5 November

[Andrew (imported)]

Another natterzine about the cats and my life, Wednesday 5 November 2003. Warning: mention of bodily functions of cats below, read at own risk.

Last Sunday was supposed to be my overtime day at work, bringing me in an extra $180 after taxes and other deductions. But as an AA member I have to remember HALT, and not allow myself to get hungry, angry, lonely, or tired.

I am not hungry. My Chapter 13 budget for food is $260/month, enough for a basic, no-frills diet. Nor am I lonely. Nor angry, as The Eunuch Calm has taken over my emotions. But definitely tired. After 5 days at work, I just didn’t want to face a sixth day with my USPS Supervisor.

My basic rule of thumb is that my regular pay is for my Chapter 13 life, but the overtime money is for the cats. The last such use was for a fourth cat tree. But right now I have no other pressing needs, nor any vet bills hanging over me.

So, instead of getting up at 4:30 AM, I slept until 6:30 AM. As usual, Max was on the heated pad by my head, waiting for me to wake up so he could groom me. I petted him, got up, petted the other cats, took my pills, waited half an hour, had breakfast (hot oatmeal), and began to do housework.

I did a lot of laundry, including my bedding, the cats bedding, clothing, throws, blankets, and towels. My Chapter 13 budget is $10/month for “Laundry and dry cleaning”. I may very well use $10/week, since as an apartment dweller I do not have a washer/dryer of my own, and need to use the one in the apartment complex or a nearby Laundromat. The coins add up.

I also scrubbed out two of the six litter boxes, and did another two Monday.

One thing to note is that it is getting chilly. I have one of those Galileo Thermometers in my bedroom, and it got so cold Saturday night I had to hunt up another blanket. Sunday, after doing the laundry, I made up my bed with the electric blanket just over the flannel top sheet, with another blanket on top of that and a 60’x90’ throw over that. The throw is for the cats’ hairballs and other minor problems. On top of all that I put the two large heated cat pads on the right side of the bed for Max and Molly.

I am worried about how the cats will handle the colder weather. I really cannot afford the central gas heating this apartment comes with. My Chapter 13 budget allows $20/month for natural gas, and I use about $15/month for cooking.

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But today came the big news. I am to be transferred to Tour Three on 15 November. My new schedule will have me working 3:00 PM – 11:30 PM, with Sundays and Mondays off. I have no idea what my new Supervisor will be like, what my working conditions will be, or even what I will be working on. Perhaps I am making a HUGE mistake. But in any case, I will be away from Supervisor Ward Wesley.

I cannot say I feel any elation or joy over this. The Eunuch Calm and all that. Perhaps some sadness that I had to go to such an extreme to get out from under an uncomfortable situation.

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Nothing much to say about the four cats. They are old. They sleep a lot. They seem to appreciate the ten (10) heated beds/pads/cups in the apartment, as well as the several unheated sleeping places. They like to be petted. They eat well, drink well, and use the litter boxes correctly. They seem to be comfortable, cozy and happy. So am I.

Warm, soft, and snug beds.

What are the cats dreaming of?

Angelic faces.