No Comment.

Just watch it. it's weird.

Faded Angel with Ragged Wings

When we got home on Monday night, we thought she was going to die on us right there. She was old, and had not been in the best of health in the last year or so, so I can't say it was a shock, but when you're used to being greeted at the door by a high pitched meow, and you come home to silence it's unnerving.

We spent the next couple of days making sure one of us was home at all times, never leaving her alone. She kept fading away, but never quite came to the end. She had just enough strength to drink a bit of water. Food was out of the question.

This morning, her hind legs all but useless, and her front legs having no fine motor control left, we had the hard talk.

It was time.

After a bit of discussion, we decided to try to have it done at home. I found Dr. Lori Gibson on line and asked her to come and put my cat to sleep. It took all I had to not start bawling over the phone as I made arrangements.

I took Sarah to work and returned home quickly, spending most of the time petting Percy, telling her that she was a good kitty. At about 10:30 Dr. Gibson came in and did what had to be done. She was courteous, compassionate, and excellent at her job. I hope no one reading this has need for her services any time soon, but if you do I highly recommend her.

Right after the vet left I called Sarah and started bawling as soon as I heard her voice. We talked for a few minutes, and then I hid in our bedroom and sobbed uncontrollably for awhile. After that, I went outside, and dug a grave.

It's weird digging a grave. I dug one for a fish when I was about seven, but that doesn't count so much I think (three scoops with a hand trowel, and I was done). This was frelling work, but work mixed up with a weird numbness that made it seem remote.

After that was done, I wrapped Percy up in an old towel, and placed the mouse that died on our back porch this morning in with her.

The mouse was weird. It wasn't there last night when I was taking garbage out, but there it was this morning. It's as if nature was presenting a gift for the once mighty hunter. I don't believe in the supernatural, but rather then tempt fate, I placed the offering with the body, and reverently placed the bundle in the grave.

Burying takes a lot less time then digging, so my work was short. I used an old cement porch support as a grave marker, and surrounded the grave with stones. I don't know why, it just seemed like the thing to do.

I now have to adjust to life post cat. Aside from my first nine months in Portland, I've never not had a pet. We're going to wait a while before we get another cat, to let Percy be mourned properly. It's going to be hard, but we'll make it.

Slow Burn Maddness

My best friend is in the hospital at the moment and I have no idea why. I got a brief email about it this morning from his wife, and a post to a message board that we all frequent. He can't walk without a great deal of pain, and that's all I know. I'm hoping for the best, imagining the worst, and thinking about him and his family constantly.

The worry is making me basically useless at work. I'm going to go and attempt to get some more things done.

6:04 PM
He's ok folks. He's back home and resting, seems he has a particularly bad muscle pull/tear.

Whew.

Fear the Hammer

So, the drums have begun.

Among a group of folks that Sadimac is working with to bring goodness and entertainment to the good people of Portland, the following has happened: Parental death, job loss, impending job loss, a "difficult housing issue", and a relationship ending.

So, to Gallumbits, ShinyFab, and Artemis, the ones untouched by crazy so far, I say to you be careful my dear friends, something wicked is haunting us.

Weirdness, Death, and Change.

So, E. Gary Gygax died on Tuesday, which was the beginning of the oddness.

Gary Gygax was, for those that don't know, was one of the creators of Dungeons & Dragons. He built the platform that my imagination has been using as a spring board since the 80's, and while he hasn't worked on D&D in quite some time, he was still the grandfather that all RPG players and designers paid respect too. I shall miss his presence, regret the fact that I never got to meet him, and always remember him fondly.

My father used to joke that I was putting his kids through college. In a way I suppose I did, me and a million other starry eyed little geeks out there who loved to get away from reality a few hours at a time.

Goodbye Gary. We'll miss you.

In other news, my work schedule has changed. I no longer work until 10 on Fridays, and 11 on Saturdays. I'm opening both days now, which requires a whole new sleep schedule, learning a new bus schedule, and so on. It's worth it though. More time awake at home, and only one night a week of making arrangements to feed the cat.

The crazy was provided by some of the customers at BLB01 in the last couple of days. Some examples:

• A woman approached me at the info station and said she had just finished Three Cups of Tea, and said she was looking for something inspiring. Now, I haven't read the book, and am not likely to. It's not my cup of tea, if you will excuse the pun. She kept grilling me though, expecting me to magically pull a book title out of my ass based on no information. When I tried to pawn her off on the Red Room info desk, at which point she got snappy, and said "You don't read much do you?" I resisted saying "I do ma'am, just not the boring shit that you read", and pointed her in the direction of Eat, Pray, Love, and helped the next customer.

• The guy who bought $47 dollars worth of books with $2 bills

• The nearly falling over drunk guy asking for books in Spanish

• The woman who put what looked to be a sack of garbage in the bag check

• The two guys who came in to sell books that came in the wrong door, opted for an escort instead of going around, and when I did escort them, thought it was a good idea to leave a box right in front of the elevator doors so they could go back for it

• And of course, the woman who when given directions to the elevator, said "What the hell is a mezzanine?"
  

Hatchets!

Last night a street kid came into BLB01 and checked his bag. I grabbed the bag and started to move towards the bag check shelves when he stopped me and pulled two hand axes from under his coat and placed them in his bag.

"last time I came in with these they said I need to check them"

I immediately thought to my self "You had fucking better check those things" followed quickly by "You're not a construction worker. Why the hell do you have a pair of fucking hatchets on your person?"

I just said "perhaps that's a good idea" and then asked him to turn his headphones down.

It was soon determined by Security and the MOD that he would no longer be allowed check his weapons in, or even set foot in BLB01 while carrying his precious hatchets.