I am not opposed to using chemicals, BUT...

I am not opposed to using chemicals, BUT, regular deodorants have been making my pits itch for a while now and that is just miserable.  So, I'm trying something different now.  Again.  I tried Lavilin cream before, but that wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

I remember reading about these a while back and wanting to try them, but I think I was a good bit more broke then.  I just decided to place an order and found that they have a coupon code on their page that expires today.  So, I just placed an order for a few trial-sized deodorant creams.  There is one that even smells like chai.  😳  I am so excited.  😃

https://pretty-frank.com/collections/primal-pit-paste-deodorant

I must be a super dork...

I must be a super dork because I am so excited about what I just bought.  A colander to make rinsing beardie and tort salad easier in the morning, and the coolest little poppy-top salt / pepper shaker for their vitamins.  😃😃😃

Well, I bet I just made Shaun's night. I stepped in a dog turd.

Well, I bet I just made Shaun's night. I stepped in a dog turd.

Super enjoying my time off of work.

Super enjoying my time off of work.  I've been lazy, I've been busy, I've been doing whatever I want.  I've spent most of my time just hanging with the guys and the ani-pals, so that's been a lot of fun.  😃

I've just about got the house situated how I want it.  I've got a list of things I want to do, so when I'm not being lazy I go and do a few things from the list, then forget about the rest of it until I'm damn well ready to deal with it again.  LOL  I'm making progress so I guess that system is working for me.  😃

I'm planning to have the rest of the house stuff done by Sunday - even if it means I have to push myself a little.  There are 2 major things I need to do that I am not looking forward to doing:  1)  Re-organizing Shadow's room (that just needs to happen everyone once in a while), and then 2)  Cleaning my roach tote.  I haven't done that in a LONG time, so I'm sure it is not going to be pleasant.

In any case if I get those things done and then work Monday and possibly Tuesday, then I have the whole rest of the week / weekend to see people and go places.  That is pretty exciting.  😃

Scoober and Alisha - do y'all still feel like coming to Anniston?  Sherri, what is your schedule like?  And Ange - I'm still planning to head your way and get to that new Ulta soon!  Let me know if there is a day / time that works better for you!  😃

Shadow and Tort Baby are arguing over a blanket.

Shadow and Tort Baby are arguing over a blanket.  LOL

Shadow's on the couch with a blanket hanging down and Tort Baby has apparently tucked himself into the part that's on the floor.  Whenever Shadow moves it Tort Baby moves it back.  Poor boys.  It's not as though there aren't 1000 other blankets in this house, but apparently,they both want the Spiderman one.  😛

I am hungry and REALLY have to pee, but...

I am hungry and REALLY have to pee, but I'm getting some super precious tort snuggles.  Baby has been chilling on my chest, AWAKE, for the last 10 minutes or so. ❤

Today I gave myself permission...

Today I gave myself permission to say "NO" AND "STOP" to someone who was using me.  BEST GIFT EVER.  I know I sound like a Scrooge to have done that on Christmas, but it had been building since August and enough was enough.

Letting a grown-ass person depend on me wasn't really doing them any favors, either, so maybe it was a gift to them, as well... although, I highly doubt that they will see it that way.  Oh well.

*****

The person you helped me help... they have been here literally every week since then asking me for things. 🙁 Toilet paper, tampons, food, change, Swiffer pads... I mean, it's too much. WAYYY TOO MUCH. Last night when I didn't have a dollar she wanted to ask my child for it. That was crossing a line.

*****

I mean, I'm not even always able to give her what she asks for, but I know that Shaun has given her food he was about to eat and things like that. They get food stamps and no one is looking for a job, so I'm just over here like, "Make your food stamps last and find a job. I can't keep doing this."

I mean, of all people to beg off of. Yes, I have Shaun, but I maintain my household as a single person. It's no secret that I'm not rolling in the dough.

*****

This is why I prefer to help animals. LOL They are always more grateful.

Also, I've been feeding her cat for about 7 months now. I will continue doing that.

I hope that everyone's had a good day.

I hope that everyone's had a good day.  I'm finally home, so I'm happy about that.

I saw both of my parents and my brother today, so that was nice.  Then we saw Shaun's parents and that was pretty funny in a few different ways.  They gave Shadow rolls of quarters this year.  They did that last year, too, and that's ok.  I don't think that is totally unheard of.

But I feel like the gift they gave me was pretty out there.  They gave me 9 packs of gum.  LOL  I would take offense except that I have been at their house when I've had a sore throat and have asked for a piece of gum, so they knew I would chew it (even though I generally don't, but there are times that I will).  So that was pretty funny.  😃

THEN, the food.  Look, I'm not making fun of Shaun's mom for her inability to cook because I have that, too.  I don't give a shit.  It's not something I'm good at or care about, so whatever.  If I know that I have company coming I'll order pizza or bake a frozen one or something like that if we're not going out.  No biggie, right?

Well, for Thanksgiving and Christmas she tries to cook.  She probably shouldn't, but she does.  LOL

Let me preface this piece of my story with this bit of information:  We had lunch with Shaun's parents at Logan's on Monday.  His mom ordered some food - part of which was a loaded sweet potato.  She didn't finish her food (she never does) so she took a bunch home.  Most notably, she took the sweet potato home because I watched her scrape it out of its skin, all the while wondering why she didn't just pick the whole thing up and stick it in the box.

Well, when we got there she said "I made some sweet potatoes for you."  I like sweet potatoes and usually have one whenever we go out, so she knows I eat them.  For Thanksgiving she made some sweet potato something that was pretty good, so that's what I thought we were having.  Nope.  It was very obviously her leftover loaded sweet potato from Logan's - scraped into a tin so it could be re-heated.  LOL  Needless to say I did not eat it.

She totally cracks me up with her "cooking."  My first experience with that was when she brought us some muffins to work one day.  Shaun had warned me about her food, but at that point I didn't know better and thought "It can't be THAT bad."  Only after I took a bite of one of those muffins did she disclose that she'd put cereal and Red Hots in them.  She just makes up shit and does whatever.  She's also brought us moldy cookies.  LOL  Hey, it keeps things interesting, at least.

BUT, from now until forever the rule is that we're stopping at my mom's house first on holidays so I can eat real food that isn't old and / or experimental.  LOL  I think that is totally legit.  😃

Anyway, yeah, glad to be home, hope everyone had fun, and now I'm off to wash a dog.  ❤

(And for the record I am not complaining about the gifts or the food.  I don't really celebrate Christmas so I don't have any expectations and therefore I'm not disappointed about anything.  I just found my day to be funny and interesting, so I thought I'd share.)  😃

I know that a lot of my friends aren't big fans...

I know that a lot of my friends aren't big fans of Wal-Mart for various reasons, but I'm too poor to have a choice.  It's walking-distance from my house and I can afford it so I shop there A LOT.  Like, for almost everything I need.

So they are doing this thing now called Savings Catcher (where they compare prices to other stores in the area and give you the difference back if they find a lower price), so I signed up because why not?  Any little bit of money I save helps.

I also have a BlueBird card that I use for pretty much everything.  I load my entire paycheck on there every week and I use it to pay all of my bills.  I prefer it to using a bank - because no fees.  It's not even possible to overdraft on it.  I prefer to have my card declined to being slammed with a $35 fee when I'm obviously already broke as shit.

So, if you sign up for Savings Catcher and have the money you get back from that sent to your BlueBird account you get DOUBLE the amount back until February.  So the Savings Catcher has found $7-ish dollars in the last week for me and since I've had it sent to my BlueBird card I've gotten $15.  That is not nothing and all I've had to do is scan my receipts in.

Just thought I'd share that for any of my broke ass friends who might be interested.  🙂

Picked up my Epi pens today.

Picked up my Epi pens today. Kind of wonder if they are necessary. I've been eating chocolate for two days, and haven't kicked out my dogs, or cut down my trees. I guess it won't hurt to have them, just in case.

So quiet and calm out, and then...

So quiet and calm out, and then suddenly lightning hit so close that it set off Shaun's car alarm.

Decided to go to Wal-Mart, but they don't have power, either. I've never seen it so dark over there. Now we're at Los Arcos. LOL

Power is out.

Power is out. It's not storming - barely even sprinkling, yet Nappy is freaking out. Can't help but wonder if she's scared of the unexpected dark. Big old weenie.

OMG, cats are NOT my favorite.

OMG, cats are NOT my favorite.  Especially not today!

So I was making my rounds this morning - same as I do every day.  Most of you are well aware that I have 20-something non-human kids, so I like it when things go smoothly.  Today, things are not going that smoothly.

Right now I have a lizard-shit covered cat stuck in a plastic bag hiding behind my couch.

Not only is the cat covered in lizard shit and stuck in a bag AND hiding behind the couch, BUT she made about a hundred laps around the living room at lightening speed with the bag stuck to her, therefore flinging lizard shit all over the place, too.

Thanks a lot, Addsie (ADDC = A Dumb Drooling Cat, as named by Shadow).  You really are dumb as hell.  Maybe next time leave my trash bag alone when I step out of the room for 2 seconds to let the dog out.  K, thanks.

*****

She just came out of hiding so I could free her of the lizard shit trash bag. Looking all afraid of me - like I did that to her! Jeez. Of course I get blamed. LOL

*****

It's ok - I'm laughing, too. You can't have a house full like I do and be mad when something goofy like that happens.

Everything is all cleaned up now and the cat is sitting there giving me the stink eye. All is right with the world. LOL

I have had a pretty good weekend. 😃

I have had a pretty good weekend.  😃

I am FINALLY (after the summer of depression and working not so much) caught up on my bills.  Not a lot of money left over for gifts, but I did manage to buy both Shaun and Shadow something small, so I'm done.  The gifts probably won't arrive before Christmas, but no one cares.  I love that we just do things our way.  ❤

I have spent most of the weekend cleaning, napping, and playing Mario with my guys.  LOL  It's been AWESOME and relaxing - which is just what I think I needed.  😃

I'm working tomorrow and Tuesday, so anyone who wanted to hang out I can't those days.  But any day after that, I'm probably free.  The only plans I for sure have is that I'd like to go to the new Ulta in Gadsden (preferably before my coupons expire!) so I can check it out.

I'm off to wash a dog and clean the dog room, then hopefully Shaun will come back and we can finish that world we unlocked that kept kicking our asses.  LOL  Since I slept late today and still napped, I'm pretty wide awake right now.  😃

I just ripped my closet door down.

I just ripped my closet door down. On accident. Because I'm a She-Hulk, I guess.

Had an allergy test done a few minutes ago.

Had an allergy test done a few minutes ago.  Know what I'm allergic to?  My two favorite things:  Dogs and chocolate. Not even kidding. 🙁

Also, pecan pollen (I have 3 giant pecan trees in my yard) and wheat (because that's not in everything I love). 

There's a whole other list of molds, trees, grasses and weeds, too.

I win an Epi Pen. Woo. 😕

6 years in and...

6 years in and I'm still happy about him. 🙂

BEST RELATIONSHIP EVAR.

Went shopping for Tort Baby after work today.

Went shopping for Tort Baby after work today.  He is now the owner of a fancy schmancy terra cotta pot to sleep in.  Also, he has a giant tile to eat from.  AND I got him some new dirt.  All for under $5.  I was pleasantly surprised.

He's sleeping, but I'm so tempted to wake him up and re-arrange his house.  LOL

2 Minutes of my Tortoise Taking a Bath

2 Minutes of my Tortoise Taking a Bath

Pardon the boys talking nerdy. I was not even paying attention to them. LOL

Oof. I am gonna be sore in the morning.

Oof.  I am gonna be sore in the morning.  And probably have a nice ASS bruise, too.  Thank you, Natasha.  o_O

So I was bringing the dogs in for the night and Nappy - who likes the cold - did NOT want to come in.  So I'm like, "Sorry, babe, some bad person might get you." and proceeded to get her by the collar to pull her in.

Before I proceed, please remember that Nappy is the dog who weighs as much as I do.  Like, literally.  LOL  So when I have to pull her in I have to pull with all my weight.

So I started pulling, she sat down in protest, her collar snapped, and I flew backwards onto the concrete and raised metal floor sill (yes, that's a thing - I just Googled the anatomy of a doorway so I could tell you).  Needless to say, that didn't feel very nice.

I think next time I will just bribe her in with treats.  LOL

This is how every place should treat animals.

This is how every place should treat animals. They have needs and feelings, too.

From Featured Creature on Facebook:

It is against Swiss law to keep guinea pigs alone. A service even exists that provides a guinea pig companion to keep a lonely guinea pig company should its partner die.

 

 

I was driving to lunch today...

I was driving to lunch today and saw a mangy (almost naked) dog outside of a business.  I didn't stop that second because I needed time to think of what I should do (my snap reaction isn't nice), so I had lunch with Shaun and then went back.  The dog was gone, but I asked the business owner about him.  He said that it's not his dog... it's just a dog that follows one of his customers everywhere.  The dog also doesn't belong to the guy he follows... I guess they are just buddies.

He said that he lives over there in the ghetto and pointed towards Glen Addie.  The business owner said they all feed him when he comes around, so that's nice.  I asked if I picked up mange cure if anyone would put it on the dog and he said that he's sure the guy he follows would.

So... I need two kinds of help.

First of all:  I'm not sure what kind of mange he has (or if that is definitely it), but he's almost totally bald and he wasn't a few months ago according to the business owner.  I know that Advocate will kill both kinds of mange plus de-worm him and that would avoid him having to be bathed in this cold weather, as I'm sure he's not an inside dog.  I bet he weighs between 30 and 40 lbs.  I can't think of any other mange cure that helps both kinds that doesn't require bathing, but if there is one out there, let me know.

Second, I am pretty broke right now... as in... "I paid the mortgage payment this month, so Merry Christmas" broke.  LOL  It's not that big a deal to me because I'm not that much of a holiday person, so it's just whatever.  But this dog is breaking my heart.  Would anyone be willing to donate money towards getting him some medication?  I would greatly appreciate some help with this.  If you don't want to straight up donate to the cause you could go order from my Etsy and get something in return.  Either way.

As much as I really hate to sound like I'm pushing my Etsy, the shop is www.etsy.com/shop/PolishAllTheThings and there is an active coupon code for 25% off through the end of the year. The coupon code is "TORTROISE".  LOL  Maybe I should go in and change it to "mangy dog."  I'm not really going to do that.  Maybe I'll find a sick or hurt animal BEFORE I decide to make a coupon next time.  😛

But seriously.  Help him out.  It's too cold out to be naked.  ❤

Vicky is awesome.

Vicky is awesome.  Nice to see something smart in Cosmo for once!  😃

Get That Life: How I Became a NASA Engineer Despite My Disability

I'm on the couch with Tort Baby.

I'm on the couch with Tort Baby. He's smooshed in between my lower back and the couch. He was getting tired from walking around on the floor and he was getting cold, so I guess that means sleepy time for him. Thank goodness for him that he's cute. It feels like snuggling an ice cube once he's cooled off. LOL

When I got home he was still in his house. He usually comes to the front and lets Shadow know that he wants out, but he didn't today. When I got home and opened his door, though, he came to me. That made me pretty happy. 🙂

So I guess I'm gonna sit here and file my nails. I let my claws get too long and had a couple start breaking today. Maybe I'll even paint them. 😛

Best boyfriend ever...

Best boyfriend ever just surprised me with some muffins and milk.  My day has officially been made AWESOME.  ❤

I have been BEYOND lazy this weekend.

I have been BEYOND lazy this weekend. I have spent most of my time just chilling out with my animals, Shaun, and Shadow. So, no complaints here! Not about that, anyway. My hands are still bothering me, but maybe I will hear from my doctor tomorrow.

Other than that I kind of wish that Wal-Mart delivered. I could really go for some milk and muffins right now, but I REALLY don't want to leave my house. I am such a bum today. Oh well.

2 Minutes of my Tortoise Eating Salad

2 Minutes of my Tortoise Eating Salad

Snoozing on my boobs...

Snoozing on my boobs with a leg sticking out. Funny boy. 😃

I feel like I've been running around all day.

I feel like I've been running around all day.  Time to sit down and chill out with my Tuggle Snort.  😃

My hands have been pretty sore lately...

My hands have been pretty sore lately even though I'm on pills. Today, my forearms hurt for some reason. My knees have also started hurting, despite the pills. I called the doctor today and left a message. I've asked to see a rheumatologist. I hope they call me back soon.

So it's becoming a thing...

So it's becoming a thing where I get off work and have to find a tortoise somewhere in our family room.  LOL  He has apparently got Shadow wrapped around his, um, shell, because he demands to be let out as soon as Shadow gets in the room.  Then he stomps around the room until he gets tired and falls asleep somewhere random and hidden.  It is cracking me up.  It's also totally fine with me, because sleepy tort = snuggle tort.  😃

We still need to name him.

Shaun suggested Radagast.  Shadow likes Hamburger.  I suggested Bowser, but Shadow says that's too many Mario references in the house.  I think he is mistaken.  LOL  In any case we haven't settled on anything yet.  Oh well.

Little man woke up...

Little man woke up, stretched his neck out all long, AND THEN YAWNED. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. So bummed I didn't have my camera ready.

My tortoise is more longular and Emily's is more circular.

My tortoise is more longular and Emily's is more circular. I'm excellent at describing things.