Friday, November 18, 2022

Nightmares And Funny Boys


Sweet Lynda from across the pond sent me that lovely bat-shit-crazy bat and I have hung it in my kitchen to the left of the stove with a little chicken ornament who watches over my cooking efforts. It fits in with my decor perfectly. 
And for those of you who don't get the reference, I have often said that I am a member of the Church of the Batshit Crazy and that we have services here frequently. 

Which we do. 

This morning was a bit of an experience. I woke up from a dream that had been horrible and yet, I had to admire my brain for tying all of the fear element themes together that I regularly dream of in such a connected narrative. It was pretty amazing. The fear elements, as I called them, included worry over my family and all of its members individually and as a group, worry over me accidentally or in some other way, losing any members of my family, worry over Mr. Moon working himself too hard (and the resulting possibilities which I cannot bring myself to discuss), anxiety about crowds of people (the whole dream was set at a fair), and worry over Thanksgiving. 
I thought that after I bought the two dang turkeys those dreams would go away but it would seem not. In the dream things kept happening and it was Thanksgiving Eve and I knew that all I had to cook were like two packages of wilted celery and carrots AND I knew I would be cooking in that strange and filthy and funky kitchen that shows up in my dreams that has about five stoves, all of them with only bits and pieces that work, and so forth. 
Right before I woke up, I had said in the dream, "Will this nightmare NEVER end?" which is sort of funny. 
Oh, you silly brain of mine. You do like to mess with me. 

So yes. I woke up from that and then in an hour or so, just as I was starting to pull myself out of the nightmare, I got a group text from Hank who was in the ER, Rachel at his side, with AFib, which he does  get from time to time. They ended up sending him home, still in AFib, with instructions to come back if his pulse got and stayed over 100 bpm which was reassuring and yet, not really. 

But then it was time to go pick up Levon and knowing that Hank was going home to rest with Rachel there to tend to him, I ran to the FGDDG store where I bought two Spider Man coloring books and a pack of many Crayola washable markers to take to the boys. How I started this habit of always taking them something is a question I ask myself. But here we are and I packed up those and two York peppermint patties and a package of malt crackers with peanut butter for them both along with some books and leftovers from last night for my lunch and a New Yorker magazine and zipped over to Temple Israel preschool where Levon appeared wearing shorts, flip-flops, and a very-well padded jacket with a hood. He is dressing himself these days and refused to wear the long pants and shoes that thirty-six-degree weather would call for. Vergil had packed those things in his bag but he wanted nothing to do with him. As I took his hand to walk him to the car, I said, "Your hand is so cold!" 
"And yours is so warm!" he said. 
I was wearing corduroy overalls, my new Goodwill long-sleeved t-shirt and new Goodwill long-sleeved sweater. And shoes and socks. And felt quite cozy. 
That boy.
He inquired as to whether or not I was going to buy him a toy and I told him that I'd already gotten him and August something and told him what I'd brought and he seemed to be fine with all of that. 
He colored while I ate my lunch and then we read some books and then he wanted to go out and jump on the trampoline for awhile. 

I took a video and I swear I CANNOT figure out how to get a video from my phone (and subsequently my MacBook) onto my blog. I used to be able to do it by uploading videos to Youtube and copying the embedding code from there but I am no longer getting the Youtube option when I try to share the video. It's just something I have to figure out and I think I can if I prioritize the time to do it. What I wanted to share was Levon doing flips that amazed me that he's been learning in gymnastics. 
I was, quite frankly, stunned. 
You'll just have to take my word, I guess. 

And then it was time to go get August and he hugged me when I picked him up. I have come to cherish these hugs so much. 
He, too, asked if I'd brought them anything and I laughed and said, "You and your brother always ask the same thing. Did you ask Boppy if he'd brought you treats when he picked you up?"
"Yes," August said. 
"And what did he say?" I asked. 
"That our treat was him."

I laughed some more and told him what I'd brought and he, too, was satisfied. They both colored some in their Spider Man coloring books and allowed me to do a little coloring too. Then I told them about one of the scariest things I ever did which was to climb steps inside of Chichen Itza to see a jade jaguar throne in a hidden chamber and I showed them pictures of Chichen Itza and of the jaguar and tried to make the story as scary as it had really been for me and I swear- I do not know what those children think of me. Am I interesting to them? Do they think I'm insane? 
I have no idea but they definitely know I love them and that I am as apt to laugh at fart and butt jokes as they are. 
Obviously, I got no pictures but again- you'll just have to take my word on the fact that they are as adorable as ever. 
It did appear that Levon had trimmed his own hair. I asked him about that. 
"Did you cut your hair?" I asked. At first he said no, but then he said that yes, he had. 
"Just wanted a new look?" I asked. 
"Yeah," he said. 
"I hear you," I told him. 

And I really do. 

Here is a picture of the jade jaguar within the pyramid of Chichen Itza with an obviously translated description. 


In the 1930s, however, a group of excavators began exploring and discovered that another pyramid temple was nestled within the larger pyramid. further excavations revealed that it had nine platforms, a single stairway, and a temple containing human remains, a jade studded jaguar throne, and a so called chac mool. Scientists have found a second pyramid hidden deep within the kukulkan pyramid at the mayan ruins of chichen itza in mexico. researchers announced the discovery wednesday of a pyramid 10 meters. Chichen itza is the largest city in the state of yuuk'atan and the second largest in the aztec empire. often abbreviated as c.i. and nicknamed the city of palaces, chichen itza is rated an alpha world city, has an estimated population of 6.8 million and spans over 498.3 sq mi (1290.6 sq km). The jade jaguar throne inside the chichen itza pyramid, mexico no flash allowed, so this is an ambient light photo (and there wasn't much light). and iron bars keep you at a safe distance from it. the throne is red, with jade spots.

"...nine platforms, a single stairway, and a temple containing human remains..."

Uh-huh. That's right. Teeny tiny steep steps with no light except for some extremely inadequate electric LED lights and absolutely no ventilation. 
Talk about your nightmare. 
Plus- I'll bet anything that that's a replica of the throne. The Maya weren't stupid when they built Chichen Itza and they aren't stupid now. 
I, however, was a complete idiot for thinking that climbing those tiny, steep, dark, airless steps was a good idea.

Mr. Moon will be home late, late, late tomorrow night. Plane arriving at midnight. And then he will have to get an Uber to the Weatherford's to pick up his car and then drive to Lloyd. 
Sigh. 
I will make him biscuits on Sunday. I will be so glad he is home. 

Happy Friday,  y'all.

Love...Ms. Moon




23 comments:

  1. I have those locations which keep appearing in dreams but aren't from real life. A couple of city districts where I'm lost, can't find my car and it's getting dark...you get the idea.
    It sounds as if the kids are a good antidote to bad dreams though.

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    1. I, too, have city districts in my dreams. Sometimes even NYC. And as time goes by, I become more familiar with these places. My mind builds on to the original landscape, I think. So odd.
      Kids will definitely bring you out of yourself.

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  2. I visited Chichen Itza once. I remember climbing those steps on the outside, they scared the crap out of me, so steep and I remembered seeing that jaguar when I saw the photo. Chichen Itza was also the site of one of my recurring dreams come true.
    I often dream about searching for a bathroom in my dreams, obviously, I have to pee and just haven't woken up yet. I can never find a suitable bathroom, the toilets don't flush or they're overflowing or the doors don't lock or there are no doors.
    I went to the bathroom at Chichen Itza and when I walked in, it was the bathroom of my dreams, just one toilet after another but no walls or doors, except for three stalls. I've never forgotten that .
    Only one more day and your big guy will be home.

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    1. Ah yes- Mexican bathrooms can be a bit of a nightmare. Cuban ones were the same or worse. But the Mexican ones have improved over the years, I've noticed. At least in the more touristy areas.
      I didn't climb the temple itself. I had climbed the pyramid at Coba years before and when I finally got safely back to the bottom I swore I'd never climb another. And I haven't! Climb climbed the one at Chichen though.

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  3. You did that? That is fabulous, i think you are amazing! as for farts being funny, they just are -and butts are hilarious , just LOOK at them !!
    - Why are farts the sharpest things in the world? Because they go through the pants without creating any holes.- there's one for the lads!

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    1. Okay. I will remember that joke for the little boys. They will roar with laughter.
      I used to be far more amazing than I am now.

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  4. I'm impressed with all the pyramids inside pyramids! Talk about master engineers. They must have been so clever. I have days when I mess up stapling a few pages together!
    I'm glad the boys enjoyed their colouring books, but equally impressed with Boppy's "your treat is me".
    I tried cutting my own hair when I was five, made such a mess of it I had to be taken to the hairdresser and came out looking like a boy.

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    1. The Mayans were incredible architects and mathematicians and astronomers too. I grieve at the amount of knowledge of theirs we have lost due to the early European Catholic explorers destroying everything they could get their damn hands on.

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    2. Taking things apart to find "the gold" when the things they took apart were the gold.

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  5. Oh darn it, here's me thinking I'll just not bother travelling any more because it's beautiful enough round here and then you show that Chichen Itza picture. You've just destroyed all my stay-at-home plans Ms Moon. Oh and I hope Hank is feeling better today!

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    1. You should go visit the Yucatan. It has fabulous Mayan ruins and jungles and the most amazing beaches! And the food is so good.
      Hank is feeling better today. Thank you!

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  6. My 10 yr old grandson is seriously worried that he will have to wear long trousers when he moves to secondary school in 2 yrs time!

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    1. Haha! Little boys care about what they wear, just as girls do. We just shake our heads at Levon and say, "Well, he's a Florida boy."

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  7. That pyramid DOES sound forbidding. I haven't made it to Chichen Itza yet! Sounds like a fun day with the boys. Yay to Mr. Moon coming home!

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    1. You should go visit, Steve! It is unbelievable.
      Yep. Glen'll be home in about seven hours or so!

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  8. All that gift giving! You have made a rod for your own back. I wonder what you'll be giving the boys when they are teenagers. Mind you I look at our Phoebe with some sorrow knowing that when she is twelve years old I will be eighty - that's if I make it that far. I will only witness a small part of her life and never know her as an adult. Keep on giving the presents Mary!

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  9. I know you must be thrilled that Mr. Moon will be home late tonight! Welcome home, MM.

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  10. I've been to Chichen Itza twice and also walked down those tiny steep steps and the small small cramped tunnel to see the jaguar throne. I know they were small people but can you imagine being down there with only a flaming torch for light? I'm not really claustrophobic but I was glad to get out of there.

    It's fun when kids finally take control and start dressing themselves with their own choices.

    I can relate to Hank's afib. Been there, am there but now on medication which controls it about 90%.

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    1. I've only been once but I would definitely go back. But I would NOT go see the jade jaguar throne!
      Levon has a mind of his own and that is that!
      I know you've had so many problems with AFib and it cheers me to know that you've survived it all! He's on medications too which do help.

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  11. Hope Hank gets that afib under control. It is a worry.
    I have some of my group coming on Thanksgiving so I have my long list ready but haven't hit the stores yet. Maybe tomorrow or Monday... I have done it for years but I always get a bit nervous about it all coming together. I make it gluten-free and dairy-free for the sake of my daughter but it has turned out yummy so hopefully it will be fine this year too!

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  12. I read that as chicken itza and admired once more your love of all things chicken. I was concerned that you thought the chicken was a bat until I realised it was two separate ornaments. I think I need a coffee.

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  13. Chichen Itza is the perfect makings of a children's storybook tale, if you ask me. Sheesh- praying all your A-fib and DVT worries are in the rear-view post-haste!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.