Wow, what a crappy day! I mean I felt bad the minute I woke up and realized that I’d overslept by 1/2 an hour. That’s not such a big deal but this morning I just felt “off” from the “get-go”. Miss Cathy greeted me with her usual sunny “Good morning” and informed me that Adele was coming over shortly I was to outside to carry in the groceries that Adele was buying for her. First of all, this was all before I had any coffee and I resented that fact that I was just “offered up” to play Sherpa and not “asked”. I mean, okay, I’m here to help but I’m not a servant.

Anyway, the day only got worse. I didn’t help matters by not really eating anything all day except a small bowl of cereal so when I was finally finished with my telesales job at 2pm I was cranky, and out of sorts. I went into the kitchen for something to eat and in no mood for my mom’s “Woo-hooing” at me. She has this habit of yelling out “heyyy” or some other sounds that can mean anything from “I’m coming when someone knocks at the door”, “I hear someone else in the room” or “Hey ,I want something”-usually she just says “Can you come here for a minute”, but, today it was “woo-hoo” and I wasn’t feeling it so I ignored her.

Not getting any response from her shout-out, she called out again and said “didn’t you hear me calling you?” I walked into the living and snapped, “I didn’t know you were calling me. How was I supposed to know that? You make those noises at everything! I would appreciate it if you called my name I you want me or came into the room to get me if you needed me.”

“Oh, I forgot how sensitive you are”, she replied. I said,“I gotta say that that shouting is annoying as all get out. I’m not so sensitive, I’m just not used to someone shouting out at me to get my attention.”

So, I escaped back to the solace of my room without anything to eat where I opened the letter from the post office that she was trying to alert me to. There was more good news to add to my day when I opened the letter to read that the post office had lost one of the boxes of my things that I’d shipped to myself from Kansas City. “Oh joy!” I thought, “this is just perfect.” Well, the good news only got better when I discovered that the box that’s missing is the only box that I didn’t log in my daybook along with a description of what was inside so I have no idea what they lost.

I called Chad and we brainstormed what could possibly have been in the box.We didn’t come up with anything conclusive but talking to him did help me calm down and I started to feel guilty about snapping a Miss Cathy.

I got off the phone resolved to apologizing but first I had to deal with the fact that the internet and phones were not working-this day was just the gift that keeps on giving!

A couple hours later I had yet another appointment for the cable company to come out and the promise that a supervisor to call me. Having that behind me I went into Miss Cathy’s room where she was laying down sat on her bed and told he that I was sorry for snapping at her.

She said, “No, that’s all right, I know how sensitive you are I was just trying to tell you about the letter but you were working and I didn’t want to disturb you. I know I’m loud and I heard you when you said you don’t like it when I shout so I won’t do it anymore.”

“Well, I’m not trying to change you,” I said, “We’re both getting used to living with one another and it’s going to take some time and I don’t know if its anything to do with being sensitive but I just don't like to hear shouting coming at me through the apartment.”
“ I’m not trying to change you, I just wanted you to know that the shouting really annoys me.”

So, with that behind us we chatted alittle more and she told me that she’d been feeling light headed when she moved around in the bed. I asked how much water she’d been drinking and suggested she drinks more and to make sure she ate something. I made her a half tuna fish sandwich and later we ate a bowl of mixed greens together. I haven’t been monitoring what’s she’s been eating but I am noticing that left to her own devices she won’t eat but tow meals a day and she considered a piece of apple pie lunch. Clearly, I need to take charge of what and how much she’s eating.

I know I said I was just going to “observe” her for the first week and not force any changes on her or her routines but some things need to be addressed sooner rather than later.