couple days, turned up yesterday, but escaped before I could get home to take her. Just gotta wait for her to turn up again, and try again.

--A

Sorus wrote: Io - if you have an Amazon account, you should be able to log into Amazon's US site with the same info as your UK account. I've used their UK site, as well as the ones in Canada, Germany, and Japan (that one was fun to navigate) - it's all connected.

If that doesn't work for whatever reason, my local bookstore should finally be getting it in tomorrow. (Their original shipment was lost in transit.) I can grab an extra copy.

Dear Sorus, I need not take up your kind offer - I have a nearly new book arriving between the 20th October and the 2nd November via an English bookseller on Amazon. Looking forward to reading it. I'll get the kindle version later on.

Avatar wrote:Damn cats.

My semi-feral female turned up the other day with a wound on her tail, but would not let me get her in the carrier to take her to the vet. The she disappeared for a couple days, turned up yesterday, but escaped before I could get home to take her. Just gotta wait for her to turn up again, and try again.

--A

call your vet and get a sedative pill. Mush it in some food and try and trap her in an area like the garage. Actually trap her in the garage first.

I have been struggling with Mya/aka helldog recently. Don't know if I related this but she injured her knee trying to climb the fence to play with a small dog. tore her knee. So I had the cheap surgery done and have her back. The vet said unless she stays calm for 90 days meaning no running she will reinsure her knee. If that happens I will have to put her down since I can't do anything else for her. I mean there is the super surgery with titanium rods but that is upwards of 7000.00 which I can't do. So I have been trying to walk her and keep her calm but man she is not cooperating. She is a high energy dog. You would never know she is ten or eleven. It's not so much the leg, she does fine on three but vet says she will probably do this to her other leg. So I am keeping her on a low level sedative for a while and hoping for the best. But not very optimistic. I will not be one of these people that spends their last penny keeping a dog alive. I've given her a good life. Not many people would have been able to tolerate her. And she saved my life so I owed her one surgery, but now it's in the hands of fate.

Iolanthe wrote:
Dear Sorus, I need not take up your kind offer - I have a nearly new book arriving between the 20th October and the 2nd November via an English bookseller on Amazon. Looking forward to reading it. I'll get the kindle version later on.

That's awesome. I directed Arturia (another UK Watcher who is having trouble obtaining a copy) to this thread.

I hope SRD seriously blistered that publisher's ears.

lorin wrote:

Avatar wrote:Damn cats.

My semi-feral female turned up the other day with a wound on her tail, but would not let me get her in the carrier to take her to the vet. The she disappeared for a couple days, turned up yesterday, but escaped before I could get home to take her. Just gotta wait for her to turn up again, and try again.

--A

call your vet and get a sedative pill. Mush it in some food and try and trap her in an area like the garage. Actually trap her in the garage first.

I used Acepromazine (veterinary tranquilizer) a couple of times after Benadryl didn't work, but in general the easiest way (I've found) to trap a feral is to put tuna in the carrier and close the door after them. It takes a bit of patience - they know it's a trap, but they can't resist it. I have my carrier where they can see it at all times and occasionally put trick-free treats inside.

Wish I could offer some advice in regard to Helldog.

Hey guys.. this is gonna be me in "sharey mode," but here goes...

I'm frustrated with myself...
..because I'm obsessing over how to attempt to "break in" to a new group of nerdy friends.

I'm annoyed at myself... between people near me, friends on the Watch... and, say, friends from college I haven't talked to in years, but I <i>could</i> mail or call...
..I could be investing more in the friendships I already have!
and enjoying my friends more!
so I feel guilty. (including towards some of y'all. awkward.)

I would love some perspective or somethin'..

There's that old adage that goes something like, "Make new friends but keep the old..."

I'm terrible at keeping in contact with people. Rarely proactive about get-togethers and stuff like that. Had friends in town last week that I hadn't seen in over a year, and I did actually make an effort to get together with them and it didn't work out and part of me thinks it's probably for the best since I'm so depressed right now. Not good company. Any long-term friends of mine have accepted that's what I'm like, which is why my close circle of friends is pretty tiny.

Guess what I'm saying is, take what you can get where you can get it. If you've fallen out of touch with people, maybe it's because you don't have much in common. If that's not true, then call them up.