Part 8 ~ The Adventures of King Ben & Zeus the Big Dumb Dog

If you missed the start of this series, you can find it here. A lot of things will be the same or very similar.

(Only two people stated a preference regarding the picture, and both voted to keep Zeus.)

Last night’s trip to the grocery store was easy. Still no paper products, but I got the laundry pods and dryer sheets and a few other things, stuff I would normally get.

One thing that I saw that I thought was really cool was, in the depleted bread aisle, they had bread from a local touristy place called Dudley’s  in the mountains. They also had pies from Julian Pie Company. I’m sure those places are losing tourist dollars and it made me happy to see the grocery store helping them, and providing extra stock at the same time. We need more of this!

Today I was awake at 4:00AM, call of nature. The house was quiet but the rain was coming down in buckets! It’s a nice sound when you’re cozy in a warm bed. I laid there and listened to it and dozed. I must have tipped over the far side of doze because I was shocked awake by the bedquake that accompanies the Bounce. This was 5:30AM. Ben got settled, Zeus sniffed and I went back to dozing until the alarm for Ben’s meds went off.

I managed to stumble out of bed about 15 minutes later and get his meds and give them to him. Ben had followed Zeus, who had followed me, of course.

Ben noticed that the TV and DVD player were off, so went to correct that. I asked him to put on a different movie. King Ben said “Avatar!”, oh well… At least it’s not Alvin and the Chipmunks. Try having that playing on repeat all day for nearly two months.

I uncovered Sven, turned on his lights and went back to my room. Ben stayed on the couch. I’m sure you can guess where Zeus was. I checked my email, read some posts in my WP reader and had some coffee, trying to stay awake. I got up to check on Ben, he was too quiet, and anyone who knows children knows that usually means they’re doing something they’re not supposed to do. He was watching his tablet and eating some dry cereal. (Apple Jacks, generic not acceptable. Only Apple Jacks.) When he saw me he said the words I dreaded…”Gramma come living room!” Aww dang!

I got my stuff, put on my hoodie (it’s been cold) and shuffled off… not to Buffalo, to the coffee pot, then the couch.

The morning was moving along in a mellow vibe. Ben kept watching his tablet, munching his cereal and occasionally demanding ” ‘nother juice, please”. Zeus snored in my ear. This continued until 8:30AM when Daughter stumbled out of bed.

I went back to my room. I tried to stay awake, but I was losing the battle. Why would I try to stay awake? I knew that it wouldn’t be very long before Ben came to me, wanting tape or  something.

It was around 9:00AM that the bedquake announced that King Ben was joining me under the blankets. He had earbuds in and was pretty mellow still, so I gave up trying to stay awake and dozed until the alarm startled me at 10:30AM.

I could hear Daughter moving around so I didnt get up to get his meds. She brought them in a few minutes later. (It’s a good thing I have those alarms set, because it is sooooo easy to lose track of time. Every day is different, but it’s all the same too.)

Ben said “More popcorn, please”. I told him to go get it. He said that other phase I get tired of hearing, “I need help”. I told him that he didn’t need help to go get the popcorn (snack size bags of Smartfood white cheddar popcorn…we ordered two boxes when school cancelled), he was just being lazy. “Gramma! I need help!” with a wiggle jiggle causing a bedquake. I told him to quit being lazy. “Gramma to do it”, more bedquake. “I need help!” knees in my back.

Obviously, I got up and got him the popcorn. Some battles aren’t worth it. He is more stubborn than a cantankerous mule and can be just as mean. I gave him 3 bags of the popcorn and went and locked myself in the bathroom. It’s where I hide when I need a time-out. It’s the only place in the house where I can be alone. With Zeus laying right outside the door, of course.

After Ben finished the popcorn (which he opened himself. New skill, YAY!), he came looking for me. Daughter asked him what he wanted, what he needed, trying to keep him from bugging me. He ignored her, but thankfully, started playing with his chalk. Grunting the chorus of Let’s go fly a kite from Mary Poppins, in his Death Metal voice. It’s one of his stims. It’s funny, and I call it one of his Happy Noises.

At noon laundry was started. Ben came and got under the blankets again at some point, I wasn’t paying attention to the time. He just watched his tablet and asked me to open juices. He was really, really mellow. I asked him if he was tired or if anything hurt. This child is very rarely that calm or still. I was starting to wonder if he was getting sick or something.

I took the clothes to the dryers at 2:00PM. The 7-11 next to the laundromat was doing good business. Like I’ve written before, my neighborhood is mixed residential/commercial. There are a lot of appartment buildings mixed in with the single family houses too. I wonder if I’m seeing more people because the businesses near my house are a laundromat and 7-11 across the street, and a strip mall with a burger joint, taco shop, Little Ceasar’s pizza and neighborhood market, on my side of the street, basically next door? I haven’t walked around the neighborhood to see if people are staying inside and when I’ve driven to the store, it’s on main streets and I’m focused on the idjits in the other cars.

By 5:45PM Ben had taken his meds and was eating his steak. We had received another ‘delivery’ of “orange chicken”, 2 boxes from BFF’s mother in a drive by drop off. Things were winding down toward bath and bed time.

Ben had one of those rare, really good days. He didn’t have his usual late afternoon/early evening hyper manic, bouncing all over the place, making me feel jittery, episodes. It was a generally mellow day. Very nice!

By 6:45PM Ben and Zeus were in bed, and I was ready to have some peace and quiet. The quiet I get, the peace… not so much. As soon as Zeus is in Ben’s room, Sophie comes in and wants her treats and to lay on me. She’s a very sweet kitty but having her constantly in my face is annoying AF!

Ahh…  I am loved… by many people and many animals. A little annoyance is a small price to pay.

Thanks for stopping by and hangin out with me at Casa Cuckoo. I think I’ve written more in these 8 posts than I have in the last 8 months. There’s always something happening and it’s usually funny.

Now, I’m off to the corner market to see if they have rice (we’re not out),  cilantro for Sven (I think he’s tired of mustard greens) and maybe some chocolate for me. Yes, definitely some chocolate for me.

Stay healthy, don’t OD on ‘news’ and stay tuned, another adventure awaits us tomorrow…