October 18, 2003

The mural I ordered on September 22 arrived on October 16. Of course, I had called the company to complain and they have already shipped another one (which I haven’t received). Anyway, since I have Fridays off, this was perfect timing!

Friday morning I had to pick Mom up early for a doctor’s appointment. Everything was pretty much the status quo, but he did raise the dose of Zoloft back up to 100mg to see if that would cut down on her agitation at all. We’re trying this before raising the anti-psychotic since this is the safest bet. I would like to see Mom be able to sit down long enough to enjoy a meal without having to be restrained. I say ‘we’re’ trying this because this doctor actually consults with me and considers what kind of extremes I want to attempt with Mom. We are both in agreement that we don’t want to risk upsetting the apple cart since things aren’t going badly.

So, after the doctor, I took Mom back to Facility and put up the birdbath mural. It’s very simple, just the birdbath, 4 birds, grass, and morning glories. It looks beautiful and brightens up her room. Everyone just loves it.

I have decided to keep the ‘replacement’ order when I get it. [I’ll just call and have them rebill me WHEN (if?) it arrives.] I want to put it beside of my bed, just like Mom’s is beside of hers. When I lie in bed and look at it, I’ll know she is lying in her bed looking at the same thing. I think that will be a comfort to me and make me feel close or connected to her. Plus, my room will look great!

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I am not very happy with SunCom these days. I just got roaming charges for calls made from my house (which is in my home area). One of the rules of my plan is that my phone must say SunCom when I make a call or answer the phone. Anyway, my phone has NEVER been on roaming in my house before, so I guess I’m not as attentive in making sure it says SunCom when I’m home.

I made three calls before I could get through to a supervisor. I knew as soon as I heard Janet’s (Janice’s?) nasal, robotic, totally bored tone that she wasn’t going to help me. I should have hung up and called back. One thing I learned from working customer service at The Secret Place is that most supervisors are nice and want to help the good customers. A few supervisors are just hard core ‘these are the rules and if you don’t like it then too bad, so sad’ types. At any rate, I made the mistake of pleading my case to the nasal, robotic, bored voice that I knew wouldn’t help me and it/she didn’t. So now I’m another unsatisfied SunCom customer who will get a plan with a competitor as soon as my contract ends.

Our first cellphone was from US Cellular. When I got roaming charges in my home area with them, they always removed them. In fact, I had no problems with US Cellular. The only reason I switched was because I let the Sprint commercials get to me and convince me that Sprint would be much better. Switching to Sprint was a terrible mistake. My bills were $10 more a month and we had lots of problems with dropped calls and not being able to place long distance calls. Sprint was worse than SunCom. Maybe I’ll just go back to US Cellular, Unfortunately I’m stuck with SunCom until next summer. Blah.

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Today I took Mom with me while I stopped by CVS to get drinks for work and a couple of other things. The sale on the drinks starts tomorrow (grrr) and I could not for the life of me remember the other things I was supposed to pick up. Mom kept running off and ‘talking’ to people and I had to keep chasing after her. She had the pharmacist cornered and I was down the aisle calling her. She was busily ignoring me and he told her I was calling for her and she said, “Yeah, she always does that.”

Finally I gave up trying to recall my needed items and got in line with a couple of other things. Mom came up and started tickling my behind, which caused me to smack at her and she went back off to the back of the store again.

Have I mentioned Mom’s obsession with people’s rears? She is trying to be funny, but it annoys me terribly. She doesn’t pat the fat part of your rear. She tickles down low, almost like she would be goosing someone. The aides at Facility just laugh and do it back to her. My niece used to laugh it off, too. For some reason I just hate it. Every time I walk with her, she molests my rear. I try to hold her hand, but she pulls and pulls until I let go, and them she promptly attacks my rear. I wish I thought it was funny, and I don’t know why I’m so intolerant of it. I guess I’ll have to work on that or wear armor when we’re together.

Anyway, I decided to take Mom back before I went to the next store for drinks. Brilliant move, right? I’m slow, but sure. The entire time I’m trying to think of what it was I was supposed to be picking up. I finally decided that I would most likely never know and oh well. Upon entering the store I saw coffee and filters on the first row! Eureka! That was it and they had drinks, too.

I came home and parked in front of the house. Normally I park in the driveway and Chris parks on the road in front of the house. However, every Saturday night some car parks in front of our house, taking Chris’s spot. I finally remembered to park there so Chris can take the driveway. Our unknown friend can park in front of someone else’s house tonight. Am I mean or what?

Tomorrow it’s back to work. My weekends go so fast. I still have to vacuum, mop and do a load of laundry tonight.

Maybe after that I’ll have time to watch a movie before snoozing.

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

(I don’t sound very content here, do I? Oops)