Older and Wiser!

I celebrated another birthday, internets! And I must say,  I heart my late thirties (ok..I'm now almost 40!)

Sure, sometimes..I still freak out that I may never be married again, and that I might die alone, with my cats, and/or dogs licking the eyeballs out of my lifeless body...but other than that, life is pretty great!

As usual, I took an extended leave from work to celebrate my birthday/use up all my leftover vacation time I didn't have time to take because I'm too busy at work.

My best friend in the world that got engaged and moved three hours away from me came up for the occasion with her fiance. I had a delicious dinner at a swanky restaurant with them and my other BFF who was my date. After that we went to the local pub for some drinks, and we did a throwback shot of tequila.  (I remember why I no longer do those now)

With just two hours left until the bars closed, my bff, her fiance and I headed to my favorite dance spot (the local gay bar which has the best DJ and the most awesome people) and I danced until I was dripping in sweat, like I actually knew how to dance. The perfect ending to the evening!

I rounded my time off of work out with spending some time with HS friend, Christmas shopping with my Momma, taking my semi-new dog on a 3 mile run (and he loved it!)

I also spent an entire day in my PJ's watching Netflix and drinking chardonnay! Not because I was so sore from all of that dancing or anything.

I'm pretty sure, it doesn't get much better than that!

Mr. Bohannon still wanted to play after our run, while I was ready to chill.

The Downside of Pets...

I can only think of one downside to having pets and that is...having to say goodbye.

This weekend, I said goodbye to the most perfect cat in the universe, my Fizzgig!

Fizzgig had a motor purr that you could hear rooms away, and there was rarely a time that she was not running that motor! Secretly "the favorite" she always came when called, never turned down a snuggle, and loved her whisker lickin' treats more than anything else.

Everyone loved her because she had the most gentle temperment, despite her "grumpy face". 

She had been getting frequent urinary tract infections, and had kidney disease for about a year. She was managing the kidney thing pretty well with her incessant drinking, and diet. Other than that you'd never know there was a thing wrong with her. 

This past week she started hiding...and she never hides. Even when she was sick with a UTI, she was more lethargic, but always around me.

So I made a Saturday appointment suspecting another UTI. But Thursday night, in the span of a couple of hours, she was purring, laying down...and slowly rolled to her side, took a deep breath, and essentially..."died" for a couple seconds. It was very unexpected and I called my Mom hysterical.

We agreed that if she seemed to be in no pain, to just let her go. The first couple times I shook her, and she came out of it dazed, and went about her business eating, drinking, using the litter box..but she'd hide in the kitty tunnel, and did the same thing a dozen or so times. 

I changed her appointment to the next day, and all night I layed with her, battling with the decision to put her down. 

Mr. Magoo wanted to be near her the last day, he has the sweetest soul..

At the vet, she told me that her heart rate was really, really slow, especially given that she was at the vet. She said we should do an xray to see what's going on with it. And really, what did it matter? Her heart was obviously affected enough so that it stopped beating several times the previous night.

As hard for me as it was, and as awful as it sounded coming out of my mouth I said " she's almost sixteen, and I don't want to put her through anything else to prolong her suffering, I can't watch her go through another night like we had, so I think it's time to let her go". 

Deep down I knew I was going there to euthanize her.

She leaves a big hole in my heart, but also in the kitty hearts of these guys...

Her 14 year old son Peekachu

And 14 year old daughter Fozzie

More than my sadness, her babies have never known a life without her, and it's the first time in losing a pet that I have had to deal with real pet grief, which makes it all that more difficult to move on from.

Fizzie lovin the boxed wine!

We lose pets all the time, and it's never easy. However, I am really missing my little "gigabyte"...we had a special bond.

To some, seems I've had a bout of "bad luck" with my pets lately, but they have all lived well into their teens, and I am grateful for that. I've taken very good care of them, and they have lived long, happy, lives as adored little additions to my life.

R.I.P. little Fizzgig. 1998-2014

A New Life Partner...

I know you were all excited that I finally met someone, right? But this post is not about MY life partner, it's about a life partner for my dog Mr. Magoo!

Mr. magoo posing with his pool...

Being a puppy mill breeder, Magoo has always loved other dogs! So, I've been on the lookout for a while now for the right dog to live with us, and be his new best friend..it's not easy to make a match. The dogs are the ones to decide if they will be friends, and then I have my three senior cats to worry about on top of that!

We've had a few trials. 

But after years of  looking at potential dogs...we have officially adopted a new life partner for Mr. Magoo! 

Mr. Bohannon with his tennis ball!!! (named after my man crush on the show Hell on Wheels)

A friend of a friend found him as a puppy about six months ago, and didn't have time to care for a dog, and wanted to find a loving home for him. I took him on a weekend trial,  but after the first night it was clear that he was meant to be mine. 

He and Mr. Magoo played for hours their first meeting, and my cats didn't mind him at all after a couple of hours. He is around a year old, and I'm not sure what kind of dog he is until I take him to my vet, but the previous owner said the vet told her he is a shih tzu mix. I think he may be a maltese mix, he is really little, (about 6lbs) and has silky hair. 

This dog hit the jackpot coming to live with me, and  his previous owner couldn't have found a better home for this little guy!

Sleeping on the back of the couch...

rawhide!

This new little guy even spent the day at Grammas (my Moms house) with Mr. Magoo, and she agreed that he is a great dog! (good thing because she is my dog-sitter!)

After a much needed hair cut, we hit the park. Mr. Bohannon decided to survey the water safely from the bank, but true to form, Mr. Magoo got right in!

Life partners...at last!!

Um, It's Cold...and I Took a Break!....

Freezing temperatures are not good for a frugal gal!! I enjoy keeping my bills cheap, I use the furnace and space heaters to keep my utilities well under $100 a month.

I have way better things to spend my money on!

We had the coldest temps in 20 years, they say. It was in the negatives, with a wind chill of -40 for two days. We had a week break, and then back into the single digits.  Everyone complained, and all the schools were shut down, and no one showed up to work, but through the ashes (ice chips), me and my Ford Fusion still made it through.

I also got back to the gym, and running again after a three week "vacation". (my boot camp instructor likes to say I was off for 4 months) The time off was kind of nice...instead of squats, weights, and cardio, I perfected the art of snuggling under a blanket with some cats, eating comfort foods, and gaining weight. But my clothes told me that this had to come to an end quick!

I paid the price of taking time off in the way of everything hurting, and not being the baddest ass in class. (which I HATE!)  I have also been having mean green juice, the last few days in an effort to flush out all of the crap and sugar I've been ingesting.

I came to the conclusion that green juice tastes best served in a wine glass with an orange wheel garnish! Presentation is everything!

By way of groupon I recruited a few coworkers to join boot camp with me. One girl came one time, and left to throw up half way through class..and refuses to return. It kind of reminded me that this class is not for everyone, and you have to want to improve and be the best. All of us "regulars" have been there, but we came back and got past that point. I mean, I don't know what people think I do in a boot camp class?? Aerobics? I mean, it's called boot camp for a reason! 

And here are my "kids" enjoying the cold weather...

I made new cushions for my cat beds to help keep them toasty...Fizzgig approves..

Mr. Magoo and his kitty brother, Pickachu discovered the best way to stay warm is to snuggle!

Fozzie likes to be on top!

These two don't know they are not related....

Stay warm out there, friends! And don't be like me and use it as a vacation from your fitness! 

Run, Run, Rudolph!!

The high on Saturday in the Cleves was 24. I don't know the official weather at 8 am, but my official opinion is, it was "fucking cold". I wore long johns under my running tights, and a long sleeve tech tee, and a running jacket, a hood, gloves, and smart wool socks. I lost feeling in my buttocks almost instantly. I didn't dress up but there were some creative costumes.

My favorite was a girl dressed as one of the Bumpass' hounds, she had on a dog face cap, and carried a turkey.

My race swag. 

Luckily we got a ticket to tour the Christmas Story House another time, because the line was ridiculously long, and the cold was even worse after working up a sweat!

We didn't have to wait in the mile long line for a ride back to our start line, because my bff scored us a ride to the big city, who also came to pick us up from the finish, and then took us to brunch! I mean, does it get any better?

There were a lot of walkers. Strollers. Kids. People wearing boxes. And, ICE on the road...so we didn't get to really compete for time. Our 5k time was 34 minutes. Not our best, but pretty good considering. But it was for fun, and we didn't mind. 

This is clearly, my new favorite medal!

And since the cold has descended upon us, and everyone loves pet photos, here is what the animals have been up to.

"Somebodies sleeping in MY bed". Mr. Magoo has also started to enjoy the sweater bed I made. Fizzgig is unimpressed. This is cat territory.

 This was a few minutes later...if you can't beat 'em...join 'em!

I guess I need to make more sweater beds. 

Reason 456,890,214 I'm Not a Mom to Human Children..

I get a lot of flack from people (mainly my Mom) about not wanting kids. I mean, there are times when it freaks me out that not only am I child free, but I am also without a partner. Who's gonna take care of me? 

But I can't imagine living my life doing something I have no passion for. And I really have no passion for children.

Yes, there are friends and family of mine who have kids, that I can say are cute, and adorable, and I can handle them in small doses. But when the day is done..and the meltdowns happen...I'm thankful that I get to go home to peace and quiet, and having my own space. 

Honestly, I'm more cut out for being a hip Auntie!  One you'd feel bad about living in a state-run old folks home, due to her life-long friendship with your Mom..so you would probably take her under your wing.. should she ever need it. 

I understand people's love of children. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here today! I'm lucky that my Mom wanted to grow up to be "a Mom" and that she brought me into this world and raised me right. I also feel a calling to other things, like volunteering at the animal rescue, and people like me are just as important!

And here you have it...reason 456,890,214 I'm not a Mom to human children. I'd probably go to jail if my human kid found a lighter, because human kids have thumbs, and can set stuff on fire!

Luckily, I just took this lighter away from Mr. Magoo, and life went on!

More Pinterest Crafting...and Pictures of the Furkids..

My latest Pinterest project is a pet bed made out of an old sweater!! Easy, peasy!

It is a first draft, and will only be improved upon...but this is a half off thrift store sweater $1.50 turned into a snuggley pet bed!

Mr. Magoo approves

Fizzgig approves

Pickachu approves

And it's perfect for two (Fizzgig and Pickachu)

Bonus shot.. Mr. Magoo has made a full recovery. Here he is tuckered out from play and cat chasing!

Honorary mention..Fozzie, she  hasn't gotten on the bed bandwagon, but she deserves to be pictured with the rest of the furkids...

Mom helped me with this, and tried to show me how to work her sewing machine, which turned out to not be the best way to make this bed. I got the job done with a darning needle and crochet thread in no time! I do however, need to continue the sewing machine lessons. I don't remember a damned thing from Home ec classes....it was only 20 years ago. 

When Cat's Break Your Heart....

I got Miss Tai Ming in 1997. Three years after I graduated. I mean, I was still married back then!! I found her in the paper for $60! A small price to pay for 16 years of unconditional love!

She's been a pinnacle of health. Her one and only trip to the vet was to get spayed.

Never a sniffle. Never an infection. Not an itch....Not a bad tooth in her mouth. Easiest cat in the world!

When I returned from vacation the beginning of September, I could tell she was just different.

At first, I thought she was being the normal cat. You know, pissed off at me for leaving for a week, and giving me the cold shoulder. Then an entire day went by and it occurred to me..."I haven't seen Tai today".

Now, she's always been a loner. The other three cats are family, and inseperable, but Tai always made her presence known. She would visit, and she loves to talk, as any respectable siamese mix would!

In just two short weeks, she took a rapid decline, she started hiding more than usual. And since she usually hid most of the time, and I have three other cats...it took me a while to notice she obviously hasn't been eating, she's lost weight! And then I noticed that her coat wasn't so pretty anymore.

I just knew something was very wrong.

A trip to the vet revealed that she also had partial facial paralysis...the left side of her face wasn't responding to touch. Her left eye was blind. And she couldn't blink. She was very dehydrated. Eating was likely difficult for her because of the paralysis.

None of her symptoms pointed to any one thing, and her blood work revealed nothing. Without a CT scan (which I inclined not to do on my 16 year old cat) the vet's best guess was that she had likely suffered a stroke recently.

After IV fluids, and lots of tears, I took Miss Tai home with me. I got her to eat some fancy tuna fish, but not much. It's hard to eat with partial paralysis.

I will only have a few days left with my precious little kitty. Once she decides that even eating delicious tuna is too much for her, I have to let her go.

I have had to make that awful choice for a few of my pets in my lifetime. You always wonder what if...and you never forget how hard it was to do.

But me and Tai had the joy of caring for each other for 16 years! I can't imagine the amount of tears she's soaked up in her fur from all that life has tossed my way, from job losses, to lost loves. She was there with me for the vast majority of my life's events! She knows all my deepest secrets!

She's always been a staple in my life...."My Tai"  I like to call her.....

I am lucky to have had her for so long, and I am going to shower her with extra love over the next few days.

Hug your pets a little tighter tonight.

You just never know when their time is up!

It's My Birthday! (Almost)

My days have been blazing by, because yet another one of my little birdies at work has left the nest. (got a promotion) I'm very happy when my girls can move up, but I'm pretty sad for me. I'm stuck on secretary AND supervisor duty until I can find someone equally as fabulous to replace her.

I simply hate the interview process, besides counselings and reviews its my #1 most hated duty.

I had my Momma sleep over last weekend. Remember when you couldn't wait to get away from your Mom? It was so fun to have her over! We hung out in our jammies and watched movies! Then,  we spent 9 hours Christmas shopping. I'm nowhere near done. Shopping under pressure is hard.

I read "Bared to You" in one day. And started book two. I thought it was safe to start since book 3 comes out NYE, but looks like I'm going to be waiting to find out what happens with Gideon and Eva...

After almost 2 months off from daily running, (slacking) I started back at it full tilt, and I've finally tried SPINNING 3 days a week!! I love the team environment, which fuels my desire to push myself. Running and spinning in the same day makes Jill a tired girl, and I have been crashing very early!

I'll be doing a Christmas caroling run next week with a local running group. Dress festive, and sing carols while running through the neighborhoods. I'm pretty excited about this one, it's all fun, and no pressure!

I've been preparing for my 37th birthday party this weekend! (omg...I'm almost 40!!!)  I'm having the ladies over for another wine party, where we all bring our favorite wines, and cheeses, and then go tripping the light fantastic at my favorite dance club, and forget that we are entering mid-life.

Today, marks the one month anniversary of my legendary attendance of the Madonna concert! I'll never ever, get tired of reliving this memory!

How are your holiday plans coming along?

Mr. Magoo got a haircut for Christmas, and a new sweater.

 

Snuggles.

Dog's Eye View

After my run in the rain on my last race, my phone has a mind of its own. Mostly, it takes random pictures. All. The. Time.

These are photos from Mr. Magoos view, as he is responsible for carrying my car keys, and my cell phone in his harness..I got some random dog shots from our last walk..

 

Those are my legs....

;

 

Oh, my legs again...

A view of the walking trail from a dog's perspective...

 

I think this is my shadow...

A dog's eye view of the park..

The ride home, Mr. Magoo is a happy pup!

 

Mr. Magoo has to lay on my lap after a park visit, maybe it is the blasting of A/C I have in my space, or because he loves me to pieces...

The world may never know. ..

Rescue Dog Days of Summer...

I live in Northeast Ohio. Once in a blue moon, the temperatures reach 90. It's rare. I don't remember the last time they have exceeded the 90's, let alone, for weeks on end, as they have been, and caused such distress on the inhabitants....dogs included!

This is Mr. Magoo's sad and pathetic "I'm bored" face...he thinks I'm terrible for not walking him, or taking him to the dog park in the hot weather, but he is a stumpy faced dog, he can't cool off in the heat...it's for his own good

 So, as any good Mother would do, I finally went and got him a doggie pool. At first, he's not sure about it...what's this business? 

Then, after a quick backyard chase session, he decided that it met his approval..."yes, this feels nice!!"

"Thanks for the pool Mom!!" (I got a kiss!)

From 4 years of life in a cage w/no human contact... to having his own doggie pool, and a human that thinks the sun rises and sets with his sweet face....Mr. Magoo hit the jackpot with my adopting him.. and as always, I am equally as lucky for having adopted him...

Later That Day....

Every time we "went outside" which usually means "potty"...we had to check out our pool..... I didn't have the heart to correct him. He lounged around in the pool, and then still did his business. 

I'm just going to go through a lot more towels each week than I am accustomed to... it's totally worth it to see how happy he is walking around in that silly doggy pool!!

Pictures, and a Thousand Words or Something

Here is Mr. Magoo before.

 Here is Mr. Magoo at Gramma's, with his summer haircut, looking like a whole new dog. Of course since the recent drop in temperature, I had to put his sweater on to make up for having him shaved. This is the first time going this short with his coat, and I kinda miss his floppy hair, but he'll appreciate it come summer.

To make up for shaving all his poodle curls off, I got him a new lamb toy that you can see he loves.... Here he says "die, lambie...die!"...

After being shaved bald, my adorable cat society decided Mr. Magoo needed snuggles to stay warm. He totally thinks he is "one of the cats"....Who wouldn't want to be part of this snuggle society? My cats are awesome!

After leaving the gym last week, I had a note under my windshield wiper. I totally thought I got a random note from a secret admirerer at the gym, but turns out, my friends are just assholes!

 I love Aladins! I could eat here every day and love every bite! This past weekend I branched out from the usual dawali, and hummus, and got a chicken salad with Tahini dressing. It was 99% romaine lettuce, with smidge of  "chicken salad" ,almonds, and alfalfa sprouts.... Turns out I love alfalfa sprouts!  My year of trying new things is proving quite beneficial!