Time to Go Shopping

 Damn cats. I was woken (wakened?) by the sound of a plastic bag being loudly thrashed by one of the three cats, at like, 3:30am. What the heck? I know Crack Kitty (aka Rusty) has always had a petroleum fetish (constantly into plastic bags, chewing on them, acting like they are catnip) but I think it was one of the other two: Skitters or Lucious. Not sure which, but I was not amused with the early morning antics. So, of course, now I can't sleep (despite taking 2 sleeping pills last night). I decided to do my weekly book searching: finding some more to request, checking status on ones coming out soon from authors I enjoy, seeing what else is coming soon and adding it to my "lists". And it is only 4:30am now. Sigh.

Thursday I did accomplish a few things and was able to scratch them off my to-do list. One good one is the claim I put in on my office chair. I don't recall if I mentioned, but several weeks ago one of the bolts holding the back and handle to the seat had snapped, and now leaning back is a nightmare and a fall waiting to happen. Within the hour of me sending pictures of front and back (why? the damage was on the side) and an included side pic, I had a response. They set up the full amount paid for the chair (minus taxes) so I can purchase another. I did go up to Staples on Thursday, and found a chair I like, and of course, it is $10 more than what I had to replace with, but I think it will be worth it - plus the warranty. We know now that it was worth it. Probably will go up today and get it, bring it home and put it together.

I really need to get out and get the lawn done. It is hard with my physical limitations, and the Wife is tired from working all week. Youngest is in the rebellious teenage mode (again) and refuses to get up and help with anything unless it is is for something he wants. The two older Sons live close, but one has off-hours for work, and the other is usually busy with his own life. If I can get the Wife to weed-eat/pull stuff from around her plants, I will take the hour plus to mow the lawn (have to take breaks). Guess we will see if she gets her butt out of bed at a decent time.

Erg. I see I still need to call on the title issue for the car. I need to set that right in front of everything on my desk. Sitting off to the side, I keep forgetting about it, until it is too late to call. Need to finish the taxes this weekend, too. I needed some additional info from the Wife to complete the online filings, and she hasn't got back to me about it. I guess she will be doing that today!

PeacE

Allergies, Death, and What's Next

 Argh! Yesterday was a terrible day. For whatever reason, my allergies were in full effect, and the pill I take daily for them did nothing to help alleviate. Itchy, watery eyes, causing the nose to constantly be runny, which caused drainage if snot to go down the throat, tickling enough to cause me to cough. Needless to say, by bedtime my eyes and nose felt rubbed raw from all the rubbing and blowing. I even did some Vick's rub to try to ease some of the issues - with no luck. And let's add in to the mix the stomach bug I have/had, so was doing the backyard trots most of the day as well. It is too early this morning to tell if I still have an upset stomach or not, but already the eyes and nose are running.

I'm sure I had mentioned at some point in the past almost three years, that we had inherited two cats from when my MIL had passed away. Well, the other night, the older of the two started passing away. I say started, because you just knew that he was not going to pull through. Lack of use of the back legs, no desire to eat/drink. From past experience, I knew that there was no need to go racking up a vet bill for something they cannot do anything about. I also really didn't want to pay upwards of $200 for euthanasia and disposal. I made him as comfortable as I could yesterday, and when the Wife got home, I left it up to her - after all, it's her cat. It was decided we would just make him as comfortable as we could, and just wait. I have not checked on him this morning, but am hoping he has passed in the night. The middle Son will be over this week, and we can dig a small plot in the yard for Nimbus - even if they say you aren't supposed to bury your pets in the yard. Guess I will find out how he fared here in a few when the Wife wakes for work.

Still no work yet. A friend had forwarded an email for similar work from another company, but I heard nothing, and that was supposed to start today. I'm starting to wonder what am I supposed to do at this point. Nothing coming from the Company I am with, and the three others I have found, contacted, applied at, have not responded to me. Frustrating.

Welp, I've taken my pills this morning, and will have to wait probably at least an hour to tell if the allergy pill is going to work today or not. I should get off here for a few to make sure the Wife is up, and soon thereafter, get the Youngest up and moving so he can catch his bus.

PeacE

Damn Cats!

 We have the extreme (dis)pleasure of owning four cats. In fact, I would almost go to say that the Wife is a Cat Lady, except for the fact that one of the cats is mine. One, mind you. Several years ago, the Wife started her collection with a random stray she found, wandering blindly across the road, its kitten-sized voice meowing its hunger, and its eyes all matted shut with gunk from being sick. It may have been better if she had not seen this kitten and just ran the damn thing over.

That orange furball became Rusty, aka Crack Kitty, Loudmouth, F*cking Cat, and many other monikers I have used for him. This is the one that can laze about in the backyard grass, but will try to bolt "for freedom" every time you open the front door.  I can't count the times he has made the escape, and someone drops whatever they have to chase and grab him before he gets too far. I don't. I say let him run if he wants. Maybe he won't come back. Except that one time... Once he got out, and I don't remember if no one saw, or what, but he was gone. The Wife noticed it that evening, and I made the comment "Good. If he wants to come back, he will". I hated being right. Three days later, I was sitting at my computer in the front room, and hear the front screen door rattling, a little loose when latched. I thought it nothing more than the wind might have picked up. Then noticed there was a regular rhythm to the noise. Three rattles, and a pause. Three rattles and a pause. I went and opened the door to see Rusty there, paw batting against the door to make it rattle. I gave him the stink-eye (though not as good as the Wife is able to do) and said "Well, at least you knocked" and let him in.

Crack Kitty.... man, this cat is nuts at times. When the Wife brought him in, he was sick. some kind of cat-cold. Ended up spending around $400 taking it to the Vet and getting medicines. I think the meds screwed up his head, or the cold was just too much. He will be nice and sitting there being petted, then get up and race through the house, literally up the walls when taking corners. Along with the mood swings, he just will out of the blue to do weird stuff. Plastic shopping bags are nirvana to him. Anyways, following Rusty, the Wife thought he needed company and we got the "runt" dog, Daisy.

I missed somewhere ion the beginning to mention, prior to Rusty, we had had a family pet, a dog named Spunky. After about 17 years, she had decided it was time and passed away. I was somewhat happy, at the chance to say "No More Pets" as the kids were getting older, and if we wanted to travel, we wouldn't have to make arrangements for a pet(s) to be taken care of. That lasted about 6 months, if that.

So now we have a cat and a dog, when I wanted no pets. The Wife never listens to my better judgement. When the MIL passed away, now almost two years ago, not only did we inherit the house, we also got her two cats, Scampers, and Nimbus. Both of them seem to have neurological issues as well. Then about a little over a year ago, I brought home Lucius, an all black stray that would not leave me alone. He's cool though. Lucius stays out of things he shouldn't be in, and enjoys some attention, then saunters off. He guards the house front well, from the guard perch at the front window.

So what brings up the story about the pets? The middle Son came by this morning after work - that means sometime around 5am probably. He had left his set of house keys for the old house on my desk in our study. Somehow, he didn't latch the door to the Study completely. Now, the Study is basically "My Domain". We have the computers set up in there, so I spend quite a bit of time between work and leisure in this room. It is a NO PETS ROOM - even for Lucius. 

I had heard a crashing sound at one point that had woken me. I figured the cats, probably Rusty, had knocked something off of somewhere. The second crashing sound I opened my eyes, and realized I was seeing a light on off the hallway. I got up to investigate and found the Study door wide open. I flipped on the switch and found Rusty, the POS cat, on my desk, knocking random items off the edge. I chased him out and shut the door, and started the clean-up. I looked over at the Wife's desk. Not a thing seems to be out of place. That butthead of a cat was only knocking things off my desk. Nothing was broke, thankfully as some were glass. 

Think the furball knows I don't like him? Damn cat.

PeacE