Unemployment

Unemployment just sucks balls.  I was laid off at the end of April and still haven't found a job.  I think  I've sent out about 50 resumes but have only had 2 interviews.  Sigh.....

I think H is really loving me being home.  His dad and I share 50/50 custody so when H is with me, I'm here if he needs me.  I *know* the monsters, I mean cats, are loving it.  Mama doesn't leave the apartment for very long, if at all.  They have become more clingy than they already were.  Sniper follows me everywhere, Harper squeaks when I walk in the room and has tried to claim the laptop as her personal warming station.  Georgie follows me and meows and Saturn is just her normal crazy-ass kitten self.

If I've been sitting on the porch longer than they think is appropriate, one or more of them will start batting at the door to tell me to come in.  Usually, it's Sniper, but sometimes the other 3 will join in.  H will usually come out here with a cat.  He says he's just showing them outside, but I think it's to make sure that I'm still here and haven't left without him knowing.

You know that irrational part  of your brain???  Well, that part of me is absolutely loving being at home.  But the rational part is telling me that since I've made friends with the squirrel that comes to visit, it's probably time to go back to work.

I'm hopeful that I will start getting some calls for interviews soon.  I'm getting a little too comfortable hanging out in my comfy-shorts and t shirts.....

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day - you know, the companion to Mother's Day.  H says there needs to be a Kid Day, but I told him that was every day.

I have 2 dads - a Daddy and a Dad.  Daddy is my biological dad and Dad is my stepdad.  Both men are wonderful fathers and they each taught me different things.

Daddy and me

Daddy taught me about fishin', cooking fish, and major tackle box renovations.  He also taught me to drive him down to the  beach when I was 16 and we were both off work for the  day.  Daddy showed me how to parallel park so I could get my driver's license.  We must have parallel parked about 50 times that day and he didn't lose patience.  He taught me about the many things he learned while serving his country in Viet Nam.  "I learned how to do this in the Army" is the phrase that is still heard on a regular basis.  I'm not sure how much of what he said he learned in the Army was actually learned IN the Army or if it was learned through experience and being a NC State Highway Patrolman, but that phrase usually meant that I was either gonna learn something important or it was the beginning of an awesome story.   Daddy taught us all how to swim by throwing us in the shallow end of the  pool and said "swim".  Of course, he was right there beside us, but we did swim.  He attempted to teach us how to dive by standing in the pool, holding our ankles while we stood on the side and said "now jump."  Needless to say, it didn't work, but it was fun anyway.

I am my father's daughter

Some of my most treasured childhood memories are laying in the back of the truck while Daddy drove back from the lake.  I actually got to relive that memory when the family went to the beach for Daddy's 65th birthday a few weeks ago.  It was so fantastic to spend an entire weekend with Daddy and the rest of the  family.  It has been many years since I've done that and H has never done that.  I'm not sure who had more fun fishin' - Daddy, my brother, my niece or H......

Dad and me on his 80th
birthday (4.24.14)

One of the things that Dad taught me was to beware of those indelible mistakes.  He wrote a letter to me when I was in Brazil my senior year of high school reminding me of how much he loved me and to be cautious of those mistakes that I can't take back.  This still sticks with me even as an adult.  He always said that complaining about something or life not being fair was just kinda useless.  He would say "what's this 'fair' shit?  Nobody ever said anything was going to be fair."  He also taught me the importance of the words "just do it."  This could mean a multitude of things but the essence always seemed to be to stop complaining and get on with whatever "it" was that day.  The last thing (literally the last thing - it was just before he went into the nursing home) that Dad taught me was that if I pulled a practical joke on Mommie (the kitchen sink spray nozzle was rubber banded down and she didn't know it and sprayed herself while attempting to wash her hands), I was on my own with that.  But I could sit beside him since Mommie was less likely to get back at me if I was with him.  Dad has Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home now.  The last time I saw him, he told me that he was a good secret keeper because "I have Alzheimer's so I'm just going to forget it anyway."

Happy Father's Day to both of my beloved dads.  Without them and their influences - and that of my mothers (Mommie and Lisa), I would not be the woman I am today.

I love you Daddy and Dad!!!!

Saturn is 1!

"Mama, there's a fly in the house"

Saturn turned 1 on May 28. She's much smaller than the other 3 and weighs in at a hefty 7.5 pounds.  She's very feisty and is almost as chatty as Sniper.  I thought Georgie ran a lot when he was teeny, but that's NOTHING compared to Saturn.  I swear, all the cat does is run.  She's either chasing the other 3 or she's running for her life from chasing the other 3.  She also likes trying to get in the dryer and the washing machine.  There is no counter that is safe, even though she's not big enough to counter surf with her teeny paws.  She also tries to trip me when I come inside by flopping over on her back right in front of the door.

"If you can do it, so can I"

She and Georgie have come to an understanding.  Saturn chases Georgie and then Georgie bites her.  Harper just kinda lets Saturn run all over her until she's had enough of the kitten shenanigans.  Then she swats Saturn upside the head, Saturn yells and runs off.  Sniper seems to tolerate her the best and tries teaching her manners.  They actually play together a lot.  "Playing" really means that Saturn attempts to attack Sniper, fails, turns a flip, bunny kicks Sniper in the jaw and Sniper tries to put Saturn's whole head in his mouth.  There is usually some hissing and meowing involved, but since it's not typically serious, I don't always intervene.

super comfy on H's lap

Saturn LOVES her human brother.  She sleeps with him in his chair and helps him play video games.  H has taught her how to run up the ladder to his loft bed.  He's working on teaching her how to get down without looking like a wounded gazelle jumping over a fence in the process.  It's not going too well, but they try.  I think she would stay in H's room or with him all the time if he kept a little bowl of kibble on his desk....

little pillow thief

happy babies on Mama's bed

I was worried that they wouldn't get along or there would be trouble when I brought Saturn home.  They've settled in very well and now take up a little more than half of my bed.  Even though I don't usually let them lay on my pillows, Saturn has stolen the pillow that is right beside my head and will swat at anybody who DARES to lay on her pillow.  And yes, that includes me sometimes.  That's when I have to remind her that I am the only one that can open the cans of wet food.

she does a fabulous rug impression

Happy 1st birthday, Saturn!!!  You run a lot, jump up the walls, practice kitten wall bouncing and like to hide behind the blinds (except it doesn't count as hiding if I can see you).  You have become very adept at playing "ooh what's under the covers" at night.  You make your Mama and human brother laugh all the time and you have made us very happy.