It was inevitable

I had a good run of daily posts. Here’s why I didn’t make it yesterday!

I was tired.

Yup, that was it. Now that seems like a flimsy excuse in retrospect, but it was entirely too real yesterday. Between the work day, the lack of caffeine, the clothes dryer issues, kid bedtime ((which was entirely too late), and my new Apple Watch arriving, I fell asleep.

It happens and I’m not even mad!

Clearly this whole daily thing was on me, and I only let myself down.

Turns out I’m forgiving!

And yes, the watch has arrived! I slightly damaged the outside wrapper in my haste to open it. Gotta say, the packaging was lovely. The only hurdle to unboxing was the brown cardboard box encasing the entire thing!

I miss my knife, wherever it is…

There were handy pull tabs which makes my fingers glad. As a person with MS and finger dexterity issues, I appreciate it.

Also, I will admit that I rushed through enabling everything and performed a could ECG tests for fun. There are still many features to try, but to date I am not regretting the purchase!

I even wore it overnight!

So I could see how bad my sleep actually was! It wasn’t great, but I guess I got a couple un disturbed hours. Between the kid waking me up and the bathroom trip. It said I was asleep, but I think it was extreme lack of movement wishing I was asleep?

Take away for the day, love my watch, but I’m fatigued!

Please don’t call!

On call has to be the least favourite time for me. But it is a part of my job.

Parenting is almost less stressful than on call.

And finally, I don’t know which hill to die on.

Today was fairly uneventful for house excursions, as one is want to do during the pandemic days. And I am hopeful that 2021 sorts things out in North America. So many local businesses and shops are suffering which in turn really takes a toll on us all.

I watched a Food Theory video on YouTube that explained the McDonalds real estate business model, like in the film The Founder, and like cockroaches, fast food places will survive in one form or another, but local restaurants are getting hit hard.

So this is just a friendly reminder to get food from the local restaurants you love so that they can weather the economic storm. Skip SkipTheDishes for those shops as the cut taken is steep. I spoke with a local shop and asked what they would prefer financially. They told me to call, they’d find someone to deliver food for $5. Pretty fair if you ask me!

The local movement was something foreign to me when I lived in Ottawa. But out east, it feels like a motto and a way of life. I will admit that I love me a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendy’s, and you better believe that if given a choice between that and CHKNCHOP, well you know they’re going to win. They have a phenomenal menu and I have yet to even scratch the surface of their offerings. I just can’t logistically eat there that often because they’re on the opposite side of the harbour, I’m outside delivery area, and I don’t drive that far!

Anyway, the night is dragging and the kid is stalling. I suppose I was a little too heavy handed with the “No”S and “Stop” today, but he did feel a little extra. I hope tomorrow goes better!

And that’s the end to that chapter

Goodbye Cinnamon Hitler. You looked sullen on your drive back from your golf game. Boohoo, lost your job while goofing off!

I love massage!

Well that was a non-sequitur! Yes, massage is great, but it is life giving for someone like me! This morning to toddled down my access ramp and was unable to lift my leg into the Santa Fe.

We purchased it with my disability in mind, and at the time I could easily get in and sit comfortably in it. Today, not so much. It was a get a butt cheek on the seat and lift the legs into the vehicle.

Flash forward to after a hour massage focusing on my legs and back and voila, with ease I enter the car. Night and day. Easy peasy. I wish I could start every day like that!

Life would be so easy. I need a cannabis strain that relaxes leg muscles. Gimme!

And I lost my train of thought when I had to yell at someone to go back to bed. Either way, if you have MS, and you’re struggling with mobility, go get you some massage! I’m going to consider going more often. That’s a benefit of having 3 insurance plans anyway… why not!

Is it over? Has the crying started?

I kind of think it is..

Ok, sleepy tonight, but I threw on the gruff dad voice and stated the little buddy was going to bed alone tonight. I am proud to report that with a few concessions (open door, hallway light) until sleep set in.

It worked!

At least after lots of talking and coercion but a win is a win.

I’m going to go to bed.

It’s a little too quiet…

Did any numbers change in the election tally’s today? Can this be over yet?

This week I have been taking a trend of watching highly rated films that I have not previously watched. Here’s a quick rundown…

• Concussion
  • So this highlights the fact you don’t wanna smack your head too often, or you brain will go to jelly. Oh, and that Corporations are evil if it impacts their bottom line. Also, zealotry was rampant with the people ignoring science. OK, so this didn’t make me forget the election like it was supposed to.
• The Usual Suspects
  • Wish I could’ve gone into this one blind, but alas, the internet likes to reveal things after 25 years as it memes crazy plot twists. I force a second watching some day, when I can try to pick up on the clues.
• Tangled
  • Not sure why I hadn’t seen this one. I had nieces around this time so what’s my excuse for not watching this? I blame my nieces! Love you! Villain didn’t strike me as too scary. Probably a little “Mitch McConnell”-like? Like low key douche villain that is really a weak frail old person who manipulates others to their desires.
• Ford v Ferrari
  • Ahh, not usually a fan of “Based on a true story” type movies, but I have to say, they dragged me in to caring about the people and their struggles with progress and innovation.
• Molly’s Game
  • OK, this one was a great film. A goodhearted protagonist who dips their toes into a criminal world and tries to stay clean. This was enjoyable even with Micheal Cera in it. Nothing against him, but I find him hard to watch. Something about him pulls me out of the movie, and I wait until the next scene that he’s not in.
• Dallas Buyers Club
  • Didn’t know much going in to this one, but I was pleasantly surprised. I feel like the protagonist went from a despicable wretch of a man to someone I could empathize with. Being chronically ill, I feel more connected to these struggles than I once was. I can 100% relate to medications and treatments not approved by the governing health bureaucrats, and although I’ve yet to go too far outside of the recommended treatments, getting medical cannabis was a lot of bureaucratic hoops to jump through!

So that’s been it so far in the “top movies I haven’t seen” playlist. I’m sure the list of hot takes reviews will be a semi-regular occurrence as I watch these acclaimed films I skipped.

Got any gems I possibly haven’t seen yet? And by gems I mean good ones that aren’t just obscure and arguably terrible. I’ve seen enough of those for now!

Movies aside, how oh how do I get a 5 year old who’s afraid of being alone to sleep in his bed, alone!? We can get him to sleep by hanging out, and it usually doesn’t take long, but if he wakes up in the night, well it’s done. In comes our bedroom intruder to see if anyone will respond to his wriggling and snuggling. I woke up with a foot in the small of my back. I also managed to convince him to go to bed after a wake up, so the first escape was thwarted but we didn’t rise for the second incursion.

This is a puzzle that I am slowly making progress on. I will defeat you, child! And of course, I love you.

Waaaaaaa!

That’s all I heard come from cinnamon hitler.

A day spent working and glancing at the election results. I was monitoring with the CBC website and 270towin.com.

So much inaction. Very non excite.

On a lighter note, my beautiful partner went out for a little selfcare tonight, so the little one and I shared a nice supper together. We followed that up with a little bit of video gaming!

What did we play?

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

We completed the first two dungeons and we are having fun taking turns. I’ve only guided him slightly when it’s my turn to hack and slash, but most of the adventuring was where he wanted to go. I also read and lent voices to the characters.

My heart was proud when he announced “I think I want to go to Gopongo Swamp!”

Hey, he’s paying attention and listening for the narration clues! So proud. Now I just need to help him get some confidence so he doesn’t get scared of losing!

We had fun, and that’s the takeaway. Way better than watching the horror show down south!

And the beat goes on…

And on, and on.

I was sitting down to watch polite Canadians report on the anarchy in the USA, ready to comment randomly at the results.

Exciting times, who’s winning?

Well, wouldn’t you know it, I. The efforts to get the child to go to bed, I turned the TV off. It did not turn back on.

Oh oh, another pandemic purchase?

I don’t think so. The thing probably got confused and needs a power cycle. Fairly certain my partner just performed that task as it was not really possible for me when I attempted. There is some leverage and hand strength needed at the TV end, and balance and stopping at the wall outlet and power bar.

Sounds rough.

The exclamation of “I fixed it” gives our finances a little sigh of relief. The year is nearly over and really we could do without the tv for a month or so. If it’s broken, we won’t have as many requests for tv time…

Darn, I wonder if the kid heard it was fixed…

I wonder if he even heard it was “broken” in the first place! Probably not.

Ok, kid passed out. Think it’s time for me to go to sleep. I predict a rough morning tomorrow for us, regardless of the US election!

Crack my bones

Chiropractic, gotta love it.

Tonight was a chiro night, hooray! I was apparently a mess. I think it had been since July when I last visited the chiropractor. All I can say about chiro is, if you haven’t, you should.

Ahh, feeling good before the apocalypse!

Tonight was a night filled with Ska music. Not sure how that happened but I’m not complaining. A few golden oldies from our high school days.

Crud, we’re old now?

Yep, old and sore. I had a couple falls since my last chiropractic appointment. Messy stiff broken body. So glad again.

No skanking for us old man!

I honestly don’t know what is in my brain because it doesn’t want to fall out. I’m currently splitting my attention between this and the movie Molly’s Game.

Not a bad film, wonder how it’s going to end. If I don’t write about my disgust tomorrow, assume it’s good!

Toys, games, furniture?

Another full weekend wrapping up.

Halloween was covered yesterday, what did you have spoons for today?

Well let’s see… time fell backwards one hour, so everyone slept in a little. To start our day, it took some TV bribes to clean the living room.

Pretty standard… go on…

We had a fairly successful cleanup! The floor was fairly clear to the point that I could walk my rollator through the room!

That’s a fair bar to achieve.

Then we had a lunch time play date with a classmate! Nothing like having play dates with people already in your bubble!

The kids played well enough together until the end. It didn’t get heated or anything, they just reverted to some solo playing. And the plus side? We cleaned up as we played!

Ok, impressive. So that’s the morning, next?

An afternoon with friends to completely makeover the child’s sleep solution.

What?

He got a new bed. A loft bed with tent canopy from IKEA. My boss came over with his wife and the goal was to assemble the bed!

Now we obviously had to mix up stereotypes as I am a disabled gentleman. My boss and partner assembled the bed! I got to host his wife as she basically played with our kid.

She’s basically the kid’s best “adult” friend.

And during all the chaos of the day, my partner shined! She server two meals for multiple people while also disassembling one whole bed, relocating another, and cleaning the surprise mess under the disassembled bed!

Sounds like you have an amazing partner!

I do! She is an amazing person who goes above and beyond! I truly hope our child appreciates her. I know she’s his whole world. I wish he could understand that she needs a break from him (us) from time to time. He is getting better with that in some respect, but there’s still a long way to go on that road.

And on a completely different pace, I would like to prop up a local company that spiced up my supper.

https://www.halifaxhoneycompany.com/honeyshop/stingin-hot-honey-14-oz

A sweet and spicy addition to classic pepperoni pizza! If I was a salesman, I am sure I would’ve sold a couple bottles today! I enjoyed it as well, so maybe I sold myself on it as well?

All I know is it was delicious, the day/weekend was long but full. My heart is full. Also, who invites their boss to work while they sit around and do nothing? Oh, me!

I survived Halloween

Much like election night, results still pending!

I went with my family trick-or-treating, or at least I tried! I am out of shape, or at least I do not have the leg stamina for the travel from house to house. I need some practice in non-hilly areas, and that may be a new “forced fun” activity for the weekends. I clearly haven’t had time to impose on the family to take me to a walkabout during the week, that’s crazy talk!

So where are you going to go?

This one is a mystery. I know I need to get out and walk more often, and the hills around are not super helpful in getting out there and walking. The slopes and inclines kill me. I walked maybe 4 houses uphill tonight and I was just about done. I sat and rested while the kid did the loop of the street to catch up. I had the fun of rolling downhill on a slight incline and made it back to our car. Hung out there while the kid finished his neighbourhood rounds of door to door trick-or-treating. He opted not to wear a plastic mask, so he rounded out his costume with a fabric face mask and a Minecraft hat. The rest of his outfit was a LEGO Knight. We didn’t get any photos sadly, but the costume is older so we have him dressed up in it already.

I really didn’t get to any point in the evening where I was exposed to anyone new, so that is a better outcome than staying home and handing out candy.

I had pondered what we would do for Halloween up until the point it was declared that we weren’t going to be home. I saw all the creative solutions of pipe slide for candy, grab bags bundled on the sides of driveways, and a table spread of candy to take from. I’m sure I would’ve ended up with something to that effect, but it was not required.

So spooky season is basically done now. Managed to get in some Animal Crossing Halloween fun in before bedtime. All done, dad tax collected.

This year I took one small Coffee Crisp. It was not a surplus year, near deficit levels of candy! He’ll probably be stocked for snacks until Christmas if he’s lucky!