Waiting for the Boys to Come Home

I really should be heading off to work now, but it's been a week since the last post and there's a feeling in my head that too many days have passed since something was written here. So many thoughts have been going through my mind, most of them not really worthy of wasting time on, but since this is supposed to be a place to put thoughts, I don't want to leave the impression that I have no thoughts at all.

Although you may already be convinced of that.

It's been a struggle to think straight these last few days. My head has been aching incessantly, and it continues regardless of the medicines taken. Surely some of it is due to renewed stress at work as we are struggling to meet another virtual deadline; yet there is also the environmental issues of late spring, early summer, blooming plants, changing air pressure, and the ever-present cat hair.

Speaking of cats - Alfred did not enjoy his little cataquarium; in fact, he hasn't gone into it at all. One can only assume that the smell of the plexiglass is offensive to him. It certainly was overpowering right after the protective sheets were removed, so it wasn't a complete surprise. The catnip wasn't enough to mask the odor.

Meanwhile, we found another solution, although it can't be a permanent one. He now spends the night shut up in the downstairs bathroom (next to the laundry). He has access to his food and water and the litter box, and so far, he has been good about using the box instead of the floor. I have no idea why this was such a difficult concept for him when he had access to the garage. But it is a relief to know that there will no longer be any problem keeping my garage floor clean.

Of course, there's the added task of cleaning up the bathroom floor every morning. Obviously, the litter box can't be left in there all day, and the floor has to be swept up, and the food put back in the kitchen. We found years ago that we can't leave his litter box out where Erin can find it, because once she uses it (and she will if it's available!), he won't touch it any more. Something about male/female marking issues or something. So first thing in the morning, his litter box goes back to the garage, and he gets put outside (after a spot of breakfast) so he can mark territory to his heart's content without destroying the house.

As I said, it's not a permanent solution. When winter arrives, he won't be going outside as much, and then we'll have to figure out a way for him to do his thing without doing it all over the house; but I'm hoping by then the noxious fumes from the plexiglass will have dissipated, and he'll be comfortable going into the cataquarium. Perhaps I'll replace the plexiglass with wooden dowels like a play-pen. But they'll have to be set very close together so that he can't squeeze through them.

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We're having a big push at work over the next two weekends to get all our pre-testing done before the formal testing begins. Naturally, we had plans this weekend. James gets back from his East Coast trip this morning at ten; Adam finishes up his week at camp down in Niles around 4; and we are going down to South Bend to visit friends. Or were. Now it looks as though Cheryl and the kids will be travelling while I'm working.

The bosses promised pizza at the office for those who work the weekend, but that's never sufficient compensation for losing out on family time. And I've lost my taste for pizza lately. Along with many other things.

Having adopted my "don't eat unless hungry" diet, I've dropped nearly ten pounds and am feeling much better energy-wise, at least during the day. And my clothes fit a bit more comfortably. But my appetite has really dropped. This is due to a little switch in my head labelled "FOOD" that is either On or Off, with nothing in-between. I find myself being turned off by the thought of food, even snacky food. Sometimes it seems like there is a perverse pleasure involved with denying the body what it craves. And once that ball is rolling, it's hard to stop.

Especially when married to someone who is such a good cook.

Still, there are a few pounds to go before my target weight is achieved. It would be nice to get rid of the 'spare tire', too, but that doesn't seem to be receding even though the weight is dropping. Probably due to the fact that the first ten or twenty pounds is not externally visible, and scattered throughout the body.

Well, now, must be off to work.