Jan 2: A Bonus Day!

I felt ready to return to work today. I woke up to the sound of dog retching but it did not deter me. I have come to expect that whenever I finish doing a deep clean on the house, the dogs will barf all over it. They aren’t sick. Typically they have eaten part of a tennis ball or something. But you never know.

The morning routine includes feeding the dogs and the pig, poop patrol inside and out (I have a couple little shits who like to leave me presents in the living room and it’s raining so good luck and lots of Nature’s Miracle to me). I have to soak Blossom my tortoise and check on Beanbag the gecko. Thank goodness geckos are nocturnal and get fed after dark because I could not possibly add another morning chore to my routine. Especially now that I have extensions and have to do my hair.

I am kind of bummed that I started growing my hair out because I think the very short hair was way more practical and I’m afraid once my hair grows out I will be too afraid to cut it. The extensions are cheating but I really hate in-between-length helmet hair on me.

I started with it really long but have had to cut it much shorter. The really long hair was a bit much and I had bangs to contend with. See for yourself. I keep catching myself in the mirror at weird angles and feeling like maybe I’m just too old for this look.

Whatever.

I have always thought I might do one face lift, perfectly timed. I think the time is now but I can’t afford it so that’s that. We all have our vanity. I am good with lots of wrinkles but I don’t like under eye bags and a floppy double chin. Those are my no’s. I’m gonna give it until I turn sixty this year to see how I feel. Here’s a pic so you understand my dilemma. LMAO, gravity.

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Baby got neck!!!

Changing gears and moving away from the superficial, I got to work today and the place was dark. The parking lot was empty. It took me a minute…..I must have decided months ago to close the office!

Hell, yes!

I had a ton of charting to do (groan) and the office was a mess. My personal back office is an office slash storage space so when it gets out of hand it’s like a hamster cage full o’ crap. I have my patients donate their old toys and books for our toy basket and my office is always just overflowing. One of my patients donated most of her childhood books to me. Two big bins! I don’t like to take kids’ childhood books but these were spanking new sets I think she never cracked open.

So basically I was given a bonus day to get my act together. I charted and cleaned and somehow ended up feeling like the universe was on my side today. The phone didn’t ring at work and I got a lot done.

After work we had band practice and since it’s dry January there was no wine so it was all business. I realized after practice that I had been tense. I am kind of the manager and have to keep everyone on track in some way so we don’t just end up talking about other stuff like sports and current events. Or face lifts. For some reason in the middle of practice I told Monica that I need a face lift stat and she thwacked me like any good friend would.

She also wanted to thwack me when I said about forty times not to sing the high Emmylou harmony on Pilgrim because I don’t like it. I can be opinionated and annoying. I was annoying. I could tell by Monica’s face that I had annoyed her and I felt bad. I will text her today and she will forgive me. Note to self: know when to STFU.

The other band members have thrown out some songs I wouldn’t choose on account of their difficulty. I like little old time ditties with three chords. That’s all I need but now I am contending with Keb Mo’s “Life is Beautiful”, and “Cherry Bomb” by John Cougar Mellencamp (not the Runaways!). I also don’t like my voice on “Wildflowers” but I hope I can just get over myself.

The Band loved the idea of having musical dinner-house-concerts every six weeks or so. Six weeks will be Valentine’s Day and this house is finally ready for people. It looks nice and feels welcoming and if I compare where I am now to where I was a couple of years ago when I couldn’t get out of bed, I am doing an awesome job being a living, breathing, social creature again. I asked the band to mark their calendars for the Strawberry music festival in May. My dream is to go with a group and play music in camp, instead of going by myself and watching other people play music in camp.

I have paid my dues and solo-ed it up all I can stand. I need a little togetherness

So Day 2 of 2023 – thank you for easing me into this new year with a bonus day to get things straight. Thank you for my band and my animals and all the things that are getting me out of bed,

Tomorrow, I’ll try going to work again!