Goodbye seems to be the hardest word

Moppet

RIP my friend

So ... that should explain where I've been.  She was doing a bit better, still not eating much but getting around more and even woke up playful Tuesday morning.  Later in the day though she got sick again and went downhill fast, and 24 hours later it was all over.  It's hard to lose your best friend, but harder still to watch them suffer.
 I'm thankful she was spared much of that.

Then Saturday we had a storm that knocked out our internet service.  Lightening struck somewhere close by and knocked the power out for a minute.  Must have fried the modem because the internet would not come back up afterwards.  They're supposed to come late this afternoon to fix it.  I really hope so, I'm missing my bloggie buddies.  

I'll be around to visit soon as we're back up again.

Blogging made Simple

Oscar Wilde said "The truth is rarely pure and never simple", but Oscar Wilde was never a Simpleton.  Why have I capitalized that S as if that were a proper name?  Well, if you have to ask that question we need to stop right here.  Before we go a step further let me introduce you to Simple Dude in a Complex World the blog of none other than The Simple Dude whose followers are lovingly called Simpletons.

Click the button to visit The Simple Dude

If you haven't found it yet, you've either been sleeping or are fairly new to the blogging world here at blogger and you'll want to remedy that situation pronto.  You might find anything there from bomb proof toilets to Wiener's wiener with just the right amount of snark for flavoring.  AND you might want to hurry.  He's coming up on his 5000th comment right quick and the lucky commenter that hits that milestone will get an $50 Amazon gift card.

Yep, I said FIVE THOUSAND comments!  He has just over 2000 followers and he hasn't even been doing this a whole year yet.  What's his secret?  Well he's written an eBook to tell us that very thing.  It's called ...

Just $1.99 click on the book cover to get your own copy at Amazon

Well written, SIMPLE instructions explaining just how The Simple Dude went from 0 to mildly famous in just 10 months.  Filled with tips on what to do, what not to do, and interesting links to check out for further information.   And for all that it's a "how to" book ... it's not even boring!  He's got game, and his blog writing style doesn't get lost in the translation.

Not everyone is as talented a writer as he is to be sure, but I can guarantee that if you follow the advice in this book you CAN grow your blog.  I've seen every tip he writes about in action and they DO get results.

There was only one small, teensy weenie incidental that I disagreed with in the whole book.  Well, in general I don't actually disagree.  It was just that I took it as a challenge because I'm just weird that way ;)  What was that?  Okay, I don't see this as being a spoiler, so I guess I can tell you.

You see, about content ... he made mention that NOBODY wants to hear about what kind of dog food you bought that week.  And to be honest ... he's right ... BUT ... I think I could write and entire POST about that, in my twisted way, and it would not only be interesting enough to keep you reading until the end, but make you laugh too.  Because my dog is funny when she's not sick (which she is again now, sigh).   When I'm feeling up to it I might just accept that challenge.

If you're at all interested in growing your blog ... this is the book for you.

I've been quiet lately and a big part of the reason for that is that I've been very worried about Moppet.  She recovered well enough from the eye injury and I don't think that's the problem.  She was doing better than ever, all bouncy and lively.  Then she got sick last week.  Spent a whole day barfing.  Now she's just very weak and refusing to eat anything, but doesn't seem to be in any pain.  She seems to be a little better today, moving around a little bit on her own and I did just get her to take a couple of bites of cube steak.

She's old, I don't know how old exactly because I found her in a parking lot.  Vet said that they don't usually get that film in their eyes until after they 10 years old.  She had that when I found her and that was about 4 years ago.  I know she's not going to live forever, but it's hard when you have to realize that the end may be sooner rather than later.

I'm not bailing, I've not retreated to my rock.  I just wanted y'all to know why I'm not finding much to say.  Even comments can be hard to write when my mind is elsewhere.

About the graphic:  I couldn't believe Bryan and Brandon at A Beer in the Shower do their awesome cartoons in PAINT!  I had played with it briefly before, but couldn't manage much more than scribbles.  But their talented creations inspired me to try again.  I can't for the life of me figure out how they get such clean lines drawing with a mouse, but I wasn't too unhappy with this one.

UPDATE -  She ATE for me today, and was much more "here" while she was awake.  Sleeping now but that's okay.  I think she might make it after all.  >Happy dance!<

Returning with a BANG

My return yesterday apparently came as such a surprise to Blogger that it's poor little head exploded!  Yep, my fault ... I broke Blogger.  Can you believe it?  I mean who'd have thunk that really?  To top it all off, I guess Blogger was so exited about it that it SWALLOWED MY POST!

just  *POOF*  gone

no evidence I was even here ...

except for the fact that I have witnesses!

That's right, I had COMMENTS on the now invisible post that was titled "Well look what the cat dragged in".  Cyber hugs to Mask and Bruce,  my two favoritest bloggers in the whole cyber world who were Johnny on the spot with the welcome backs and commenting within minutes of my first blog post in months.  Followed closely by Julie, Barb and Crickets ... wow, I just can't tell y'all how good it made me feel that I wasn't forgotten while I was on my Pout of Ages and I thank you all for your support.

By normal standards it's NOW I should be pouting I suppose considering what the universe is throwing at me, but I rarely conform to normal standards.  Just when I started getting my shit back together, was beginning to make plans and believe again the universe once again dumped a load of crap over my head that smells as if it must have been sitting in a porta potty out in the hot sun for a few days.

I had a new job, just a gas station/convenient store but it was a paycheck.  I'm not unfamiliar with this type of work but it had been awhile.  Things were going along swimmingly, or so I thought.  I've been working overtime, getting bonus's, getting along well with everyone ... hell, I hadn't even had a case of 'stupid pisses me off' yet and I work with the general public. 

Got the dog into the vets for her shots and all finally, started with the car repairs (got the bodywork done from when the nephew crashed it) and lining up tires and the electrical stuff that needs to be fixed in order of priority, starting with the windshield wipers that stay on all the time (while the cars running) until I take the fuse out (which means if it starts raining I have to pull over and practically stand on my head in said rain, just to put the fuse in so I have wipers) and power windows that don't go down and A/C that only blows out through the defroster for some reason.  Later I would get the the non-working convertible top.  Baby steps.

I had Sunday and Monday off this week and was supposed to go in at 2 on Tuesday.  About 11:30 my manager calls to tell me that I'm a good worker and all, but they're going to have to let me go because  I'm just not fast enough on the cash register.  Oh really?  This is almost two months down the road and the first I've heard about it?  And the first thing I hear about it is you're FIRED?  Now granted, I am a little slower than those that have been there for some time,  they know what most the merchandise costs while I have to look at the price tags (we don't have scanners).  But it's not THAT big a difference really.

I was blindsided by this for real.  Never EVEN saw it coming.  I thought I'd found a real nice place to work for a gas station.  The more the shock wore off the more insulted I became.  I mean c'mon, how sorry do you have to be to be told you're not good enough to work at a gas station?  Not ... you did this wrong, your drawer was short, you're rude to people ... but just. not. good. enough?  GRRRR  ... yeah, so I needed a break.

I went to visit my friends The Crazy Cat Fairy and My Find It.  I've mentioned them before, when I first heard from them when they came back across country and had been out of touch for a while.  Well recently they moved back within visiting distance and I was going to see them as soon as I got the car in order again.  They're about an hour and a half away, it didn't look like rain and I thought I'd just take my chances with the tires (yeah, yeah I know, but it seemed reasonable at the time).  Yes, of course one of the tires blew on the trip home.  Funny thing about it was it was the only tire that I wasn't worried about, the only one with any real tread on it.  Go figure.

One of their cats took exception to Moppet walking by her ( I mean the NERVE, really)  Moppet lost that argument and it cost her an eye.  The surgery went well.  She's very groggy yet even today but I'm told that's just the anesthesia and she'll perk up more over the weekend.  Tucker and Cricketts had asked about an eye patch ... it's possible.  Pirates are way cool and I think she would ROCK a rhinestone studded patch, but the Crazy Cat Fairy made the point that a little hat with a veil might be more her style.  She IS very prim and proper (except when she's not and oh yes, I have the blackmail pictures to prove it).  Although to be quite honest, once her hair grows back I don't think anyone will even notice.  The way her hair flips over her eyes you really can't see them most of the time.

I love our vet.  The office called this morning to see how she was doing.  The doctor called this afternoon just to be sure everything was still okay.  She's going to be on pain killers for a while and anti-biotics for longer still, but she's going to be just fine. 

And me?  Well I've decided that if said 'gas station' has no appreciation for 'being a good worker and all'  that THEY are not good enough for ME.  It's their loss.  There are LOTS of gas stations.  I'll find something better ... and that one shouldn't be too hard to beat.  My appetite will be returning any day now ... a person's got to eat.   

Well look at what the Cat dragged in!

My head is going round in circles right now, much like my belly.  My beloved Moppet is under the knife as I write this.  She lost an argument with a cat and it's costing her an eye.  I found a job and was actually kind of enjoying it, but lost it already.  Still reeling after that one.  Shocked?  Hell yeah!  How do you get fired from a gas station for not being good (fast) enough?  How sad is that?  I KNOW!!!

Yes, I know that isn't the way to look at it, but I'm insulted.  No, I don't believe that is the real reason.  I may not be as quick as those that have been there for a while, I have to look at the price tags because I don't know what everything costs yet, but I'm not THAT slow.  If I were, don't you think they would have said SOMETHING about it before saying "You're a good worker and all but we have to let you go"?  But I don't have a clue as to what other reason they may have had.  So here I sit, jobless once again.  And I had just started to get my shit together, was finally starting to believe and make plans.

The Vet just called.  Moppet made it through the surgery just fine.  She's not awake yet though, so I can't go pick her up yet.  They shaved her face for the surgery and wanted permission to shave her feet too while she's still under because they're pretty matted up.  I was like yes PLEASE.  Moppet is paranoid about anyone (even me) touching her face and feet (hence the mattes)  She won't hold still enough for me to cut them out myself.

Oh, and I didn't have to move after all.  I'm still with Sis and Mommo.  Chicken Little decided to stay at her Aunt's after graduation (where she's been staying all along when she was home from school, even when we were still at the other house and her bedroom at home was empty).