Things have felt a little different around here since December. I was due for my mental health appointment, and they have been cancelling it and rescheduling me ever since. That month was when things really began to hit me, and I was due for a medication adjustment… it’s sort of a seasonal problem from November-March. But that first month they told me they had to reschedule was the month my friend Ted didn’t make it to his next mental health check. Ted died. We never get to hear from Ted again, except in those awkward Facebook Memories that pop up every day from X amount of ever years ago. His wife has our last photo somewhere, I’m sure, but I haven’t been imposing on her. They were the couple that I stayed with in April in Missouri when I went to the big pet bloggers conference, which in hindsight, seems to be the last BlogPaws event they’ll do.

December was also my first surprise $500 electric bill in this new rental. Compounding financial issues with mental issues with mourning just about makes my head explode. So, I had an appointment in January. Then they rescheduled. And I had my appointment for the end of January. Then they rescheduled. Currently I am to see a different provider in 3 weeks, all the while my very last mental health appointment was completed in September.

That electric bill? Our HVAC was busted and wasn’t replaced until almost 7 weeks since my property manager said that a $500 bill wasn’t normal and he’d have it looked at. Then I got to see that the projected bill was going to be $800 before repairs were completed, as the temperatures were dropping.

I’ve been looking for ways to keep my mind busy, and have been going overkill on shopping ads, sales, couponing, rebating… sort of like an OCD style coping mechanism.

The little things I like are the rewards that show up in my email for my pet supermarket accounts, telling me to take it easy and wish my pet(s) a happy birthday, and go pick them out a treat at the store.

The thing with the couponing is that I saved $6 on the turkey thighs I need for the boys’ next batch of raw food.

I have found a few big clearance items on Nutriberries that the birds enjoy daily, and they don’t expire for months. I still keep them in the freezer because my cat will break into the bags and eat them.

I have also come to realize that my 16 year old veneers over my broken teeth from the car accident in my youth are going to need replaced. This is at the same time the vet’s office wants me to get Amalie’s teeth cleaned again. I did have her senior blood panel ran and made sure she’s healthy because of that nausea last week, and that she and the other three cats need their 3 year rabies renewed.

Hopefully we’ll have a lull in the snow days so I can get some better lighting for new photos. Weruva has some fun new things you should know about, but not in bad lighting; I just can’t do that to you.

My friends also adopted a rescue dog and I have applied to several campaigns to see if we can get some doggy items featured.

We do have an issue going on with the birds right now. Idris has been alienating herself from the flock. She’d had time out quite a few times over on the travel cage 6 feet away. She’s been going to bed with Jak and Koi at night, but Dismal says that we need to not let her have the bed time buddies so she’ll appreciate them in the daylight as well. My suspicions are that this can last up to a year with any behavioral problem. She’s 7 in 11 days.