Cat Perched on a Shoulder?

Wednesday, July 14th 2010

I think the past week has caught up with me.  I'm exhausted and achey.  The thought alone of doing anything is not appealing.  I took a long nap around lunch time.

For dinner I made the same thing as last night.  This time I did not set off the smoke alarm - woohoo!  I played Solitaire again while I ate.  I am not in the mood to do the dishes yet.

I painted flowers on the tissue box holder.  I put one big flower in pink with two smaller light blue flowers.  On the next side I reversed the colors and made the big flower blue and the little flowers pink.  I outlined them in a slightly darker hue.

I have a fly in the apartment since last night's cooking escapade.  He presumably made his entry when I had the sliding glass door open to air the place out.  He's smart.  He's much smarter than the flies at Mom's.  There I was able to swat them more often than not.  This little bugger counters my attacks by flying away.  The most annoying part is when he flies by my head.  I can't stand the close-range buzzing sound.  It gives me the heebie-jeebies!  Ick!

About 6pm I called Mom to see if I could go up there to watch her TV since I can't figure this one out.  So You Think You Can Dance is on tonight.  Her phone went directly to voice mail.  I left a message.  I'm going anyway.

An hour drive later I was at Mom's.  She and Glen were still at the American Legion for funeral services of one of the post's members who passed earlier this week.  When I came in, the two cats greeted me.  Princess (AKA Fatso) did figure eight's around my ankles while Cleo jumped on the counter to headbutt me.  Princess thinks it's time to eat whenever someone is in the kitchen, even if she just ate.  I told her she had to wait for Mom to get home because for all I knew she ate ten minutes ago!

There was an envelope on the table.  It was addressed to me.  The return address was Social Security, Puerto Rico.  They moved my case from Voorhees, NJ to San Juan, PR a while ago.  I don't know why.  I opened the letter.  It informed me my hearing date is August 26th at 9am in the Voorhees, NJ building via video teleconferencing and they will have a vocational specialist and two medical experts present to testify.  This is what I've been waiting for.  I have not yet heard anything from my attorney.  The last I got from him was a very short email the end of January stating he was still gathering my records.  The last phone call I got was before I was evicted.  It will have been over a year since I saw him in person by the time this court date comes.

...a vocational specialist and two medical experts.  What if they agree with the last denial determination?  I have asked the doctor two or three times about returning to work, he still says no, and I am a long way from work, and reiterates that I am disabled.  What if Social Security doesn't believe him?  Then what do I do?  I am broke, Social Services will only help with rent for 12 months, and the doc says no working...  Deep breath.  Mom's says she thinks I have it and she's excited that I finally have a date for the hearing.  She reminded me the surgeon felt I was too far gone for surgery.  My friend says he thought I should have had it the last two times, but admits he's a bit biased :-)  It's good to have friends who believe in you.

The anxiety started welling up.  I started having chest pains just thinking of it.  Then I remembered my emergency zip-lock bag in my purse.  Dr. Del prescribed me medicine for my "next heart attack."  What better time to use it than when I am having chest pain and know I have anxiety issues?  Xanax, here I come!  Twenty minutes later the chest pain had subsided...proof it was a panic attack brewing.  If it was cardiac related pain the Xanax wouldn't have relieved it.

I watched So You think You Can Dance.  Last week my favorite dancer was sent home on injury. :-(  This week, another one of my favorites was injured and told not to dance.  :-(  They're dropping faster than the silly scalawag fly I have in my apartment!  Tonight had some BEAUTIFUL performances!  I am so glad I came to Mom's to watch it.  It proved well worth the hour-plus drive!

Towards the end of my show, I got the munchies.  I took out the salad I stashed in the fridge when I got here.  True to form, Princess jumped up on the back of the couch behind me and started purring.  I looked back at her and said, "This is not for you."  She nosed me and sniffed at my lips.  She put her front paws on my shoulder and started kneading.  I caved in.  I took a little piece of ham from my chef salad and offered it to her.  She sniffed it but looked perplexed by the fork.  I dropped the ham on my shoulder.  She practically inhaled it!  The purring got louder.  I've seen people with their birds perched on their shoulders.  This was the first time I ever saw a cat perched on a shoulder.  Now I'd done it!  I was not getting rid of her.  Glad I didn't mind sharing my salad.