Spring Fever!

Okay. So we are in World War III.

That’s pretty surreal and yet… in a way, I can’t help but ask “What took us so long?”

For people who argue we are not in World War III, more countries are presently engaged in the Russia vs Ukraine War than in any other war.

Even little countries like Monaco, Montenegro and Liechtenstein and historically neutral countries like Finland, Iceland, Switzerland and Sweden have thrown some weight into supporting Ukraine in some way.

That’s literally a world war.

I’ve noticed two camps of reactions in those I interact with:

Camp One

Some people CAN’T EVEN DEAL with the thought of that … it’s too overwhelming and scary…

Camp Two

Others are remarkably nonchalant or even “casual” about it.

and then start to talk abut the end of the world.

It’s easy to be in either camp when we aren’t living in Ukraine.

But… the world putters on in the meantime. I think the whole WWIII thing has opened my eyes a little to my immediate physical circumstances.

For instance, this week I noticed that June Carter Cash is filthy.

I observed this after I took her for an after-work walk which was somehow simultaneously freezing cold and also… gross and sloppy.

Like now water isn’t freezing and science norms are being defied this is definitely the end of the world.

So I noticed June’s “calves” were spattered with mud.

Her coat is primarily white so perhaps such things are more noticeable. In any case, I started to wash her legs with paper towel and her dry shampoo when she stood up

(her sitting up and standing up and standing are all still considered ground-breaking)

and I then saw that her back legs (her “thighs”) were essentially grey. I don’t think I’d ever looked at her back legs because June has been in a static state of being:

Flattened on/against the couch (First Stage)

Laying down in a tight ball in one of her safe spaces (First – Second Stages) and she would run so fast to one of her safe spaces that it looked like she had spontaneously manifested there like *poof!* June is there now!

or

Walking right next to me (never ever ahead)

In fact, this week marks the first time June has ever passed either David or I, as in “walk past” us.

So I really have only recently seen her bottom half.

When I cut her toenails in her second week with us, I couldn’t get to her back legs so I simply started and ended with her front legs as her back legs were so tightly tucked under her.

So, once I confirmed that the fur on her back legs was supposed to be white and it wasn’t actually grey in color, I determined she needed a proper bath right cat-power-now and it didn’t matter if she wasn’t ready for it.

I also really didn’t have the energy to give June a bath right then though because I’m still recovering from sickness.

My husband has spent this week with the sickness I hosted last week and… I’m for the first time feeling the immunocompromised status ascribed to me by a neurologist because I’m still recovering from that sickness.

The last thing I felt domestically able to do was give a traumatized rescue dog a shower/bath for the first time.

But I did and I have no photos of this.

All I can say is that June did surprisingly well. And I think she even likes shower/baths.

I’ll see how she feels about hair dryers next time as, if she doesn’t freak out too badly, if I blow-dried her hair she would be PUFFY.

So June is now clean which is… good. 😵‍💫

She seemed clean before but… holy shit.

Though one thing I had noticed about June is how her front paws have differently colored nails/claws.

And June is becoming more “dog-like” with each day.

She is playing more… just a little… she is now (mostly) independently chewing on “big” cheese-filled bones and engaging in photo shoots.

Also, now that June is blossoming and revealing herself, our suspicion that she is judgmental has been confirmed.

Fortunately, I’m far too scary for her to judge me openly. I’m also the one who often accidentally drops bags of pretzels/remotes/phones on her from the couch above.

So – essentially – I’m keeping her on her toes.

And, besides, she has a funny way of doing regular things like “sitting up”.

I realize she is very long-legged and she is also doing her best but what the hell is THAT? 👆

In short, her judgmental nature should be kept in check until at least she stops looking so weird.

Don’t dish it until you can take it, June.

Sickness/HOPE

For the length of time I was sick, I was stuffed with something that wouldn’t come out of me, no matter how often I blew my nose or coughed.

But now?

Now I’m essentially just overflowing with goo.

And, during this sickness and throughout the beginning of WWIII, I’ve been interviewing for a job with the title of Care Manager.

Caregiving/advocacy is very tough work so this female-run organization really takes care of its people.

My second interview last 2.5 hours and I didn’t even noticed. We spent the time exchanging war stories and laughing and shaking our heads and…

I may have some great news next week.

I honestly didn’t think it would happen.

And just in time for the world to end.

Because Earth/Nature is sooooooo done with us.

I mean, there are SPIDERS FALLING FROM THE SKY.

I was reading the headlines of news stories at work with my friend and he responded, “So the world is ending, right?”

It totally is.

So if chemical weapons start being used… I’m pretty sure the world is simply going to boot us off it.

My favorite pastor at my church gave a Lenten sermon Wednesday night about how we are put on this planet to help other people.

That’s it. Jesus washed his disciples’ dirty, disgusting feet and he told them to do the same for each other.

The sermon got me all hyped up and so it’s amazing I may be doing this job which sounds a little dangerous but I’m so excited to have my tattoos out and to be able to apply some street sense and counseling skill to crisis situations.

With poor David being sick, I’ve been driving our car to work and the store and… it’s felt really good to be independent again.

Things are turning around in my little bubble, just in time for the end of the world.

This time of year is the hardest for me because of how my favorite people died right around the same time of year and general time and… today is my beloved mom’s birthday.

On such days it’s important to either summon up the energy to recognize our loved one and do something to celebrate them or… ignore the day and focus on self-care.

So I’ll see what the day bring but I’m planning going to go out as is my tradition and toast the memory of my mother with a Malibu Orange.

It’s a little sad to be enjoying March Madness without my High Life buddy but…

despite the sadness, I’d like to offer up a toast to my mom and all the mothers out there and beyond,

a cheers to the promise of a cure for FTD which took far too much from my mother and all those who suffer from this terrible degenerative disease…

and a special “fuck you”

to those who wreak havoc on our beautiful world and the innocents in it.

I hope we can all find a way to find hope in the future to come.

🖤