Mid-June Check-in
Well, here we are -- tomorrow is officially the 1st day of Summer..... but it has already been both wretchedly hot, and rainy.... and the Hispanic Americans in our neighborhood have ALREADY started with the firecrackers and fireworks.... I have no problem with ethnic groups other than my own (cough* TRUMP* cough) in general, but for the love of God, people! Have some consideration for the domesticated creatures who share our living areas! Jethro absolutely refuses to go outside if he hears firecrackers in the evening; which usually results in an unauthorized deposit on the living room rug. Which I then have to clean up in the morning. I realize that it's part of their cultural heritage to celebrate loudly, but must they do it so often?
Sigh.
Still on the Frugal Living Plan. We managed to get the June Property Tax installment paid, but are now saving up for the August & September installments. Husband has not had the usual seasonal overtime at work this year; things at the plant have been unusually slow for the past six months.... and some of the newer hires have been 'temporarily' laid off. My hours are still reduced as well. I actually wouldn't mind so much, since it gives me more leeway when scheduling doctor's appointments and such, and I honestly don't really need even 30 hours most of the time to get my normal week's work done.... but it would really be nice if the Finance team and Session could see their way to a COL pay raise this year?
Belldandy gave me a scare towards the end of May! We never DID figure out exactly how or what happened, but Jethro and Bel had one of their RAWRS, and then there was a yelp, and suddenly Bel was pawing frantically at the right side of her muzzle! Husband grabbed Jethro and shoved him outside on the tie-out, and I tried to calm Bel down and see what the problem was.....there was blood from her lower jaw, and a very incomplete look inside her mouth left me with dented fingers (but no punctures) and the horrified impression that Bel had somehow lost her right front canine fang -- either completely gone, or broken off and swallowed. This occurred on Saturday night. I managed to calm Bel down; she (mostly) stopped the muzzle-pawing, and let me dab lightly at the bloody spot on her lower jaw. Husband thought that maybe Jethro had bumped her and she'd bitten her own lip and that she'd be fine; but I was concerned because that Canine Tooth seemed to be missing!
(Cue visions of Major Canine Dental Work swarming through my head, with NO handy Savings Bond available to help pay the bill this time!!!)
So, we kept a close eye on Bel for the rest of the weekend; she was drinking water, and even managed to eat some 'Moist & Meaty' soft food, but she still was oozing a bit of blood and occasional muzzle-pawing. First thing Monday morning, I called our Vet and explained the situation. She said to bring her right in, as they'd had a cancellation. Poor Bel. She does not like visiting the vet. Shivering and shaking ensued. Much to my relief, Husband was partly right -- Bel had somehow bitten through both her upper lip, and the bottom lip. The upper lip was stuck to the Right upper Canine, essentially hiding it from casual viewing. But the wounds were infected (I'd wanted to do something to treat the one I could see, but didn't know how and didn't want to be chomped again), so Bel received a ten-day course of anti-biotics and pain relief, and a Collar to discourage her from pawing at her muzzle while healing (the Collar didn't even last until noon; she kept banging into things and couldn't reach food and water while wearing it....). Even bigger relief, with the way our finances were tied up that month, the Vet allowed me to pay half (THANK HEAVENS there was still some credit on the Capital One Card!) and bill later for the rest.....
Whew! Bel is fine, now, except she apparently became accustomed to the hand-fed pills/M&M and soft canned foods twice a day.... and paws at my knee wanting her 'noms' every so often.
Um, on a cheerier note, although we have not added any new plants to the back fence butterfly garden, the plants that survived from last year have certainly flourished: cone flowers, Joe Pye Weed, Milkweed, butterfly bush all doing splendidly. No new residents of the Tree this year, nor wandering varmints, and the rabbits seem to be leaving the cone flowers alone. We've seen so many lightning bugs this year after dark! Makes me very happy. Not so much the bees and the Monarchs yet.
I have now read all (except the last one) of Elizabeth Peters' "Amelia Peabody" novels. I waited until "The Painted Queen" came out in paperback, and it is now sitting at the top of the "to-read" book stack. Did I mention that I finally renewed my Library Card? I'd let it lapse after the move -- I can't believe it's been ten years!!! On the knitting front, the Prayer Shawl ministry is on summer hiatus, so I am once again knitting hats for the children. I came across a workable mitten pattern, too. Not ready to try socks again, yet.
I might be going on a road trip with Mom in September to Ellis Island. We'd talked about it last year, but it didn't materialize due to Mom having a sewer pipe problem last summer.
That's about it for now. Later, Gators!
Sigh.
Still on the Frugal Living Plan. We managed to get the June Property Tax installment paid, but are now saving up for the August & September installments. Husband has not had the usual seasonal overtime at work this year; things at the plant have been unusually slow for the past six months.... and some of the newer hires have been 'temporarily' laid off. My hours are still reduced as well. I actually wouldn't mind so much, since it gives me more leeway when scheduling doctor's appointments and such, and I honestly don't really need even 30 hours most of the time to get my normal week's work done.... but it would really be nice if the Finance team and Session could see their way to a COL pay raise this year?
Belldandy gave me a scare towards the end of May! We never DID figure out exactly how or what happened, but Jethro and Bel had one of their RAWRS, and then there was a yelp, and suddenly Bel was pawing frantically at the right side of her muzzle! Husband grabbed Jethro and shoved him outside on the tie-out, and I tried to calm Bel down and see what the problem was.....there was blood from her lower jaw, and a very incomplete look inside her mouth left me with dented fingers (but no punctures) and the horrified impression that Bel had somehow lost her right front canine fang -- either completely gone, or broken off and swallowed. This occurred on Saturday night. I managed to calm Bel down; she (mostly) stopped the muzzle-pawing, and let me dab lightly at the bloody spot on her lower jaw. Husband thought that maybe Jethro had bumped her and she'd bitten her own lip and that she'd be fine; but I was concerned because that Canine Tooth seemed to be missing!
(Cue visions of Major Canine Dental Work swarming through my head, with NO handy Savings Bond available to help pay the bill this time!!!)
So, we kept a close eye on Bel for the rest of the weekend; she was drinking water, and even managed to eat some 'Moist & Meaty' soft food, but she still was oozing a bit of blood and occasional muzzle-pawing. First thing Monday morning, I called our Vet and explained the situation. She said to bring her right in, as they'd had a cancellation. Poor Bel. She does not like visiting the vet. Shivering and shaking ensued. Much to my relief, Husband was partly right -- Bel had somehow bitten through both her upper lip, and the bottom lip. The upper lip was stuck to the Right upper Canine, essentially hiding it from casual viewing. But the wounds were infected (I'd wanted to do something to treat the one I could see, but didn't know how and didn't want to be chomped again), so Bel received a ten-day course of anti-biotics and pain relief, and a Collar to discourage her from pawing at her muzzle while healing (the Collar didn't even last until noon; she kept banging into things and couldn't reach food and water while wearing it....). Even bigger relief, with the way our finances were tied up that month, the Vet allowed me to pay half (THANK HEAVENS there was still some credit on the Capital One Card!) and bill later for the rest.....
Whew! Bel is fine, now, except she apparently became accustomed to the hand-fed pills/M&M and soft canned foods twice a day.... and paws at my knee wanting her 'noms' every so often.
Um, on a cheerier note, although we have not added any new plants to the back fence butterfly garden, the plants that survived from last year have certainly flourished: cone flowers, Joe Pye Weed, Milkweed, butterfly bush all doing splendidly. No new residents of the Tree this year, nor wandering varmints, and the rabbits seem to be leaving the cone flowers alone. We've seen so many lightning bugs this year after dark! Makes me very happy. Not so much the bees and the Monarchs yet.
I have now read all (except the last one) of Elizabeth Peters' "Amelia Peabody" novels. I waited until "The Painted Queen" came out in paperback, and it is now sitting at the top of the "to-read" book stack. Did I mention that I finally renewed my Library Card? I'd let it lapse after the move -- I can't believe it's been ten years!!! On the knitting front, the Prayer Shawl ministry is on summer hiatus, so I am once again knitting hats for the children. I came across a workable mitten pattern, too. Not ready to try socks again, yet.
I might be going on a road trip with Mom in September to Ellis Island. We'd talked about it last year, but it didn't materialize due to Mom having a sewer pipe problem last summer.
That's about it for now. Later, Gators!