Forgot

Well, I totally forgot today's blog, before I knew it, it was midnight, so...
Okay, short sumup, the competition turned out to be a bust for me, of the forty something contestants I didn't make it. *sigh* A pity. But what can you, do right. At least I won't be rushing back and fourth to Gibraltar for more than a week.

Did manage to put in the kitchen window today. It looks rather well, if I do say so myself. Also did some gardening, but on the overall not a lot go done with everything going on.

Tadaika was sick yesterday, so we were out and about during most of the day. Three times to the vet, in fact. She couldn't stand on her back paws, so when I had to take Knight to the vet, I took her too. They didn't know what was wrong, so she's on an anti-inflamatory for the next few days. She is doing a little better. At least she is walking again, and she even jumps on the bed again. Knight went in to have his ear stitches tightened. He was a real trooper about it.

Did manage a jog. I really needed that. Blowing my head free of worries for a bit. Actually managed a 200 yard sprint, which is definitely a first for me. Hah. Was good even though it as downright nippy again.

My head is healing, slowly, despite the fact that one of the friggin' dogs hit me on the head (right on my stitches, mind you) during the night and made me see stars. Jeez.

Tenant is still at hospital, regretfully. No results yet, I fear. The x-ray they were supposed to be done today, didn't happen, so she is going to stay until at least Monday, because her belly still hurts, and she's still nauseous. Friggin' hospitals. Very frustrating, I tell ya.

Well, I'm going to stop here, and leave you with a poem instead. I might have posted it before, but it will have been a long time ago, so who cares?

Okay, I'm out. It's been a long couple of days.

Poem-story.
Death’s visit.

She lay in the marshes beside the heath and grass
Her complexion pale, like the finest of glass
Death has claimed its nasty toll
It came swiftly… a fall and then a roll

Her spirit rose above the empty shell
Her last thought of the prancing horse before she fell
Colors swirled in light of the setting sun
What had happened, her life had just barely begun

Confused and afraid she stood beside the pool
The body she had known, so silent, so cool
Eyes as green as the hills around
Not a breath was heard, not a single sound

What had happened, what had occurred
Had been a fox, a deer of a bird
Muddled her spirit was
Whatever the reason, the ghost could not encompass

A husky cry, violent and despaired
Turned her about to face the man for whom she cared
Anguish on his face so clear
It made her tremble… made her fear

Desperate, he dismounted his gallant steed
Rushing forward, gaining speed
From the shore on which she stood
She watched helplessly as he plunged into water and reached for a pale foot

The marshes stirred when at last he grabbed hold
His hands dirty, his grip bold
Heaving her from the water and dirt
Her love lifted her, strong arms tangling with her skirt

Gently he lay her down on grass covered with morning’s dew
His voice shaking, his hands clasping her face as if it were new
“Don’t leave, my love,” the noble knight whispered, oh so soft
As he swore at death, shook her and scoffed

“You will not have her,” he pledged with force
“She is mine! Her life has not yet run its course”
Tenderly he swiped at mud and grime
Untangling the fold of her dress which had been so very fine

Tears ran down the spirits eyes
The wind sweeping around, piercing her like ice
Death was nearby she knew deep within
She had felt it before when it had taken her kin

This could not be the end, she thought in quiet despair
Watching her love, stroke her face… her hair
“Live, my love, for without thee my time I cannot face
I shall come after thee, give death a dangerous chase”

Her brave and loyal love would do as he said
He would fight to the end, not die old in his bed
To death’s wishes he would never resign
He would think of something, some clever design

“Live, damn you! You’re stronger than He”
His fist coming down on her chest, setting a burst of water free
“Fight, my dearest, my love. Come back to me and live
There is life yet in you… more to give”

Awed, she watched her body sputter and heave
Around her colours fading, even though she could hardly believe
Darkness soon did descend
Her last image that of her love, leaning close, his body bent

A feather-like touch to her lips lured her near
The kiss of life filling her lungs, her involuntary breath all she could hear
A flutter of lashes brought light where darkness had ruled
She could feel her love near, it could not be ridiculed

Death, by no means willing to let her go
Both presences pulled her to and fro
Valiantly the young lass fought back
Courage was one thing she did not lack

Lured to surrender she was
The pull strong even for so brave a lass
“Nay, I shall not leave my love’s side”
She thought… she cried

Though he could not hear or see
Her love shook her gently and would not let it be
However strong he was
Death would not let it come to pass

“Come back to me and leave me not with this plight
Be strong, my fair lass, and fight!”
The voice of her noble knight came from afar
The sound of it like a beacon… as star

“Give up this fruitless struggle, my dear”
Whispered Death, his voice a cold chill in her ear
Icy fingers tugging at her, drawing her away
Making her spirit toss and flay

“Let go, there is naught to fear
‘Tis useless. Let go, the end is near”
“No!” the lass cried in silent despair
“Leaving my love, I cannot bear”

Again warmth brushed her frozen lips
Air rushed in, shaking her from shoulders to hips
With one mighty heave she tore loose from Death’s mighty grasp
Her body reclaiming life with a forceful gasp

At last her eyes fluttered ajar
Her love’s face above her, not very far
Relief showed on the handsome knight’s face
His hand pulling her close in a tight embrace

“You live! Thank the gods of old
If I’d lost thee, to the devil my soul I would have sold”
Her love swore with utter relief
His lips traveling over her face with kisses so very brief

“As would I, my dearest love
But I’m here, I came back from that plane above”
She said breathlessly, her eyes open and aglow
“Without thee… I would not go”

He laughed, a rusty sound from deep inside
His happiness and love he could not hide
“Bound together we are
Apart we could never go far”

Holding her knight close to her heart
Death roared in frustration but did depart
He would leave them be… for now
To destiny’s ruling he had no choice but to bow

Their time would come, Death knew very well
But not now… that much he could tell
Life would be good and kind to the lovers on the shore
Until their threads were cut and he’d come once more

We're back to "we'll see"

Song of the day: ...well I've forgotten. That means that I, presently, don't have a song in my head. Yay.

First off, the bad news: Gada, sweet little...well, big Gada, didn't want to get up this morning, and when she did, she stood there, swaying in my living room, looking pale and miserable. Unlike normal days when she would be bouncing around me while I'm fixing dog food. It was sad, but I promised myself I wouldn't let her suffer unduly, and decided to take her to the vet without further ado...I should have done it earlier, since she's often vomiting, but...well, you know.

Anyway, the doc took one look at me, then Gada, and knew what time it was. It was over in just a few minutes, she didn't suffer, she stood in my arms, and then as she slipped away, I (bawling my eyes out a bit) slowly lowered her to the table. Such a sweet dog. It reminded me of how we got her. The vet had refused to put her and a labrador retriever down. Previous owners were having a baby, and didn't want their dogs anymore. So the vet asked if we wanted them, and we did. So basically, Gada had some odd seven years more than her previous owners had planned, and she was a darling.
But anyway, I don't want to wallow in misery over this. Gada had a good life and that is all that matters. Other stuff happened, and I better get to it. Were very busy yesterday, not so much with anything at hope, but...well, busy.

Yesterday. I woke up with a massive headache, originating from the back of my head where the stitches are. Bet you I rolled onto it way too much. Considering I woke up several times, that was definitely the case. Knight's ear has a gazillion stitches in it, and he's very insecure because of it, poor fella. Keeps rubbing against me, stretching out until he's basically on top of me. You'd think he was a friggin' Chihuahua.

Did the whole omelet experiment yesterday. One with herbs, cheese and onion, one with herbs, cheese peppers, one with Parmesan, nopales and tomatoes, one with peppers, onion and beer (to see how it would fluff it up) and one with mushrooms and cheese. Made five of them, all different, all experimental, including the two I did earlier. We all played guinea pig taking bite after bite of each different kind. Had very different results. Had two wins on the nopales, two on the mushroom, two for the peppers, and everyone, except big brother liked the onion, cheese mix. So I went for the latter, combined with some pepper.

After the experiment, big brother and I went to my terrace where we worked on putting together the window for my kitchen, yay. It'll look grand, I tell ya. Afterward we had to head out to get some stuff, and then came home to...well, no supper due to the whole egg experiment. I was still nauseous four hours later, I tell ya.

Only managed a few pages of the rewrite, my head still not feeling entirely right. Am now about halfway through, and am trying to split up my attention between the rewrite and working on letters we are going to be sending out later this winter, in the beginning of spring at the latest. The A.T.O.L. letter is working out well. And we ran through the V.L. letter as well. So much to do, so little time.

So this morning, I woke with a wooden head again. Seriously, my head feels like it is going to fall off if I moved just a fraction too much…so I didn’t move it all that much while going through the motions of the morning chores.
Then, while feeding the dogs, I suddenly noticed that Gada wasn’t bouncing around me. After some looking around, and calling her, I found her standing in the center of my living room looking downright pale, so that’s when I decided…you know.

Not the best day to have this happen, right, but it couldn’t be helped or postponed, so it was done, and grandpa was kind enough to dig a grave for her while we were gone today. No writing today, for the simple reason that there wasn’t time. We had to leave at one so we could visit tenant, prior to driving on to Gibraltar for the contest.

She wasn’t doing bad, on the overall. We found her sitting in a chair to which she said the nurses had carried her. Somehow she’s convinced herself that she now has to start all over, which is ridiculous, of course. We talked for a bit, gave her a couple of books to read, and then helped her to her feet, just to show her that she could indeed still stand. She was weak, but did manage to walk to the bed, just like I told her. Settled her there, seeing as she didn’t feel like lunch, and then said our goodbyes after an hour or so.

And off we were, on to Gibraltar, hoping that we wouldn’t get lost. We didn’t. In fact, I drove right in a single try, and we arrived on site about an hour early. Hah. Went to the restaurant, introduced myself, looked around, and then went out again to fill the remaining hour. I gotta admit, I almost chickened out. I mean seriously, it’s a lot of effort, lots of time (not that I mind either, it is just that I have very little of the latter, hah) and for a moment I wondered if it was worth pitching myself against all those other contestants, only to end up disappointed. Then I thought, what the heck, what’s the worst that can happen? (Well, technically, one of the judges could drop dead, or something) I could lose, but that’s about it. That would just mean that my taste is not theirs, which is not exactly news to me. Hah.

So I went back (after we had some pizza at the PizzaHut. I’ve been dreaming of that since the last time some odd fourteen years ago), set up where I was told to set up, and while chatting with the judges, and listening to the other contestant cooking with me, I made my omelet. It was a close thing. Luckily the lady with me was done faster, meaning that they were tasting her creation for a while, allowing me a few extra precious minutes to finish. Almost didn’t make it, since the heater wasn’t the same as at home, and since the pan was smaller, but I did do it within the time, and placed it on their table in time.

It appears they liked it, in particular the herbs I used, as well as the structure, so we’ll see. Apparently I’m going to hear whether I made it on Friday. Hah. What do you think? Should I be looking forward to more consumption of precious time, or should I hope that I don’t get through this round, so I won’t need to travel to Gibraltar again? Hmmm. Let’s just go back to: We’ll see, eh?

But, be that as it may, we were back on our way out of Gibraltar within fifteen minutes, only to end up in a two hour line at the border. *sigh* Luckily big brother had his computer with him, allowing me to write half this blog while we waited endlessly. The trip took just a little under two hours, bringing us home at nine thirty, yay. Mean’s we’ve been gone for more than eight hours, for crying out loud. Yikes. But I admit that the plus of this day was that I had no time to think of Gada, which is a good thing in my book.

Well, that’s about it then. Time, almost, for some serious zzzzzs on my part. Signing off.

Roofied, man.

Song of the day: “I got a feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas. A tad boring to have stuck in your head.

Right. Where to start? Can I just say, for the record, that the past couple of days were downright, well, taxing. First let me just say it, because I can still hardly believe it, okay, here goes: I…Got…Roofied!!! There. I’ve said it. Roofied. Now, I don’t know what I got, could have been something that was called differently, but let’s just say I was pretty out of it.

So how did it happen…well, I think I’ll have to go back all the way to Saturday, because it was of that that I had no clue that something was wrong, until I was almost flat on my face at the market.

Saturday was my procedure at the clinic, and can I just say for one moment that the surgeon made true the old saying that surgeons are butchers…He, in this case, in behavior and appearance. I’m sorry, but that’s how it came across. He was brusque, he and his meaty assistant ushering me toward the table where I was to lie down flat on my stomach so they could get cracking. First came the injections…the needle too weak, or my skin too tough (take your pick) making it two “wrong” shots before he got it right. Ouch. He made some attempts at conversation, but his English was worse than my Spanish and his bedside manner in shoving my head this way and that, nose pressed painfully into the table, nothing to write home about. Finally I asked if I could take out the padding in the middle of the “bed” allowing me to stick out my nose at least. Crikey, that felt weird. First there was the cutting bit, I think they used both scalpel and scissors on the darn cyst. Then there was the clamps that kept the skin open, metal clanking onto my skull, I tell ya, followed by stitches that literally lifted my head off the table. Jeez. I know that they work under the presumption of it being painless due to the injection, but seriously, use some common sense. It’s only skin, not plastic. Stuff bruises under abuse, for crying out loud.
But anyway, they were done in less than fifteen minutes, and I was told to get up and head for the reception area to arrange for another appointment two weeks later, so I could hear what the test results of the cyst were. Cue in the small bottle with liquid and a gross piece of skin floating in it. I promptly got nauseous.
I took a picture for the blog, arranged for the new appointment and headed out to where big brother (he drove me there) was waiting for me. We talked a moment, and everything around me got a little “spinny” if ya know what I mean. So, I decided, what the heck, I’m going back in to ask if that was normal.
Other customers were gathered around the desk, and I gesticulated over the head of a pregnant lady that I would like to speak to the doctor. The receptionist looked at me funny and said that the doc would be busy for a few minutes and asked me what I wanted to ask. So yeah, I made the universal gesture of spinning my finger in the air and saying I wasn’t feeling too well. The woman promptly jumped to her feet and basically pushed me into a little side room.
Before I knew it, she had me flat on a table, with this little stool propped under my legs. Weird to feel like the room is spinning, and yet not seeing it, right?
A minute later the doctor came bustling in, asking some questions about breakfast, and whether I lost a lot of weight, and then telling me that it was perfectly normal…would have been nice if he had told me that before hand. *snort*

But anyway, after a minute or two I had enough of it, got up…which had the receptionist rush forward from fear that I’d pass out on her, or something (she was nice, though, very caring) which I didn’t. I can be a tough hombre when I put my mind to it, thank you very much.

So once outside, big brother was waiting for me once more, and we walked back to the car, where I told him of the grand fun of what had happened inside. *sigh*

Once we got home, I got the regale folks inside with my story as well, at which point it was time to head on down into the yard for some relaxing time watering plantsies. Nothing centers you quite as well as watering plants, I tell you.

That done, I headed to the kitchen and did some experimenting with my omelet recipe. If I’m going to join in on the competition, I better not have made my last omelet seventeen years ago. *sigh* Let’s just say I’m not the biggest egg fan…but it worked out well, and my volunteers enjoyed it. *phew* Big relief that.

Big brother and I headed for town to get some groceries.
Next, since I wasn’t worth all that much anyway, I cooked supper (veggies and potatoes with a wonderful herbal sauce) and a potato salad for Sunday market day. Wasn’t in the mood to do anything more complicated than that, so since big brother and I had to head to town anyway, I figured we might as well get some French bread to go with the salad.

Tried to take a nap while Cousin Ed, Grandpa and Big Brother loaded the car for the market, but my phone woke me up, reminding me why I’d promised myself not to keep my phone with me during naps, since I didn’t manage to drop off afterward.
Knight II was oddly subdued during the day, and by the time I had done some writing for the day, I found him in my room with a 104.9 fever and an ear that was swollen triple its size…and that while it had been slowly getting better. He was in a lot of pain, so I decided not to wait for morning, and headed straight for the vet who decided to immediately operate. We could come pick him up in the morning.

It was strange to sleep without Knight II’s bones ramming into my spine, and whenever I woke (which was often) I remembered why he wasn’t there.
Despite the lack of sleep, I wasn’t doing bad the next morning. My head hurt a little, but the ibuprofen had done its job during the night, allowing me to go through the morning rituals to be done on time for our departure.

The trip toward the market went without effort, only for us to arrive to somewhat horrid winds. Seriously, we spent about two hours trying to set up, but everything kept blowing away, until we decided to just put most of everything on the ground, rather than risk flying missiles. *sigh*
At twelve, as agreed, I headed to the restaurant early and got to writing. Didn’t go bad either. With three cups of coffee (a short interruption when Cousin Ed called me to come look at a great Dane that was visiting. Gawd, he was gorgeous. I had to hug him) I managed to write nine solid pages. I had some seriously weird thoughts during the session, a slight discomfort even, and at some point, after having been gone from my table, I thought it hadn’t been smart to leave my stuff unattended. (Boy did that turn out to be true!) Once done, I cleaned up my mess, packed up the computer and went to out to see if there were sales. Nope. Only fifty cents on something teeny. We chortled about it a little, seeing as it was no big surprise, considering there were hardly any people around. We were just about to start packing up a little early, when the first wave hit me. The world spin, and I had to sit down fast or else lose it. At the time I considered two possible options for the cause. Either something with my head, or I hadn’t eaten enough. I took some cookies and tried again. Still dizzy, nauseous and my head hurt like the dickens. And it gradually got worse to, an odd giddiness coming over me, even as my outer extremities became colder and colder. Nausea got so bad I headed for the bathroom to vomit. Not much, but something got out, and I felt marginally better. I did have this odd sensation, almost like being drunk, you know, which was even weirder.
We decided that it would be smarter for cousin Ed to drive home, and I just barely made it without hurling again. Seriously, I have never felt that awful in my life. It came in waves, ya know. First a few stabs in my head, then a dizzy spell, followed by nausea, only to end in some serious shivers that had me literally fall in bed once I got home.
Knight II was there waiting for me, since big brother picked him up that morning. (The friggin’ dog had already taking off his bandages, and broke the first part of his cone. He deliberately starts walking into walls, I tell ya.
But anyway. I wrapped myself around him and pulled the blankets over both of us trying to stay warm. It didn’t work, my toes and fingers were the worst and those weird waves of shivers…or rib cramps kept keeping me awake…along with those coffees, seriously, there was so much caffeine in my body, I was crawling the walls underneath the numbing sensation of whatever the heck was bothering me.

I came to the carport in an attempt to warm myself on the stove, only to hear that right after we got home something turned out to be wrong with tenant. Neither Big brother or Grandpa had noticed anything peculiar during the day, her sudden sickness was way sudden. She was in her chair with her eyes closed, moving back and forth as if in trance, and didn’t respond to anything anyone said.
I didn’t get a lot of it, seeing as I was pretty out of it too, but I did manage to go up there after caregiver phoned for a doctor, and at his insistence an ambulance. First fear with stroke folks is another one, so they weren’t taking any risks.
By that time I was starting to get pretty bad, the “waves” of symptoms coming faster and stronger, in such a way that mom, who’d come up to check on tenant, and keep her company until the ambulance arrived, decided to ship me off to the doctor’s office in the village.
We arrived there shortly, with me draped over the back seat, wondering how the heck I was going to make it up to the door, elevator and then the office. Seriously, my ribs were starting to hurt from the shivers, and that dizziness made the world tilt under my feet. Of course I did make it, and I slouched in a seat there, pale, my hair a mess, and sagged out like a recalcitrant teenager. We talked a bit, he took my blood pressure, checked for fever (both fine) to which he concluded a stomach flu, most likely. Rooooooight!!! Jeez. Spare me from doctors. I’ve had the flu, and this wasn’t it.
Anyway, he prescribed me some anti nausea medication, and told me to pack up warm, crawl under my blankets and prepare for several days of being sick. *sigh*

We went home, where I ate some soup with crackers, and after an hour or so, started to feel marginally better. The wave of the sequence was still happening, but at a slower pace, which was a relief.

It was about two hours after our return that my strange thought at the restaurant popped up in my mind. That is when a suspicion started to niggle. My symptoms, the impression of the flu…I’d heard it before, and most of it had to do with date rape drugs (did some research on that a while ago for a book). And yep, I found several sites that basically described all my symptoms, except for exhaustion…which I dismissed in reference to those potent three coffees that still buzzed through my system with a vengeance, despite me feeling incredibly tired and tipsy.
Talked with the doctor, who didn’t like being countered by a different theory, but even he had to admit that however improbable, it did fit. The conversation got finished on us seeing whether or not I was worse or better in the morning.

I slept through most of the night…after lying awake ‘till ‘bout three in the morning. The moment I felt the caffeine high disappear from my system, I was off into dream-land I tell ya, and didn’t wake until nine thirty this morning. *sigh*

Though there were still some of the symptoms, I was feeling remarkably better and went through the motions of the morning with little trouble. After dog food I even did a short kick boxing session . The way I figure GHB is a depressant, so pumping in some adrenaline couldn’t do much wrong. Felt even better after that. Yay.

Tenant will be staying at the hospital for a bit. They haven’t figured out what happened yet, but at least it wasn’t another stroke. She asked if we could contact her family for her, which I did, of course. We had planned to, but it is better to do it when she asks.

Watered the plants again, (sun was remarkably warm) this afternoon, then worked in the kitchen on a second omelet experience, which was different, but nice regardless. Around four in the afternoon, after I prepared soup for supper, I was basically feeling like myself again, which made heading out to pick up a donation in town a lot less of an effort.
After having loaded up the car, big brother and I headed for the village where we had an appointment for Knight II’s ear checkup. Poor darling is filled with stitches and a collar he absolutely hates.
The Vet said not to mind the lack of bandage. As long as he’s not oozing all over the place it’s okay that he isn’t covered up. We tried at her place, but within one minute he had the bandage of anyway, the stupid twat! I’m to watch him, but otherwise just leave it alone…took two spare cones, because I’ll be surprised if this one makes it another day.

Had soup. Did some more writing to add to the few I did this morning, but ended up working on a letter we’ve been putting together for sending to publishers in the near future. Didn’t have much time, there was this blog to write after all.

So what you think of that, eh? Roofied? Me? Weird. Absolutely friggin’ weird.
Well. I’m off to bed.