Cav's Place

With the first run I’m yet to write about having been on December 2, I’ll still leave the long walks to “pay” with PET bottles aside, and of course also the hospitalization, but use this post for the odds and ends from before that date that I’m yet to write about. That includes three days from the first half of October, but I’ll get back to those after picking up from where I left off, after walking away from that area and putting the shirt back on, so I’ll finally finish with the day of the marathon, October 31.

The plan was to go to Victoriei and then just keep going all the way to that street that’s just before Victory Square, to then go to that pizza place and use some more of those points I had won, but after crossing to the other side of Unirii Boulevard I just continued on it until I ended up before the park and fountains, so I went into the Old City, meaning to at least cut a little through there… Only to end up rather lost, apparently first going one way, then the other, before finding my way out close to University Square, so I should have just kept going and used the main roads. But since I was there and passing by a used books store, I decided to have what turned out to be a quite thorough look, despite that fact that all the fluids were starting to make their effects felt and I started needing to sort of dance around with increasing desperation with every minute that passed. But I somehow managed to hold it in until I finished looking at everything I cared to look at, then rushed to the underground passage and fortunately found the toilets open.
After staying on the main road for a while, I quickly checked a Mega Image and then turned to smaller streets again, deciding to get one of those carrot and orange cakes, and also having a quick look in another place I spotted just before getting there. Then I finally reached that pizza place and walked in, the work having finally been finished, first asking why was one kind of pizza much cheaper than the others, including the Margherita, and whether it was smaller. Then, since I was told that they’re all the same size, I ordered one of those and another vegetarian one, also trying my luck again by asking whether they had any offer for those who had finished the marathon and being told that they didn’t. After that, while waiting, I started looking for the toilets, ending up asking another waiter and not understanding the directions he gave me, looking around the corner instead of going through the doors, so I turned back to look at him in confusion as he just stood there looking at me as well, seeming to not understand what I wasn’t understanding. But then the one standing at the door, who had taken my order, returned and I could ask her, and she explained in a way I could understand, so I went to pee again and also wash better, then after the pizzas were brought I spent some more time trying to stuff both boxes in one bag before giving up and using two.
After stopping again to try to arrange the boxes better as soon as I found a spot where I could place the bags, I meant to just keep going all the way to Obor, but when I saw a 0.50 RON coin in front of a Mega Image, after picking it up I decided to go in after all. What I wanted to get from Mega Image is something that’s not usually available in the small stores, and the pizzas wouldn’t fit in a cabinet, so I asked the guard what to do about them if I just wanted to quickly look for something and he told me to leave them on the first checkout counter, which was unmanned at the time. So I did that and had that quick look, and somewhat to my surprise found what I was looking for, so I bought it and then continued on my way, having quick looks at some of the confectioneries and pastry places I passed by but not meaning to get anything until I reached that new place from Obor, for another one of those apple and meringue cakes. And it’s a good thing that, even though I again needed to pee quite desperately by the time I got there, I decided to make that detour before going to Carrefour and Kaufland, because once I got there I saw that it wasn’t open, though the listed schedule stated that it should have been, so I knew that I had to look for something else in the hypermarkets instead.
After managing to get everything in a cabinet and rushing again to the toilet, I got a pumpkin and various expiring things from Carrefour, these being for dad with the exception of the piece of pie that I ended up getting instead of that cake. Then I retrieved my things from the cabinet and also went to Kaufland, and since I had a list of things to buy from there, including some more cat food, I first took care of that, then also got some cabbage, and also some cucumbers and green onions that were discounted even though it wasn’t that late, even the time on the receipt being only 6:40 PM.
With the pizzas needing to be kept more or less straight, some of the other things being placed on top of one of the boxes and sliding around, and the bag from the race kit being unusable, I had to figure out how to carry everything, the pumpkin and cabbage proving quite an issue, so after an initial attempt to arrange everything I stopped again after leaving Kaufland, spreading my things on a bench and taking my time to figure out something that seemed to work better… And that would have been the end of it if dad wouldn’t have called at 8 PM. He hadn’t called until then, but apparently decided to do so just then, when I was only some ten minutes away, the traffic was loud and even a tram was just passing by. And of course at first he hung up quickly, before I could manage to somehow free a hand to answer, then tried again but, again as usual, wouldn’t shout on the phone even when it’s obviously necessary, so all I heard were some unintelligible whispers until he hung up again… And then he called one more time, some five minutes later, and this last call was the real problem, because when I got the phone out of the jacket’s pocket, where I had placed it in order to be able to get to it faster, a hangnail broke off and I started bleeding quite heavily, all over the bags, jacket and phone, so it’s a good thing I was at least so close, because carrying everything suddenly became even more of a problem… As was getting my keys out and unlocking the building’s door.
Still, since I had told him that I was only a few minutes away and he had said he’ll wait, I assumed that I at least won’t have to struggle with the apartment door, so I rang the doorbell… Then knocked… Then rang some more… Until I gave up and struggled with the keys yet again, and then also with opening the door and walking in with everything, a bit before 8:20 PM, having carried 19 kg. As for the reason why he hadn’t answered, that was because he was in the bathroom, starting to take a bath, and when I reminded him what he had said he said he had waited until then, calling me when it started getting late and he really wanted to take that bath, so when he said he’ll wait, he meant he’ll wait in the bathroom… As if that made any sense… Or as if starting to take a bath just when he knew I was getting back after such a day and would want to take a bath myself made sense either. But I spent that time putting things in their place and cleaning up after him in the kitchen, then took that bath after he was done, and then made salad and, at 3:20 AM, started eating dinner, consisting of the carrot and orange cake, that cheaper pizza and the salad. Also took a cold pill, just in case, and finally got in bed at 5:30 AM.

Now that I finally finished with that day, let me get back to October 5, when dad said that mother had told him to get watermelon as well, and also bread, though those hadn’t been on the list she had given me, which I had taken care of after the previous day’s run. So that spurred me into action and I said I’ll go out that evening and get those as well, and since that meant I was going to shower again anyway, after getting back, I decided to also clean my room before leaving, at 7:20 PM.
Went to the Carrefour and Kaufland that are next to each other, first checking prices in Carrefour, then getting the bread for mother from Kaufland, then returning to Carrefour to also get a bread for dad and some potatoes, then going back to Kaufland, peeing and washing my hands and then being there just in time for the 9 PM discounts, getting a bread for myself and two other things from there, then taking my time picking a watermelon. Struggled with that watermelon for a while, first trying to put it in a smaller bag and then in my backpack, but eventually had to give up and leave it in a larger bag.
I still had a bit of time, however, so I also went to the Mega Image that’s across the road from there, for some more of that zacusca, just managing to stuff everything in a cabinet, since that location has some slightly larger ones there. I was in at 9:40 PM, got the zacusca and also found that in one of the bags of discounted carrots there were carrot pieces that otherwise were quite good, the others having mostly whole ones that were actually spoiling, so I bought that as well and just as I got back to the cabinet the cashier told the guard to get ready because it was 9:55 PM. So he blocked the doors, then helped me get the potatoes in my backpack, since I was struggling, then opened the doors so I could leave, and I was walking away just before 10 PM.
Didn’t walk far at first, however, stopping just a few steps away, to check that I had everything and try to arrange things better, and then doing so again after crossing the road. But I was eventually back a bit before 10:40 PM, having carried 14 kg. Then I had a small apple and a sweet pastry before eventually also changing my sheets and taking the blanket out, putting it back in use. Then I showered, got back in the kitchen at 1:15 AM and started eating dinner at 3:30 AM. My right foot was burning again, but I’m thinking that what made me make a note of this back then is significantly less than what I’m feeling now…

The next day I skipped over so far is October 10, when there were no visits recorded. Otherwise, after the irregular heartbeats I made a note of having the previous night continued when I happened to wake up that day, still feeling them even at 12:15 PM, when I last went to pee, they did seem to go away when I actually got up, around 2 PM. Had lunch not long after that, then only started eating dinner at 3:20 AM, after going to shower at almost 1 AM and then washing and cleaning things in the kitchen. And those irregular heartbeats returned that night, and continued throughout the next day.

As for October 12, I was out at 7:10 PM, and since I was looking for green onions I first checked the Shop & Go on the way to the Carrefour from the park. Then I went there and saw that regular onions were on sale, so I got some of those and a little bit of garlic, trying multiple scales after noticing that two added a bit to the weight. Then I made a little detour to have a very quick look in the Mega Image that’s next to the farmers’ market and then continued to Kaufland, also checking a Shop & Go on the way. There were no green onions in that Kaufland, however, so I just grabbed some oats for dad and the last bread of the kind I get from there, evening discounts already applying, then decided to change the plan, going to that newer Kaufland as well instead of Auchan.
Lost a little more time on the way, first having a quick and pointless look in that Profi and again going the wrong way for a little while after getting back out, and then also very quickly and just as pointlessly checking two more Shop & Go locations I passed by, but when I got to that Kaufland I saw evening discounts for fruits and vegetables and also a few bundles of green onions left, so I grabbed two of those first… And the last 1 RON bill I had fell from my pocket when I took out the phone to check the time. But I realized it soon after, rushed back to that spot and found it still there, on the floor, close to an employee who was working with some boxes. Then I wandered around a little, calculated what I had left and what I could still afford, found grapes for a pittance that looked good and got some, then saw that the prices of the vegetables had dropped yet again, at 9:30 PM, and also got a lettuce with root. Then I again tried to calculate how much I had left and what I could get without using any of the 0.50 RON coins, but somehow made a mistake, so if after also adding a bundle of carrots with leaves I thought I just had to find 0.03 RON at the self-checkouts, I actually needed 0.13 RON… And didn’t find anything anyway, so I had to use one of those coins after all. And the machine told me to scan the product first after placing the grapes on the scales, so I had to call an employee to override that.
After arranging the purchases in a bag, with what I had bought earlier that evening being in the backpack, I went to wash my hands, walked out at 9:55 PM and got back here just before 10:40 PM. Then I ate a cake brought by dad, showered, took care of something else I had to do and got back in the kitchen at 1:10 AM. There was a lot to do there, however, so it was 4:15 AM when I finally started eating dinner, and that was even though I forgot to put any seasonings in the salad and didn’t go back to the kitchen to do so, not wanting to lose even more time. But at least 4:15 AM wasn’t even at that point the latest time I had started eating dinner, and I finished at 5:10 AM and got in bed at 5:35 AM. The irregular heartbeats continued, and I noticed a few even while I was still in my room, after showering, and more after that, while I was in the kitchen and then while eating.

Now I’ll skip all the way to November 23, when I was careful and there was no more blood in the toilet, but I had a huge amount of gas all day and didn’t sleep much, being unable to get back to sleep after waking up a bit after 9:30 AM. And my mother was here and annoying me and I rather cracked in the evening, having to isolate myself, curling in a ball under the blanket. At least I napped then, but I stayed in my room after that as well, not eating that night… Which at least allowed me to add that last part to the post about the marathon, considering it completed after that, though it’s only with this post that I finally finished with that day.

On November 24 I started reading The Sixth Extinction. Otherwise, something was wrong with my stomach in the evening, a lot coming out the rear end after lunch, though I was very relieved that there was no blood, at least. And I still had old celery root and mayonnaise to finish, so I wanted to start eating dinner a bit earlier, but after crawling in bed after midnight and waking up at 1:20 AM, I only did so at 3:35 AM… And I had burned my tongue as well, in the evening, on the biscuits I had microwaved.

All I want to add about November 25 is that I timed the squats again, seeing 2:09 even though I did them in the kitchen. Then I’ll skip to the early hours of November 27, when I had a late shower, getting to the kitchen close to 1:30 AM, starting to eat dinner at 3:30 AM despite having had an early lunch, in the afternoon, and getting in bed at 5:20 AM. As for that evening, I managed to finish the book, then cooked something, then told dad that I was going to want to get on-line before midnight, to post the quick review. And since he said he was going to bed anyway and it was 11 PM, I calmly went to my room, to write it while eating lunch, and when I was done, at 11:50 PM, I just connected… Only to see that his computer was still connected as well, so I rushed to the living room to remind him of what he had said… Only for him to say that he had never said he’ll go to bed and was waiting for midnight, though as I was about to repeat exactly what he had said he drifted off, possibly realizing he was wrong, and immediately turned off the computer, though of course the “damage” was already done. Either way, I then started eating dinner at 3:05 AM. Could have started before 3 AM, but decided to mix and then arrange some cheese, so it was before 3 AM when I licked a bit of that.

On November 29 I left at 5:25 PM, taking the recyclables and making a little detour to drop them off in a bin. I was going to Obor, but also meant to once again check that location of the Library that was closed whenever I did, forgetting that it was a free day for state institutions, so it was of course closed yet again. Then I checked three Mega Image locations from the Obor area, including that big one, but didn’t get anything from any of them, the first purchases of the evening being from that Penny, frozen beans for dad and a small but passable pumpkin that somehow still had the previous week’s discounted price. Carrefour was next, and after putting those purchases in a cabinet I went to wash my hands and decided to pee as well, then got onions, an expiring bio (organic) yogurt and a similarly discounted piece of kadaif. Then I continued to Kaufland, washed my hands again, and confirmed that bread doesn’t get evening discounts there, and at 8:30 PM the employee grabbed it off the shelves anyway. But I made use of the evening discount for two other bakery products, then grabbed a heavily discounted cauliflower that was admittedly starting to go bad and also some canned sardines.
Even though I again took quite some time to arrange everything, making better use of the backpack, I was still out a couple of minutes before 9 PM, and entered the building at 9:45 PM. Then I had a late lunch, and writing some more to add to the post about medical matters meant it was late when I finally went to shower, finishing at 1:40 AM and starting to eat dinner at 3:30 AM, though I again licked a bit of cheese a little earlier. But at least I finished that post that night.

On the evening of November 30, I ended up spending four hours in bed, struggling to just barely hold back another breakdown caused by dad cooking and then complaining when I went to the kitchen in the evening and washed something. Meant to floss and brush my teeth and then read, but ended up needing to just crawl in bed, and when I somehow managed to briefly fall asleep I dreamed that I was having that breakdown, though at least that only happened in the dream. And even though I was thinking I won’t manage to go to the kitchen that night, I eventually managed to crawl out of bed, actually went there a little before 1 AM and even managed to clean up more of the mess dad had left than I thought I would. Still, that meant it was 3:25 AM when I started eating dinner, and that was after again having an early lunch, after waking up, and only got in bed again at 5:30 AM. In between, however, I also finally added the Romanian translation to the Goodreads version of the quick review for The Sixth Extinction, dealt with some more things in the kitchen and also flossed.

As for December 1, I knew that dad was going to bring mother again, but since they were first going to buy a new toilet tank to finally replace the broken one, I thought they’ll arrive later. However, they arrived in the afternoon, also put things in the kitchen and started working in the bathroom, so I didn’t really manage to do any of the things I had planned for that day other than making a full backup… And also had to hold it in again, which definitely isn’t a good idea when you have problems in that area. Either way, I had lunch in the evening, started eating dinner at 3:15 AM and got in bed at 5:20 AM.