I have had it . . .

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Ok - people I know get all pissy with me when I bring this sort of stuff up like I'm not supposed to ever feel anything ever - so you guys get to listen . . .

I had strep last week which wore me down a lot and cost me $364 (bearing in mind that I make just enough money to continue to eat and feed my animals) - so that means nothing but peanut butter and banana for a while . . . but that is ok . . .

Then the spring on my garage door (this is very interesting to read about online - apparently the whole thing works on this one massive spring) broke - that is another $155 - apparently I am quite lucky that it didn't fall on my head when it broke because garage doors weigh like 400 lbs (who knew)

On top of that I have to take my car in for a recall notice - this is the third time I've had to take it in in 3 months - fortunately this one will be free . . . but still takes lots of time . . .

I also have had a rash on my hand from a spider bite for like 3 months and it went away while I was taking meds for the strep but it is bad - yes, I have been to the doctor and they say 'Yeah - it just takes a while to heal . . .'
I have some other issues from the antibiotics too which are not very comfortable (bearing in mind that I am biologically female)

Then, to top it all off, I go to loan my neighbor a pair of hedge trimmers this morning because I saw him working on his hedges - this is an elderly guy - and he says that my cats are annoying him and killing his wild birds so he is going to have the city come and take them away if I don't keep them inside - which is not possible because they are feral cats - and I have been being responsible with them - I have them spayed or neutered and they have their shots and I feed them and eveything - and I love them . . .
As I've said before, my animals are the only things in my life that are worth anything . . .

And I don't understand what it is that I am doing wrong that makes the whole world hate me all of a sudden . . .

Hi, animallover

I don't hate you, and I'm pretty sure that my cats wouldn't hate you (2 ferel, 1 stray, 3 from animal welfare, and one born here).

Admittedly, we're probably too far away for this to make a difference, but at least you know.

It's not the whole world, it just feels like that sometimes.

I'm sorry for your troubles but I agree with your neighbour, cats should be kept in. Bell them during the day, and keep them in at night. It's for their own protection too - my families only cat (dearly loved) came home mawled almost to death one night, dad had to kill it, it was beyond saving - one eyeball hanging out of the socket etc etc etc. Talk to your local cat society about it, they may have some ideas or be willing to help.

A constellation of negative events can make one's day very bad indeed. Thankfully, by the laws of probability, the unusually high number of negative events must yield towards the average; and, even better, eventually there will be an unusually high number of positive events.

I am also a cat lover. Have you considered collaring your feral cats? If they will allow you to come close enough to them to put the collar on, then anyone who catches them will probably call you and allow you to pick the cat up. You are being very responsible in managing the feral cats; most who feed stray cats are not nearly so conscientious. If the cats are still too shy, you may have to trap them before you collar them... and since you have already had them neutered, they may now be wise to your methods of trapping! In any case, good luck.

As to your lack of money, if you are creative, you will find that you are able to eat quite well on even a little amount of money.

Inexpensive "base" foods include:
Rice
Potatoes
Noodles (including ramen, if you can stomach it)
Vegetables and fruit, on sale: Many of these will be wilted but still salvageable
Canned food
Oatmeal

When you have these "base" foods, you can usually mix them up a little--good seasonings help immeasurably--and come up with some edible and filling dishes.

For example:

Potatoes are very filling, and there are a lot of ways to make them. Mashed, boiled, or in soup (Soup, incidentally, is also quite cheap if it contains no meat--though you will want bullion or Ramen seasoning for flavor).

Rice and noodles can serve as a "base" for other, more expensive foods: Mix them with vegetables, canned or fresh cooked. Half a cup to a cup of dry rice or noodles, when cooked, can make up a full meal.

Ramen noodle flavoring is usually salty and rather strong tasting; but it will do quite well to season many dishes. Ramen noodles which are missing flavoring packets can be mixed with canned vegetables and eaten.

Vegetables of various sorts are best if cooked, since you will be buying the ones that are on sale and won't look their best in a salad. Some have higher calorie values (and thus are more filling) than others: Corn, peas, and beans are starchy and generally will be more satisfying than most vegetables.

Oatmeal is an all-purpose breakfast food. Buy the plain sort; the sort that comes in packets is too expensive. Top with margarine and, if you have it, pancake syrup or honey.

sometimes in life all you can do is p*** and moan to your friends--and real friends will listen to you. b**** all you need to!! !! and i hope things get better for you.
april

I love you and so does my Baby Dog, Chico.

Animallover, I just feel so bad for you. I wnet through the same thing one winter so I know exactly how you feel, poor baby!

I think it's wonderful how you are taking care of the animals and even sacrificing yourself for them. I think it's terrible that your neighbor was so mean to you. Don't let him bother you. I wish I could help.

So sorry it's been so crappy for you lately, animallover (btw, my two new mice are doing MUCH better thanks to your recommendation to go to that rat and mouse forum and they told me what I needed to do ).

Do you think your neighbor's serious or just making random threats which he won't carry through on?

I spoke with a lady in my church who does cat rescue last night and she suggested several things - one of which is similar to collaring the cats only it doesn't increase their chances of accidental hanging - which is to microchip them - I had thought that was too expensive but I'm finding out that there are low cost clinics for that just like shots and then it is only $10 each! It takes a while to catch them all so I can afford that as long as it is spread out . . .

She also suggested telling my other neighbors (who I do get along with) about the trapping so if they should find a cage trap on their property they know how to baffel it (set it off harmlessly) should they chose to do so - all three have replied with a resounding 'no problem - what a *?#$% . . .'

I also emailed my best friend to use his 'good' brain to come up with other options . . . he is the best problem solver in the world . . .

Callista - thanks for the food ideas - I get into ruts and don't think about other options sometimes . . .

Postperson - I agree that cats should be inside - I have two 11 yoa cats inside that are leash trained - unfortunately in this case I'm cleaning up some other idiots mess - they let their cats roam un-spayed and un-neutered and I'm taking care of the resultant kittens . . . but they are spayed and neutered so as not to perpetuate the problem . . . I can't keep them inside because they are feral (wild) animals - trust me, you only have to try to catch a feral cat once to realize how much domestic cats are really working with you when you handle them

I had a BAD meltdown yesterday - complete with a very nice panic attack - worst I've had since I've been on medications - but I was able to keep it mostly under control and pass it off to bad allergies and the remains of my strep while I was at work . . . but I really thought I was going to stand up and pass out several times . . . I guess my work is the place to have that happen . . .

Yeah, I did this a year and a half ago, ended up with six sitiches in my hand where our feral tom had bitten through a pair of extra strong leather gardening gloves. Took him to the vets to be neutered then me to the doctors to have jab and stiches.

Vets were amused by my injuries until they had to sedate the cat, LOL. Said afterwards he was the second worst cat they had seen in their combined 45 years of practice.

Your vets have never met my Gideon - the only cat that can go from zero to dangerous at the wiff of vet smell . . .

Gideon is usually a VERY mild mannered fat cat who lays around the house all day (on his back, with his tummy in the air - very cute) - his nick name is the boneless kitty because when you pick him up he doesn't even try to hold on to you like a regular cat - but get him to the vet and he not only tries to get away - he tries to kill everyone in the room first - then get away - it is just amazing . . .
My vets in the last two towns I've lived in and my cat vet and exotic animal vet comment on what a total weenie he is!

But even he can't get you like a feral can - he can't twist and bend and get on you like a feral cat does - it is just incredible . . . I have marks on my fake leather jacket from catching them before . . .

Okay, i'm all hopped up on caffine so i'm in a real good mood. So when i say this, please try to imagine that i'm totally serious and not mocking you at all. (When people try to cheer me up it often sounds like they are insincere.)

Yeah. That really sucks. I feel for you. Although i personally enjoy colds(getting to feel like a victim and being allowed to pamper myself) i can really see how in your situation it would be a huge inconvenience. I hope that at least you get some pride out of getting business done despite your difficulties.
I don't know why it is but it seems like some kind of cosmic motif that when s**t goes wrong that costs a lot of money and causes a lot of inconvenience it is a bunch of things at once as opposed to one at a time over a longer period of time. And I have had that happen to me many times before and i REALLY feel for you on that.

I hope you figure out how to deal with your neighbor. That appears(at least to me) to be the worst development. And i just want to say you have all the right in the world to be as pissy as you want about this. You are human and when life is sh***y to you you have all the right in the world to be upset about it. Dont listen to anyone telling you to try to be an invincible hero or anything, you'll just supress unhappy feelings that will squeak out in unhealthy ways.

Thanks Nomaken - you don't sound condesending (sp?) at all - I think that a lot when normal people try to be supportive - that they are just saying whatever blah-blah to get me out of their hair . . .

I am one of those aspies who is obcessed with keeping things 'normal' that is through routines - so when I get sick - especially if I have to miss work that really messes up the routine . . . then when I'm getting better I can't work out (I do some pretty major weight lifting everyday - so it isn't like say jogging where you just get tired faster - I could concievable drop a large dumbell on my head or something) . . . so that whole thing throws me off more . . .

More panic and racing heart and sort of hyperventalating at work today . . . plus my vision has really gone off line . . . this is fun . . . the question is how bad would this be if I wasn't on my medication . . .