Happy birthday, Hil!

Good Monday all!

Need some puppo~ma. We had to take Skinner to the emergency vet last night. Early in the day, he seemed to have some issue with his foot or leg, and the night before he had seemed odd in behavior. Then a bit later yesterday we were napping and he woke up with a terrible-sounding cry. I walked him and he seemed okay. Later, he was on his bed napping again and then cried again. I fed him dinner, walked him again, and he seemed fine, if a bit odd. He was just off and not his usual rambunctious self. I called DH and he came home and also thought he was odd. He jumped up on the couch next to daddy and kind of cuddled and snoozed again, until he let out a yelp. That's it, we took him. Vet said all the vitals were fine but he cried when she tried to open his mouth or turn his head to the side.

Two options, he pulled or sprained something roughhousing with the dogs at the park, or he might have meningitis. So some it is just an injury ~ma would be nice. She game him pain pills and said he should be chill for a week, no climbing the 5 flights of stairs that he normally does with DH, or going to the park. Just hanging out being lazy. If he doesn't improve in a couple days then he has to go to the doggy neurologist. He seems okay today, just a bit dopey from drugs. He did yelp once, but when I turned my head the cat was standing right next to him as he walked through a doorway. Cats being cats, she probably took a swipe at him when he walked by.

eta: Why don't they ever tell me I have to take drugs and be lazy for a week?

Recovery ~ma to Skinner.

Ack, it's already 11:30a? This day is going too fast for where I should be by now work-wise).

Friendsgiving was fun, though it takes me longer to recover the house these days. Which is totally fine -- I don't care, and I build in fun breaks now!

It wasn't fun was finding

few mouse droppings in the silverware drawer... on down all four of the drawers in that sack.

Took everything out, cleaned the drawers, then washed All The Things in the dishwasher. I put peppermint oil in each drawer, even though I think it's probably bullshit that that deters them.

The cats are slacking, it seems.

Got in touch with a dear, old friend whom I ghosted while in a depressive state several years ago (like 10+)... then felt guilty about and shame spiraled into never reaching back out...

But then a friend I haven't seen since '86 but have known since third grade and I got together last week, and we were talking about her, so I got in touch.

She was happy to hear from me, and we're going to plan an in-person catch-up session. I still feel so bad about my behavior, even though I know why. Ugh.

Being a person is fraught.

Being a person is fraught indeed, but it is good to hear you were able to rekindle the friendship.

I hear you on the mouse capades. BTDT. It happens. Lazy ass kitties.

Being a person is fraught.

Truer words. Way to go powering through, JenP!

Thanks, friends!

Get better, Skinner! If you were a good doggie, you'd slip some of your meds to Laura so she could be lazy for a week.

Look at you being all emotionally well adjusted and grown up, JenP! Isn't it nice that your friend was happy to hear from you?

It's open enrollment time. Considering switching from Kaiser to this EPO thing, would save $25/month in premiums monthly but would have to get used to a whole different network of service. Which, given I haven't seen my PCP, uh, ever (got assigned a new one during lockdown and have yet to have an in person appointment) and I don't have any recurring appointments and my only current prescription is for high blood pressure, maybe now would be a good time to switch? And then there's the whole FSA - I think only the transit option would really be useful for me right now and the max amount I could use is pretty low, not sure if it would make a difference to have it be pre-tax. And there's an option for pet insurance, which is new. Hm.

Look at you being all emotionally well adjusted and grown up, JenP! Isn't it nice that your friend was happy to hear from you?

It was!

It's open enrollment time.

Same. I asked DH about deadlines this morning, so he sent me a link to their company's Zoom call on Wednesday at noon, ha! I think he appreciates having someone else to handle it... he hates this stuff.

Sounds like it would be a decent time to switch, -t.

We don't really have much choice (or at least, didn't last year); it's all BCBS, and then pick a tier. I actually have had the best luck getting drugs approved through Cigna -- though I'm off of the "special and cost as much as a Tesla every month" kind these days. But there are still some annoyances. Like, they won't pay for a prescribed probiotic. Eh, there are weird issues like that everywhere, I guess. Stupid health insurance.

OK, I need to finish one last project by 5p. Here I go.

Shit, my MIL's cancer is back, and it's not good.