It's been a tumultuous year. I haven't processed everything yet. Probably won't until I'm done traveling and can curl up in a blanket burrito at home.

Last night I discovered that the IP address for the internet is US-based in the apartment where I'm saying, so that means I can stream TV. So I have.

I'm just so sad, y'all. I hate this.

Yeah. I've been telling people I'm ok all day because it is too much to explain, but I'm not. And it's so tiring. Being sad is tiring, and not crying at work is tiring and going to bed at 5 pm is problematic.

I can't think of a better idea for cat pilling, Jesse. Unless you could board her at the vets or something, but that's pricier than kid cat sitter and takes her out of her home and blah blah blah. Is it medicine that she'll be ok to not get for a few days?

I'd say tuna water except I have a cat who turns her nose up at that.

Ugh Swifty was the worst at taking pills. Does she like dairy? Cream cheese might be easy and work well.

LAPD Santa is in the neighborhood tonight. Cody took the kids so they could enjoy the hot cocoa and the fun of being out and about at night. I can hear all the kids and boy are they LOUD this year. I guess it's a good one.

Sorry, I'm no help on cat pilling. I've always just nestled them between my knees and dropped it in their mouths. I've just been lucky. We had one cat who would spit them out on the first go-round, but even he would take it eventually.

For cat pilling, we use a thing with the horribly hilarious name of Pill Popper. It's a syringe -type thing, where you put the pill in the little rubber end, pry your cat's jaws open, and shoot the pill down their throat with the plunger. It's the only way we can get the daily meds down Ruthven.

Oooh, mystery box from Teppy! I love mystery boxes.

I went out holiday shopping with Dad, and you guys! He looks so happy and relaxed! Retiring and moving in with his ladylove is the best thing that's happened in YEARS.

Jilli, your dad certainly deserves some happiness. I'm glad for him and you.

I'm pretty sure I was 12 when I started pilling my cat. But Suzie was a remarkably compliant cat. Once I got the hang of it, I didn't need to use the burrito method to restrain her. And I cannot give Sammie pills without Pill Pockets... Jesse, have you tried any of the different flavors? I think there are two flavors that are labeled for cats, but the canine varieties have more flavors, and it really makes no difference. Unless your cat can read.

Yay, Dad!

Being prepared didn't prepare me.

It kind of did with Sandy (fan, not Buffista), but her hospice time was longer.

Back on the shingles thing, I had chicken pox late, at 18, and had a fairly bad case of it. Missed two weeks of school, still have scars down one side of my face, etc. When I was recovering and almost well enough to go back to school, my left arm went numb and tingly. My parents had left me home alone, since I was recovering so well, Dad had to go to work, and Mom got called in as a substitute teacher. (At my high school--and as a side note, there are few things as embarrassing when you're a self-conscious teenager as having a mother known as the mean substitute because she has an actual teacher's certificate, is strict and serious, and makes you do your work.)

So, there I am by myself, out in the country, freaking out because my arm is acting weird. I called the school, and they got Mom to come home so she could take me to the doctor. The doctor who could fit me in was the oldest doctor in our town clinic, 65 or so. He looked at the arm, checked the circulation and blood pressure, and generally confirmed nothing too drastic was going on...and then remarked that while he almost certainly wouldn't live to see it, he'd be interested to know if someday when I got shingles, they'd be focused on that arm. (His theory being that my symptoms were the virus settling into my nerves, and whether that has any scientific validity whatsoever I have no idea.)