Part 17 ~ 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.

No fighting cats this morning, but something woke me up at 3AM. Maybe it was just my old frenemy, insomnia? Whatever the reason, I was awake. Poop! I checked my email, sent a ‘Good Morning’ to a friend (who was emailing me at the same time), then headed to WP. Being in California, in the Pacific time zone, I can be assured that I can almost always find some of my Blog Buddies online.

By 4AM I decided to try for more ZZZZs. The Bounce occured as it always does and I drifted in and out, with Ben and Zeus for company.  I was awakened by the meds alarm but couldn’t find my phone by touch. I got my eyes to open, and a few seconds later, to focus. My phone was in my bedside trash can? I must’ve fallen asleep with it in my hand, with my arm stretched out and let it fall over the top of my hand. Nothing at Casa Cuckoo surprises me.

I fished it out, turned off the annoying sounds (I use the most annoying ringtones for alarms), and began the grunting, groaning process of dragging myself out of bed to get Ben’s meds.

Daughter texted and arrived on schedule. Ben and I were still in my bed, so I called out Hello to her when I heard the door. Zeus ran out to greet her. She came into my room and we talked about my night/morning and her shift. Short staffed again, she had 40 patients. After tonight, she’s off for 8 days. She had requested the time off before the whole pandemic thing and she is taking her time off.

She told Ben to come with her to her room and he jumped up and ran off. I should’ve felt insulted, he didn’t even say goodbye… I was too tired to care. I knew it was pointless to try to sleep, but I stayed in bed.

At 8AM Daughter asked for my tablet, Ben’s had died. At 8:30AM Ben yelled “Gramma come living room!” as he ran past my room.

It’s nice that Ben changes up the routine just a little bit. He adds his own variations and flourishes to keep it interesting. (too much sarcasm?)

The next thing I knew it was 10:30AM and time for meds. Ben had been sitting on the couch watching the tablet, and I had been reading posts, Zeus snoring between us.

The delivery of meds broke the bubble and Ben decided it was time to get into his ‘jail’. My poor fingers get squooshed every time I have to put the top back on the darn thing.. He wiggled around, got adjusted and readjusted, had me move it here and there, then got tired of it and got out.

I was having trouble staying awake. I kept dozing off in the middle of reading or commenting on posts. Ben had moved to the front of the stove to do his chalk thing and watch Peppa Pig on the tablet. Avatar is still on repeat on the TV.

At noon I put Sven in the tub for his soak. It is taking him for-ev-er to shed. Younger Daughter’s Corn Snake would look kinda milky for a couple days and then she’d shed her whole skin. It was pretty cool to hold an entire intact shed. Sven is shedding more like bad sunburn style. None of those satisfying Big Peels. (Yes, I know I’m weird)

Around 1:00PM I took him out and fed him his greens, 4 blueberries and 3 crickets. I really need to video him eating, it’s so funny.

Ben was doing his chalk thing and Peppa Pig had given over to Resident Evil. He has always liked the Resident Evil movies. Who doesn’t? Alice is kickass! Then it was back to the jail. This time, another blanket was put over the top, so it became a cave. We don’t question!

I was surprised when the 2:30PM med alarm went off because Daughter hadn’t come to relieve me yet. I’d been on Living Room Duty since 8:30AM. I gave him his meds, and ten minutes later, Daughter staggered out saying “Sorry! Sorry!”. My thoughts were ‘yeah, sure…’ I collected my stuff and went to lay down. Zeus was so deeply asleep that it took him a full minute to follow me. Tsk, tsk, tsk…

The bedquake announced Ben’s arrival about 30 minutes later. Ben stayed with me for a while, then went in the living room for a while, then came back to my room, bebopping all over the place, playing.

Daughter made him steak for dinner and cleaned up the dirty dishes. Then went to the bathroom. Ben came running into my room yelling “Gramma come living room, now!” I was thinking, ‘okay…Daughter is just in the bathroom, but okay’ as I got up and did as HRH commanded. I got to the living room and was going to sit down, when he commanded me to “Cook more steak, please.” At least he said please.

There wasn’t any more steak in the fridge, so I grabbed a baggie out of the freezer and turned on the hot water. (Thin cut, meal size) There were two pieces and they were frozen together. I got them thawed out a little and put them in the pan. I got them cooked and was cutting them up when Daughter came out of the bathroom.

Ben grabbed the plate & fork and followed me to my room, where he inhaled his 2nd helping. He loves steak and he loves chicken breast. I just wish he’d eat fruit and veggies. We’ll keep trying.

Bathtime followed and I was going to wash his hair, he said “Wash your hair tomorrow”. Okay… I’m tired, and none of us are going anywhere anyway, wash your hair tomorrow. Bubble bath tonight.

Bubbles weren’t quite enough to get through the dirt (how does he manage to get SO dirty?) so good old soap was generously applied. By me. Ben was too busy putting bubbles on his chin, like a beard, to worry about actually getting clean. I left him to play until I heard choking noises. I tell him all the time not to drink his bathwater… Ben does as Ben pleases. I pulled the plug and helped him into his robe, brushed his teeth and sent him to his mother. Zeus walked, head down, toward Ben’s room, knowing it was ‘bedtime’.

The clouds are rolling in. It’s supposed to start raining again. It was nice having a few days without rain. Things were starting to dry out. Now there will be MUD in the hole in the back yard. I just know that Ben won’t be able to resist.

Take care of yourselves! Sending out virtual hugs. Please, let me know if I can help you in any way, and tune in tomorrow… blah, blah, blah…