Why I Got Nothing Done Today

Mew?



Prrrrrrrr sandwich?



*thud*

--

I actually did get a fair amount done today (amidst the brainmelty) and will be introducing a new line of skin care salves soon. Just need to get labels designed, formulas worked up and tested, and somehow find a source for jewelweed other than 'call Mom and ask her to pick some'...

*whew*

I'm okay.

Cats are okay.

Rats are okay.

Apartment is okay (I'm typing from my computer).

But there was a fire in the building and I'm pretty freaked out.

The people catty-corner to me (where the fire started, and the worst of the damage) have lost a lot. Please pray for them. I've already offered to help as I can.

Tim and Ray are taking me somewhere for food. More updates later. But I had to tell y'all I'm okay.

As requested...rats!

A loyal reader of mine (and you know who you are!) has requested rats pictures.

So here they are!



Atreyu's the darker one (brave boy), and Bastian's hiding under him. Bastian's pretty shy but he's at least got to the point where he knows I'm safe.



Atreyu going "lemme out! lemme out!" Both he and Basitan have escaped the cage a couple of times, but they never go far.



And Remy. Digging.

We were evil to Remy...actually I guess it was more evil to Thomas, since Remy didn't care:



Rat? What rat?



Thomas is truly exceptional at ignoring things he doesn't want to deal with.

Before freakage occurs, Thomas is old, slow, and had basically no prey drive, and I was right there ready to grab anyway.



My little boys!

And that's all for now!

I has a kitteh.

He is adorable.



He likes sleeping.



Out-of-focus but adorable.



I KILLZ YOUR FINGERS!



RAAR KILLZ!



*pounce*



...hey, can't a guy have a little privacy here?

Also, a completely gratuitous picture of Sarah:



My ear, let me show you it.

And an unnecessary closeup.



Jealous kitty is jealous.

Kitteh!

Ever-growing foolishness...

I has a kitteh.

I didn't mean to. But he was so cute! And he wouldn't let go of my shirt anyway, so I'm stuck with him.

Pictures are not yet, but I can give you the short-short version of everyone's reactions:

Chocolate: *hiss* *growl* *hiss* *growl*
Kitten: *ignores*
Chocolate: *stomps off grumbling*

Samson: KILLZ!
Kitten: *falls over on back* *hiss-spits* *waves paws around ineffectually*
Samson: *triumph*

Taltos: TEHRE IS NO KITTEH ONLEE ZOOL
Kitten: *ducks under Taltos's head to get to tuna juice*
Taltos: *shares bowl while successfully ignoring kitten's existence*

Rats: *curled up in ball in corner of cage*

I also introduces the rats to the kitten. Results: Bastian (shy-boy) sitting on my shoulder. Atreyu sitting on the soap (don't worry, it has a towel over it). Remy and the kitten trying to play, with entirely different social cues.

I wandered off, feeling sure that all was well, and rushed back at the sound of hissing and yowling. Rats and kittens both wrestle, and they'd discovered this fact. Remy, being older and cannier (though slightly lighter), had won. And, in proper rat fashion, was washing the loser.

Who, in proper rat fashion, was objecting.

It was HYSTERICAL.

No name for the little guy yet. He'll tell me, I'm sure. Or I'll call him Peeper for the noises he makes. *calls over shoulder* And we wouldn't want that, would we?

...we shall see.

Something A Little Lighter

Tagged by dear Cecilia of Closeted Pastor. If indirectly.

What were you doing five years ago?

1) ...you know, I haven't the faintest idea.
2) I hadn't started my Livejournal yet, so I can't check there.
3) It was, what, 2003?
4) I was in the SCA...
5) ...uhm.

Yeah, okay. Let's answer this for real.

1) Lots and lots of heraldry.
2) Getting to know my Tim better, and slowly falling in love with him.
3) Getting used to being on antidepressants, and starting the mind-work they gave me space for.
4) Learning to cook.
5) All in all, taking my first steps in becoming Brave.

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?

1) Take a huge stack of packages to the post office...on foot.
2) Write up June's Om Shanti Handcrafts newsletter.
3) Spend some time with my new rats and my current rat.
4) Make soap.
5) Make jewelry.

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1) Popcorn.
2) Peanuts.
3) Necco Wafers.
4) Candy Hearts.
5) Edamame.

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1) Send every kid I know to college or appropriate alternative.
2) Fund an Abused Walmart Employee Defense Fund.
3) Start something to support small local businesses -- not sure enough of how to do this to put in more detail.
4) Do that farm/retreat center Tim and I have talked about.
5) Travel a lot.

What are five of your bad habits?

1) Eating in response to stress. (Yes, I have stolen this verbatim from Cecilia...)
2) Not walking places I totally could.
3) Not trusting myself.
4) Not trusting others.
5) Procrastination.

What are five places where you have lived?

1) Worcester, PA
2) Bethlehem, PA
3) Allentown, PA
4) In fear
5) Longmont, CO

What are five jobs you've had?

1) Pricing socks.
2) Making trophies.
3) Running cameras.
4) Selling cell phones.
5) Doing what I love.

Not tagging anyone specific-like, cos I haven't been paying enough attention to know who hasn't already done it.

But in the process of filling this out I've settled into reading old journals, and among all the minutiae a single theme has emerged...

I am so much happier than I was then. So, so much happier.

It's amazing.

Thank You, Lord, for helping me find the strength to make the changes I needed to in my life.

Fool part, what, three now...?

Yup. More rats.

Two brothers, four months old, free to good home on Craigslist. Remy needed a friend; now he'll have two. Atreyu is the brave one, grey with a white blaze, and Bastian is the shy one, white with an orange hood and a tiny orange spot on his back.

With luck introductions will go better this time.

Pictures to follow.