__I’m beginning to think that the shit hits the fan in a three year rotation in my life. It’s time to say goodbye to another year and as I look back I’m reminded that 2008 was just as bad as 2011. Luckily 2009 and 2010 weren’t so awful for me so here’s to looking up for another 2 decent/ manageable years.

Much like 2008 I dabbled in some relationships. One of which was an on again off again relationship that I should have determined dead on arrival when the red flags started to roll in. Not that it was completely bad, but it was like a night of drinking tequila only to realize the hang over sucks the next day (and the cheating wasn't cool either). He was the kind of guy that made me feel like the sun shined out of my ass. Soon to be a shit storm from the mid west blanketing my heart and my self esteem. Congratulations for making me aware of all my problems and issues. I’ll make sure to work on those.

Then there was the rebound. Ahh the rebounds are usually so much fun. It’s even better when the rebound comes in a package that’s 10 years younger and 6” taller then the man he's replacing. Way to go Jenni! However, it was very short lived when the rebound decided to yell at me in public and embarrassed me in front of my friends. Lol I’m sure he realized what he did wrong when he had a 5 mile walk home that night.

Moving on…

_It’s safe to say that I’m finally making headway with my financial state since the heaping bills that I received from the vet’s office. Beginning in December 2010 Dexter (my kitty) got sick, which left me with a few thousand dollars worth of vet bills. Luckily he got better and now we just have a slight maintenance program that keeps him somewhat healthy and stable. Not too long after my kitty Clyde got sick and I truly believed that he was a goner. Even the vet sent him home after a week of tests and said “be prepared for the worst”. Okay thanks, let me work on that. With no more help from them and lots of prayers and painful tears later, I nursed Clyde back to health. He is now healthy and living a wonderful life on canned food which of course is more expensive.

Let’s be honest… instead of thinking that the cat thing was horrible I’m looking at the glass as half full and I’m honestly happy that they are healthy again. It’s just the bank account that’s looking a little sick right now.

Next we have my career. Lol Ohh God you know enough about this and I don’t think I need to explain it to him anymore. Let’s just hope that my prayers are being answered in 2012. And again with the honesty train, I’m thankful that I have a job and it pays my bills. I just think it should start paying my health insurance bills since it’s mainly the cause of why I’m going to the doctor. Okay, okay I’ll shut up.

Last but not least, I can't go through this year without giving thanks to the things that made me happy. So I want to say thank you to all my friends who stuck with me through thick and thin. The friends who didn’t deceive me, lie to me, or deliberately hurt my feelings. Here’s to the friends that listened when I needed them, guided me when no one else could, and showed up when no one else did. I love you all and if it weren’t for you I probably would have packed up and left this state by now.

_Thanks to volleyball nights, amusement park days, family gatherings, pumpkin carving, tree decorating and red neck trailer trash parties. Ohh how I enjoyed those days. Here's to the nights filled with alcohol, dancing, laughing and random British accent nights. I hope to see more of you in 2012. Thanks to American Airlines for the trip to Jamaica which brought my sister and I back together for some well needed one on one time. Thanks to the douche bag stalker guy at work that made me realize this is just a job and I shouldn't give a shit after the day is over. And most of all thanks to God for keeping me healthy and allowing me to realize that life has a lot to offer if you just open your heart up for it.

I must welcome 2012. May it bring everyone good health, prosperity, good friends, caring family and a change for the better. Let’s hope that my bank account won’t be so sick this year, my career will blossom, my friends will stay true and maybe I’ll run into the man that changes the way I think of men and makes me realize love does exist in the right person.

After a long dry spell of not blogging so many things have changed. It’s been several months since I’ve updated you on the progress of my kitties. Both Clyde and Dexter are doing well. I stopped taking them to the vet to be tested for things and I’m using a more homeopathic version of care taking. Dexter has stopped vomiting and Clyde has gained much of his weight back and seems to be as energetic as he was before. I’ve come to the conclusion that if it’s their time to go and they aren’t suffering then I will just have to be okay with it.

Many of you reached out to me and told me about your pets that you’ve loved and lost. I just want you to know that my heart goes out to each and every one of you. Having pets is a wonderful experience and although there were some tough times I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you all who commented and gave me your prayers for my two kitties to get healthy. Now I’d like to extend the same hope and prayers to all of you.  

When I first picked out Clyde from the shelter he was the only little ball of fluff that just sat there and ignored me. Much like my choices in men I immediately was attracted to him and decided that he was the one that I wanted to love and cherish. When I took him home I remember how many times I would have to look around the house just to try and find his new hiding spot. He only wanted to hang out with me on his terms (Mainly few and far between and not without a sizeable dose of attitude).

Clyde grew up not wanting anyone to pick him up or hold him on their lap. Instead he wanted people to just sit there as he butted his head up against your hand in a means to pet him. Moving your hand would ignite a mean streak in this cat that nobody wanted to see. So instead you just sit there and let him do all the work. He’s such a moody cat that if you were in the middle of a grooming session with him (one of his favorite things) he would randomly turn to you and hiss and walk away. As if to let you know that “the king” is done now, please move on.

 I picked Clyde out 11 years ago and yet it feels like it was only yesterday. He’s been through more than 10 moves with me 4 of which were in different states. When he was a kitten he used to sit in between my legs when I would drive home from college to visit my parents. He would stay there for the whole 3 hour trip, but he would always get sick within the last 2 miles of my parents house. Then he started getting to big to sit in my lap so he chose the back of my neck and shoulders. That was until he vomited on my shoulder and down the front of my shirt. At that point I made sure to leave him home on my trips to my parents. From there on out he was put in a large traveling crate and only allowed to travel with me when I was moving or he had a vet visit.

Clyde grew up not wanting anyone to pick him up or hold him on their lap. Instead he wanted people to just sit there as he butted his head up against your hand in a means to pet him. Moving your hand would ignite a mean streak in this cat that nobody wanted to see. So instead you just sit there and let him do all the work. He’s such a moody cat that if you were in the middle of a grooming session with him (one of his favorite things) he would randomly turn to you and hiss and walk away. As if to let you know that “the king” is done now, please move on.

Last week Clyde was showing signs of being a disgruntled sour puss. I watched him all weekend as he tucked himself away and pouted. I took this as a sign that he was pissed because I had friends over more often than he was used to. It wasn’t until I noticed that this 16lb Maine Coon wasn’t getting up for food or water. That’s when I realized he wasn’t just in a mood, but he was sick. So I grabbed the travel crate and my other recently sick cat took off like a bandit. Clyde on the other hand couldn’t even run from me.  He just let his body go limp when I picked him up, as if to say “I don’t want to go”.

Last week Clyde was in the vets office for the whole week. They were treating him for Fatty Liver Syndrome along with some other problems. They gave him back to me over the weekend even though he wasn’t completely healthy. They thought it would be the best thing for him since it’s important for him to eat as much as possible. This may seem like an easy task, but it has been everything but easy. It’s hard to watch as my normally healthy overweight cat looks at me in disgust when I come to him with a syringe of baby food to feed him. My heart tells me that it’s time, but my vet tells me that it’s possible to make him better if I just get enough calories in him. I always believed that once my animals stop eating and drinking that that would be the time I take them in to be euthanized. However, it’s much harder when someone is telling you that it’s possible to reverse this life threatening liver failure issue. When do we say when? How many more horrible tests could I bare to put my cat through before I throw in the towel and thank god for the time I’ve had with him? This has been an awful week and I can only hope that it doesn’t become more awful for Clyde. At some point this week I have to make a decision that makes me believe that sometimes pet owners have to become god if only for a minute.

Sometimes there’s just not enough Starbuck’s Therapy to go around. I suppose having one outside my bedroom might be too much to ask.

It’s times like today when all I can think about is starting the day over. Most people might start their bad day off by stubbing their toe or waking up late for work. I on the other hand lie in bed already dreading the morning because I had to deal with some unforeseen work related issues (to be discussed at another time) that started two days ago. Once I finally realize what time it was I jump out of bed and end up stepping on my already sick cat as I tried to make it to the bathroom blindly? This turns into a nightmare because not only did Dexter take off running away from mommy, but now mommy has to hunt him down to feed him his morning pill. "Here kitty kitty, Here Dexter mommy loves you and wants to make you better. "

Leaving it up to the fridge gods and allowing me to have just enough milk to coax the little stinker out, he comes running around the corner to greet my feet with purrs and tiny meows. I bend down to pretend to pet him and he already knows what’s up, so he starts to run for it. I tackle him down to the ground and start cranking open his mouth just wide enough to shove the pill down his throat. Once I finally get the pill in his mouth and I’ve had it closed for about 45 seconds or so I assume the fight is over and I can go on with my terrible day. Yeah okay, nice thought. I turn around and Dexter has spit out the half dissolved pill on the floor. Now I have to try this amazing trick again with what seems to be a less accurate dose of the pill and less time to get on the road for work.

After twenty minutes dealing with the cat I start heading out the door. Got my sunglasses, wallet, paperwork, shoes on and I’m off. I walk out the kitchen door into the garage which locks behind me and I realize that I don’t have my shirt on. Nope no shirt, because for some reason I've gotten in the habit of putting that on last. Duh! Looking around I’m glad that I don’t have any windows in my garage or my neighbors would be less than impressed with the view. I finally crack open the door, grab my shirt from the dryer and head on out. Almost getting 50 points for running over the neighborhood kids (don’t worry, I missed them) I remember that I have to get the HOA newsletter done this weekend and I forgot to get my oil changed. Ughh could my day get any worse?

Late as all get out and I still manage to stop at the first Starbuck’s that I see. Immediately as I walk in the door and wait in that morning line my mood changes. It’s like someone is touching my shoulder and saying “it’s okay you’re almost at the bright light of milky chai tea heaven”. I then noticed that my day just became even more amazing because Starbuck’s brought back their fruit and cheese plate! Holy YAY! I have my Iced chai tea in hand and I’m off to start my day all over again.

I personally believe that if more pissy people had an outlet like this or a place to chill out then it would be a better world. What is your outlet?

Jenni

p.s. I would like to point out that I am not so self absorbed that I forgot to recognize that this day could have been a lot worse and that there are tougher lives out there. There are people all over the world much worse off than I am and I truly do hope that they also have a Starbuck’s or an outlet that will make their day better.  I also would like to point out that I do my best to keep them in my prayers on the days that I’m not pissing and moaning about my horrible life. On those days I’m praying that there is a Starbuck’s close by.

I find it funny when people say "when life gives you lemons you should make lemonade". Well unless you've got the vodka to spike the bitch I don't want you're damn lemonade.

As you've probably heard me vent about the overly exhausting topic of my sick cat who is still barely hanging in there. I've come to realize that I'm not the only one in the house feeling like my life has changed upside down. My other cat Clyde has taken it upon himself to start acting up and treating me like I'm the asshole that made the other cat sick (Dexter).

Yesterday I was diligently "working" on the computer building websites and building social media banners and what-not when Clyde strolls in and plops down next to me. For those of you who don't know Clyde is a 16lb beast of a cat that has the temper of a 50yr old woman who just found out she's going through the change. Finicky as all hell and if you don't do what he wants he makes it known that YOU are not going to be welcomed at the pearly gates in the end (not his gates at least). He then decides it's time for mom to pet him while I'm at my computer chair. Reaching up from his hind legs and tapping me on the shoulder in hopes that I will pet him (yup he's that big) I reach down to do so for a minute or two. I lift my arm back up to do some work and the fat punk bites into my arm. OUCH! Bleeding and cursing at him I go into the kitchen to wash up and he then comes in to show me his teeth again as if were saying that he's not done with me yet.

Pissed as hell about the events for the day I ignored him for most of the night, thinking that I was proving a point. You're not going to bite me because you're not getting all the attention, due to a sick brother in the house. Yeah, so goes that plan.

I woke up this morning to a warm steamy pile of crap next to my bed. POINT TAKEN YOU LITTLE SHIT!