I have had such a busy week at work full of all day review meetings and analysis and documentation. I love both of the latter but am not too fond of the meetings aspect. I read so fast I have consumed the info on the screen and interrupted the presenter to give them my answer before everyone else has finished reading. Therefore I am bored for most of the meeting which leads to me disassociating and not listening to whatever is going on in front of me.
I have been advised I am going back to my previous client on Monday so I hope that goes well.
We have also had builders in all week as we are now working on a few items outside. They finished the rock wall around the pepper tree and it looks like it has been there forever, we wanted it to match our existing walls and I think it looks fabulous.
Now we will order some dirt, buy some top soil and plant the left side of area under the tree. The clivias on the right are ready for splitting so I will start with those and then see what space we have left. As the giant tree is a pepper tree it has very acidic soil and that coupled with the shade means only a few things will thrive in those conditions.
Yesterday they started on the gate. They took out the channel it was running on, replaced the bricks and reinstalled it. They took the motor away with them and put the gate back and locked it down. I had mentioned about the issues I had when Norm was away and we have booked the guy to do a complete overhaul of our security system as well as rebuild the drive. The roots of the tree have caused it all to buckle. We also want to pave the area which is just dirt now so we have additional parking space.
I was due to go to the Drag Show at the Bay Harbour Market and Norm took me down and dropped me for 6pm and I met up with the other girls. Dee was there when I arrived. Dee is moving across Chappies soon so we will not get to see her as often and that makes me a bit sad, she is such a lovely kind human.
Louise arrived shortly after and then Glenda followed soon after. Glenda had driven across the mountain to join us which I was grateful for as it is a schlep at night. Louise had contacts and managed to get us a seat at a table. The place was rammed with people so I was glad, I could not have stood for so long and if people had bumped me much more I might have gotten violent.
I was starving as I had only had a bowl of fruit that day so I headed off to forage something which I could eat tidily. I really fancied the Mexican food but I knew I would be wearing it so I chose a pizza. You can have a gluten free base, vegan cheese or you can choose the toppings on a regular base. I had the Bacon, feta, peppadew and avocado pizza. It was a really nice thin base and had ample toppings. It was really good.
The show started at 7 and we had a decent view from our table, but people were milling about and standing in front of us, the stage or wherever they landed. People kept bumping into me and that makes me a bit crazy. I had a few cocktails and as I seldom drink I blamed my anxiety on that but when I got home and went to bed I saw that I had not taken my meds the previous evening. That explains the feeling of a pounding heart and tense body. In fact we are lucky that I was not on the headlines of the local newspaper the following day ‘American woman stabs annoying drunk man with a spork’.
There were two different entertainers booked, Manila von Teez and Kat Gilardi. They were both fabulous performers and they had the house rocking!
I thought that Queen Manila looked a bit like Shangela. What do you think? She had a few different hair changes and outfit changes and she could dance!
Kat was also fabulous, I had seen her perform in town a few years ago. Her makeup and drag have improved a lot since then, she was polished perfection last night!
We had a lot of fun, it was such an amazing show. One thing which I loved was that the floor in front of the stage was filled with awestruck children. When I think about the fact that drag is illegal in Tennessee where I grew up it sickens me. Such bigotry.
Norm collected me about 9 and we headed home. This morning the builders were here at 8am so I did not get my usual coffee in bed and I feel a wee bit worse for wear from only a few cocktails (and that is why I seldom drink!). However it is a stunning day so I will get out and sit in the sun and watch the birds which always stabilises me.
I have a few things I have been chewing on this week around my neurodiversity. The term ‘Hyperverbal‘ came up on a blog I was reading. It seems to be related to children mostly, but what happens to those hyperverbal kids when they are adults? Do we just shut up? Is it conditioned out of us? I have often been accused of speaking too fast, with too much detail, too intensely, or too familiarly. I can bond with someone within seconds (or think I have) and then trauma dump all over them. Or think someone is my friend just because we spoke and connected (or I think we have). I think this all ties in with the whole concept of neurodiversity and connections with people.
The other area is common sense. My mom has often said to me that ‘for someone so intelligent’, I ‘have no common sense’ or that I can be very naive or gullible. It is true I can be completely lacking in common sense. Things that people just seem to understand effortlessly may not sink into my brain until I have heard it multiple times or been shown how to do it. But then show me something complicated and I can grasp it within seconds.
I also tend to be irritated with people who do NOT grasp something new as easily. I am now starting to be aware of those expectations and to be more gentle with others.
I read that brains of autistic children generate more information at rest than neurotypical children, a 42% increase on average. This explains why so many ND children prefer playing on their own without interaction. It also explains our tendency to disassociate, there is so much going on in our heads that we can focus on alllll of that.
All of these terms are learning points for me and with each new discovery, I become closer to self understanding and self acceptance.
I am ending this week with immense gratitude. Gratitude for my sexy wonderfully supportive husband, my family, the women in my life, my job, my health, our home and all of my blessings.
I am one Grateful Kitten.
Until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxoxxo
Kitten in the City 
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