Chachi’s Blue Mood

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The little guy is sad. He lost his two buddies recently when they went back to their daddy. I’m talking about Shiro and Galli, temporary guests at my place. They belong to my son and after a short stay, it was time for them to go. So, he lost two best buddies.

He was still navigating that loss when he was faced with abandonment! My going in for an operation and having to spend time away from him DID NOT set too well with him. There was no other choice. I got him a cat sitter and she would come in twice a day to make sure he was alright. The pics she sent was of a grumpy cat who didn’t want to have anything to do with her! I came home after four days and his face looked like he had been crying! He also kept his distance from me.

I couldn’t hold him because he was too heavy and I had orders not to lift anything heavy. I stroked and cooed to him but nothing helped. One night, he did come over to be cuddled and those purrs took a long time coming. I thought we had crossed the bridge to forgiveness but the next day, he was back to being the same.

The traffic, well-wishers, didn’t help either. They meant well but for Chachi they were encroaching on his sacred space again so it was tough. He ate very little and kept his distance from me. He wasn’t used to all the noise and the chatter of people talking. It was just me and him most days so this disruption to his regular routine was a no go.

It has been more than a week since I’ve been home and he is slowly warming up. I have given him his vitamins, brushed him, kissed him several times, and tried to hug him standing up. That was hard! In the evening, he started cuddling again but he is still suspicious. I whispered, “I am sorry.” Last night, he stayed beside me for most of the night although the purrs would come and go. It wasn’t a constant.

This morning, a new Chachi appeared. He was happier and wanted to play. Purrs are aplenty and he is following me around again. However, here’s the problem. I have another OP at the beginning of October and he will have to go through the same procedure again.

I wish there was another way.

Less Heavy-Handedness

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My parents were hands-on when it came to raising a child. There was strict discipline, no talking back, do as we say, no bucking the rules, and definitely no DISRESPECT!

It was tough growing up in such a household because at times I wanted to spew like a volcano and let them know that I wasn’t going to stand for it anymore. However, I kept it all inside and had to find other avenues of letting my frustrations out. Running wild in the woods was one such way.

I’m not saying they were bad parents, probably the opposite. However, they took discipline to a new level and it wasn’t to my liking. The thing I do differently is to raise my child with less discipline and more understanding. I also tell him that I love him everyday. My parents forgot that part in the hectic and chaotic world of raising a brood! I wanted to hear those words badly but they just went about it a different way. As a parent, I want my child to know that he is loved unconditionally, no guessing games involved.

Discipline is hard here in Germany. The child raising model is different.They emphasize, “independence, self-reliance, and social integration.” All fine and good but discipline is sorely lacking and respect, well, it is right up there with discipline. My neighbor’s kid used to call or rather scream his mother’s first name when he needed help. It shocked me at first but different strokes for different folks I suppose.

Mine was never allowed to do that. I doled out disciplinary measures and my ex, a German, didn’t agree. Time-out when the child was acting up was cruel and inhuman punishment, according to him. I had to navigate both sides, but I must say that I’ve raised a good boy. He is a young adult now and doing well on his own. He knows he is loved and he is independent starting to travel the world because his job requires it.

I’ve learned to let him go although the “helicopter rotor blades” are ready to take off any minute if needed! I am still there to talk with if he needs that support, I let him have his say, and anything he wants to tell me, I am there for him with a listening ear and a warm embrace.

Those are the things I do differently and I think it has worked well so far. Respect is still hard because at times he kicks up his heels and at those times, I give him space. Sometimes I get a sorry but seldom and that is okay too. I am standing on the sidelines now watching him take off and I wish him well.

I’m still here if he needs me.

Daily writing prompt
What’s something you do completely differently from how you were raised?
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LOL!

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This is hilarious and I must add, a very smart God indeed!

A man climbs to the top of Mt. Sinai and gets close enough to talk to God. Looking up, he asks the Lord, “God, what does a million years mean to you?” The Lord replies, “A minute.”

The man then asks, “And what does a million dollars mean to you?” The Lord replies, “A penny.”

Then he asks,”Can I have a penny?” The Lord replies, “In a minute.”

🤣🤣🤣

Ode to Google

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“Hello darkness, my old friend/ I’ve come to talk with you again”

Remember the lyrics. It was an old song sang by the rock duo Simon and Garfunkel and it was about “the inability of people to communicate with each other.” A beautiful song from a beloved duo.

Now, take out the “darkness” part and replace it with Google and that’s where I stand with Google now. It is my best buddy, my mentor, my go to for everything I’m unsure of, and it keeps my night moving! It is also a wealth of information at your fingertips. Google Search is a godsent for people like me meaning the worrywarts. When something pops into my head and I need answers right away, there it is, my tried and tested true friend. I almost feel like I have someone right there in the room with me at times!

The recent health scare had me relying on Google even before the doctors could set the record straight. I walked in armed to the teeth and knew more than some of those doctors did and at times I would catch them viewing me suspiciously. “Who is she and how come she knows so much and where is her whitecoat?” Hmm…..the problem with knowing everything and more can be a detriment at times. I was hyped to the gills, fear took hold, and I had no peace because I KNEW the risk factors and that in itself was enough to stop me from going through with what needed to be done.

It told me everything from checking in, what to expect, how to prepare, what comes after, what to watch out for, and the recovery period right through to Week 4! Wow! I knew everything and when the doctors walked in, I was ready to bombard them with questions. Yes, you guessed it. They thought I was a royal pain in the you know what!

A friend said recently, “I hate Google!” I think he was going about it the wrong way. Embrace it and it does wonders for your psyche, your well-being, and to put your mind at ease. Not always! There were times when I would ask something and it would switch to Spanish! I would say, “Why Spanish?”

“Oops sorry, I accidentally hit the wrong button!”

Or the time, I would ask something and it would keep repeating the same stuff.

“You’ve already answered that question.”

“Sorry, let’s start again.”

I guess with everything there are glitches and they show up now and then but Google, my friend, you are what I need right now. I can do almost everything without leaving home and everything I need to know is just a fingertip away!

Thank you for keeping me company when the night is long and lonely, for making the silence a little less foreboding, and for easing my stress and tension by arming me with knowledge, the kind I need to survive this ordeal.

I’M A BIG FAN!

Not Apps Heavy

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Five apps sounds like a lot to me. What do I know? I’m a self-imposed recluse and as such, I live a simple life and don’t need many apps to keep my existence in sync.

I’m also not tech savvy and apps need work, learning to navigate around them and learning the ropes takes time and effort. Seems like too much of a hustle so I have the bare minimum. Most of them are banking apps and a couple of them take me back to my working days when I was fashion editor and my life concentrated around what was new, what was hip, and what was trendy. Add the celebrity mix in there and I was front and center keeping tabs on all of it.

Nowadays, nature is my mentor, my calming force, and my best friend. I don’t need “technology” to get me where I need to go or be. I’m not glued to the cell phone and neither am I glued to the screen. It’s a quick get in there and get it done kind of thing.

BORING? Probably. It works for me.

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite 5 apps on your phone?
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It Spooked!

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Do you believe in ghosts? I do having seen a few in my lifetime especially in Asia during my stay there. That was in Asia, I am in Europe now and it seems they exist here as well.

Some of you know that I spent a week in the hospital just recently. The first day after the operation, I was in a hospital bed and I had the room to myself. I was too pissed about all the attachments I had taking up space and one foreign object within me. The last one didn’t set too well with me. I had no choice in the matter and it would stay for another four days!

Anyway, coming back to the spooky part. The first night in the hospital was quiet and the night staff were noisy. They were talking and cutting up. I listened for a while not being able to sleep. The day had been filled with unknowns and my body was refusing to quiet down. It was still on high alert.

I was dozing on and off when I finally woke up with a start. I saw this older woman dressed in a 50s style cardigan paired with a below the knee skirt. Her hair was all white and she was facing away from me! She had a walking aid in front of me and was moving slowly towards the door! I gulped and sat up. Then I saw him. He was much younger and dressed in navy blue shorts. Looked like he had an injury to one leg and had a crutch under one arm. He was also moving towards the door, his back facing me!

What did I see?!! Just my hyped-up brain playing tricks on me or was it what I think it was? I don’t know but I stayed up for the rest of the night! I didn’t see anything else during my stay there. If you’re thinking it was the meds or the painkillers, I wasn’t on any.

Hmm…it is interesting how the details remain. I still see her in my mind’s eye, she was skinny and the cardigan had an orange floral pattern on it. I’m glad they left me alone!

SPOOKY!

Money!

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I didn’t find it on the street but in a supermarket. I suppose that counts as well.

It was early morning and I needed to a few items. Walking into the supermarket, it was quiet, much too quiet. Not many people were out and about and the aisles were empty except for a few early birds like me.

I went through the aisles looking for what I needed, found the items, and was about to walk out when I saw something on the floor. It looked like paper but at closer inspection, it was a 50 euro bill! I picked it up and wondered what to do.

Should I hand it in? Should I keep it? Should I leave it where I found it? Of course, that last thought didn’t come into play much. Hand it in? Why? I think they keep it for about three months hoping or expecting the person who lost it to show up and claim it. However, there was no identification attached to the bill, so how would they know who to give it to.

Decision made. I kept it. Feeling sorry for the person who lost it, I walked out 50 euros richer!

Daily writing prompt
What’s the best thing you’ve ever found randomly on the street?
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