What a hectic morning, and it’s only 8:10 a.m. Sigh. I have observed, if something catastrophic is going to happen, it will insist on waiting until Friday when I have to work, the weekend, or for a real fun time, reveal itself on a holiday weekend to exact the full impact. The holiday weekend disaster is the big daddy of them all, absolutely assuring you won’t find anyone around to help you with that gushing faucet, or major A/C malfunction. The A/C, of course, will most likely choose the hottest day of the summer to gasp it’s last breath, I’m just sayin.
This morning was not catastrophic, but most certainly it was stress filled. I woke up at 4:30 to the sound of Boo throwing up on the pillow next to me. My poor sweet kitty is failing, in spite of all attempts to keep her going. To give credit where credit is due, she has managed to survive nineteen years thus far. Boo is an indoor cat who has enjoyed quite the pampered life, so this longevity is perhaps less miraculous than it might be for an outdoor cat who has spent their free time dodging cars and outrunning marauding wildlife, but nonetheless, it is still quite a few candles on a birthday cake even for a spoiled old feline. As with many older cats, as well as many older humans, Boo suffers from arthritis. Being a lady of a certain age, her little body can’t handle many of the medications that would help with pain management for her aching bones, so she suffers this infirmity with great dignity, rarely complaining. Added to the mix, she has been diagnosed with Stage 2 kidney disease. The kidney disease will continue to progress as time passes, with these episodes of vomiting becoming more frequent. As a human being who would rather saw off a toe with a nail file than throw up, I totally commiserate with her having to endure this. Looking at her face this morning, it tugged strongly at my heart to see the sadness in her eyes. Nausea is a miserable condition on the best of days, and it is painful for me to watch her go through this. The universe, I believe, is calling on me to act on her behalf to uphold her quality of life, and I have to say, it is with great deal of dread I am anticipating what that will mean as we move on down the road. To describe Boo as my pet, would be such an understatement. On many a dark night over the past decade, Boo has been the only living thing next to me to keep me going. During this time she has performed as friend, companion, soulmate, and gone above and beyond in general, doing all around duty to keep this human erect and propelling one step after the other in a forward motion. I have such gratefulness for being able to have shared all these years with her. We met first when she was six months old. Her original owner abandoned her in the local shelter stating the reason being she was a white kitty, and apparently shed on her furniture. I had been to three shelters at that point looking for a kitty to adopt. Thus far, the connection hadn’t been just the one I was hoping for. Probably that sounds a little silly to those of you not animal lovers, but I knew I’d know the right cat for me when I saw her, and turns out I did. Boo picked me really. I was walking down the aisles of cages when a white paw reached out tentatively through one of the cages, inserting a claw gently in the knee of my jeans, stopping my progress. Leaning down, I found a scared looking white face with big blue eyes and a pink nose staring back at me. “Take me home please” her expression said. “Sold”, said I! The cat managed to emanate grace, even under such difficult conditions, and has turned out to have a deep and abiding soul, that never ceases to impact me. I do love her so.
Getting the sheets off the bed, and cleaning Boo up, I decided it was at last time for my first cup of coffee. Switching the light on in the kitchen, I was dismayed to find a hundred tiny little ant soldiers scurrying about my counter. These ants lately are the scourge of my existence. I have been fighting the little so called “sugar ants” for weeks now, since they showed up after the last good rain. I keep my counters spotlessly clean, have tried spraying them with vinegar, but still the persistent little buggers continue to be a problem. This morning, I laid out a line of cayenne pepper along the trail they seem to favor. This seemed to temporarily stopped them, but I feel there are many more behind the walls, getting their game plan ready for the next assault. Richard said he put Borax down, and that took care of the colony he had. Perhaps when Boo and I are at his house, I will try putting some of that down here. I hate the thought of having to call a pest control person. Number one, they are expensive, and secondly, you usually have to sign up for repeated visits to get them to come out. Sigh. I read a while ago mixing sugar with baking soda is a good home remedy. I will definitely put this idea to good use if I find them on my counter again tonight.
In spite of all this confusion clogging up my gray matter, I somehow made it to work on time. We are enjoying “team building spirit days” with today having been called out as “green day”. I foraged through my closet, and finally came up a green blouse, pulled a green ball cap over my golden locks, and called it good. One does one’s best to comply.
Everything feels a bit chaotic to me the past few weeks. From what I’m hearing from my circle of friends, it would seem I don’t have the monopoly on chaos. According to stories being shared, it seems to be a time of disruptions for everyone. I’ve heard it over and over again from people over the past several weeks about electronic failures, car problems, computer glitches etc., the latest account being this morning on my way to work. A dear friend of mine was headed for the airport to begin the first leg of a trip to Chicago. The plan was for her to catch a plane in LA going to Seattle, meet a friend there, and then the two of them would travel on together to Chicago. Her friend is getting married and this is trip is by way of a pre-wedding shopping extravaganza to fill out her trousseau. Unfortunately, there was a snarl of traffic and my friend missed her flight by five minutes. The plane, sans my friend, is soaring over the Pacific as I write this, with at least one empty seat. Update, she got another flight to Seattle so life, as they say, goes on. Whew. We are functioning under a mercury retrograde at the moment, with travel plans always likely to be disrupted or make life feel a bit more loosey goosey. I know, speaking for myself, I’m just exhausted. I’d go get another cup of coffee in the break room. but the way things are going I’d probably end up with the roof caving in on me or sustaining a third degree while pouring the coffee in my cup.
According to Almanac.com
Three to four times a year, the planet Mercury appears to travel backward across the sky. We refer to these periods as times when Mercury is in apparent retrograde motion or simply ”Mercury retrograde.” To those who practice astrology, these times were traditionally associated with confusion, delay, and frustration. Think undelivered love letters, email blunders, and frazzled travel plans! This is an excellent time to reflect on the past, however, and it’s said that intuition is high during these periods. Coincidences can be extraordinary.
Whether you believe in the powers of the stars and the planets or not, you cannot ignore the fact that when such celestial occurrences are transpiring in our universe, they often appear to have an effect those of us traveling about this planet. The sun, the moon, all things in heaven and earth, Horatio, cannot be denied.
The pull of our planetary system is well documented. Statistically, more heinous crimes are likely to be committed several days before, during, and after a full moon. It is hypothesized that this is due to the human tidal waves created by the gravitational pull of the moon during these periods. Also, hospitals report more emergency room activity during a time of a full moon.
Astrology, or study of the stars and planets, has it’s roots in the beginning of time. People began with the study of seasons and branched out into the effects our skies have on the earth and it’s inhabitants. Today, of course, people study astrology in depth, some planning their lives with the stars to guide them. As always, I am fascinated by how little we really know about our amazing universe after populating it all these many years. Perhaps someday, long after I am planted somewhere, it’s secrets will be revealed. There is part of me that believes we cannot handle the truth so are better left with our speculations to dream on.
Happy Saturday to you. Check your travel plans twice before you venture on the road. The retrograde will be over on the 24th for those of you who put stock in such things.
I’m not a follower of astrology, but I do find the movements of the planets and their appearance in the night sky fascinating.
I don’t really follow it either, Gary, but like you find it all fascinating.