Diet Diary - Day 22

May 10, 2002
Day 22 Tuesday May 7, 2002

      9:50 AM Having been trough the "I won't take that medication" with my son before during the rougher part of chemo, the "I don't want to do this anymore", "I want to stop treatment", "I won't take that pill again!", etc., and having made panic calls to the hospital in the middle of the night when he first tried this, I knew that he could take the bloody pill in the morning. So I shook him awake at 9:35 AM when I woke up, and I was up only because the cat was scratching the bathroom door (I forget when I put him there) and the dog was anxious.
     
      He is crabby but I managed to get it into him. We wait for 1 hour before food. At night he must wait 2 hours after eating. Dinner was late, but good, and he had crashed before 11:00 PM (early for him). We both missed "Jordan".
     
      Cat retaliated for bathroom incarceration by puking on the floor. Actually, on the cleanest part of the carpet, because the cat cannot puke on any place that has a spot from cat puking earlier, invisible or not. Unless of course if I have just shampooed the rug, that resets the process and cat can choose from a wider area of selection. Meaning that he can choose to do it right in front of me when I have just sipped my coffee or eaten something. This, of course, makes me nearly follow his own act and toss up my own stomach contents. I believe he actually knows this. Luckily I have not yet shampooed the carpet. A task rapidly moving up the to-do list.
     
      Sensitive Stomach cat food reduces the amount of the puking but if that dish is empty, he will eat the other cat food and immediately upchuck. He can eat the other if he combines them. This is his way of informing me that the one dish is out of food. This is one cat that should be living out of doors. Between failing to bury his own leavings (Little Bitch buries it for him), and puking, he is a royal pain. Not to mention the various spots in the new Berber carpet that have pulled up loops. I will be gluing and patching when I leave this house. If cat was not so much comfort for the kid, I would have chucked him out by now. (He is an animal rescue, neutered, and we are not supposed to do that.) Of course, when he does bolt out a door, he comes back in the late evening and yowls to get in. No pleasing this cat.
     
      He gets put into the bathroom when I bring in groceries and when I do laundry. Either that, or I lock him in the kid's room. This later has caused him to bolt through my legs should I put my hand on my son's bedroom doorknob. He has figured out that I know that he will pull a door open and sneak past me when I am busy and that I am thwarting his adventures. Once moved to San Diego, cat will be more content since the house is larger. However, son insists that cat will remain behind with me. Right. I have 12 months to work on him. Son expects to be in junior college and maybe working part time and chasing blondes and redhead on the beach. Right.
     
      After 20 years of not dating, does that mean that I will get to go out on occasion?
     
      10:45 AM I made the kid eggs (2 + whites) with ground pepper and sea salt, served with toast with jam and V8Splash. Got two Sudafed into him. Stuffy nose. Upset stomach. He's not a happy camper. Brought him a fresh water bottle.
     
      I had a bowl of Kashi, tastes like sawdust. This kind was shaped like Cheerios. Multi-grain. Good for my heart.
     
      A second Torsade arrived, this one in gold tones from Joan Rivers, QVC. Beautiful. Storage unit I got holds two of them now. Need another storage unit for the next two. Can't wait for the black and white one. That's for dress-up. Too bad won't be here by the RT convention when we ladies all play dress-up.
     
      Mulling about sending a resume in cold. Good job lead however, if still up there. Updated resume to keep it to one page and focused on Senior Technical Instructor. Someone reviewing it.
     
      Time to round up garbage. Time for bulldozer in child's room. He creates the same mess now that he used to create in high school. Says he will be neat when he moves out. I believe him. His brother was messier, ended up the housecleaner in his first apartment. His current one however could use a steam cleaning.
     
      11:20 AM Called doctor's office. Have appointment for the 14th. Giants game on the 13th. Also on the 17th (just my son and a member of Team in Training). Eye doctor is the 8th (tomorrow). Working down the to-do list.
     
      1:30 PM Spent 2 hours or so standing on head picking up trash in son's bathroom and bedroom. Took broom to bedroom. Vacuumed lightly. Filled a trash bag! Took all trash out to curb. Must cut up lawn swing box. Nordic Track will take away the shipping trash. Paid extra for that. Today I threw out the urinals! This deserves a party!
     
      Watering front lawn. Fed kid a big roll-based sandwich. I am having his leftover egg. That is a mother's lot, eating leftovers.
     
      Was warming up egg, fortunately after remembering that a metal plate does not go in a microwave. Older son has demonstrated putting a CD into a microwave (no more than 1-2 seconds). Brilliant light show and marvelous antiquating of the CD surface. Must be careful, however, can blow out microwave. That information and the knowledge that condoms make great water balloons (non-lubricated of course) are things I have learned from my older child. Handy information.
     
      Cut up cardboard and watered dry pots. California is hot and dry as opposed to hot and humid. Pulled a bunch of tall grass weeds cluttering up the front yard. Because they were there.
     
      3:00 PM Have finished sitting in spa. Got in to 106 degrees. Got out. Must remember to yell at kid. Added cold water from hose while watering back yard with sprinklers. With lid off and added water, temp dropped to 105. Also turned down the heater. Got in, and watched the steam rise. Temp finally down to 104. Sat in pool through one cycle of jets and then start of second, sipping water. Parboiled by now, I added PH Down and Foam Down and left jets running. Took a quick shower and am back in hot weather garb, caftan with nothing under it. Yelled at kid. Went back and put lid back on spa. Time to mow backyard, but not today. That is an early in the AM activity.
     
      Also rescued plate, knife and fork and glass kid left outside when I gave him lunch in the pool. Of course he did.
     
      It is hot and stuffy and time for all fans running. Single air-conditioner in the addition is only cooling we have. However, by 5:00 PM temp outside will be lower than inside.
     
      6:30 PM Watching Prime Suspect I (III is also running around; there ate four of them, or maybe five. I lost count.). Helen Mirran in her break-through role. I identify with her a lot. Single professional woman taking it on the chin and still slugging. All professional women of my age probably identify with the struggle. Add to that the fact this is a British murder mystery, and I have trouble walking away to fix dinner.
     
      I am fixing spaghetti because I have 1/2 a turkey smoked sausage that will "go off" if I do not tend to it soon. 1/2 Turkey Sausage sliced and fried in olive oil, then simmered with 1/3 Cup spaghetti sauce. Add bits of grated mozzarella cheese. Cook Fettuccine until tender (Barilla) and serve on two plates. Top with Parmesan cheese. Doesn't hurt to have a few vegetables on the side. Maybe.
     
      10:30 PM OK. I fixed a plate of celery and baby carrots for the kid, celery for me.
     
      Drafted "The Naked Housewife's Guide to Living". Or at least a start.