01:31 - 13.01.08
Inside job
My youngest called from work late in the afternoon yesterday. That abscessed tooth he had had a year ago was flaring up. Could I book an appointment with the dentist. He was really worried about the cost, but I reminded him that his work health care plan covered 80% of the charges. Could hear the tension in his voice drop to calmness again. Called the dentist - next available appointment nearly a week gone. I asked if there was a stand-by list in case someone else had to cancel an appointment. Yes, and the receptionist sounded quite pleased that I had raised the issue. When he came home from work that night my youngest was in a lot of pain, so I tried to make him as comfortable as possible. Hard to do though when some of one's suggestions are rejected. When I first suggested he brush his teeth with hydrogen peroxide - the 3% solution - he rejected it out of hand. Tried it in desperation just before he fell asleep. Next morning asked if it was ok for him to take the bottle with him to work, just before he needed to leave. Had just enough time to pack it up to go.
I continued with the clearing up of the living room after he left. The cats formed their own escort of the tree as I carried it, in stages, through the house to the back door. It was really hard to do since I love the scent of balsam firs. Most of those cats had really resented the fact that the tree blocked direct and immediate access to the living room picture window where they are wont to while away the hours watching the squirrels at play. We had left their stool in the same place, but they had to detour around the Christmas tree to get to it. Now it was obvious that they had grown quite attached to it. At each rest stop I took they clustered around the base sniffing and licking their old friend. Playing in it's branches just one more time. A bit of a melancholy procession to be sure, but the dryness of the needles indicated that it was about to become a fire hazard.
At those breaks I would wander into the kitchen to cook and wash dishes. One of the light bulbs had gone out so I pulled off the ceiling fixture covers and washed the dust off them too. At one point I was busy with the more interior ceiling fixture. I suddenly realized that the neighbour on the west side of my home was staring in the window. Now that window is at least 8 feet above ground. Sometime during the winter he must have built the little shed up against the wall of his unit. He was talking with one of his children about my side of the house and had climbed up on that shed's roof. He was actually climbing onto the 6' high fence I had had to build to keep him from bothering me a couple of years ago, just to add insult to injury. When he realized I was watching him, standing as I was back in the room, he suddenly stopped talking and backed quickly away from the fence. Just what I need - a peeping Tom. What to do about that, eh? I don't know if that permanent looking structure is in violation of the municipal building codes, but if I see him, or anyone else, climbing up on it again I guess I'm going to have to become more assertive about it. Sigh.
Just as I was putting the second fixture cover back together after washing it out, my eldest son and his two children arrived for another visit. My son helped me with a couple of small repair issues including the one light fixture where the base had pulled away from the ceiling. Even on tiptoe with arms fully extended I couldn't reach the top. Bleagh. My grandson is studying geology in school - we are an oil and gas town - so he was keen to borrow some of my rocks to take to show the class. The ones with fossils in them were especially coveted, as were those that had bit of oil in them making some intersting shapes, as well as the variously coloured shiny quartz specimens. My granddaughter wanted to take the Disney movie "Anastasia" home for further viewing. My son borrowed some of my dance/exercise videos to take home for his partner. He declined the Salsa dancing tape when he realized it would have to involve his participation too. Uh huh. He spent time working with his resume, some correspondence and the family photos he had uploaded last visit, while I cooked some supper and fed/visited with my grandbabies. My granddaughter is an accomplished artist, so she also made several more contributions for display up on my fridge. Whenn my youngest arrived home from work they all visited, while I made the latest arrival his dinner and then the three travellers headed for home - my oldest having to head out for his night job and the grandbabies needing sleep. Think that's where I'll head too - if the cats have left me any room on my bed that is. Good night dear diary.
�
�
