Bart ‘n’ Ella’s Coutry Kitchen

Okay, weird title, I know. But bear with me, because it will make sense.

Sort of.

Alan and I took the cats to the vet today. Both of them.  Aladdin was NOT a happy kitty.  Karma takes these things rather philosophically, knowing that we would never hurt her and that she’ll be home soon enough.  Aladdin doesn’t know that. After all, we adopted him from PAWS. Presumably, whoever owned him before brought him to the vet or the shelter or wherever and never brought him home again.  Anyway, his teeth are really bad, which I’d already suspected, and the doctor had to test him for FIV/Feline Leukemia again, even though his records say he was negative. Thankfully, he is still negative, but he also had to get tested for Bartonella (told you the title would make more sense). That’s cat scratch fever, to the rest of us.  I guess those three diseases tend to lead to gum disease, so we have to make sure.  If he does have the Bartonella, he could pass it to the rest of us.  Fortunately, it’s not likely that he would pass it on, because he’s such a sap. He doesn’t bite or scratch, so not much danger of infection.

Unfortunately, I have to take him back tomorrow. He’s going to get his teeth cleaned and have a medicated bath.  He’s still got some little spots, though they didn’t fluoresce under the Wood’s lamp, so I think we may have knocked out the ringworm for the most part.  And he’ll probably have some meds coming home for the gum problems.  On top of that they both had blood tests for sedation. Aladdin because of the dental stuff and the bath and such tomorrow, Karma for when we have her spayed in about a month.  All told we spent more than $400 today. Not good.  Well, it’s good to make sure our pets are healthy. Not so good when our accounts are seriously dwindling.  I’m lucky Alan was with me or I’d have been screwed.

I cannot wait to start working again.  Right now I’m wondering if I can even pay the bills after that little trip to the vet. Then again tomorrow? Yikes.

Alan and I actually had a fight about money a few days ago. Of course, that’s about the only thing we ever fight about because he has all the financial accumen of a toddler sometimes.  We’ve only just made up.  Normally I don’t like to let things fester that long, but he essentially attacked me for not working, which 1.) he promised not to do, and 2.) isn’t exactly fair given that I HAVE a job, I just haven’t started yet, and 3.) it’s not like I don’t contribute to the household at all since I do all the cooking, cleaning, shopping, bill paying, cat caring.  It really hurt me for him to attack me like that and I’m still not entirely over it.  I’ve made him cook dinner the last few nights in some attempt to make up for it, although it doesn’t come close.

As for my pending job, I’m still waiting to meet with the center’s owner.  I must admit that I’m getting a little frustrated by all this waiting.  I hate being so strapped for cash. I mean, it’s one thing to see a sweater or something that I really love and not be able to buy it. It’s quite another to be trying to figure out how to make it through to Alan’s next paycheck and still pay all the bills on time.  It might get a little hairy for a while.

I’m still working on my 101/1001 List, which I’m starting New Year’s Day.  One of the most obvious ones was my goal of not spending unnecessarily for one year. As in, I’ll buy food and pay the bills.  I’d like to avoid processed foods in favor of raw ingredients.  And no new books or clothes.  The one exception could be Alan’s work clothes, but I think we should only replace them when they’re entirely worn out.  My other worry is work clothes. I don’t know what the dress code at this new center will be, so I don’t know if I need to buy collared shirts or what all else.  And of course, I know I’m going to need to spend money on a dress for Jen’s wedding, but that’s a given.

Anyway, I suppose I should go. Of course, I have nothing to do, but I can’t spend all day on the computer either.  Maybe I’ll go try to drum another 80-odd goals.

~Liz