~A Bitter Swallow~

I've had to stop drinking coffee. While I've been thinking about doing this for awhile for health reasons, since I use so much cream and sugar, the actual having to do it part is bumming me out. But, it is making me too sick to keep trying. It upsets my stomach to the point where I gag while drinking it. The smell is nauseating. The heartburn that comes with it is awful.

But man, I sure do miss my morning ritual of waking up to a pot of coffee, sitting here at the computer and doing my morning email / blog reads, while sipping on that hot Cup 'o Joe. It was a nice, quiet way to start the day. And with the weather turning cold in the mornings now, I am especially missing it.

It's not just coffee that hurts my tummy. Everything I drink has been. Even water. That one is probably more tough for me than coffee. Mostly because I force myself to drink it anyway. Especially at work. Heartburn and all. Yes, even water gives me heartburn to drink.

Which, if it wasn't for the overwhelming nausea coffee gave me, I'd just suck it up and drink the coffee. Water upsets my stomach, but not nearly to that degree.

Soda is out of the question. About the only thing I've noticed that doesn't seem to have an affect is iced tea. So, I'm also thinking I'm going to have to look into hot tea or hot chocolate as my coffee alternative. See how those hot morning cups work out for me and my tummy.

I've been told I should go get my gall bladder looked at. An old friend of mine showed up at the library yesterday, and was telling me about how she had to go get her gall bladder removed soon. She began describing her symptoms from the beginning, and I had to groan, because it was exactly the same thing I've been going through for the past couple weeks. Apparently it gets pretty dang bad. Well, I have to wait until my insurance stuff arrives, and I'm still patiently waiting for that welcome packet. Maybe I need to stop being patient.

She did say she lost 15 pounds in one week though. That's something to be excited about. No pain, no gain right. Or in this case, loss.

Anyway. I should start focusing my mornings on writing. There is just so much distraction around me to write. It's hard, it's frustrating, and I'm lazy. That's just all there is to it. The opportune time for me to write around here is probably the least opportune time for my brain. I don't understand all these writers that talk about waking up and writing for a couple hours right off the bat. It takes my brain that long just to process it's awake. Maybe that's the key though- writing while still part-way in that dream state.

I could wind up with some rather interesting tales.

I need a laptop.

I need a dang cup of coffee!

The kids started school last week. Did I blog about that already? My brain is frazzled and I don't remember. In any event, it went okay, despite my absolute screw-up regarding all facets of the busses. *Sigh* It's better now, I think. Both kids enjoyed thier first week, even though I am not enjoying having to get up at 6am to facilitate thier morning routine. But, it gives me time to facilitate my exercising, which I have been building into my morning routine. It isn't nice, and I really hate myself for it. But, I'm hoping that with time I'll love myself for it. We'll see.

In celebration, we took the kids to the Woodland Park Zoo this past Saturday. It was an okay trip. It started early, and rocky, but we made it through. I spent the day feeling pretty 3rd-wheelish, but overall I think the kids had a good time. It may have run a bit long for them, but it's a learning experience for us next time. As in- next time, PLAN. It's too big to just wander at random. You really need to have a route plotted. But it's a great zoo. We got season passes, so we can try again another time.
Sunday continued Pirate Days in Port Orchard. Well, I guess it's technically known as "Murder Mystery Weekend", but really- we're all there for the pirates. While we missed the big fun stuff that happened on Saturday (while we were at the zoo), we came down Sunday and got to see the children's costume contest, as well as the pet costume contest. It was really quite cute, and I completely agreed with the judge's choices. There were some pretty fantastic costumes. Judging by the attire worn by the adult party-goers, I am rather disappointed that I missed the adult contest. While we were there though, we got a program for an event in Oregon this coming weekend, which we just might go to after I get off work Saturday.

So, another week has started, and is now about half-over for me, which I am thankful for. I enjoy my job, but I need to readjust to this morning wakeup stuff. I'm still trying to track down what time my son's bus arrives in the morning, but other than that things seem to be going smoothly. Tonight is his open house, so I'm planning on stopping by the office and seeing if I can get time verifications while I'm there.

I woke up in a grouchy mood this morning. The one morning when I get to really, truly sleep in. This only comes once every two weeks now, with my new schedule. My one morning, and nope... waking up grouchy. I slept shallowly all night. I was anticipating the nice, rich, deep slumber I've been getting all week (to be torn out of by my blasted alarm clock). Instead, I got to skim the surface. Don't get me wrong. I slept. I dreamt. But it wasn't a refreshing, relaxing sleep.

And I woke up with a headache. One of those tension kind that spread like a taunt rubber band across the forehead. Those blasted rubber bands. I wonder what would happen if I snapped it. If I just reached up with a pair of scissors and cut through that tight band. Would it feel all better? Or would my brain snap with it. Of course, that might make it feel better as well.

I like to sleep. It's my one guilty pleasure. My little escapism. From what, who knows. Just life and it's duties in general. My dreams are always interesting. At least while I'm having them. Even when they are "bad" dreams, they are intriguing. But at the same time I want to be a morning person. Every day, while I'm sitting here looking at bedtime, or at how much I need to do, etc... I think that I should be much better if I started my day earlier. I don't stay up horribly late at night, so this shouldn't be a problem.

Not until morning comes around, at least. Then, knowing full well that I need to get up, because the alarm clock is blaring in my ear, I hit the snooze button a dozen times before I get up. Morning annoys me- I am not a morning person. I lie there ant think- why should I get up any earlier? What would I possibly do with myself between the time I got up, and the time I get the kids up? My brain conjurs up things like exercise. I know that won't happen though. I'm an afternoon exerciser.

Ok, what about writing? I should use those quiet hours to get some serious writing done. But, my laptop is derelict enough that it drives me crazy to use it now. It's too slow, to used up. And sitting here at the desktop is too uncomfortable for writing. The angles are all wrong. Excuses, excuses. I think that is all it is. I am sitting here now, writing this. I should be writing my story. But I'm grumpy, and that isn't happening right now, because I want to be grumpy and complain. So, I'm complaining instead.

About how my head hurts, and I should be writing. And I should be a morning person.

Yeah, someday. Right now, though, I am going to do a spell check here so you all don't see how lousy of a speller I am. Then finish my cup of coffee, and perhaps even have another. Then, well that is yet to be decided yet. I need to clean house. Get the kids in their rooms to clean up. I might go get my daughter a haircut. I'd like to go search for some of the baking/cooking pans I need for some recipies I've been eyeballing. Wonder if the Goodwill would have any. Doubt my luck is that good, but a trip to the Goodwill is always fun. As long as I'm not trying on clothes.

The sun will come out tomorrow, they say. Yes, perhaps it will. It will come out today as well. My headache won't last forever, and neither will my grumpiness. I'm always grumpy in the morning. Anyone who sees me in the morning knows that!

So, to copy straight out of the Latin book, since I'm failing horribly in my quest to learn it:

Sit hic dies tibi iucundus, abeo!