Squeaky Floors, Beds, and Bathroom Trips

          Before we moved into the house we noticed that the floor squeaked.  Whenever we walked on a certain spot over the floor it sounded as though the boards were so loose that we would easily fall through the floor.  I suspect the carpet was laid down to cover a variety of flaws that should have been repaired and are still in need and will be repaired in time.  Just not now.

          Before COVID Roland did have someone come out to level the house.  He got rid of the squeak in the front room but managed to move it to our bedroom – which is worse.  At least in the front room we could walk around it but I do not have a choice in the bedroom.  It is right next to my side of the bed.

          Even before I was married I had a weak bladder – meaning I could not make it through the entire night without at least one bathroom trip.  I suspect that is because I prefer the cool temperatures and apparently the coolness on the outside of my body triggers my “pipes” to leak on the inside.  Only the last few years have sent me more than once during the night – which is why I try not to drink all of the water during the night.  But I really don’t enjoy being dry.

          Anyway whenever I step on the floor it disturbs Jenna – I think because she enjoys sleeping on the floor.  Her and Randy.  They prefer their mattresses from firm to concrete (concrete being the perfect firmness).  Up until two weeks ago the mattress in her room was the most uncomfortable mattress I have ever encountered.  I don’t think I’ve ever had any oatmeal or pancake mix as lumpy as that mattress was.  Roland ordered her a folding bed that she is currently sleeping on. She has more space in her room and it does look nice.

          Roland and I used to have a sleep-number bed.  I managed to pop two chambers – though I can’t figure out why the last one popped as I did not use it much.  Even before we had moved to Oregon I would often fall asleep in the recliner as I read or watched TV and Jenna and Roland would just leave me there.  We had purchased a recliner to put in the bedroom so that Roland wouldn’t feel so alone.  Finally we upgraded to a non sleep-number and the bed reclines each side.  I control my side.  Roland controls his.  We’re closer but he still doesn’t like it because I sleep reclined and he sleeps flat.  He feels like we’re in two different beds.  It’s a major pain to make. But I do sleep better so I guess it’s worth it.

          Still have an issue with the room temperature however.  I want it cool.  He pulls all the covers around him.  I have a blanket over my feet as they are always cold.  I think I will roast when it's cold outdoors and Roland thinks it will have to be over 75 degrees in order to fall asleep.  I don't make as many bathroom trips when I am hot.  But I don't sleep well either.

My Day Thus Far

This morning I dreamed I was in an institute class.  I was about 30 years younger and single.  Many of the students in my class were elderly women.  We were challenged to display something that would remind of us the lesson. I had five posters and selfishly planned on hanging all five and would not share them. (I think I probably missed the point of the lesson)

When the class ended I had gone into the hall and toward the door that would lead me out to the parking lot.  I was digging through my purse in order to find my keys.  As I was not coming up with them, I decided to sit down and rummage through my purse believing it would be easier to go through.  Rather than a college or equivalent building, the seat I had chosen next to entrance/exit doors looked more like a lobby you would find in a hospital.

As I was looking through my purse a number of guys appeared to ask me why I hadn’t been to class.  Evidently I had signed myself up for two classes that overlapped in time.  Both were on Thursdays though I thought the class with the young guys in it was taught on Tuesday.  I can’t even remember what course it was but felt more challenged somehow and so decided to drop the institute class.  It was a really weird dream.

I continued to sleep until Alexa woke me up and then I got up and got dressed.  I am usually still in my pajamas when I take Jenna and her friend out to the farm. I took the Saturn this morning as it appears the fan belt has broken in the Impala.  I’m not a mechanic or anything.  I just know it has stopped working and it is far too hot to drive with just having windows down.

        I don’t normally stay with Jenna and her friends to help them pick berries – though I have on occasion stayed an hour to help pick before I wear myself out and return home.  Evelyn (the boss) asked if I would pick berries in the evening to help fill an order due on Wednesday.  It is too hot to do evenings this week and so I will work 5 hours for the next three mornings.  Or so was the plan.

There were the three girls who were picking circles around me.  I would donate my pathetic contribution to their buckets.  They said they had picked 65 pounds.  Normally they pick 60 among them so perhaps I had picked at least four pounds myself.     Since I have always left before other people come, I did not know the amount of pickers in the field was unusually high.  We were all picking in the same patch which must mean Evelyn had recruited several others to help fill the order.

        My back, of course, was bothering me.  I just can’t bend or squat like I used to.  Jenna sits on the ground, but I refuse to do that in fear I will never be able to get back up.         Initially I had planned on staying until 11 but the girls were getting restless and asked if they could go home with me and asked if I could leave at 10:00. 

As I was driving home I felt so sleepy.  It had been overcast all morning – not a cooling overcast either.  It has been hot and humid.  I was in great need of a shower and was also hungry.  When we pulled up, Jenna noticed the front porch had been removed and sitting on the front yard in pieces.  Roland had hired a man named Levi to build us a new porch complete with awning as our old porch seems rickety and unstable.

Jenna told me to shower while she ate and then she would shower.  Thus I took my shower first.  Ate some leftovers and started this entry.  My plan was to take my nap once I had posted this to my blog. Only Roland came in before I had finished.  I was needed in the kitchen apparently, but after a while he told me to go to bed. 

Even with all the noise Levi has made with the buzzsaw and hammer I was able to sleep for just over two hours.  I feel better than I had when we had left the farm.  The sun has made an appearance and the humidity has gone down.  I had to go outside to retrieve my camera so that all of the memory doesn’t get lost in the heat. It feels pretty gross out there.  I am so grateful to have central air again.

Sweet to Sleep

             I have never had the best of sleeping habits.  Ever.  According to mom, I believed I had had my fill of sleep by the time I was one.  I got to relive that with Jenna!  After turning one,  she has ALWAYS been a horrible nap taker.  I guess she gets that from me.  Patrick, on the other hand, put in enough hours of sleep for all of us.  He was great at taking naps and sleeping during the night.  My mom was neurotic.  As I had always been awake, she was not used to a baby who was gifted about sleeping.  She would often check him just to make certain he was still breathing.  Total opposites.

 

            There are times I crash out of sheer exhaustion.  I wish it was more frequent - or rather I wish I could sleep like I'm exhausted but not feel exhausted ever - just always feel well rested.

            Sometimes I fall asleep in the front room when the TV has been on.  Often Roland has left me there because he knows I prefer the airflow in more open space - although there is more airflow in the bedroom that is part of our current house.  It is the biggest bedroom I have ever had.  Plus (as I mentioned earlier) our broken couch is as comfortable as a jagged rock.

            Sometimes I wake up during the night either in our room or the front room and will think I'm in the other.  That is how I want to sleep.  Deep and unaware.  I want to wake up refreshed - not dry from the electric heat or too hot or too cold (the cold thing rarely ever happens except for my ears and toes.  They are often cold when I am awake.  I often wear a hat and slipper socks  while I read or exercise or do puzzles. 

            I know that good sleeping habits will help my emotional development.  I'm all for that.

https://www.memecenter.com/fun/6469/catch-some-zzzs