fraidy's friday

update on Allen, he is now in a nursing home. we haven't seen him since Sunday or talked to his mom in the past few days, so I don't know if this is a permanent thing or just until he can walk again. Bruce went over to secure his house and fix the door locks. I'm off today, so we may go see him later this afternoon after our eye appointments. I haven't had new glasses for 4 years now, and I don't wear them except for driving and watching tv. I don't think my vision has gotten worse, just that my glasses have gotten all scratchy and cloudy. Hope everyone has a good weekend, especially you Jan since it's your birthday!

a wasted soul

a few years ago, my husband and I met a guy named allen at the bar at the end of my street. Allen is a sweetheart, give ya the shirt of his back kinda of guy, but he has a major problem with alcohol addiction. I hadn't seen him regularly for a year or so and when we saw him a couple of months ago, we found out why. Allen is a full blown alcoholic. He's still sweet and never a mean drunk, but the man has given up on life and no matter how hard my hubby and i try, we can't convince him that life is worth living. he has cirrhosis (sp.?) and he never eats anything, even though i fix him care plates to take to his house. a few days ago, he started losing his mind, talking about his late brother as if he died only last week, when it was over 2 years ago, and saying lots of stuff that didn't make sense. we usually call him everyday and go his house every 2-3 days to make sure he's ok. a couple of days ago, his mom called us to let us know that he was in the hospital with an ammonia build up in his blood. it seems hyperammonia causes brain damage and memory loss.......today was his 49th birthday so we went to see him, he knew who we were, but for some reason, he thinks he's in a Vegas hospital. it makes me sad to see a nice guy like him in this condition. hopefully , the doctor's can get him on some meds to help his mind and body heal, but the alcohol factor will take a lot more to deal with. i only hope we are not too late to save this gentle soul.

wow,why am i so tired?

Crikes, seems like all I've done this week is work, come home make dinner then crash. Course, I'm awake an hour and a half early thanks the freakin neighbor's dog barking. Why do people in the city get a dog, then leave it outside all the time so it barks to get in and be a part of the family? I have 2 dogs and they have been taught to bark only when necessary. They are very good girls who know that when I say quiet, I mean it. I do not believe in letting my pets disturb someone's sleep, some people sleep during the day and are awake at night, funny how most of the world forgets that.

Man, I can't believe I finally splurged for cable tv last year, and now I'm sitting here watching reruns of Little House on the Prairie. I used to watch it with my dad every afternoon when I was in my early 20's, but now it seems really lame for me to watch it without him here to razz about it with me. Sometimes I do miss him, even if he wasn't the greatest dad when I was living with him. I miss my mom the most though. Both of my folks died in 2000 of cancer, a month apart.
I used to call mom every Sunday at 8:30 and we would talk about anything or nothing. I have 2 living bros and a sis, and we each had our own special time of the week to call mom. It's been 5 years, almost 6 and I still catch myself once in awhile on Sunday, thinking I have to call her.

Finances are starting to finally work for me. This is the first time in months I have been able to go grocery shopping and get everything I needed and a few things I didn't but wanted anyway.
My checkbook agrees with my bank statement, and my bills have been paid on time for the month. Hell, I even told the old man to go to the foot doctor for his follow up visit. Afterall he fell off the roof in October of 2004 and broke his heel bone and we couldn't afford the visit for him to see if it healed properly. Watch out world! I keep going like this and I just might spring for that 20 dollar haircut I've needed for 3 years!

men and money and other things

Okay, so I hand over my cash card and checkbook to the old man..... 2 days later he says "you need the card so I don't have to go to the grocery and you can stop on the way home from work. Can you say lazy??? I also have this strange feeling that I'll still be responsible for taking care of the household finances, only now I'm ganna make his ass sit down with me while I write out the checks. Checked my gas and electric bill for January online acccck 384 bucks!!! I live in a 2 bedrrom house not a mansion. Good thing Mom in law owns stock in the utility company. Actually, it wasn't a major shock, I knew it would be high, the newsfolks have been saying all winter that rates were going up. Besides nine years ago whenI lived at the nursery, I had a 300 dollar heat bill one month..........now that was a shocker. Glad my angels rescued me when they did, or I'd be freaking about how I was gonna pay it.

Watched the Bengals/ Steelers game at the bar yesterday. Was going good until Carson Palmer got knee-whacked on the second play, then the whole mood just went to shit.....oh well hopefully he'll be back for next year's season.

Sis called the other night and offered to take me to Vegas with her for free (she gets to fly free since she works for Delta, and Bally's sent her an offer for a 3 night's stay if she paid 99 bucks to get in a poker tournament) Given the recent goings on in this house, and the fact that I just got back from Vegas, I turned her down. Hubby said I should have gone ( right.....he thinks I have a gambling problem - which I used to have when bingo was around, but now it doesn't hold the same attraction anymore) The only reason I would go back to Vegas is for karaoke, which I can do here much cheaper.
Anyhoo, enough babbling for now........