It's 5 a.m. and you wake up to this...what would YOU do?

Insomnia and fibromyalgic pain and mood swings have been a literal pain for me lately. I find myself awake and wandering around the house at all hours of the night. This morning I was up at 5 and went in to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. By this point, I know sleep is done for the night. However, even making coffee is going to be a major challenge today.

Hmmm....it's going to be just a little difficult getting to the faucet. Maybe I get get there from the side and use the sink hose which I can at least pull out a few inches and get away from the mess. But...

not only is the hose covered up, there's no where to put the coffee pot anywhere. And where is the coffee pot anyway?

Ah well, at least I can see it, I think to myself mournfully. This is what we get for trying to teach adult children responsibility, how to take care of themselves and their surroundings. Pah!

The adult child--who shall go nameless for now--came in from wherever she was early enough to get a start on the dishes but chose to go upstairs and then stayed up there. As far as I know, she is still up there sleeping.

What would you do? I'm finding I really like these polls!

End of Thursday Night Thoughts

1. Do not give shelter to a deadbeat family member. They will put down root and try to get rid of said offender is like trying to get rid of a weed. Said weed chokes the life out of a nicely seeded lawn.

2. Also don't schedule therapy visits on the same day as a medical procedure that involves anesthesia. It means all-around misery for everyone.

3. Take lots of pictures of cats...it's therapeutic.

4. Love the grandson, he's a blessing. Maybe that's why you do give the deadbeat a place to root and pray you keep your health and sanity.

5. It's a good thing I read The Time Traveller or I totally would not have understood tonight's episode of Lost. I nearly broke down in tears, the ending was just so beautiful. I just love that show! And although it's a couple of months after the fact, I love it that the episode took place on Christmas Eve!

6. Thank God TB's colonoscopy was normal--"clean and green" as he put it. That's one good thing that happened today

7. Even if there's no medical procedure that day, if there are two therapy appointments, try to schedule them an hour apart. Why? Well, I'd scheduled Kristin and me for about the same time--and her doctor needed to talk to me which made me late for mine and so I had to go to the back of the line. Meanwhile, poor TB was sitting there trying not to fall asleep ... nope, all the appointments in one day was definitely a no-repeat event!

8. Snuggling with your cats is therapeutic

9. Reading is relaxing unless you haven't had enough sleep

10. Eating Cadbury eggs are an effective way to deal with stress but it's also an unhealthy way

11. It's wondeful to know that Cubby and Sox still have people out there that care about them and are happy to hear that the boys are doing well!

12. I drove around almost all day today and didn't have much crankiness. Are the biplolar meds I'm taking kicking in?

13. Another great way to relax: Facebook!

14. Cats like to snack on some very weird things! So far, under the "other" category on our poll, some feline friends like: Blue cheese, sweetcorn, honey dew melon, mature cheddar cheese, goldfish crackers, fritos, black olives, Doritos (not jalepeno though), and bananers.

A Wonderful Laugh

It hasn't been all bad this weekend. Seriously.

Today, Billy brought down our Christmas decorations. He also raked up the leaves in the backyard while Kristin dusted and vacuumed. Once the inside was nice and clean, I began unpacking our holiday stuff.

Kennan just came to drop Little T off. Linda said to him that she'd forgotten to tell him about the parent-teacher conference on Tuesday. He said he'd try to make it.

I remembered that someone erased the appointment from the calendar and also the one for T's follow-up doctor's visit tomorrow morning. I said, "I thought Ted and I were supposed to do those things."

She gave me a weird look and said, "No, I'll take Tomas."

So I said, "I thought you were starting your new job tomorrow?" Supposedly she was going to start working at Bristol Meyers Squibb but had to pass a background check first. She'd said they called and said she pased so what was all this?

She gave me another weird look and said, "I don't know."

I said, "Look, just tell me the truth. You don't really have that job, do you?"

She looks at me and then at Kennan and then she says, "I don't want to say yes and I don't want to say no."

I thought I didn't hear right and she repeated herself. So then I said, "What kind of Bee Ess answer is that?" I didn't want to say the word in front of the little guy but I was genuinely astonished.

TB said: "In other words, she doesn't want to lie to you."

I couldn't help it. A laugh burst out of me and then I was nearly doubled over choking on it. I don't know what struck me so funny but whatever it was my body sure appreciated it!

Donnybrook at the Not O.K. Corral

words of anger, hurt and resentment have passed.

TB and I have said to Linda we didn't want her putting the TV on all day for herself and Little T to watch, particularly when it's Sponge Bob. I happen to enjoy Sponge Bob once in a while but it's no way to stimulate a little boy with PDD. She doesn't listen. Maybe we need to buy a $54 dollar switch for the TV so that she can't turn it on when we're not around--or even if we're there.

Then there were some words about how she needs to be a more connected parent, in tune with her child's needs and interacting with him, encouraging him to build on the skills that he has and to us his words. It can't all be Nana and Pop-Pop's doing, the mother has to be involved.

And then there's the mega mooching issue. TB was upset, granted, when he said to Linda, "I don't want you to watch our TV period!", but he meant it.

That was supposed to be part of the plan to "emancipate" these adult kids. Originally we meant to start with no TV when Tomas is awake--play with the boy, interact with him, read to him, encourage him. Then we were going to move to no TV for you at all. Susan, our therapist, said we had to find something that she likes and withdraw it to make her uncomfortable enough to want to move.

It's like poking a hibernating bear. Poke, poke, poke when all it wants to do is lie there and what happens?

Last night, after Little T was in bed, Linda comes down and turns on the TV. TB and I had retreated to our sanctuary, our room at the back of the house where we are pretty much insulated from sound unless someone comes barging in. We discussed the issue briefly and TB said, "I don't want to deal with any conflicts tonight." I can understand how he feels. Believe me, I already have too much agita.

It was about 11:30 at night when Linda came to the door because Kristin wouldn't leave her alone. They proceeded to start yelling and I forcibly moved forward to get them back down the hall and into the living room so that TB wouldn't hear the commotion. Kristin realized that Linda was watching TV, knew TB didn't want her to and was giving her hell.

Linda's first response was what are you talking about and why are you treating me this way?

So then I said your doesn't want you watching the TV--he told you that last night. He didn't say anything when you turned it on because he just couldn't deal with the stress.

So Linda says to Kristin, so why are you involved? This is none of your business.

And Kristin went off on her with all the anger she'd been bottling up: Linda doesn't help, she just sits and watches TV all the time with the little one, she doesn't take care of him, she doesn't take care of her responsibilities, creditors call the house all the time, she owes us money for paying to keep her car from being repossessed and we've paid some of her medical bills and what has she given back in return and on and on and on.

And Linda just yelled back, what business is it of yours? It's not your business.

Which only inflamed Kristin further. I care about Mom and Ted and this is hurting their health and you don't care and we could lose this house, well, I don't want to lose it and if you're not going to help us keep it then you should get out and on and on.

Brings back memories of my childhood. There is nothing worse than a fight like this around the holidays. Somehow all the pent up rage and resentment over unresolved issues just pours forth like gravy over the holidays. I wonder why that is?

Of course, nothing was resolved. Heidi was in the family room in the back, shaking with anxiety and rage, not wanting to get dragged into the middle. Billy came out to try and play peacemaker and so I retreated to the family room because I could not be neutral. I felt all my anger and resentment toward her surging forth too and so I sat with Heidi and comforted her and told her she didn't have to take sides. Deep breathing, deep breathing.

Billy finally got everyone calmed down to the point where I was no longer thinking the oldest and the youngest were going to duke it out with their fists.

To my horror, though, a new plan grows in the mind of the Mega Mooch. Having run through all the friends and families she has, she's fixing her sites on a new victim, or victims. Billy mentioned that when Linda gets her own apartment in February, the cost is $725--and if he and Heidi went in it with her, they could carry it easily.

I was horrified. I told him that Linda has mooched off everyone her whole life and that she would do the same to him and to Heidi. All Billy has to do is ask Ted, ask Michele, ask Kennan, ask Linda's Aunt Lynn and Uncle John, and her ex-friends who've all thrown her out for mega mooching.

I couldn't get to sleep until 4 a.m. and when I woke up it was the first thing on my mind.