I was so tired yesterday that after church, I lay down and tried to nap.  The neighbors immediately sensed the presence of beta waves and started hanging pictures.  A lot of pictures.  Requiring much pounding with hammers and much yelling.

So, the boys, being lovely human beings, were hanging out in their room watching a video with the volume turned down low so I could sleep. 
I moved back and joined them.  i didn't sleep much, although I know I dozed a little.  And it was nice to snuggle with the guys. 

Last night, the banshees started wailing again just about the time I was thinking of sleep.  So I didn't even try to sleep in my room.  I went straight to the bottom bunk of Tucker's bed.  And I got soem very much needed sleep. 

Today, I'm still a little behind on my sleep, and feeling kind of ... off.  Sad, and just unsettled. 

On the Other Hand ....

Today is Cheryl's Birthday. 

Some of you knew her as Fugitive. 

If you have known her in any capacity, even through mere mention in my blog, you've had a laugh at least once over her outrageous comments and interesting perspective. 

Happy Birthday, Cheryl. 

For a blissful four months, no one has lived in the apartment adjacent to mine.  When I first moved in, there was a couple with two dogs who chose to "walk" these animals at 4 every morning, and by "walk" I mean that they hung their leashes on the doorknob and the animals were free to do their business, bark, whine, and scratch to be let back in just outside my bedroom window (which is right beside our entry door.)

New Neighbors moved in last night.  They have THREE small children.  (In a 2 bedroom apartment) and they put all three of the babies in the room with which my room shares a wall.  This morning at 2, ALL THREE of the kids woke up crying.  One got them started the chorus and the other two joined in. 

There's nothing like a tribe of shrieking banshees at 2 AM to make sleeping difficult. 

I really have to move.  Into some place with 1) better insulation.  2) more space between me and the neighbors.  3) three bedrooms. 

If this situation continues, I'm going to be sleeping on Tucker's bottom bunk.  And a retreat to that little cave of a place is not what I have in mind at all for my bold new 2008 life of adventure and stuff. 

**** Update to include Tucker Story****

*Tucker just opened the refrigerator to get some milk and accidentally bumped out a little plastic bowl with leftovers.  He shrieked like a girl.  So Michael and I (after we recovered from thinking he'd broken his arm or something) were teasing him. 

Tucker:  "That was a surprise and a shock when the bowl fell out.  You should be nicer to me because small animals can easily die of shock."*

Do you know one of those eternally happy people?  The kind who smile at the least provocation?  The kind who seem frighteningly on the verge of bursting into song?  The people who put little hearts and flowers around their office and c'mon, let's be honest, you kind of wonder if they are living in the same reality as the rest of us.

Have you noticed how often it seems that when people talk about becoming a healthier mental and spiritual being, they seem to have in mind turning us into one of these pink wielding people of perpetual perkiness?

Do you ever have an urge to put a little balance in their life?  Nothing bad, just a flat tire on the way to work, or a broken leg from their weekend ski trip ...

You're a bad person.

Just wanted to clear that up to start with, because I've discovered that I'm a bad person too. 

I'd like to be a better person, but I'm not at all willing to give up my irritation with the puppies and kittens of the world. 

So having faced my darkness, I've decided that even if I can't be better, I can still be healthier.  I'll live longer and I'll take great pleasure in my cranky old lady ways.  (Cool Mary still gets to be the one with the shotgun cause she called it first, but I'll find my own way to vent.)

In order to live longer, I'll make healthier choices this year.  (This is not a resolution, this is just what I'm going to do.)

I'm thinking of starting an email Newsletter, much like the one I do for NaNo that I'll offer to other Health Seeking Cranky people.  Sort of a newsletter for the real of us.  I won't tell you how ecstatic I become when I find a 100 calorie pack of Caramel/Chocolate Chex mix.  Because yeah, the stuff is good, but they only put 100 calories in the pack so HELLO there are only THREE PIECES of CHEX!  That's not a snack, that's a freaking rip-off.  They know and I know that you aren't going to stop at one pack.  You'll do the same thing I did when I discovered them last fall.  I had 6.  In one sitting.  And then a couple hours later, I sat down again. 

100 calorie snack packs like this are a BAD IDEA.

I will also tell you which of the Progresso 0-2 point soups are worth the $2 for the can and which taste nasty. 

I'll research and provide you with interesting and little known health facts carefully gleaned from episodes of House. 

Maybe I'll be funny.  But I won't bs you into thinking that you should be happy to live on 20 grams of carbs per day.  Or that celery is anything other than a grass like stalk designed by God to deliver peanut butter and cheese to your mouth. 

Anybody wanna play?  Anybody wanna join me in my quest for a healthier me while retaining all my endearing crankiness? 

Funny, so far 2008 feels kind of like 2007 with looser pants. 

I'm back to work, back to cleaning house, back to yelling at the kids because I found cans of pop from last night still 3/4 full sitting on the table this morning. 

Back to writing, back to researching information for people who will forget they asked for it almost as quickly as they forgot why they needed it. 

Back to life ...

Now I've got the song in my head.

Back to life, back to reality

Back to the here and now yeah

Show me how, decide what you want from me

Tell me maybe I could be there for you

Back to life, back to the present time

Back from a fantasy Yeah

Tell me now, take the iniative

I´ll leave it in your hands until you´re ready oh

Back to life, back to the day we have

Let´s end this foolish game

Hear me out don´t let it waste away

Make up your mind so

I know where I stand

However do you want me
However do you need me
How, however do you want me
However do you need me...