chez_jae

Dang, I almost forgot today's post!

Things I accomplished today:

Got gas, at $2.89 per gallon
Got groceries and cat supplies, and I stuck to my list and my budget
Folded laundry
Ran the vac
Put dishes away
Read some of my book

Things I FAILED to accomplish today:

I forgot to stop at the body shop and make a payment on my bill
I didn't get one of my birthday requests done
I didn't land a real job

I just got home from having supper with my friend Lynne. We're both poor, so we met at Taco Bell. *laughs* We used to work together, and I miss seeing her. Now, we're lucky to get together two or three times a year.

On the way home, I had to brake for a cat, a raccoon, a deer, a possum, and another small animal that I didn't see closely enough to determine what it was. Sheesh.

Tomorrow is a trip to Naperville with Jillian and Marsha. I hope we don't freeze our assets.

Happy Hump Day!

For me, Hump Day means Ghost Hunters and Storm Chasers, two of my favorite television programs.

My temp agency called today, to tell me of a job in DIXON.
Um, that's nearly an hour away from me.
Really?!
Yes.

I hope they don't give me any grief over it. Even before I signed up for unemployment, I asked IDES about the commute. The person I spoke to in their legal department informed me that the standard commute in my area is half an hour. I am beginning to fear that the only company my agency is connected to near me is the same insurance company that I "timed out" of. That means, they can't place me back there until the first of the year. *head desk*

This sucks.

What the hey, I may as well do NaBloPoMo here again, seeing as I'm online most every day anyway.

Today has been vexing. I went to Farm & Fleet for cat food and cat litter. I bought two different bags of litter--one clumping and one non-clumping. The cashier scanned the clumping bag twice, which was a dollar more than the other. I had already paid for my purchases using my debit card, when I brought the error to her attention. She re-scanned the cheaper brand of litter, had me pay for it, then instructed me to go to customer service for a credit on the incorrect receipt. Long story short, I ended up getting a cash refund, which was fine. Such a foofarah, however! But, all was accomplished with polite civility. No need to get all belligerent and excited about an honest mistake.

Tau got whupped with a flyswatter for picking on his sister. It's not so much that he was picking on her, it's that he didn't cease and desist when I told him to. And, I told him twice. That's one more warning than the cats normally get. When he wouldn't let up after I yelled at him the second time, I snapped and took a flyswatter to his furry rump. I think he was trying to assert his dominance over Timea, but Tau seemed to have forgotten just who the alpha bitch is in this household. He remembers now.

Other than running errands and swatting cats, I took down all the Halloween decorations, dusted, put out new autumn-y decorations, and I did the laundry. I still have dishes lurking in the sink. Blah.

Timea nearly died this morning, because I was this close to killing her.  After not going to bed until about 5:15am, it was less than three hours later that she decided to become a complete shit.  She kept coming in my bedroom, messing around in things and making noise.  I'd sit up and yell, and she'd scamper out, only to return again.  When I had had enough, I flung myself out of bed, chased her all over the house until I caught her, then tossed her in the bathroom and closed the door.  I then went back to bed, where I did finally manage to fall back to sleep.  And before you ask, no, I don't have a door to my bedroom. 

When I went outside later to feed the cats out there, I took a walk into the pasture in search of some green catnip.  I found a small patch and picked four sprigs to bring to Taj, Seamus, Tau and Timea.  It was her first time with catnip, and she got all silly with it! 

So, I'm not a complete ogre, and she's not a complete shit, which I guess makes us even.

Taj was sitting next to me earlier this evening, talking at me and flicking the end of his tail.  Timea happened to see that intriguing movement, and she crouched down and began her stalk.  I actually sat there and said, "Don't do it, kitten!  Don't do it!"  Alas, she did.  Timea grabbed the end of Taj's tail, and he hissed and whirled and boxed her ears three times before she could get away.  *laughs*  I tried to warn her.  Taj is rather disdainful of her anyway, and he has those gigantic paws with all those extra toes and claws...And for an old geezer, his paws are lightning-quick.  *nods*

Since tomorrow (okay, today technically) is a holiday, I get to sleep in an extra couple of hours, which would mean I can stay up an extra couple hours, too.  Unfortunately, I'm tired right now.  What the...?  That's not fair!  I guess if I'm getting whiny about it, I should get to bed, huh?

I love Christmas music, I truly do, and it's all I listen to for the entire month of December.  From the first through the thirty-first, all I will listen to are my Christmas CDs and Christmas music on the radio and through my satellite television at home.  One local radio station has traditionally played all Christmas music from Black Friday through Christmas, and I recently learned a second station is jumping on the holiday music bandwagon.  However, this second station is already playing Christmas music!  I'm like, "Aaargh!  Not until December!"  *laughs* 

I just purchased a Sarah Brightman holiday music CD, and rumor has it Enya is coming out with one this year, as well.  I can't wait until December to listen to them!

My uncle came to my house today to help me paint one of the bedrooms.  Painting is something he doesn't mind doing, and since he's retired, he likes to pitch in and help.  He tackled the ceiling, and I painted the walls, and it turned out quite well.  The walls could probably use another coat, and I still have to paint the inside of the closet, but the worst of it is done.  I'll need to buy carpet for that room and then I can "move" into that room and establish it as my bedroom.  I'm debating on whether I should keep the cats out of it or not.  On the one hand, I enjoy a furry body (or four!) on the bed at night, but on the other hand, I could do without the fur. 

Decisions, decisions.  And expenses, expenses!

By the way, several years ago, I helped handyman brother on two painting projects and earned $10.00 an hour to do so.  At least my uncle didn't hand me a bill for his time!  *laughs*

On any given day, I may have as many as half a dozen small scraps of paper with cryptic things jotted on them.  I laugh sometimes when I wonder what the police would think of these little messages, should they need to go through my belongings for a clue as to my demise.  I jot down snippets of things that happen throughout the day so I can recall them when I write in my journal at night.  I also write down any plot ideas that come to me and even funny things I've overheard or read during the day.  I have also written entire drabbles (half in longhand, half in shorthand) when I've been bored. 

Police chief: "Were there any clues?"
Officer: "Plenty of clues, sir, but what does it all mean?!"

It means nothing, you fools!  *laughs*

Speaking of the police, a sheriff's car followed me most of the way to work today, so I was all nervous and spent more time watching my speedometer than the road.  Heh.