Ray's House of Love (Volume II)

[NeuroFizz]

Thanks guys, and caution noted, Maryn. I think I'll pass on investing in a table and chairs and start thinking about a nice desk. Sorry to ask so many decorating questions, but with all of the repairs from the water damage, I've put a high priority on getting the house in Fizzy shape. The woman let it slip during the separation year, and she took her half of the furniture, including the table and chairs from the dining room.

A pool table is on the list (for the playroom) but I'll have to budget for it down the road.

[Maryn]

Oh, I hope when it's pool table time you'll consider an old-fashioned one with cut-leather pockets instead of a return, and bulbous turned legs, perhaps even felt that isn't the standard bright green.

We very nearly bought one for our first house, but architecture would have forced too many short-stick shots. So now I'm as terrible at pool as I was at fifteen.

Maryn, who'd need years of practice

[flea23]

Originally Posted by NeuroFizz

Welcome to the 205 club, Kevin. Weight tends to go up with age, so you may want to balance your activity level to match that change.

That explains why I weigh so much.

[Grrarrgh]

We do have a formal dining room, and in the 7 years we've lived in our house, I think we've used it 2x. It's just Mr. Grr and I, so more often than not we eat standing in the kitchen talking or sitting at the coffee table in the living room watching TV. Mr. Grr's sister is one of those "I have to host everything" people, so we've never done much family entertaining. And our friends are more pizza and wrestling/football than formal dining room types.

[BeatrixKiddo]

Originally Posted by KTC

I like broccoli and cauliflower!

They're good with a little ranch dressing.

Originally Posted by Maryn

Oh, I hope when it's pool table time you'll consider an old-fashioned one with cut-leather pockets instead of a return, and bulbous turned legs, perhaps even felt that isn't the standard bright green.

We very nearly bought one for our first house, but architecture would have forced too many short-stick shots. So now I'm as terrible at pool as I was at fifteen.

Maryn, who'd need years of practice

I love those old fashioned pool tables. Always wanted one.


Mister Fizz, don't forgot the picture of dogs playing cards. Adds that manly touch to a room.

[NeuroFizz]

Originally Posted by BeatrixKiddo

Mister Fizz, don't forgot the picture of dogs playing cards. Adds that manly touch to a room.

And an Oakland Raiders rug.

Actually I'm not looking to construct a man-cave or any sort of dude pad. I want the place to look nice so I can entertain everything from our monthly neighborhood poker games to open house receptions for our seminar speakers at work. Mostly, I want it to be somewhat classy (but not nose-in-the-air or elevated pinky finger), functional, neat, and uncluttered.

[sassandgroove]

I slept the whole night.

and there was rejoicing in Sassy Land.

[NeuroFizz]

If I pay postage, could you send some of that sleep-all-night over to my place, please?

[Maryn]

Split it with you. Third night in a row Mr. Maryn has awakened around 3:00 and never been able to get back to sleep. Naturally, he refuses to even mention it to his doctor. "I've been this way for a long time and I manage."

Yeah, he manages to walk in the door as I'm serving dinner, then doze off due to sleep deprivation soon after we eat, wake up when I'm getting ready for bed, and repeat the cycle. It feels like I'm single--yet I can't make a move on Fizz because I'm married, at least at dinner.

Maryn, who'd fail because she likes her clutter

[sassandgroove]

Sorry about your alls sleep troubles.

We finally decided to let the puppy sleep in our room. I was hesitant becuase I thought she'd move around and wake us. But as soon as I directed her to the bedroom, she laid at Mr. Groove's feet and stayed there until morning. It was like she was just waiting for us to figure it out. The adult dog won't stay in there, I wonder if she would now? Anyway it was nice to sleep all night.

[Russ Mars]

Sleep patterns. Interesting topic. I'd explain my sleep patterns...if I had any. I'm all over the map. Sleep 3 hours, awake 20...sleep 5 hours, awake 8-10, then nap for an hour or two...sleep 3 hours, awake 24...sleep 4 hours, awake 16. It's been a long time since I slept 8 or 9 hours uninterrupted. It's been like this for five or six years.

I have to admit, regardless of other factors, that I just can't sleep much longer than 6 hours without having to pee and almost never can get back to sleep after that. Then there are the nightmares. They've been continual for the last 35 years or so, and I just never know when they'll intrude on a good night's sleep.

[Maryn]

Russ, that's part of Mr. Maryn's problem, too. Once he wakes up for any reason--to pee, or because some loud car drove by, whatever--that's it. He's up for several hours at least, and if the alarm is going to ring only another hour after that, he won't even try to come back to bed.

Thank goodness I can go back to sleep, or I'd never have survived pregnancies.

Nightmares, bummer! Or are they fun, like a scary movie might be?

Maryn, who rarely has them, just weird surreal absurdist dreams

[flea23]

Originally Posted by Russ Mars

Sleep patterns. Interesting topic. I'd explain my sleep patterns...if I had any. I'm all over the map. Sleep 3 hours, awake 20...sleep 5 hours, awake 8-10, then nap for an hour or two...sleep 3 hours, awake 24...sleep 4 hours, awake 16. It's been a long time since I slept 8 or 9 hours uninterrupted. It's been like this for five or six years.

I have to admit, regardless of other factors, that I just can't sleep much longer than 6 hours without having to pee and almost never can get back to sleep after that. Then there are the nightmares. They've been continual for the last 35 years or so, and I just never know when they'll intrude on a good night's sleep.

It could be narcolepsy. i have sleep apnea as well as narcolepsy. The former has to do with breathing at night, and the latter has to do with your brain not wanting to shut down when it should and shuts down when it shouldn't. At least that's the way I understand it.

Apnea can be life threatening. There is no known cure for either one, but they have CPAP machines to regulate sleep for Apnea. There's not a lot you can do for narcolepsy. I've had both of these for at least 50 years. It's not fun, often embarrassing.

Sometimes I wake myself up via a nightmare; sometimes gasping for air.

[Russ Mars]

Maryn, the recurring nightmares are horrible, violent--extremely disturbing. I'll go months and months in which they are present anytime I sleep, even during short naps. Then, there will be long periods, occasionally as long as a year, when they vanish, always to eventually return.

But, I've always had an extremely active dream life, nightmares or not. Quite vivid, intense and in color. I love dreaming and am annoyed when I can't recall them upon awakening. Even the long-term recurring nightmares, as bad as they are, I perversely "enjoy," if for no other reason than the joyful relief that comes from awakening to the realization it was just a dream of a long-past reality.

Since I began taking a glutathione supplement about a year ago, the dreams are more intense and easily recalled in detail, evidently not an uncommon side effect.

The whole peeing issue is a relatively new annoyance...just one of the delights of growing older I suppose. My condolences and understanding go out to Mr. Maryn.

[Russ Mars]

Originally Posted by flea23

It could be narcolepsy. i have sleep apnea as well as narcolepsy. The former has to do with breathing at night, and the latter has to do with your brain not wanting to shut down when it should and shuts down when it shouldn't. At least that's the way I understand it.

Apnea can be life threatening. There is no known cure for either one, but they have CPAP machines to regulate sleep for Apnea. There's not a lot you can do for narcolepsy. I've had both of these for at least 50 years. It's not fun, often embarrassing.

Flea, from what little I know of narcolepsy, I don't think that's my problem, mostly because I don't have any intense urge to sleep during my normal waking hours, and I understand that urge is one of the symptoms. Unless I'm quite idle, I'm alert, perhaps excessively so, while awake. But having difficulty shutting down my brain, so to speak, is and has been a lifelong characteristic. I've never been able to fall asleep easily, but up until the last 5 or 6 years, once I'd fall asleep, I'd sleep long and was always nearly impossible to wake up...just short of a coma.

[Russ Mars]

Originally Posted by Maryn

I'm enraged when people insist narrow-mindedness and intolerance are 'family values.'

[Komnena]

Evening, House. Tomorrow I run errands.

[sassandgroove]

HAve fun running errands.

I went to the orthopedist for my hip pain and he prescribed physical therapy. I hope it helps soon b/c ....damn.

[Maryn]

My limited experience with PT was, wow, what a difference. My therapist guy told me that even though nearly everyone reported significant improvement, more than half seemed to lack the follow-through to continue to do the prescribed movements or exercises to alleviate pain or maintain range of motion. He often saw people down the road, far worse off than they'd have been if they kept it up.

People, what a lazy bunch, myself included.

Maryn, who should go write the alphabet with her center toe, in letters about four inches high (stretches the scar tissue on my foot)

[sassandgroove]

The kind of stretches he had me do, I think that once I start feeling better, if I get back to doing yoga, it oughta do the trick.

I believe it will help, it's waiting until it does that hurts.

I am freaking out becuase I just realized how little time there is before the fall semester!

[flea23]

Originally Posted by sassandgroove

The kind of stretches he had me do, I think that once I start feeling better, if I get back to doing yoga, it oughta do the trick.

I believe it will help, it's waiting until it does that hurts.

I am freaking out becuase I just realized how little time there is before the fall semester!

Hope you feel better soon. My school starts teachers (me) Monday. Wow! Last weekend of freedom.

[Maryn]

In that case, flea, it's probably time to start the drinking.

Maryn, back from the picnic

[Komnena]

Hope you feel better soon, Sass.
Hope things go okay in school, flea.

[NeuroFizz]

Feel better, Sass, and hopes for uplift, Flea.

I went to the theater with Fizzette tonight (late night for the little one). I have season tickets to our Opera House Theater, which is a series of plays/musicals performed in the historical Thalian Hall (built in the mid 1800s). Tonight, it was "Hairspray" and it was extremely well done--talented performers. Fizzette loved it, although I cringed a few times since it has some parts that were quite bawdy compared to the movie. Pandora, if you get a chance, go see it. Poor little Fizzette fell dead asleep on the drive home (just across town).

[flea23]

@Maryn, Komnene, Neuro - thanks for the encouragement