Part 31 ~ 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.

I really did try to go to sleep early last night. Ben and Daughter were in their beds by 7:00 and I straightened up the house, covered Sven and turned his lights off, got myself something to eat and took my sleeping pill before 10:00. Buuuuttt… I was still awake at midnight…

The sunset was beautiful last night. I took these from my back yard. Northwest and due west

The Bounce and bedquake were right on schedule at 4:00.  Ben asked for my tablet, so I thanked him for using his words and told him “Good job!” I tried to doze but he was wiggly and full of demands. The stupid TV wouldn’t turn on and he needed ‘nother juice and you guys know the rest by now.

6:30 meds and the lighting of Sven were also on schedule. I got back to my room to lay down and Ben waited until I was settled to ask for his tablet instead of mine. I told him to go get it. “Gramma to do it” I told him to quit being lazy, he told me “I need help!” Ugh! I give in too easy, I really do. Usually it’s just easier to do it myself than argue. He is the King and I am just his lowly peasant.

He waited until I was back in bed again to ask me for Oreo cookies. I told him to eat the cereal on the table next to his side of the bed. “Gramma?” Yes? “Gramma” What, Ben? “Gramma?” What do you need Babylove? “Gramma, need Oreo cookies. PLEASE!”  I got up, got the cookies, then locked myself in the bathroom.

When I got out, he was sitting on the couch with Daugher. I got more coffee and went to my room. The cookies were still in my room.

I laid down and went through my email and WP Reader in between dozing. I was having a pretty groovy morning, riding that just barely asleep sweet spot. Then, the bedquake…

He got under the blankets and was calm(ish) after he warmed up. He was watching his tablet with his earbuds in. I went looking for that sweet spot again. Then a juice smacked into my face with a request for “Open the juice, please!” (Yes, he yelled it. He had his earbuds in.)

Straw inserted, juice handed over, I snuggled back into the warmth and closed my eyes. Then he was beating on my shoulder asking for popcorn. Sigh I got up and got the popcorn. I didn’t bother trying to go back to sleep again. Daughter went to her room telling me to let her know when he wanted to be in the living room and she’d come back out. Yeah, okay…

A few minutes later, he was beating on my shoulder again, so I beat on his leg. He got the hint and tapped my shoulder and said “nawfa joo” through a mouthful of popcorn. I told him first, stop talking with food in his mouth (for the millionth time) and second, he was absolutely insane if he thought I was going to get up, walk around the bed and get a juice to open and hand to him. If he wanted juice he needed to hand it to me.

At 10:30 he was asking for more popcorn and since Daughter wasn’t up getting his meds, I got up to get dag-nabbit popcorn and his meds. She must’ve heard me moving around because she came out saying “sorry, sorry, sorry… I forgot” I told her it was no biggie, he was demanding more popcorn anyway.

Then Ben came out because suddenly his legs worked again and he didn’t want to miss out on anything. He told Daughter he wanted a two layer cake. (She made a cake the other night for a coworker’s birthday and Ben was facinated) I had bought a cake mix and frosting at the corner market the last time I was there, so Daughter told him she’d make the cake for him but he had to hang out in her room and let me rest. He agreed to the conditions and I was definitely on board with this plan.

Since I was already up, I decided Sven should go in the shower. He was in his “pouting corner” looking very sad. I couldn’t even get a good picture cuz he had his nose in the corner. Poor Sven

He was thinking “…in the water…put me in the water, stupid woman!” So, I put him in the water. He either really likes it or an invisible mini steamroller flattened him

While he enjoyed his shower, I prepared his food. The cilantro from yesterday was scattered everywhere, so I’m trying something different today. Celery leaves, shredded carrot and blueberries.

Maybe I should’ve turned the kitchen light on for the picture… oh well.

I checked on Sven and noticed the water was cooler. I tried to warm it up. I turned the knob to full hot and nothing. Dang! Gonna have to check the hot water heater. The pilot light probably blew out again…swell. I told Daughter about the latest development and to remind me when she takes over Living Room Duty (cuz I forget everything) and went back to serve HRH.

I tried to get some pictures of Sven eating. I got a few before he got mad and went to his “pouty corner” again. I made them into an animation

Ben and I hung out on the couch until 1:00 when Daughter came out to take over Living Room Duty.

I went to my room and was getting settled and she was yelling questions at me and I was yelling answers to her, then I remembered the dang water heater. (Told you I’d forget.) I got back up, put my shoes on and went around the house to the water heater. I cleared the spider webs away and did all the things to get the pilot light to light. I like this water heater SO much better than our old one. This one has a spark igniter. No more using a stick of incense and laying on my back hoping the incense stays lit and I don’t blow myself up, trying to hold the button down and getting the fire in the little space… yeah, that was a pain. This was easy peasy. I felt like Rosie the Riviter.

I went back to room, attempting again to get through my WP reader. Ben was back and forth a lot today, but at 2:00 he came back with a vengeance. He was doing the flopping on my bed thing again. Then we wanted Zeus to fetch. The problem with this is Ben won’t just throw the ball or toy or whatever. He wants to go hide it, then tell Zeus to go get it. When Zeus doesn’t understand, Ben yells to me “Gramma, help!” Fetch is a great game to burn off energy for Ben and for Zeus, but I’m the one who winds up frazzled and exhausted.

I’m telling Ben over and over, “throw the ball where he can see it”. When Ben finally does, Zeus won’t go get it. “Gramma, help!” So I have to tell Zeus to get the ball. Then he won’t drop it. I’ve worked with him so many times, but like Ben, he wants to play his way. He wants to tug and wrestle.

So I’m shouting, grunting and sighing in an exasperated manner and Daughter thinks I’m grumpy, so she gets defensive. I told her I wasn’t grumpy. Yes, Ben drives me crazy, yes I was huffing and puffing, but that’s what I do. Ben can tell I’m not grumpy, he’s not bothered by my huffing and puffing at all. She said Ben doesn’t listen or pay attention. This is true.

By 3:30 things had calmed down. A little. Daughter had frosted the cake and was getting everything together to make Boboli pizzas. She wanted us to have “Movie Night” with Ben and watch Onward.

Younger Daughter called me at 4:00. She thought she had transportation to work tomorrow morning at 5:30am but found out she doesn’t.  She wanted to borrow my car. Of course I told her she could use it. Older Daughter lost her shit. It’s this ongoing thing between them. Older gets angry every time Younger needs to use my car. Older doesn’t even drive, but she wants the car here in case she needs me to go somewhere or do something. She was specifically angry about laundry tomorrow. Younger wont be bringing the car back to me until 5:00-5:30pm. Older was angry that the car wont be here around 2:00pm or so, which is usually when everything is washed and ready to be driven across the street. I told Older I would walk it, or drive it later… whatever. Older said she’s tired of always “paying for someone who is supposed to be a self-sufficient adult”. Personally, I’m tired of the petty bullshit they both say about each other to me.

Anyway… what a day! Always something. Nothing really happened but I feel like I’ve been on the go all day. “Movie Night” is scheduled to begin at 5:30. The pizzas are ready, big pizza for Daughter, mini pizza for me and half a Red Baron classic crust pepperoni for Ben.

Take care of yourselves! Let me know if I can tape anything for you, or anything else that might be helpful. I’ll see you tomorrow…

ONWARD…