It's a new day

It's thursday--a good day. I woke up this morning after sleeping fitfully--gotta love insomnia, right? toss, turn, doze, wake up, rub away the foot cramp, doze, wake up again--joy joy ~L~ --only to discover I had a meeting first thing. ~grumble~ Thank heaven for telecommuting and all I really had to do was sit in and listen, then occasionally speak a few words so they knew I was actually there. Borrrrrrrrring!! And,on only ONE cup of coffee?? who do they think they're kidding? people know my brain doesn't kick into gear until at LEAST cup number two--before that I am not fit for polite conversation. ~wry grin~ Crabby in the mornin'? Whatever gave you *that* idea??

So, now why am I in a good mood, despite a crappy night? Search me ~shrug~ I like to think i am perenially cheerful. It's better than the alternative and well---I just loathe self-pity--so when I find myself dropping into that mire, i start looking for hand and footholds to climb back out. Usually I succeed. Life is too short--so don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff, I have heard. (though what could be wrong with petting sweaty stuff?? Some of it is pretty awesome ~impgrin~ though--when taken to extreme--okay, I get the point)

I am slowly recovering from another bout of porphyria--I am sick and damned tired of being sick and tired, yanno? Tired of the headaches and the foot cramps that make me want to scream tired of being crabby because I'm hurting and extra-sensitive to sunlight and the jerks, twitches and dull aches from damaged nerves. Yes, a lot of it I *do* control--I control when I eat and what I eat and forgetting to do so is no one's fault but my own and, I know the consequences of doing such. I guess that's why it's called "forgetting"? I do control what I put on and into my body. I check labels, read ingredient lists, check my list of known "bad" medications for updates PRIOR to even filling prescriptions, i can attempt to control the stress levels in my life ~points up~ try not to take things too seriously...but there are still things I can't control. Like having this doggone thing in the first darn place. ~sigh~

Bah, I said I didn't want to turn this into Miki's whining spot--so, i am gonna drop that topic, right there. Again--something *I* can control ~smirk~

Anyway, i LOVE three day weekends!!! But man oh MAN do we pay for them in the long run! ~chuckle~ this week has been hectic to say the least! Today was our first "slow day" and that means I didn't have back-to-back calls all day long! ~heh~ i actually had my personal puter up and was playing "Peggle" and Solitaire between calls until 5:30, when the vast majority of people have gone home, or logged off, for the other W@H folks on my team and it went suddenly back to back again. ~chuckles~ I have the dubious distinction of *always* having the last call in the queue--every day I am working, with VERY few exceptions. It's a standing joke. "Is the queue clear?!?! Not yet, Miki isn't on a call!! give it another minute!" (of course, i can't go by Miki at work ~grumble~ I have to use my "given, legal" name--which I positively loathe and have pondered changing more than once) Still, I love my job and face just about every day with a smile. I am that person everyone loves to hate--the one whose always cheerful and smiling, with a kind word for everyone. Even on my bad days, no one at work knows it. They think I'm weird. Hell, they could be right!!

Ohhhh, I know!! I forgot to mention I moved this spring!! I move a whopping 15 miles from Temple Terrace and out into the wilds of Seffner! However, I have a lovely duplex with AC that works when *I* want it to and a TUB!!! ~happy Snoopy dance~ I was so sick of showers!! I so miss hanging my "do not disturb" sign on the door and just saying "Calgon, take me away!!" with a good book and a nice, hot soak. Best of all..NO MORE TRAILER PARK!!! No more drunken idiots coming between the places, no more drugs being smuggled around (and dropped on my porch) No more BRENDA, the ~cough~ manager whom I wish would get run over by a bus--and the semi-truck right behind it. I tell you, if ever there was a woman more evil, I have yet to meet her. And, irony or ironies--I found out she (finally) got fired last month. She was finally CAUGHT pocketing the huge fees she charged for everything from pool passes for guests, to keycards to the gate, to the ridiculous "credit checks" fees and for the harassment of the tennants who were too afraid of her to say anything--at least where there was a chance of her hearing about it. A place to live is still a place to live and folks have been evicted for lesser reasons on trumped up, made up charges. Frankly, I hope they nail her to the wall. Unkind? Oh, on that i will agree. I tried time and again turning the other cheek--ony to have it slapped, too. Stick a fork in me--I'm done.

So, my new place--well, it's actually not a lot bigger, just better laid out ad ~gasp shock~ I have my OWN room!! Who'd a thunk? I painted it a lovely shade of green (ariel's song) and white trim. such a soothing room, along with the earth tones for bed and bedding. ~heh~ the whole place is earth tones--I tell ya, I don't like leaving it. Mike's room, though--is dark blue ~eye roll~ he wouldn't let me change the paint the landlords used. whatever--it's his personal space. I can always close the door. I have ceramic tile throughout YAY!!!! no more carpet!! I have a couple throw rugs down, though--we moved in on a weekend--it rained ..I happened to be outside (on my COVERED, SCREENED PORCH!!) smoking and heard "Hey MOOOOOOOOOOM!!! I need a hand" so i dropped my smoke into the ashtray and jumped up, stepped on the wet outdoor carpet and hit the ceramic tile--and promptly skated the entire width of the kitchen and into the living room where i bashed into my couch, throwing out both knees and my back. Now, looking at it from hindsight, it HAD to be hysterical--watchng mom shimmy and jerk, slip and slide and contort herself until finally coming against an object big enough to stop her and collapsing onto the floor. At the time, it just hurt....and the kids...ALL 6 of them howling in laughter and trying to gasp out "are you all right" did NOT help! (okay, some of them are of age, still--they're kids to me) so, I was dependent on my cane for mobility for a few weeks after..All in all--it's worth it. and i can clean house quickly--run the dust mop around, then the swiffer boom--DONE! Takes 20 minutes to do what used to take HOURS, when you consider carpet cleaning. I let Pat take that with him. ~nods~

~sighs~ Pat--I miss him--more, I miss my babygirl. I let Stephie go with Pat to Nashville. Better opportunities, education and well--I didn't like where we were living and worried about the influence on miss mouse--especially with the way she's...errr...let's say "maturing". I worry about her and had actually hoped she'd stay with her daddy when she went home this summer. I should have known better. John does nothing if it doesn't benefit him. I don't like the way Pat's been drinking and, while he never lets his temper loose on the kids--well--old fears die hard. I want her back here, but--and here's the rub--Stephanie HATES Florida with a fiery purple passion. she didn't like it when we got here--gave it a try and never could get to the point where she liked it. More than I want her with me, I want her happy and healthy and she was neither the entire time she was here. She is seeming to thrive in TN, though. She likes her school, God help me, she started high school this year and she's being intellectually challenged again, which she wasn't here. Still--i am having trouble with my brother. Trish--well--I don't know what's going on with her. I truly don't. She's good for Pat, I'll give her that and well--she's good with Stephie and the little ones, but--i don't know--there's just something I can't quite put my finger on. Like she's two faced. Says one thing to you and then something else to another person. I won't be turning my back to her anytime soon. i don't wanna find a blade in it. Maybe--just maybe, it's sour grapes that they have my baby. I miss her like breath. And thank GOD for phones and email or I'd go bonkers. ~chuckle~

Anyway, this is beginning to look like a book again--I think i better quit while I'm ahead and head off into playtime before I get maudlin.

Nannite!

-Miki