“It’s true, I’ve become one of those grumpy older women.”
This morning I had a meeting at 9. When I got home, I went back to bed and slept almost three hours. The clouds and the dampness don’t seem to engender high spirits and frivolity. I’m tired and I’m grouchy, and I pity anyone who crosses my path. Luckily, though, I’m in for the day so the rest of the world is safe from me.
Working in a high school meant dealing with people, mostly teenagers, all day long. I was generally pleasant but occasionally had one of those days. When I did, the news about my mood spread like wildfire among the kids. They knew this was not a day to be tossed from class. This was a day to walk on egg shells and be especially polite.
Nothing will be accomplished by me today. The laundry sits in the hall as testament to my lack of energy and my lack of interest. The other day I went through the closet to find all my winter hats and mittens. I knocked down some games, some books and a couple of coats. I found almost everything except two mittens are singles. Somewhere are the other two. I, however, choose not to tackle the closet again as I expect that what I put back is tenuous and might just fall again. Usually I would be obsessed with the need to rejoin the couples. Not today!
I do have some napkins which need to be ironed. They have been piled on the desk chair for a few months, okay maybe even a bit longer than that. I’m thinking I might just iron them today. It’s an easy task, unlike the laundry which necessitates up and down stairs a few times then folding the clothes and putting them away. With the napkins I can sit down and use my table as an ironing board. I can even watch TV. This day might just go down in the annals as one filled with accomplishment.
Tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment. He’s keeping an eye on my cholesterol and checks it every six months. When he asks me how I’ve been feeling, I don’t think he’ll take grouchy as an answer, but I might just give it to him anyway. After all, he did ask.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: bad moods, doctor, high spirits and frivolity, ironing, missing mittens, teenagers, tired and grouchy
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
November 10, 2015 at 2:17 pm
One of my chums at Detroit Spurs described me as “always grumpy”, and I am not sure if that is a progression from bad tempered or a reflection of my advancing years. (no I don’t have dwarf like status)
I was well man handled at Heathrow yesterday as I attempted to clear security – I would have expected at least a drink or a meal before someone was that familiar but I accepted the intrusion with barely a whimper.
Mrs MDH and I have returned to the pleasant confines of our home in Oakland Township Michigan having spend 10 days zooming from London to Vienna and back to London with very little downtime in a heavily scheduled trip
In an attempt to fane an image beyond sports fan and music listener person, I went down the Kunsthistorisches and spent a very happy morning in the picture gallery which was totally fab gear and brill. The stuff what was like painted by Bruegel the elder (I don’t like the stuff by the not so elder) caused us to loiter for quite some time and go a shade Tower of Babel.
More natural to my world, we saw the Lions get thrashed at Wembley, hung out with Eric for an afternoon, caught Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane and a concert by ABC at Drury Lane.
Very glad to be back
November 10, 2015 at 2:44 pm
My Dear Hedley,
We are very happy to have you back. It was lonely here at KTCC without you.
How does he know that what he see is your grumpiness? Maybe you are being your sort of pleasant.
You do always have the best time when you go to England. I hope both of enjoyed Vienna. I think it a most beautiful city. My parents and I were there over Easter one year, and it was the best Easter the three of us had ever had.
At least you were at Wembley when they got thrashed. It raises the loss to a higher sphere.
Glad to have you home!
November 10, 2015 at 8:09 pm
Being hassled at Heathrow is just part of the charm of the British government. Their version of TSA makes our TSA look like the keystone cops. A border officer hassled a friend of mine a couple of years ago because his passport booklet was beginning to become frayed at the spine. She almost wouldn’t let him into the country.
November 10, 2015 at 8:18 pm
Except, Bob, you don’t have to take off your shoes or take your computers out of your carry-on when in Heathrow. In that respect they are far ahead of us.
November 10, 2015 at 10:25 pm
The last time I was there they made everyone take off their shoes and remove their computers. Here I usually get Trusted Traveler boarding passes and don’t have to remove my shoes or computer here in the U.S.
November 11, 2015 at 12:14 pm
I didn’t have to do either. I just put my bag on the conveyor belt.
I also have Trusted Traveler boarding.
November 10, 2015 at 3:13 pm
Hi Kat,
I neglected to go to bed until 1AM this morning. Now I am stupid tired and dare not attempt anything that requires even a modicum of attention span. Yes, I am grouchy, too.
The weather is dark and drear. It may even be damp but I’ve not been out in a few hours. It’s energy draining for sure.
I decided I would feel better about life in general if I washed the dishes in the sink. They’ve been there for a while and have become a tad scary to contemplate. Dish washing hurts my back so I leave it until I can’t stand to see the pile any longer. Or I need a dish.
The sink is empty now. I do feel better about life in general but my back does not. I can deal. Back to the couch with the dogs and a good read. 🙂
In the meantime, bags of winter clothes are in the kitchen mingling with bags of summer clothes that are in transit to where the winter clothes were. Might take awhile. 🙂
Enjoy the day.
November 10, 2015 at 4:26 pm
Hi Caryn,
I think the weather is adding to the grumpiness. It has been raining since 2 and the rain is getting heavier.
I’ve already made the switch of season to season. I use so few dishes that I wash them before I go to bed. If I have company, I fill up the dishwasher. My back doesn’t bother me when I wash at the sink. It seems every other thing bothers my back but not the dishes.
Have a good evening-stay warm and dry!
November 10, 2015 at 5:22 pm
Sesame Street – I Sing a Grouchy Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UouLQ-e6dP4
I’m just listening to a lot of songs, – no chance for grumpiness. I want to make a mixtape for my friend’s birthday, 50 years – 50 songs. It’s fun.
November 10, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Birgit,
I’ll have to learn this, my new anthem! Thanks!
I love that we still call them mixtape.
November 10, 2015 at 6:14 pm
Birgit – 50 Iggy tunes ?
November 10, 2015 at 7:17 pm
Hedley, great idea! Unfortunately it’s not my birthday.
Welcome back!
November 10, 2015 at 10:57 pm
Why, I’m quite familiar with that ‘mood’ (or is it ‘snit’?) you describe yourself as having right now. I can ‘git my snit on’ equally well, but luckily I’m most times the ‘Happy Child’ I was born. You know – do it my way.
You’re right about kids knowing when a teacher’s ‘off their feed’ … we always knew in Junior High and High School. That ‘high school’ term is quite reminiscent of the British ‘High Street,’ but in that case ‘High’ means ‘Main,’ and I can’t imagine any of our ‘high schools’ ever being ‘Main’ schools.
Most days I accomplish exactly zero – but then, I don’t have to. I’m retired. I play in Photoshop and do graphic design. I make money doing that. I also do photography – and make money doing that. I’m not cheap, but I’m good … and I’m quick. I’m also at the stage of life when I can pick and choose those who would be clients. I’ve designed my business card to act as a separator rather than an attractor. When I hand it to someone, I watch their eyes as they read it (just like the Chinese jade dealers do – they watch the eyes, not the hands). If I see expressions of ‘Huh?’ or indications that are other than positive, we’ll never do business because, if they don’t ‘get’ the card, they’ll never ‘get’ my concepts. Better to just stay friends.
‘Tackle the closet’ … ? ‘Napkins which need to be ironed’? What ARE these words you use? Homey does not relate to those things. Things go in a closet and that’s where they remain until I need them. Napkins are things I don’t have. Paper towels took their place long ago. I do, however, have an ironing board – one day I’ll get around to using it.
Haircut tomorrow. It’s about four months since my last one, and I figure it’s time for another. That’ll hold me ’til February or March.
I hope you get the same news about your cholesterol I got from my cardio doc at my last visit. She cut my BP med in half. I’m good with that. She also told me that, during my last angiography, she noted I have one artery that’s 100% blocked, but my weightlifting has caused capillary growth around the blockage that’s supplying the heart despite the blockage. I’m a happy boy. Besides, weight training increases bone density and keeps my metabolism elevated for about the next 24 hours, so I burn calories even if I’m sleeping. I don’t do treadmills, tho’. Every time I’ve been on a treadmill, I hear the doc go ‘Mmm-hmm’ when viewing the screen. I ask ‘Is that a good ‘mm-hmm’ or a bad ‘mm-hmm’?’, but that’s ignored. After the test’s over, the next words I hear are ‘Let’s schedule you for an angiography’ … to which I say ‘Let’s not and say we did.’ Good luck with your appointment.
November 11, 2015 at 12:10 pm
Richard,
Like you, a snit is not a common event, but I always reserve the right to be snitty. The problem is I live alone so I have to find ways to get rid of my mood. Kicking things sometimes works as does tossing them.
Ghana had a High Street which had Hausa traders, the post office, a bank or two and an Indian restaurant. You have expanded my knowledge base as I did not know it meant Main.
I too often accomplish zero, but I’m just fine with that. I worked a long time for the right to do nothing. Today, however, I have decided to do the laundry mostly because last week’s is still in the dryer, and I need a few things. That will be my afternoon chore.
I use paper napkins when I am by myself, but I use cloth napkins when I have people over for dinner. I use paper plates for myself and real plates for my guests. I have an ironing board, but I bought it at an antique store. It is wooden and in wonderful shape. I wanted it as a high serving table. I use it in the living room to put appetizers on it before dinner. The dog can’t reach it the way she can reach the table. Outside I put the food and condiments on it and save table space. It hasn’t ever seen an iron since I bought it.
I got my summer cut a few weeks ago. My friend used to be a hairdresser so she comes over and does my hair then we have Chinese food for dinner. Weird tradition I suppose.
I have low PB and always have, but my good and bad cholesterol fight it out and lately the bad has won. It’s cheese. I love cheese. Both my GP and my cardiologist both tsk tsk when they see the results. I have a sense I’ll be adding another pill to the pile.
Thanks-on the appointment. I think I broke my toe a while back as it still hurts and is now at a weird angle. I’m going to have him verify though there isn’t anything he can do now.
Enjoy your day no matter what you do!
November 11, 2015 at 3:02 pm
I learnt to not kick things a while back. Instead, I did a bit o’ the old ‘lateral thinking’ and adopted ‘percussive maintenance’ as my solution of choice when the situation is dire enough. I, btw, am The Determiner of what constitutes ‘dire.’
I never knew cheez affects BP. I’m in trouble if that’s the case. Emmenthaler, Swiss, Cheddar, Brie, Gruyere … I’m not gonna give those up no matter what the BP numbers say. As for cholesterol, I’m not worrying about it. It’s endogenous, and whatever amount my body makes is probably what it needs, so why should I try to override it with some stupid ‘statin’ … ? Besides, I’ve taken a liking to my liver and kidneys.
November 11, 2015 at 7:36 pm
Richard,
The cheese affects my cholesterol, not my BP. Said so what and continue to eat cheese but the doctors aren’t happy.
November 11, 2015 at 12:51 pm
I have the occassional grumpy day but not so often any longer. I tend to have short moment of it though and my work friends says that when I do have a moment like that my comments are like stopp bals when playing table tennis, impossible to answer to 🙂
I’ll have one of those dfoctor exams soon. I go there because of the toxic paint I’m working with and since they already check my lungs, heart and liver so they aren’t injured by the paint they also check everything else. Unlike the rest of my family I always have low blood pressure, low colesterol and low everything no matter what I eat 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
November 11, 2015 at 7:56 pm
Christer,
I have low BP which isn’t necessarily a family trait as my dad had very high BP. Today the nurse asked me if I was alive as it was so low.
This was just a floor-up today. My physical will be in May.
Have a fine evening!
November 11, 2015 at 2:38 pm
Radiohead – Harry Patch (In Memory of)
November 11, 2015 at 8:15 pm
My Dear Hedley,
This is amazing. Thank you!