Badger and I were up early again, like usual.
Sometimes I wonder if she misses being able to sleep in.
For the first time in her life, she actually seems to be on a normal sleep schedule.
Maybe she’s really feeling rested now and able to start the day, even if that means getting up with the chickens.
Before the medication, she just couldn’t sleep.
She’d be up and down all night, then finally fall asleep right as the sun was coming up.
That was hell when she was in school and on a school schedule.
I do complain that the medication turns her into a zombie at night.
Once she takes it, there’s no waking her back up.
But at the same time, it does seem to have finally normalized her sleep.
There really wasn’t much to do today.
I got the inside cameras set back up while Badger ate breakfast.
When she was done, she went over everything to make sure anything that needed to be hidden was out of sight and anything that needed putting away was taken care of.
Then she vacuumed really well, getting all the little hair tumbleweeds out of the corners.
I don’t know why I even bother, though.
Raven’s former spouse has cats, dogs, chickens, and a pig in her house.
I’m not kidding.
Then we sat and waited.
I had the computer, and Badger had her phone, which kept us both occupied.
Heron had already been up, taken his clothes out to his RV, and left for work.
Cowboy didn’t wake up until 11 am and was just getting his breakfast when Raven pulled into the driveway at 11:03.
Well, Raven's former spouse pulled up, she was driving.
Luckily, she just dumped Raven and the kids off and left.
I didn't particularly want her sitting on my couch anyway.
I can play nice, if I have to, but I'd prefer not having to play nice to her.
Take what you want about me as a person from that.
Badger and I stayed in our room.
The kids prefer their Pappaw over me, and I’m alright with that.
Cowboy’s the hugs‑and‑kisses, get‑on‑the‑floor‑and‑play type.
I come off cold.
My way of showing love is noticing when someone’s tired, thirsty, or hungry and taking care of it.
Kids don’t see that as love, not the way they see Pappaw’s hugs.
Because of how I was raised, hugs and kisses and cuddles will never feel natural to me.
Physical affection just isn’t something I’m comfortable with.
I wasn’t raised around affectionate people.
The kids didn’t do anything exciting, just played outside and watched TV.
When the kids haven’t been around us in a while, they’re usually really quiet and almost shy.
It takes them two or three weekends back with us before they start being rowdy again.
Raven grabbed a few things to take back with him.
Cowboy was outside all afternoon.
He actually decided to fix that broken bedroom window.
Just before 1:30 pm, the other parent picked the kids up and left.
Raven stayed until about 2:15 pm before leaving.
I asked him a few questions while he was here:
Getting back with the other parent? No.
Is she still with the man she left Raven for? Not really.
Is he planning to find a place up there? No.
Is she okay with him staying long term? She’s the one who asked me.
So I guess we will see Raven again when winter comes around.
That's when the other parent does not need him to watch the kids every day, and when the animals don't take as much tending, and when the yard isn't needing constant work.
That’s what happened last year anyway.
After he left, Badger and I walked over to the Baptist church and walked around their parking lot.
Mostly just to get away from the house.
When we got back, Cowboy was still working on that window.
He spent a good two or three hours pulling the old glass out, scraping away the old caulk, and fitting in the new glass.
He said the glass looked like it might have been from 1949.
We've never replaced it, and I doubt the renter before us did either.
Once he finally got it fixed, we could let the cats back out.
I called Walmart because I figured they wouldn’t repair or replace the glasses.
It’s been well over a year since Badger had an exam.
So on Tuesday, when the optometrist comes in, I've got to schedule her an eye exam.
That means she’s stuck wearing sunglasses until then.
And really, she’ll have to wear them until she gets a pair of regular glasses, so at least two weeks.
Then I had to fight with the insurance.
Their website is terrible.
I was starting to think we didn’t even have insurance anymore, but we do, and Walmart is covered.
Cowboy spent most of the day keeping busy.
He fed the chickens, mowed the yard, moved the black car back into the spot where Raven had been parked, and then washed both cars.
It'll be nice to have the front yard back, though I am not holding my breath.
Raven and the kids will likely be back at some point.
He doesn’t stay gone for good unless he’s moved in with a woman, and he still can’t let go of his ex‑wife, so there isn’t anyone else for him to run off to.
I can’t imagine it’s fun for her having to wear black sunglasses all the time.
Everything was taken care of inside, so I chose to be lazy.
We did drag all the cat toys back out.
The cats have missed them.
They had a blast playing.
But again, we’re just setting them up for disappointment once Raven and the kids move back in.
The toys will have to go back in storage, and basically so will the cats.
With the kids here, they live in the laundry room from Friday to Sunday.
I have no doubts whatsoever that this is going to last
I doubt Raven will be able to keep his job, and I doubt the ex-wife will tolerate him living with her long term.
I’m guessing he and the kids will be back here by October, if not sooner.
Cowboy finally came back inside and we got supper eaten.
He’s in his recliner now watching his usual weird TV shows.
Badger and I are heading to my room to finish watching “The X-Files”.
No plans for tomorrow.
Monday is Badger’s appointment in Jefferson City.
Tuesday I need to call the optometrist and see how soon they can get her in.
I haven’t even flipped the calendar over to May yet, so I’m not sure what else is coming up.
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