FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2010

I was unsure how this morning would go, but it went fine. I asked grandpa if he wanted breakfast, he said he was hungry, but when I said I was going to maybe make eggs, he said no. Oatmeal? No. Sausage? Toast? Cereal? Fruit? No. So Carol and I went to the grocery store. When we get back (and successfully bought every kind of cookie and doughnut) We had sandwiches. "Not much for me," Grandpa says. I can't see what he could have possibly eaten while we were gone, so I made him a full sandwich anyway. Carol wrote on the calendar that she put her patch on and took her medicine, but there wasn't a patch on her back. I told her this and she went away, and came back with a patch on her back. "See, it's here sweetie." My grandparents are pulling fast ones on me. Just to make sure I am not insane I go to see her medicine case and today's medicine was still there. I point it out to her, but she says that I was on the wrong Friday, but we are down to our last 4 days until refill, so I know this isn't true, right? Well, I hope so, because she followed my suggestion to take her medicine.
Before dinner Carol comes in to ask if I can help her with something, then I see she's crying. "What's wrong?" A flood spills out of her, "I know I had them yesterday, but he's yelling at me, I don't know where they are, I'm so sorry. This is just AWFUL."..."No," I say firmly. "There is no need for us to spend another day getting upset over keys to a car we don't ever use." I calm her down, but then Grandpa follows in. "Well they're not in the garage." "Grandpa, I know this is your house, but may I suggest that we not go crazy over this issue everyday?" The argument ensues until Carol has gone to look for them, I've started to make dinner, and Grandpa is calming down having a few hundred cigarettes. Occasionally he starts in sputtering things like, "bill shit," and "every fucking time." When he does, I stop and say things like, "Please do not swear so much around me," (Apparently that's "just the way [he] talks) and "I am not going to discuss it any further, they will show up." I get the burgers all done, only a half for grandpa and a half for Carol ("thank you"), before he announced he wasn't hungry AT ALL. What? I insist that since he watched me make dinner and that it is rude (especially since the whole time the cook had you swearing at her back) to refuse food that is made specifically for you.
At dinner we settle into a comfortable conversation, but unfortunately I'm having trouble trying to hold my tongue when he does things like passes his plate to me to clean (like every meal) without offering to help. I spend the rest of the night in my room.

To sum up--

Daily sanity level of house: 4 (out of 10)

Erika's daily activity away from house: I know going to Walmart with Carol shouldn't count but I'm hoping I'll make up for it next week.

Daily lesson: If I find those keys again I am putting it on a key chain with bells and 3 feet of length and the most jarring color possible.