Part 54 ~ 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.

Around 5:00 yesterday Younger brought me some flowers she picked from her garden and the Lemon Bread she’d promised whenever ago. She has always picked flowers for me, ever since she was little and gave me the first dandelion. It’s super sweet! The lemon bread was yummy too!

Unfortunately her arrival broke the fragile bubble of calm. Zeus competed with Ben for her attention. I don’t blame her for getting the hell out of Dodge, but I also understand why Older is under the impression that Younger just stirs shit up and jets. It’s not quite like that, but it could appear so.

I dozed off last night without taking my sleeping pill. I woke up at midnight, at 3:00, and again at 4:00. I had to use the bathroom at 4:00 and Zeus must’ve heard me and woken Ben up (or Ben just woke up) because they were in my bed when I got back to my room.

Ben wasn’t all the way awake (praise the Flying Spaghetti Monster) and was burrowed under my blankets. I got his tablet for him, but he didn’t even grab it for a while. At one point he asked for a juice. I told him to hand me one and I’d open it. I keep a box on the table on “his side” of my bed. He said “Juice from fridgerator please Gramma” SERIOUSLY?! My dumb ass got up and got it too. I asked him if this was some kind of “test of my love” thing, or what?  Especially since he didn’t even drink the dang thing.

Eventually he commanded that we move to the living room. I was surprised he’d waited as long as he had. We sat together on the couch, each with our devices. Zeus tried to lay between us, but there wasn’t enough room.

Around 6:00 I heard Ben singing I’m Bad, the Michael Jackson song, so I peeked at what he was watching

He saw me looking and got up and started dancing. I wish I’d taken a video of him shakin’ his booty, even if I couldn’t share it here, just to cheer me up and remind me why I don’t ship him to Abu Dhabi.

He got himself pretty wound up and it took longer for his morning meds to bring the chill. I had given the meds before the dancing but just before. The dancing was even enough to bring sleepy Sven out of the Pouting Corner… or he spied the blueberries he missed yesterday.

Daughter got home around 7:15. She’d gotten a ride, but they dropped off another coworker first. She’s off tonight and tomorrow night and very happy about it. She took Ben to her room to wait for 9:00, when she planned to call the hospital Hiring Manager again.

Zeus and I went back to my room. I had just enough time to get comfy and settled before I heard Ben tell Daughter he was going to go potty. Then I heard him running down the hall, but not past my room… Bedquake! “Gramma come living room!” Dang it! “I heard you tell Mom you were just going potty. Don’t you wanna go back to Mom’s room?” I really didn’t want to get back up. “Gramma come living room!” Yes, yes! Fine! I grumbled all the way to the living room and for a few seconds after I sat down. Ben did one of the things he’s really good at, he ignored me.

A few minutes later he wanted his chalk. I hadn’t heard it being dumped in Daughter’s room, so I told him to go get it. Guess what he said? “I need help” I told him he did not need help. He tried “Gramma to do it.” which I ignored. Ha! I can play that game too (yes, i was channeling my inner 5 year old). He finally decided to go get it himself. I thought about doing a Dance Of Victory, but that would’ve required getting up.

10:30 meds were given at 10:15 (yep, I’m a rebel) and Sven was put in the shower. Ben created an obstacle course with his chalk, his Sweeney Todd Barber Chair and a chair that he wanted me to tape stuff onto to make it a Barber Chair. He quit with the chair when he saw that my head was pulsing and about 5 seconds from explosion.

He decided it was time for a tablet and popcorn break. Good idea! I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breaths and went to get Sven’s nom noms ready

Then I got Sven out of the shower and showed him his big blueberries and a grasshopper too! He immediately claimed the food as his own…by putting his foot in it

Then I went to sit down cuz I didn’t want to cause Black Beard Grumpy Face. I looked later, he ate the grasshopper and one blueberry.

Ben continued with his chalk through the noon Adderall. The pull of the chair was strong, though. He moved it closer with me huffing and puffing at him. He just ignored me. A little while later it was “I need tape.” for the “footrest” of the chair. FINE! I taped the stupid thing. A little while later, the chair was calling to him louder. Armrests, it needed armrests. OH-EM-GEE!!  I concocted armrests.

I know how obsessive Ben gets. He really can’t seem to help himself. During all of my huffing and puffing he would get this look on his face that was like “I know I’m making you crazy, but the chair is making ME crazy! I need the chair”. I guess it was chagrin. It’s better to just do the thing. He won’t give up until it’s done, he can’t.

Yes, there is crap all over the house, BFD! I don’t think the photographers from “Snobby Perfect House” are coming by Casa Cuckoo anytime soon. Ben can’t help how his brain works. And aside from being autistic and having ADHD, he’s an 11 year old kid, stuck at home since March 13th. I say taping some crap to a chair is nothing, in the grander scheme of things.

Meds at 2:00 and I told Ben I was going to my room to lay down. My back and shoulders were really hurting. I took morphine, which I rarely do. Daughter got up and went to the living room around 2:10. She had a voicemail from the hospital asking her to call back. So she called back and got voicemail… tag. Don’t you just hate playing voicemail tag?!

The Hiring manager called her back and they got everything figured out. She has to do the background check, drug test and physical but that’s just dotting Is and crossing Ts. Her start date is June 15th. They’re ready for her to start June 1st, but she needs to give notice at her current job, plus get all the stuff done. She’s very excited, now that it’s official.

Ben has been playing in the living room most of the afternoon. He came to hang out in my room for a little while, he may be back.

I better go ahead and end this here. I’m over 1200 words already. Thanks for reading this far! Hmmm… a song about a job?? Yeah, I think so. By a band I saw a few years ago.

 

Thanks again for all the support! Seriously, you guys keep me motivated, cheer me on and cheer me up. I appreciate you all!

I’ll see you tomorrow, probably earlier than I’d like, but we do what we have to, and try to have fun. Take care of yourselves!

 

Hugs!