My everyday life

Every day now, Biggie is doing something showing he's better. Today when I came back from collecting a package, he came out of the closet to greet me which he has not done in forever. And he's exceptionally alert today.

I did give him pain medicine this morning but only because I felt like I should. Tomorrow he will have to earn it.

He needs a bell. Or rather I need him to have a bell. His old collar was rubbing his neck fur right off so I hadn't put it back on. I got this great idea to make him one out of pop beads. But, turns out, he thought it was a candy necklace and kept eating at it. fail.

So I found another one and put a bell on that one.



The birds are being so mean. They have been lining up on the railing. At one point I counted 10. Biggie went nuts. He was getting ready to go after them but I managed to distract him enough. He did sit on the end of the recliner and give them the evil eye fora long time.



With the new phone, I will now have two viable backup phones. (My current phone is not current enough for a decent trade in so I'm just going to keep it.) I think I'm going to keep one in the car. I need a sim for it. And I wanted that sim to have some data. So I went shopping and found this very cool site - https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/United-States/Washington/Seattle. You can search for cellphone plans in your area and easily see all the options.

T-Mobile has a very cheap option (Paygo) - $3 a month but it has very limited data. So on Wistleout Today I found Twigby which is also cheap and has data and has options. I signed up for a $6 a month plan that has plenty of talk/text time and 1 GB of data. It uses Verizon which will be way better than T-mobile for the car. (My main phone uses Mint Mobile which uses T-mobile.)

I ended up going nowhere. Now my delivery is scheduled to be here in about 30 mins.

I slept hard last night and had lots of dreams. My dreams, especially lately are stuck on HGTV - they are all about real estate. Buying houses. Last night my realtor even had a name - Jerry. Wild.

I've got nothing on the agenda today but I do think getting out would be a good thing. But I have a delivery coming that I need to be here for so I can't go that far until it comes. hmmmmm

Biggie's still asleep, per usual. He said hi when I checked in but that's all. He usually doesn't get up before noon ish. But, today I need him up so I can figure out if he needs more pain medication or not.

I spent some time on the phone this morning with Capital One still trying to chase down that payment I made incorrectly. I did learn that they sent out the check on the 15th so 1. they didn't lose me and 2. it should be here maybe even this week yet. Whew.

I think I'll take a shower and then make some day decisions.

I moved his food so I could see it from the chair. (The bowl o' marbles are to keep the table from sliding.) Worked well!



After his lunch, he curled up here in my lap. For a long time.



About the time I was going to dislodge him to go pee, he got up.



And walked over to the sofa, climbed up there, into his nearly too small bed and is now keeping an eye on the youknowhats who are chirping outside.

I went back because after hours of doing the same thing, doing it one more time was hard not to do.

Only this time it let me order the one I wanted, the size, the color and with the options I wanted. It did not give me expedited shipping which I wanted and did give me financing which I was waffling about and decided against. But, whatever. I'm actually ok with the financing - it's 0% interest and my credit score needed a loan/payment situation so ok fine. The phone should be here by next Thursday.

I'm still kind of pissed but it's more just left over than anything else.

After checking on him a bunch all morning, I finally went back and sat down on the floor to snuggle with Biggie. He came to me readily and we rubbed for a while. Then I got up to go and invited him to come eat something but he just stood there. So finally, I picked him up and carried him to the food which he ate with gusto.

Then he come over to sit with me in the recliner. He's very actively watching the birds. Watching only. So far. I hope. The door is open so he can also hear them. This is a test.

Before the Google event was over, I had made all of my purchase options on their website and filled my cart. But, when I got to 'buy', it errored out over and over and over again. It wasn't just me. BUT apparently, it wasn't everyone because...

After 3 hours of hitting refresh (and, yes, I am not proud of that), I got a non error message. They were sold out. Sorry.

Best Buy and B&H, where I could have gotten the phone are, of course, by now, sold out as well.

So there will be no Take My Money for me today. I'm pissed.

Oh and all the launch day sympathy I sent? The whole damn thing was pre-recorded. And not that smoothly either. GRRRRRRRR

I am so ready. Google, take my money, please. This and Biggie (and, really a few dozen other things) are my indulgence. I don't cruise. I don't even leave town. I can't buy a new car cause the one I want isn't even made. I'm happy where I live and don't need to move. So I buy the fancy phone and today's the day. And I'm excited.

I was involved in a lot of product announcements during my IBM years. And I know what it takes to do what Google (and the rest) do to put together those shows. It's sausage making that takes weeks. I thought about them this weekend when they were rehearsing their butts off and felt like fer sure the whole thing was going to bomb. I thought about them yesterday when it finally looked like it was all coming together and the damn demos worked right for the first time. So been there so done that. It's thrilling and exhausting.

And... new phone!

Biggie's fine today. He's so affectionate and into me. It's so different than pre-flying Biggie. If he's under the bed and I sit on the floor, he'll come right out. This morning, while I was on the treadmill he got off the bed and went into the closet. In a bit I got his medicine and sat on the floor and he came right out, got the shot and some head rubs and went back in to finish his nap.

New phone is not his thing.

The rest of the day is a blank slate. I washed all the clothes yesterday and put them all away. I made the rest of the ginger cookies and froze them for cookie emergencies.

I do have a couple of very small sewing projects. Tops I bought at Goodwill need pockets. The other project that would be perfect for today is Last Pass. I keep all my passwords and info in there and I need to clean it up. My brother has access so that if he ever needs to take over or I get hit by a bus, he will have clear sailing. But, in it's current state, he'd mostly be 'wtf was she thinking???!!!'

Time to get dressed and get more coffee. According to the Google countdown clock, I only have 59 minutes!

Not only is Biggie home, he does not have to go back for a whole week!!

She recommended that I administer the pain meds as needed rather than the 72 hour dose he has been getting from them. So no shot only visit this week.

It was late when she called and traffic was horrible and I was so happy to see him when the tech brought him out that I left without paying! I remembered on the way home and called the minute I got home. They were very cool about it.

Biggie and I stopped at Popeye's and the traffic home was not nearly as bad so whew.

Now we've had dinner and are chilling out.

The doctor said that his feet were healing as best they could being all taped up. She said she may x-ray next week. X-ray means the paws may be ok enough to remove the splints. Probably she'll wait another week but maybe.

Oh and the tech said that Biggie walked right into the baggie with no complaint just before she brought him out to me. I also remembered a blanket for the car. That's his pain medicine next to him.



Oh and this week's bandages are sheep!

Honestly, this house is so different when Biggie isn't here. I am not a fan.

He went, this morning, in the baggie again. I could tell it wasn't even worth trying the carrier. Once he's in, he's really fine and comfy in it. He even seems to enjoy riding in the car. He looks all around. I just googled it and it's actually called Cat In The Bag. (There appear to be cheaper kinds on Amazon.) According to the marketing they are to be used for nail trims and medication giving... good idea! Wonder if I can get him happy about getting in it.

Of the three vet offices, I like this one the best. It's the worst to get to but it is the most pleasant to be in. All the techs and staff now know Biggie practically on sight. Of course, he is their cash cow.

I went over to the dollar store and only spent $15. That is aa personal best for me. I'm not sure I've ever gotten under $20.

By then it was 10:25 and Popeyes open at 10:30 so I went over and parked and waited and learned, at 10:30 that "sorry for the inconvenience but we now open at 11". It would have been nice it they had told their website but whatever.

I just came on home. I may or may not go back this afternoon when I pick up Biggie. It probably depends on my hungarity.

I cleaned out/off this keyboard yesterday (upside down slamming but brush and wipe) and now the enter key is bitching. I'd prefer this chromebook last forever. It has a big screen with a very nice picture and a full keyboard (none of that number pad crap that moves the track pad off center). It's a hard to find combo and I don't want to have to replace it.

Other than waiting for the vet call, I have no plans for today. Might be a good day to do laundry.

This simple sign and candle always makes me sad and grateful.



It says "When this candle is lit, someone is saying goodbye to their beloved pet. We ask that you speak softly and with respect during this difficult time. Thank you for kindness and compassion."

I made a new batch of ginger cookie dough. I put it into the fridge. After 3 hours, I pulled out a bit to roll and cut. FAIL! Way too wet and sticky. And then I thought... hmmm.... why do I need to roll it out and cut?? I don't care what shape. So I spooned out a sheet full and BAM! perfect!! I only cooked them 6 minute so they don't snap. The next batch, I'll cook longer. But, at least I have ginger cookies and don't have to toss out another batch! These are delicious.



While I was out grocery shopping, I found a take and bake pizza from a local pizza place and I decided to try it. I came home and added more cheese and pepperoni and baked it in my Ninja oven. It turned out GREAT! I've had a pizza jones for a while with no good solution. This is the answer. It's apparently something that one of or chains carry always. Next time I'm going to get a couple and try freezing one just from the store.

Earlier today, I replied to a tweet and got some OK boomer replies. I'd forgotten about boomer hate! Funny. I forget that no one is interested in old peoples' contributions. I got no beef with that. I just forget. If I were them, I'd feel exactly the same way. Right up until I got there, I was seriously distrustful of anyone over 30. I'm ok with me and my contributions aren't that great anyway. I need to stay in my pen.

Biggie's new eating regime has me flummoxed. He won't eat any seafood or turkey. Ok chicken. And, now he pretty much flatly rejects anything but those Fancy Feast Petites. I'd like to have him tolerate another kind just in case we can't get FFP's sometime.

He goes for long stretches without eating. Then he stands by his food table and howls. He does not want to eat as soon as I can dish it out. He wants to eat RIGHT THIS FUCKING MINUTE. I cannot fill his dish fast enough. He hops on the counter. I'm worried that he'll fall off so I want him eating on the floor. It's a timed rat race and I lose every time. I finally get his bowl filled and then have to pick him off the counter and on to the floor. Which makes him howl.

I guess the answer is to leave the FFP with a few kibbles in the bowl at all times. Ugh. But, ok. I guess.

Between meals, His Royal Highness, is spending the afternoon in bed. I also note there is a fair amount of kitty litter in the bed. So, I will be playing the part of the Princess and the Pea!

It was lovely to have the door open last night and know that Biggie would be safe inside. I would have actually said he does not get up in the night any more but stays right in the bed. He does not now move very stealthily so surely I would have felt him leave and/or return.

However... someone finished off the last half of the cat food during the night and it sure was not me.

But I do know, he did not go out on the terrace.

The air conditioner (thinking ahead to next Summer) uses the cat door set up to vent outside. But now we can't have the cat door. I have a couple of ideas on how the cat door can be modified. But now I have the problem of the cat tree which is standing where the air conditioner needs to be.

I am now borrowing trouble that I might not even live long enough to have to face! So I'll stop.

Yesterday, Biggie spent a long time in my lap looking outside at the birds but he did not make a move to investigate. So who knows what's going on in that little brain of his.

Today will have yesterday's trip to the grocery. The latest batch of ginger cookies was a total 100% omg fail. They didn't roll out well, they all melted into one cookie in the oven and while they tasted ok, the texture was something between hard plastic and, well, not quite hard plastic.

So back to the old recipe. But, I need molasses. And today looks like a good cookie making day.

The week coming up has some excitement. Tomorrow, I take Biggie back for bandage change/feet check. I have to take him and drop him off. Then I plan to do a Dollar Store (around the corner from the vet) shop. And, depending on the time, either Popeye's or Papa Murphy's or maybe both. And then home and wait for the call to go back and get him. It's about 20 minutes from here with no traffic but there will be traffic.

Tuesday is the day I get to buy my new phone. Assuming it goes as usual, Google will announce it and I'll madly refresh the store until it shows up and I can place my order. And then wait for a month. Also I need to keep an eye on Amazon because sometimes they slap on nice incentives. One year I canceled my Google order and ordered it from Amazon and got a $100 gift card and delivery 2 days earlier. I already got a case for the new phone. It's a cheap one to get me by until the good ones come out.

I think now I'll go grab a shower and head out to the store.