Fire and Rain

Fire: The brush fires here in Florida have blanketed the entire state in smoke. I can smell it even inside my house, and it's so thick outside that it burns your eyes at times.
Rain: We need some, badly.

Fire: There is a tropical storm out there already! I hope that isn't a sign of what this year's hurricane season will be like.
Rain: Unfortunately, the storm won't be bringing us any of that much-needed rain.

Fire: Our new roofs have already failed inspection, and they aren't even on all the buildings yet.
Rain: At least they are finally getting started on the roof project...

Fire and Rain: A song by James Taylor, from the album Sweet Baby James, which was the very first album I ever owned. Do you remember what your first album was?

Cat

Hello again

I know some of you think I've dropped off the face of the earth, but my feet are still planted on terra firma. I've had a lot going on...I had to close the store (but I still have the online biz going), I got a new job in an entirely different field than I've ever worked in so I've been learning lots of new things, and I've been treating a chronic illness.

I know you don't want to hear another one of my feeble promises to update more frequently, LOL, but I really will try. My work hours are long, and by the time I get home, it seems like all I want to do is sleep. One of my friends described the "new" tiredness so perfectly...

I was tired before, but able to exercise and function although needing some rest time in the day. Before, I thought fatique was when I was traveling and got so exhausted I could fall asleep anywhere including hard floors. That is not fatigue.

Now, I am lying down and thinking about exercise. I think about raising my arm, lowering my arm. Next, I think about raising and lowering my other arm. Next, oh, I forgot where I was, I think it's rest time. OR, I think I'm hungry. I think I'll eat. I think I'll lay here and think about eating.

So, you see, I think about blogging all the time, I just don't actually make it to the computer. Now, if there were only a way to transfer my thoughts electronically... ;))

Cat

Merry Christmas to me

I stopped at the CVS by my house on the way home from work today. It's the only place around here that sells Hagen Daz chocolate/dark chocolate ice cream bars, and I buy them all the time. I mean, ALL the time.

The manager was ringing me out, and I said to her "You've been out of those for a couple of weeks. You got them just in time for Christmas for me." And she tells me they aren't going to carry them any more! They got a new ice cream distributor, and this is just an old box that she found in the back freezer so she put it out.

As I'm digesting that shocking news, she runs my ice cream thru the scanner and says "You aren't going to believe this."

What, the price went up to $5.00 or something?

She tells me it scanned at 57 cents!! And if I want more, run back and get them now before the price is corrected. WOW, Merry Christmas!

So, I got a whole box of them. Now I just have to put a note on them in the freezer before somebody else eats them.

That figures...

I had a jillion errands to run and doctor's appointments today. I had scheduled everything for one day so that I could have Tara take a day off from her job to work in the store and I could get everything done.

Believe it or not, the electricity went out in the mall at 10:00 am because of the storm we had today, and they closed the mall and sent everyone home. (Oh, yeah, did I mention that I ran around all day in the pouring rain and got soaked every time I got in or out of the car?) If I had scheduled everything for any other day, I would have actually had a real "day off" today!!!!

Why can't stuff like that happen when I'm there?

And......speaking of doctors....

In one day, today, I spent $400 on co-pays for doctor appointments and prescriptions. And that's not including the $325 check I mailed yesterday for my monthly insurance premium. 2 days, $725! Can you imagine if I didn't have insurance?

Cat

I'm still alive, barely

I know it's been a long time, eons even, since I've updated The Cat's Meow. I just want to let you all know that I have not:

• Died
• Fallen off the face of the earth
• Been captured by aliens
• Been committed to a mental hospital
• Been eaten by a large animal
• Or otherwise removed from this planet

I have, however, been extremely remiss in writing in my blog. If any of you are still checking this page for updates, I promise to make a much better effort beginning today. Scout's honor.

Cat

Company Loyalty

Now this is what I call dedicated to your job. She didn't even take time off to give birth!

Read it here.

Cat

¡Va que va!

Well, guess what? Can you believe it?

Someone actually reads my blog!! I mean, a real person! And I met him! (well, I guess it would be ´he met me´, right?)

How cool is that?

Cat

What an idiot!

As Hurricane John lashes out as a category 3 against Mexico's Pacific coast, there are still some stupid American tourists in Puerta Vallarta who don't think they need to take any precautions.

"We have tornados in Iowa. This can't be worse than that," said Hal Nissen, 75, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as he walked along the oceanfront with his wife, Bonnie, 73.

I don't even know if I can say anything that illustrates what an idiot he is better than he already did.

Cat

And the panic begins...

Already, the lines at the gas station are 10 deep, and the shelves at the grocery stores have been emptied of water, beer, and anything you can eat without cooking it. Forget about buying batteries.

The tourists have been sent packing, and the Florida Keys have been evacuated.

Yes, Florida is in a full-fledged panic over hurricane/tropical storm Ernesto.

I'm blaming it all on Tara. I think it's been three years now that we have spent her birthday sitting in the dark eating tuna sandwiches, and maneuvering our way around the patio furniture in the living room.

Oh, well, Ernesto, bring it on. At least I'll find out if my new roof leaks.

Cat

How much is your blog worth?

My blog is worth $0.00.
How much is your blog worth?

Well, I could have predicted that outcome. I have no idea what the value is based on, but whatever it is, I guess I have none.

But then again...

my other blog fared pretty well with the calculator...

My blog is worth $47,421.36.
How much is your blog worth?

Test your blog today! hehe

Cat