Bathroom Monitors

While Mike and I feel confident that our mothers gave us superior, or at least adequate, potty training, and that they taught us to scrub behind our ears in the shower, we have three household members who don't seem to have that same level of trust in our abilities. These three have self assigned themselves to be our Bathroom Monitors. No matter what time of day (or night) Mike or I feel the urge to shower or use the facilities, at least one of them is there to monitor us.

Manni seems to be the best at checking behind-the-ear scrubbage, while Noobs and Ghost make sure we wash our hands after using the facilities. Noobs, however, has seemingly become a shower apprentace, although she is still just at the grasshopper level.

The offical shower monitor seat is on the toliet, not quite looking towards the shower, pretending to be between sleep and vigilant awareness. The apprentace is relegated to lay in the sink. The monitor must make sure that when the shower turns off and the shower curtain opens they are pretending indifferance. After you have toweld off, however, you must present your hands for inspection. The best way for a monitor to monitor you is if you run your hands along their furry heads (not the same as petting...please...this is serious business!) and for you to bring your nose down to their nose. Apprentaces must content themselves with a few hand rubs and some running water in the sink. The most important aspect of a shower monitor's job is that you cannot ever miss a shower. Ever.

While the post of shower monitor is very strict in defining how it must be carried out, the potty monitor is not so strict of a position. It is generally performed by two individuals, but one may suffice if the other is sleeping. A potty monitor must make sure that the water in the sink is running fine before (and while) you are on the potty. The best wayto test it is by licking it out of midair, or just as it hits the basin. Alternatively, if someone's big fat head is in the way, you can test the water as it runs off of them. If the water does not seem to be running properly while the subject is .. otherwise engaged, a potty monitor must and is required to complain. Loudly. Sometimes pitifully. Anything to get the water on. Noobs and Ghost are generally equally good about monitoring our hand washing techniques and testing the water while we are .. otherwise engaged. A potty monitor must always be available and there must always be at least one in the restroom with every subject. Always.

All in all, these are two very difficult jobs. Mike and I are fortunate to have such good monitors living with us. I don't think I could manage to monitor him on my own, or possibly even remember all the rules. I know he wouldn't care enough to monitor me. But that's why we have opened our home to Ghost, Manni and Noobs. They are diligent and thorough and will not let us down.

A short novel on Updates

Well, a lot has been going on, and maybe I should be better about posting. I have found my phone, email and yes, even this blog, have been sorely neglected. I used to go over my minutes on my phone, recently not. Do I have fewer friends? Not necessarily, I just find myself calling less frequently. I find myself thinking "yeah, well, the phone works two ways," but that doesn't really excuse my lack of communication, it just proves I'm not alone in it.

So now for some updates...

Doctor Visits

Mike has been professionally diagnosed (not just self-diagnosed) with RLS - Restless Leg Syndrome. This condition causes his legs to feel "like they have to twitch" in his words, also described on the websites as having creepy crawlies inside your legs. It started out not too bad, but I think the accident and having to stay home on disability aggravated the condition, and it got to the point where he was staying up till 2am, exhausted, but unable to fall asleep because of "the twitchies" as I call them.

Based on a TV commercial and some online research, Mike figured out he probably had RLS (yes, yes, laugh if you will) and a doctor's visit confirmed. Fortunately the doctor could and would perscribe some medicine for the twitchies and for the past week the they've been blissfully still at night and he can sleep early.

Accident Updates

Thank you to everyone for your prayers during this stressful time post-accident. Mike is at about 98% again. His back is still sore sometimes upon waking up, and the Orthopaedic Surgeon won't let him run or do high impact exersizes yet, but comparatively that's nothing. We are still awaiting the final settlement from the claim, but once that comes in we should be in pretty good shape. Let me rephrase. We're by no means in poor shape, in fact we've been blessed to have more than enough income despite the accident and subsequent doctor visits, lack of vehicle, etc. We do have some credit balances, but those will be taken care of with the settlement, and the rest will be saving up for a new place.

Home Improvements

I wish by "Home Improvements" I meant that we were improving on our own home. I watch all these shows on HGTV (Home and Garden TV) about home improvement, design tips and techniques, and more. I can only implement some of the design tactics though - the ones that don't involve any painting or serious remodeling of the apartment as that is not allowed by the complex's management. I have watched tips on maximizing storage and minimalizing actual items showing (no, that does not mean stuffing everything into the closet). Tips on color coordinating a room so that your eyes flow easily from one section to another. Tips on just getting rid of stuff you don't use anymore or doesn't fit. I have tried all this, and yet there is SO much that I would still like to do! I would love to put up curtains (involves large, hard to hide holes in the walls), paint the walls (no go) , put up shelves (again holes), and much more. Oh well. For some later date.

What I was able to do was get a new faucett AND a plunger! Okay, so it wasn't really by choice, it was more because it NEEDED to be replaced, but it had the same effect. Now I have a much nicer, much newer, much more visually appealing faucett and drain. I also now have a plunger, for the first time in 2+ years. All smiles here! Now if I could just do the other stuff...

Work and Business

What can you say about work? Work is work. Sometimes I wonder if there isn't anything else out there I could be doing instead. I wonder if a non-profit could pay me as much as regular sector, or if we could make it with less than what we currently are paid, would I stay at my job? I honestly don't know. In the majority, I like my job, I like what I do, and I like being the expert. It is very stressful though and I feel like a fire fighter at times, always running around putting out fires with no time to catch up. Is it worth it? I'm not sure. Then again, I'm used to making what I make. Would I be able to step out of my comfort zone and make less? Again, I don't know.

The business, well, that's coming along. So far I have two clients and have a proposal in with a third organization. I haven't had a chance to go all out, there have been more pressing matters to attend to, but I find myself liking it very much. We'll see where thi s path leads to.

....

So that's the end of the updates for now. Mike wanted to know how my novel was going. I'm off for now, but I will try to keep updates coming as they happen. Feel free to call us in the meantime.