Stop squishing me

Argh, today is not my day! This is not feeling like my week!

I keep feeling “squished” (ie pressure, issues, things I have to do) from all sides and I’m annoyed.

Sleep (p.s. sorry if this part is Too Much Information):

A large portion of the problem is lack of sleep, I think. Charlie seemed to get some kind of a GI bug last week; he was suddenly up going outside to go potty at least 2x each night (number 2), despite having slept through the night since we got him at 12 weeks.

At first I thought he maybe just ate something weird in the yard. With the mild temps, the snow is gone and he keeps eating everything. Our yard has a lot of rabbits, squirrels, landscaping, etc…. there is no shortage of random gross stuff for him to try to scarf down. So I figured he just ate something he shouldn’t have and it would be ok in a day or two.

But now it has persisted for almost a whole week! Up every night multiple times (with, sorry, TMI- looser stools). Yet during the day, he doesn’t go out constantly and otherwise is acting normal. So I’m confused.

I discussed with the vet yesterday and dropped off a stool sample today. Now waiting to hear back. But this has seriously disrupted my sleep for days now. Even if Ivan takes him out, I still wake up and I can never fall right back to sleep. So I end up awake for these long stretches and then it affects my morning wake time and then I’m just all messed up. 😩

*Editing to add- I now think this is all actually related to him eating that electric cable last week! He finally threw up today some little pieces of copper wire (yikes) and brown cable (7 days after the incident). Called the vet again and they said to just monitor if he otherwise seems normal…hoping he now got it out of his system?!

---

Work:

Additionally, my work role is undergoing some changes involving a couple of people leaving, and I’m sort of generally anxious about how that is all going to play out. I am going to be/already am taking on new responsibilities but do not currently feel “equipped”, exactly, for all of this new stuff, and based on timelines, I’m concerned I’m not going to get all the training that I’ll need. Looking ahead to the next few months just feels uncertain and overwhelming.

---

Puppy + General Life

Back to Charlie, he has just been generally a little naughty lately, too. My Puppy Resources tell me that ages 7-8 months is when puppies often enter “adolescence” (i.e. they test boundaries, suddenly stop listening, “forget” their training, etc., similar to adolescent humans who can also be difficult).

Work + the lack of sleep + some other household stuff + him being a little $#!t sometimes is all grating on me this week.

---

Gas station/ The economy

Finally, even the greater world seems to be closing in on me. (Lol- this is a very dramatic exaggeration. Just let me go with it for now.)

So, I stopped at the gas station this morning after dropping a poop sample off at the vet. I was already irritable after yet another night of broken sleep, oversleeping, a rushed morning, driving Asher late to school and a long, early meeting…so I thought I’d pick myself up a drink as a little treat on the way home.

I got my drink and the sign said “$1.59”. But when I went up to pay, the lady rang it up as something like “$1.69” (pre-tax). I said, nicely, “Oh, I don’t think that’s right- the sign said only “$1.59”.

She double checked the register and said, “Hmm, I don’t know. I’m ringing it up correctly and it says $1.69.” We went back and forth a minute until I finally said, with a twinge of exasperation in my voice, “Well, here, just walk over here and see. The sign is right here and it definitely says “$1.59“.

Finally she was like, “Oh, well, I guess the price increased and they haven’t updated the sign.”

Now. I realize this is 10 cents. I am not one to get riled up over 10 cents.

But it was just the principle of it, I guess. First, don’t charge me more than what your (clearly) posted sign says!!! And also, if it’s true that the price increased… SERIOUSLY?!? I know for a fact that the $1.59 is already a recent price increase, because I buy these drinks often and I happen to know that they already went up significantly just last summer.

So then I just got even more annoyed because why does every single price everywhere have to increase constantly???! I know, I know, inflation…. blah blah blah.

But man, I am getting kind of tired of it! Just seems like literally every. single. place I turn I have to pay more (or somehow get less for my money). It’s just getting really old!!

Finally I was just like, Ok, whatever, and swiped my card and left before anyone judged me for making a scene over 10 cents. 😆

---

Positive Things to End This Post:

Since you all know I really, honestly do strive to be working toward positivity, gratitude, and all the good things in my life (even though I fail at it probably more often than not…), I can’t stand leaving such a negative post without at least trying to look for something good.

#1: My reflective gear/ headlamp!

I took Charlie for a long-ish walk last night in pretty mild temps and used my head lamp and light up sash. Very functional and don’t I look cute?! LOL. And also very prepared. I walked past a guy walking two dogs with no light up gear or reflectors of any kind and felt a little bit like an overachieving Girl Scout, but hey. I was SAFE. 😉

#2: I impulse ordered some “high rise wide leg trouser jeans”.

I am probably a marketing exec’s dream. I definitely indulged in some extra scrolling while crabby this morning and was sucked in by this random influencer who I’ll admit I’ve never even heard of.

But she raved about these “super soft and comfy” Ann Taylor trouser jeans, which happen to be on sale for $40 off. So I ordered a pair. Why not. I can always return them! The loose, relaxed fit does look cute and comfortable, and the more I see the wide leg, the more they are growing on me…. maybe?

#3: I now have Crocs.

Speaking of comfy things, I am now the proud(?) owner of a pair of Crocs for the first time ever.

These really are goofy looking shoes, but they are somehow wildly popular apparently worldwide. Especially in the teen/youth age range….

Both boys live in them, and one day Ethan noticed that I kept slipping his on whenever I wanted to quick run outside to let Charlie out or get the mail.

So he got me some for Christmas! I have to say, they are nice. And very functional! And will hopefully prevent me from getting dirty socks, because I tend to often just step out into the garage to toss something in the garbage bin in my socks because putting on real shoes for only 2 seconds is just too much work. 🙃

Daily Gratitude:

I am grateful for mild weather. I took Charlie outside at 3 a.m in my glasses, PJ shorts, t-shirt and… Crocs. Ha. I mean, “mild” is relative- it was like 40 degrees and I probably should have grabbed a jacket. But still. For February, this is nice.