testing

So i just downloaded a blogger app on my phone, seeing if it works!

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Simon Says...

"get me the *(^##&^@ out of here!!!!"

Yep, Simon got a bath today, and I am sure paying for it.  Everything was fine until he went in the litter box... I don't know what he ate that made this such an incredible mess, but he came out stinking so bad it triggered my gag reflex, and then plopped his little body down in the middle of the kitchen floor to try and clean himself off.  Gross on more levels than I care to explore... so I thought the sink might be the least intimidating for him... after he nearly clawed all of the skin off my right palm I decided screw the sink, too many ways out.  I threw him in the tub (empty!) and closed the door (the only time I've been thankful for a door on our tub instead of a curtain!) while I tried to undo the damage in the kitchen.  I then found the one old rag we have and shampooed it up, knowing that I stood a better chance of rubbing him down with a rag than with my hand and a squeeze bottle of shampoo... at least there would be a layer between his claws and my skin...

I pray to god I got the worst of it out of his fur because I will not be making a second attempt today, that's for sure!  Poor kitty was traumatised, as were the other two who came running the second I opened the bathroom door - presumably to recover the body of their fallen brother.

I've stopped bleeding, but the apartment still stinks, and Simon keeps giving me the death stare.  I'm still not sure he's clean, but he's at least cleaner than before we started this mess.  *sigh*

Shot Through the Heart

Last night I received an email from my aunt asking for prayers for a friend of hers.  Her friend's 18 year old son had been missing overnight, and they had been informed that he had left 2 suicide notes with friends.  Tonight we received a follow up from my aunt that they found what they believe to be his body (or remains) and pending DNA confirmation, a devastated family of (now) 4 will have bury their son/brother.

I don't know these people.  I have never met them, I have never heard their names, but I grieve for them tonight.  I have been so blessed in my life to have never been directly impacted by the suicide of a loved one, but I have been indirectly impacted a few times, and it's never easy.  I have no idea what this boy's situation was, I have no concept of what drove him to act so selfishly (I'm sorry, in my opinion suicide is always selfish... some cases it may be more justified than others, but it is always selfish), but I absolutely am devastated for his family... he left behind shell shocked parents, an older brother (21) and a younger brother (7).  I cannot begin to image the pain and terror this family will have to process over the rest of their lives, or how they will find the strength to pull what's left of their family together to get through this horror.

I have very few outlets to deal with the way these things impact me, especially when they are so indirect... so here's my outlet for tonight.  Healing and Harmony to all those touched by the loss of this life... and an outpouring of love and affirmations to anyone who may be struggling with thoughts of suicide themselves... there is help out there, and no matter how much you may feel no one cares, or that you are too much of a burden to those you love... I promise you that you're wrong.  Find the help, hold out your hand and let those who love you see you through the darkness.  Please don't punish them this way.

annoyance --> insanity

I love kitties.  I love kittens.  I love my husband.  Tonight I am desperately fighting the urge to set up the aero bed out on the landing for the night.  The cats won't stop chasing each other ALL OVER, digging through the recycling, clawing up my craft projects and my hands... my husband was great until he decided to give me crap about the stuff I haven't put away yet, when he does it all the time too and I never say boo about it... then did the one thing he knows pisses me off before going to bed to read.

So I'm trying to regroup in my head, to refocus my anger and frustrations and to find an internal happy place.  The fact that my shoulder has been killing me all week isn't helping.

Grrr...

annoyances

well I just had my very first day in court.  it was crappy.  Back in December I received a ticket which was considered "impeding traffic" for parking crooked in a parking space... WITHIN THE PAINTED LINES.  Granted, it was not the most beautiful park job in the world, I was crooked in the space, but I was IN THE SPACE.  When I called to find out how much the fine was for, they told me $55 because it was impeding traffic.  I immediately requested a court date, because I was WITHIN THE PAINTED LINES...!!!!  The judge was willing to reduce the fine to $30 but wouldn't let me off completely because the officer stated he had to change lanes in order to get around the vehicle.  I do not think the officer lied, I fully believe he changed lanes.  I know factually it was not necessary to do so in order to avoid hitting my car.  Ridiculous.

No real point to this post other than to vent, because I need to move past it so I can focus on my stupid paper that's due tomorrow... I've finished reading ONE of our 20 reading assignments and the paper calls for focus on 5... meaning I still have a whole lot of reading to do before I can even start writing.  Grrrrrr...

ok, time to purge and restart.

Sick Days

Yesterday and today were sick days for me (which is usually made easier by being unemployed...).  On the down side, I've felt like crap and had to cancel some really fun plans I had for the weekend, including a really big gig Austin had last night down in Battle Creek that I'd been looking forward to all month.  Also an IKEA trip with JennJenn today that I've been wanting to do since like October.  On the plus side, I've gotten a lot of sleep, quite a bit of homework done, lots of kitty snuggle time (with all three kitties!) and almost caught up on my letter writing project; Mission 2001: 365 Letters.

Austin finally made it home this afternoon and we've been watching movies ever since.  We started with A Mighty Wind - a treat I got us when I found a used copy on Amazon for (wait for it...) $0.11... I KNOW!!  Now we're rounding the bend on Star Wars: Episode IV.  This one takes me back... I watched Star Wars so many times growing up - eternal classics, I'm so glad to finally own a set!!

Poor Austin has to go to work tonight at 01.30... I hope it won't be too long of a job for him.  I can't believe how late it feels right now (only 19.00 as I write this).  We have to keep our blinds closed most of the time to help keep the cold air out (our windows are nearly prehistoric!) so it always feels darker than it is anyway.  Add onto that the fact that I've been in my pjs and on the couch all day, and I feel like it should be almost midnight.

I'm hoping to be feeling better by tomorrow... a good friend of mine from high school is getting married and tomorrow is her bridal shower.  I really don't want to have to scrap the entire weekend so I'm really hoping to make it to that!

Kitty Love

For those of you who haven't heard the news yet, Austin & I adopted two ADORABLE kittens last week!  We went to the Humane Society with the intent of adopting one playmate for Smudge who has been terribly lonely since we moved her into the apartment with us (she's used to sharing a home with four adults another cat and a golden retriever!)  When we arrived we were instantly drawn to this playful stripey kitten named Jude (we kept his name), but he was in a kennel with another little kitten... a black fluffy thing who is now named Simon (the name they gave him was dumb so we changed it)  Austin didn't like the idea of separating brothers, so when I suggested we look at some of the other kitties there, he asked "why don't we just get them both?"  First I felt his forehead for a fever, then I asked him to repeat himself, then I asked if he was serious.  For a man who has resisted and resisted me on getting another cat, he was now suggesting we adopt two!  Needless to say, we are now a 3 cat home... and I'm thrilled :o)  Simon & Jude are so much fun to watch and snuggle with, and Smudge is actually almost getting along with them already!  It's been one of the smoothest critter transitions I've ever witnessed, I'm so excited by it!  The boys go to the vet this afternoon for their first post-adoption check up, and I'm glad for it as they've been sneezing a LOT and I think they may have picked up upper respiratory infections at the Humane Society (very common in kennel situations) I just want to get it under control before Smudge picks it up too!

 Momma Catz - Smudge!

the babies... Jude (bottom) and Simon (top)