Update on Life, the Universe and Everything!

The last few weeks have been hectic. Between the Evil Day Job, insomnia and quitting smoking, my brain has been mush and my Muse has left for less stressful climes.

Yes, quitting smoking. I've smoked for...well, a really long time. Let's just say more years than I've not. And it's time. And this time, it's going to work. I didn't say to myself I'm going to "try" to quit smoking. I said, "I'm quitting." Not cold turkey without help, mind you. The co-workers at the EDJ would have had to take cover if I'd done this without some help. I'm using nicotine patches.

After reading the back of the Walmart brand, Equate, and the name brand version, I decided the only difference was the $10 in price. I started on July 3rd--nine days and counting--and so far, it's been a breeze.

The only time I had a serious craving was Wednesday. My dog Frankie had a growth on her neck that needed to be removed. This wasn't the first tumor she'd had. Two years before, a growth was removed with no problem and although it was cancer, it wasn't the kind that spread. I figured this would be the same thing.

Unfortunately, it wasn't. This tumor was all over the place. The vet wouldn't be able to remove all of it and what she could get wouldn't be enough and would probably have left Frankie lame. The vet recommended letting her go. As hard as it was, I did. And I appreciate the vet's honesty.

A number of years ago, with a different vet, I put one of my dogs through hell trying to treat the untreatable because I couldn't let go and the vet wouldn't voice an opinion one way or the other. He didn't like advising people to euthanize.

So rest in peace, Francesca Ann. I'm having her cremated and she'll occupy a spot on the shelf with Tasha and Buddy.

Tuesday I had to work from home so I could deal with the plumber. The sewer line was giving me headaches. Sometimes I wonder why I bought a house. Yardwork and home repairs... What a pain.

Romeo decided I needed assistance. Or at least a good view of him napping. This is Romeo's idea of helping--sleeping on my bookbag with my work in it.

He spent most of the day there waking long enough to glare at me when I needed the papers he was sleeping on.

Romeo is so named because he's a lover. Drives me crazy wanting to be petted. I'm a side sleeper and I wake up to find him sleeping on my side with his paws and head hanging over my shoulder. Of course, he hasn't figured out that knocking him off isn't personal. It's usually hot flash related. LOL

I also had a telephone interview on Thursday regarding a new job. It sounds very interesting, would be a little more money and save me forty miles a day on the commute. With the price of gas, that's about $110 a month savings. And it's in West Little Rock, which is convenient to everything! Where I'm at now, there's nothing around. I have to travel even more on the weekend to get things done like nails, hair, car maintenance, etc. Of course, I usually meet up with Momma and Lil Sis on the weekends for sushi lunch so it's not a total waste of a weekend day! I'm not getting my hopes up for the job but it would be nice.

The insomnia is getting better. Most of it was caused by Restless Leg Syndrome. A little hard to sleep when you can't stay still! Doc gave me samples of Mirapex and it's worked really well--except I ran out Wednesday night. Last night was hell! I called the doc this morning to get a prescription called in and the stupid pharmacy claims they never received the fax. *headdesk* Doc's office is open tomorrow so I'll be calling.

Turns out caffiene and nicotine aggravate RLS. I had already cut back on the caffiene by switching to half-caf. Once I finish with the patches, I'm hoping I can dump the RLS meds.

With everything going on, writing had suffered. I did start a new story--m/m. Not much done on it yet but I'm trying!

So there's my update on life, the universe and everything!