Sad

Itty Bitty Kitty is gone. He disappeared Saturday evening after The Boy's birthday party.

His story is not unlike that of my sweet Boots, Itty's predecessor.

We had just gotten him fixed. He was only five months old, and still very small for his age. He always stuck around the house and yard. I had wanted him to be an inside cat, but it was just impossible with two dogs that are allowed outside. He was curious and we started letting him out for limited periods of time.

Our neighbors have an old tomcat. They are irresponsible and don't believe in fixing their pets. They let him roam. MFH was asking around and looking for Itty, and found out that he'd been hanging around with their old tom, who was also missing. They weren't concerned - he always comes back home.

Well good for you. But Itty is a baby. He followed along and isn't seasoned enough to take care of himself, or even keep up for that matter.

Old tomcat returned today. Itty didn't.

Maybe there is still a chance that he will come home.

I won't be replacing him. I love cats, and I miss him, but I've decided it's just not meant to be.

Tired

The party's over for another year.

The Boy has 15 classmates. 10 of them showed up for the party. 3 of those 10 had actually RSVPed.

So there you have it.

Next year I will take it upon myself to call everyone and ask if they intend to come to the party.

Another thing?

I clearly stated on the invitation that it was a party for the entire family because we were serving dinner, and it would be nice to get to know each other. Of those ten classmates, 2 of the parents stayed. The rest of the kids were just dropped off.

Now I realize The Boy is getting older and it will soon be protocol not to attend parties with my child, but I felt a little like a babysitting service for those three hours. The adults that were there had to prepare dinner plates for all the children without a parent, and man, what a fiasco!

I'm thinking it could be an age gap issue. The older parents not only responded, but attended the party. Huh. Could there be something to that?

The Boy had a good birthday week and that's all that really matters.

As one child left, he exclaimed, "This was the best birthday party I've ever been to! Thanks!"

I'd consider that a success.

Done

Remember The Boy had the positive TB test last June and had to have the chest x-ray, and then even though it was clear, he had to go through the INH pill therapy?

He finished, just before his six year birthday.

Nine months of taking two pills before bed.

The good news is that he now can take pills by himself.

His birthday bash is tomorrow. We decided to continue the tradition of doing the big turkey, walleye, wing fry here in the big city. I sent out all the invitations a week ago, asking for RSVP so we could plan accordingly. After all, we are feeding the invitees and their families and I wanted to know how many people to expect.

The response hasn't been that great. When I mentioned that at work, I heard from several people that it's just that way here. People aren't in the habit of RSVPing, and then they just show up.

What's up with that?

Six

Baby, today you are six years old. It seems just yesterday that I was holding you in my arms with a bottle, singing "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

Now you're running bases, kicking your way up and down the soccer field, and shooting pucks the length of the ice - and I can't believe you are growing up right before my eyes.

You are my greatest gift, and I am proud to be your mama.

Happy Birthday, Son.

Planning ahead

I've been fretting for some time about what to do with The Boy during the summer. He's not in daycare, and while the after school program is offering a full time daycare service this summer, that means he wouldn't be able to participate in other summer programs.

This is when I wish I was still teaching. Our schedules would coordinate. Sigh.

I enrolled him in a summer swim program for three sessions, giving him six weeks of activity. The same place that offers swimming is also offering a day camp, so we enrolled him in that for one week. He has a hockey camp for one week, and a soccer camp for one week.

I remember thinking that when we were finished paying for daycare we would have all this extra money laying around.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Flabbergasted

I went to the interview yesterday, even though I had already decided there was no way I would take the job - unless it was for a lot more money.

I like my job at the burger corp. I like the people I work with and I like the benefits. I earn a decent wage. The controller got her hands slapped for being a bitch, and she has done a 360 this week. Even if it doesn't last, she leaves me alone because I do my job and I do it well.

The controller interviewed me. She kept asking me if I wanted the job. I said I could be interested. I told her I like my job now, but that I feel I am capable of more. She asked what I needed to make, and I asked what they were offering. She told me $13.00 an hour. This is a property accountant position.

I know my jaw hit the desk. I told her I was shocked at the difference in pay between the town I came from and the big city. I feel jobs should pay more in the city. They just should. The hell with all this cost of living being higher in resort town. You know what? Gas is high everywhere, groceries are basically the same, and a house payment is a house payment.

"I make quite a bit more than that now," I told her, "before we even begin to consider my benefit package."

She asked me to fill out the application and return it to her, and I threw it away when I left the building.

What were we thinking?

When hockey season was coming to an end, I thought "Quick! We have got to find something to keep the boy busy!"

So I signed him up for soccer.

And then I signed him up for baseball.

I didn't realize the two seasons overlapped.

We have baseball Monday and Friday, and soccer Tuesday and Thursday.

No worries about The Boy having any spare time. Or mom and dad for that matter.

MFH is coaching The Boy's baseball team. That was his sport as a boy, so he was more than happy to pick up that role.

The other night as I was taking The Boy to bed, he looked over his shoulder at MFH and said, " 'Nite, Coach."

Things are going south

at work.

One girl left already and I took on her duties, for an increase in pay, rather than hire someone. It wasn't as much a raise as I wanted, but it was a start.

I've been so busy that the days fly by, which is good.

The company controller is a 29 year old woman who was hired three months before me. The controller before her was indeed a controller - in every sense of the word. A control freak. They got rid of her after nine years, and the office rejoiced.

Things were harmonic for a while. It seems over the last two months, however, that all hell has broken loose. The new controller has become just like the old one, and the employees are all looking for new jobs.

Except for me. She likes me, but I don't like that she is trying to play me. I am too old for this shit. I just want to go to work, do a good job, and be compensated fairly. I don't want any of the games or office politics.

I heard the HR VP is going around to the employees and trying to get to the bottom of things. I plan to give her my two cents if she comes to me.

In the meantime, the girl that quit sent me an email. Her new company is hiring an accountant, asked her if she knew of anyone, and wants me to submit my resume.

I was at the same company for 17 years. Now in the past seven months I've had two different jobs, and am contemplating a third move.

My horoscope for this year said I could expect a big change. What the hell. Didn't I already live that year last year?

Taking care of business

So.

My dead brother is the executor of our estate and the sole inheritant of our worldly goods, which includes our dead dogs.

Yes, it was a long time ago.

Apparently inheritant is not a word, since it is underlined in both sentences in red. WTF?

Anyway, my SIL has been here all week with The Boy's cousin. They get along famously.

We have nothing in common.

Seriously.

Here is a question.

When you are making a will, and choosing who will care for your child in the event you are not around to do raise them, what do you do -

a. Choose family because that makes the most sense, and they love your child.

b. Choose a friend that will raise the child in the manner they are accustomed, and in the style that most fits their life as it is now, and they, too, love your child
.

What would you do?