Day Three - Renovations Chronicle

 Today will be a short post, things are still on the right track, running smoothly, which makes us very happy.  It wasn't a quiet day in the house, Hubby escaped again.  The lucky man can go to his employer's office ten minutes from home for some peace and quiet and he can even shower there, which he did today!

I've been thinking how I'm going to manage that tomorrow, as our shower will not be available for a few days...  He offered to take me to his office, but that would be after working hours, I'm thinking...  

Tomorrow the plan is to do the ceramic (on the wall) and finish the kitchen's walls. The guys show up really early, and as most of you who do know me, I'm no early bird.  I've been getting even shorter nights than usual, to the point that this morning, while they were cutting tiles and banging whatever it was, I fell asleep and slept for more than one hour!  I guess it's true that one can sleep through anything when tired enough! ah!

And I did manage to sell and liberate the garage of the old vanity!  Yay me!  Been trying to sell some of the stuff we've been taken off/out.  I wasn't too thrill to just get rid of it all (as strongly suggested by Hubby), so I took pictures and posted some items on MarketFace.  I'm always amazed at what does and does not sell on there...  A lot of people ask questions, but few do follow through.  I'm happy that I've managed to sell a bunch of things, like light fixtures, blinds, furniture, and once I'll be unpacking the many boxes, I'm sure there will be stuff in there it will be time for me to get rid of.  Anyhoo... one thing at the time, and these days it is all about the renovations! 😉

Day 2

Couldn't fall asleep (for a change) so I colored on my tablet, in bed...

2020 will be the Year of the Rat in the Chinese Horoscope:

and this little frog...

I met up with a friend - actually we met a year ago at one of my Postal Bites monthly meet and we clicked and became fast friend, funny how that worked - for lunch and we went shopping at Michaels, since I had received a gift card at Christmas, we had a reason to go.  Managed to spend the gift card and then some!  But come on, look at this cute washi tape I found, how could I resist?

We rarely see dogs on tapes, so I HAD to get it!  Unless you do postcards, you wouldn't understand!  Trust me, it was a must, really!

Quick update - stuck in a whirlwind

This has been our motto for the past week or so... It's crazy, things are moving, so freaking fact my motion sickness is starting to kick in!

At times I feel noxious, some many things going on at once, it never stops.  Between this and that, I feel like I'm caught in a wind tunnel during a twister and I see a bunch of crap flying around me and I'm trying not to get hit by a cow or a tractor!  Really that is how I feel!

We poke the Universe and it's poking back for sure.  I guess it is true that if you start a motion of some sort it will generate a series of ripples - a bit like the butterfly effect - we started something and now are dealing with many ripples... 

If I was a drinker I would have most likely drank myself to sleep most night this week... I did think about it, but I guess my dislike of the taste overtook my wanting to slow my brain down.  Let's just say that I've been meditating A LOT!

Tonight we are attending a dinner at a local restaurant whose purpose is to help the community (follow the link and read about it, it's an interesting concept) , for an Italian dinner and opera - we are not really fans of opera but a friend organized it so we will show our support.  It should be interesting.  I also know that the daughter of a staff member of an ex-client will be performing and for having heard her once before I know she had quite the voice.  It will be nice to see her father and catch up some too, plus we will be going with one of Hubby's cousin so it will be a pleasant evening for sure!

Closing a chapter

In order to close the Bodø Chapter of our Norwegian Adventure, things are happening and one can't help and wonder if this is the Universe showing us, it is time for us to go back home...

•  Monday morning I was awaken by the fire alarm.  Not the best way to wake up and start the day, but then I made my way to the Bakeri and had enjoyed a good cappuccino.  Turns out our idiots neighbor above us, the noisy ones, burned bacon and smoked up their place.  It took a while for the firemen to come and turn off the alarm.
   
• Monday night, despite the friggin' cold wind, was a clear night so I made my way to the lookout point to see the Midnight Sun.  The sky was so clear, it was gorgeous!  On the opposite side, the moon was overlooking the snow covered mountains and city...

• Tuesday morning, I was abruptly woken, again, by a man coming in our flat, as I was sleeping, naked, on our bed.  He just unlocked the door and walked in, his arms full.  When I said "Hey!", he turned around mumbled something in Norwegian and walked out! WTF!


• Wednesday, I brought back a book at the library, for the last time in Bodø.  I'm happy I've renewed my interest to that place.  Maybe now that contact has been re-established I will go to the one near home, in Montréal. I haven't even step a foot in since they opened it, and I'm told it's a nice one...
  
• Last night, since I couldn't sleep (the rain was quite loud), I got back up and went through all my Bacefook "friends" and clean up house.  That felt strangely good.


• What better way to close this chapter of our lives, than do it in the rain!  It's been raining for the past two days, in Bodø.  Why change now, when it's been shitty weather most of our time here?  From hard rain to tiny drizzle, but no matter what it's wet.  And this after I've packed my rain boots, grrr.
  
• Went to the post office, one last time, and on my way back stopped for my Take-Away moca. I did manage, through their loyalty take-away card, get a free pastry and today a free coffee, yay me, never even done that back home!
  
• Did all our laundry, every is on the rack drying, and that closes another load for Bodø.
  
• Tonight, a first, having dinner with locals - air traffic controllers - what an evening out.

A First Time for Every Thing!

I woke up with Hubby, an did fall back asleep after he left for work.  I woke up later, way later, and forced myself to get up - damn the time difference is hurting me bad! - took a quick shower, got dressed and decided to go to the bakery I`d seen yesterday.

I pointed at a bread, asked for it to be sliced, picked a pastry and an orange juice bottle and that was that.  I came back to the flat, ate my pastry, which was quite nice and decided to make my way to the grocery store.  Decided against taking my purse (extra weight for nothing), grab an IGA grocery bag and out again.  I knew there was a grocery store, Rema 1000, not far from here, so headed there.  Things are different here, I could see through the windows where the store was, but couldn`t find its door.  Since Hubby had been told that the stores were often in what looked like apartment buildings, I was kind of looking for something like that.  I went in one entrance, but there was nothing there other than locked doors.  I tried another entrance, where a guy was smoking and was looking at me funny, no luck there either.  Finally I spotted this entrance for a furniture store, a pharmacy and the grocery store.  Eureka!  I picked a cart and started shopping.  It`s the first time really that I feel like my father must have often - not being able to identified the products sucks.  Good things there`s lots of pictures.  I bought some type of meat, I`m thinking it is ground beef, but it could be pork, turkey or elk for all I know. I`ve picked a few things and hoped for the best. 

When I showered this morning, I thought the towels in the flat didn`t smell too good, so I bought some soap and started a load of all towels. The load has been in for almost 2 hours, and it`s still going!  The instructions manual for the washer is in Norwegian... damn it!  Good thing I could download a pdf of the instructions in English.

Well... this Norwegian thing will be interesting that`s for sure...

No bullet dodging here!

• My back is doing better, slowly, thanks for asking.
• Our weather has been really mild.  A lot of the snow melted and we can see grass... weird.
• My sleep has been messed up especially with the bad back.  Hopefully things will get back to normal rather sooner than later.
• Received a nice Christmas gift from a friend today: soaps and lotion from "Fruits & Passion" in a gorgeous box that I'll find a useful application for re. to my scrapbooking.
• I've been itching to get out of the house.
• I've receied a bunch of gift cards for Christmas, can't wait to be able to stand and walk properly so I can go do some shopping.
• I thought of doing the NaBloPoMo thing this month when I saw their subject: friends.  I changed my mind, not because I would run out of ideas, but because the idea of posting daily was just too much
• I've been minding myself for the work ahead - this time of year is hyper busy (T4s and such, yuck!)
• The weather really affects people's mood plus a bunch of us suffer from post-Christmatus.
• My kitty cat has been regaining weight, since we've upped his meds. Yay!
• I have these urges to do things, most likely because I can't do much at the moment, and want to empty and give away a bunch of things.  Could it be early Spring Fever?
• I need a hair cut. Again.
• And colour. Again. Argh.
• That's it, I'm done for now.  What about you, what's new with you?

A little more sleep = another dream.

Had another strange dream last night…

Hubby and I were walking somewhere (didn’t recognize the location), it was high and there was some activity going on below. At one point we saw this elephant that was digging a foundation for a house. It had already dug a big whole. Some man came by us and mentioned how he had thought of using an elephant to dig, since they are so strong. From what he was saying I understood that he had wanted to put the elephant down, but since it was still “useful” he would wait to do it. As we are watching this elephant, it walked out of the whole it was digging and walked on this pile of crap and was just stumping all over it. I could see its feet (isn’t it strange, in dreams, how you can “zoom-in and out” on something?), and was really impressed by the strength and flexibility they showed. We kept walking and looking at it, when this “house” (it could have been a shack or something similar) is dropped on the elephant’s back. It collapsed under the weight. I’m freaking out, calling for help and for the crane operator to lift it back up. Nobody seems to be hearing me nor caring. I see this guy on the phone and asked him if he’s calling for help. He looks at me funny and says “No, Duh! I was calling my girlfriend”. I grab the phone out of his hand, call him a few choice words and start dialling when I see Hubby down there, by the elephant which is covered with piles of stuffs. I’m calling his name, he looks up, waves at me and continue to go through the pile of things when he sees the elephant’s trunk, broken (it was very small, looked like a flute from where I was standing, and quite disproportionate), picks it up and puts it in the garbage can in our kitchen! I’m so pissed at him, and start to give him crap: “How could he do nothing to help the elephant and to pick up its trunk and toss it like that, so undisturbed? What is wrong with him?” Somehow (the magic of dreams!) I’m standing next to Hubby, by the elephant when I hear this faint noise, which resembled the sounds the pooch did just before she died, and sees this baby elephant, coming out from under the pile. I then think, “it was a female elephant and she was pregnant”. The baby elephant is covered with blood and yucky stuff (like babies when they’re born), looks at me with its big brown eyes and does a head stand (like they do in circus act)! I say: “Poor thing, even as new born, elephants want to perform”. The same man as before (the owner) comes by me and says something like “I only wanted to kill the elephant, nothing else”

This is when I woke up, with a splitting headache and this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach…

A friend gave me 2 books on dreams, symbolism, etc. I'll try to read them. I find it weird that I dream of animals like that, an elephant is not the most "usual" type of animal that one encounters/sees daily, is it? Anyway not here!


That is what has been happening a lot in this house, lately. The wakening part...

Last night I took two little pills (herbal medecine), and I don't know if it was related to those pills, but last night I actually slept 5 hours straight! Woohoo! But the headache, man! All day!

Sleep brings on dream.

I’ve been sleeping like crap for the last six months. I realised that it’s been that long while talking with Hubby about my lack of sleep. I’m reaching a point where I can’t function almost.
It reminds me of this blog I used to read where its author would complain about her lack of sleep, she went away on vacation and her blog disappearred. (I miss reading you “She wears plaid”, I hope you’re well…).
When we took pooch in I would get up with her, early, for her morning pee. That is when it all started. Then the hot flashes, which are keeping me awake or waking me which ever comes first… My mind is going, non-stop. I've tried meditating, reading, listening to music, pills, nothing really works... It's getting bad.

You know all the jokes about women and their menopause, no wonder we turn bitchy, we lack sleep and eventually it does affect our moods, even the best demeanoured ones... Not a fun time.

I had the strangest dream last night, which means I was “out” for a while, yeah! Can’t remember the last time I’ve dreamt. Oh yeah, it’s true; one needs to be asleep for one to dream! I forgot that part!

My dream:

It started in our bedroom. I heard noises and I could hear the rain (yes, it’s been raining here for the last few days, no snow yet ). I see, in the dark, this big panther sitting by our bedroom door watching me (That could be our black cat, in real life). Then I feel these claws on my chest, I look up and it’s a big owl sitting on my chest. That’s what the panther is watching, ready to pounce. I try to call out Hubby's name, sleeping next to me, but I have no voice and he’s sound asleep. I grab the owl and throw it at the panther. They ran off, but somehow (that’s the thing with dreams, isn’t it? ) the owl flew back in our room and hit the ceiling fan and fell on me. As the panther is about the jump on me I grabbed the bird again, but then the panther snaps at my wrist. One of his teeth is caught into my bracelet. Again I try to scream, but Hubby isn't waking up. I’m fighting with the panther to get my arm out of its mouth; I stand up on the bed trying to turn on the light and then remembered that the ceiling was on (which I actually did turn on last night, before coming to bed, to help with the hot flashes…). So, I ducked, jerked hard and managed to get unstuck. I go back to bed, and still hear noises, and then this goat jumps on the bed, and walks away. It does that a few times. Each time I try to talk but no voice.

Since I still hear noises, I get up and go downstairs. When I get down I see our whole ground floor totally upside down, somebody has been through all our stuffs – we’ve been robbed! Then I let out this scream, very guttural and think “There are people stealing our stuff, they still might be in the house, and I’m naked.”

That is when Hubby woke me, by putting his hand on my shoulder asking if I was having a bad dream…

Weird dream, hun? The weird thing is, this is not the first time I dream something like this: people are in our house while we’re sleeping… creepy!

Do you have any idea or interpretation of that dream? Let's hear it.

Darth Vader lives on…

You read correctly, Darth Vader isn’t dead. I brought him back to life on Monday night! For the non Star Wars Fans (like me) and if you don't know what Vader looks like without his famous mask, here it is. By the way, I'm not really a fan but I've been blessed to have boyfriends and now a husband who ARE fans, so... now I know more then I ever cared to about the Dark man...

On Monday afternoon, I met with some type of therapist re. my sleep apnea problem… I got a CPAP; a machine that helps me breath when I “forget” to do so as I sleep. We spent almost two hours with her, very nice lady that explained everything, made me try the mask and off we were. Hubby came with me, as he tends to retain more info than I normally do.

That night was my first try with my brand spanking new “Resmed S8 Autoset Vantage”. I got ready for bed, set everything up, put my nasal mask on, connect the tube and let’s try to sleep…

I tend to breath through my mouth (awake and asleep) and supposedly it is because of apnea . When “connected”, I should not. If my mouth opens it feels as is I’m on a plane when the cabin pressure is going down – really strange feeling in my ears and back of my throat. So, in order to avoid that sensation, I decided to wear my “night guard” – which I hadn’t worn in months, so at first it felt like all my teeth were misaligned. This was going to be a fun night!

There I was, on my back (which is NOT at all my position to sleep in – I like to be on my belly), breathing through this tube. At some point (must have fallen asleep) I felt too much air – when my airways restrict the machine blows me air – so I woke up, with this need to burp or something – weird!

At around 4am I got fed up and removed the mask and unplugged the machine. I needed to sleep, even if my “natural” sleeping isn’t that great, at least I feel like I slept! In the morning after taking the pooch out for her morning duty call, I went back to bed and put the mask back on. Again, whenever the machine kicked in, I felt it. I’ll need to figure the adjustment that is right for me – there is some serious adaptation to be made on my part… I’ll try to make it happen… I have to think that this gizmo will help me in the long run…

Tuesday night wasn’t really much better. At one point I woke up ripped everything off and rolled over.

Last night was a bit different. When I put on the mask it felt snug. I made sure everything was on properly, etc. At some point during the night I had to go to the washroom so I took it off. When I put it back on I felt weird about it, because it wasn’t feeling like the two other nights, strange, very strange. This morning just before I took it off I looked at everything and all was connected properly. I read my stats for the night; pressure used, leak, indication of apnea or hypopnea, etc. For the first time it showed an apnea index, which means that during the night I had stopped breathing! The previous nights it only showed hypopnea, basically that my airways were restricted.

Either I’m getting used to this or the previous nights I had not put it on properly. Whichever one, in a strange contorted way, I’m happy to see that all the discomfort and sleepless nights might pay off in the long run… I just hope it won’t be too long, I’m getting tired… and sleepier than usual… (*big yawn*)


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Photos: Darth Vader, without his mask and Sleepy

Waste of a good night sleep!

On a regular base I see my Hellerwork (deep tissue massage) guy, in order to maintain and correct some stiffness I may have. During a treatment he started asking me questions about how I slept, etc. which led to him telling me to ask my g.p. about sleep apnea. I did. The g.p. then sent me for a consultation with an ears, nose & throat doctor who sent me for a consultation at a sleep clinic. All this happened fairly fast (despite our lovely medical system!).

I was seeing the sleep doctor on Wednesday. After meeting with him, Dr. Z diagnosed me with sleep apnea. Since we are self-employed, thus no insurance, there wasn’t a real need to go for a sleep study, but he wanted it done anyway. Normally that takes about 6 months before getting an appointment. Dr. Z wanted me to get a CPAP machine, which only cost about $2,000+… According to him with that machine I would be a whole new, refresh person. OK then, I’ll look into it. On my way out I had to schedule my next appointment with Dr. Z and for the sleep study. The lady just had a cancellation and gave me that appointment for the sleep lab. That test was last night.

I had to be at the hospital for 9pm and spend the night until 5:30am this morning. So, last night after dinner I prepared my bag and off to the Royal Victoria’s for a night of sleep in a lab. I’ll spare you the details of how Montreal is in serious need of updating its hospitals. A sad state of affairs we are experiencing. Hubby drove me (being the nice guy that he is) so I wouldn’t leave my car there all night, plus the Montreal Alouettes were playing Hamilton’s Tiger-Cats at the Molson Stadium so there would be no parking around there whatsoever! BTW, Montreal won that game (27-21), I heard the cheering for my room, that gave out on the football field – nice view for the 10th floor!

When I got in, I was asked to change into my pj (this lady showed up with nothing but her referral paper. The look on her face when the tech told her she was spending the night! Some people, I tell you!). The tech came back, sent me for a last pee and then started to hook me up.
I had 15 little wires cemented to me, 2 straps across my chest, plus an oxygen mask and a pulse thingy! And then he told me good night and turned the light off!

All those wires weren’t comfortable AT ALL and I was supposed to sleep! I’ve been sleeping naked for many years now, so to start with sleeping in a pj was one thing. Now add to that a friggin’ short “hospital” bed, and wires everywhere. Let’s just say that I didn’t sleep well! As soon as I would move I’d get caught in wires, the pulse thingy was too tight, some hairs were stuck in tape and cement, so that hurt, not a pleasant night sleep if you ask me.

At 5:30 this morning when the tech came in the room, and asked how I slept, I basically told him that I felt like I do when we catch a “red eye flight”, snoozed some but not rested. When I looked in the mirror, after he unplugged everything, I looked like I had been on a red-eye! According to the tech I don’t have sleep apnea. Really? How can you tell if I wasn’t really sleeping? I’ll be seeing Dr. Z at the end of the month for the results, so let’s see what he has to say about this inconclusive test. Anyway, at this point I just want to go to bed, so…

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Photo: Sleep Lab