A few things

First of all, apologies for being bad bloggers. I've been working like a mad woman and when I haven't, I've been under a pile of cats lol. It seems like wherever I go I have at least one on my hip. Not that I'm complaining, by no means! They're doing their job and doing it quite effectively may I add! Just a little while ago I woke up from a spontaneous hour-long nap because I had made the mistake of laying on the bed for more than thirty seconds and quickly had Curzon sprawled out across my torso. I guess I needed that nap?!?
My internet might get spotty here and there for a little while, not like it hasn't been already. I've been on the phone with our ISP at least a half dozen times so far this month for all sorts of issues. Between the modem and the cable box I've been ready to scream fits. Finally, last night I got to talk to someone that actually cared and is shipping out all new equipment, as he believes Monday's storm partially toasted the cable box and the modem is probably as old as my computer - and they were supposed to have replaced that modem months ago! Knowing them, activating the new one - once it arrives - won't be as simple as they said it would!
The storm that ripped through here on Monday was bad. It was the worst one we've had here in the near decade I've been here. Now, back in the midwest it'd be just another good storm. But they just can't handle it here. Trees are way too close to houses and that led to many a vehicle and home damaged, including one of my coworker's. Some people have tried to say it was a tornado, and I just want to scream, but it wouldn't do any good. Surviving one or two wee hurricanes makes me no expert on hurricanes any more than surviving the last week's worth of storms makes anyone here an expert on tornados. But straight-line winds and microbursts can leave behind similar damage, so I do understand the misunderstanding. We did have our own wee situation here. Of course with all the storms we've had lately, there's all sorts of branches and leaves down. Well, with Monday's rain and wind, all of it got piled onto the storm drain which quickly blocked it up. All the streets around here became raging rivers. The creek itself didn't even get close to the banks, but the streets were pouring everything they had into it! Luckily a couple neighbors got to the drain and got it unclogged and within five minutes the street was back to just a street! And yesterday almost was a repeat, but I caught it this time and re-cleared it. I was a soaked mess afterward, and scared too because just as I was finishing up, there was a very loud crack right over my head! My barefoot scaredy butt ran back in so fast! Don't worry, all these years of getting over my fear of storms haven't been erased, just maybe I will let someone else venture that far during the middle of the worst part of the storm!
Speaking about fear of storms... Curzon is doing better with his fear. He doesn't run and hide right away and now, once he IS under the bed he just sprawls out and goes to sleep. So obviously that's still his safe spot, and for good reason too. It's hard for ME to get to him down there much less anything else! The one thing more important to me than getting him over his fear is that he feels safe no matter what. That goes for Jaz too, but Jadzia I don't think would be scared even of a tornado. I feel bad because I know Curzon got his fear of storms from me when I first rescued them, but fear is also a great safety reaction in both humans and animals. I have all the patience in the world to help the boy through it.
A lot of news has come as of late, and while I try to keep politics out of the blog - and facebook and twitter too - I will say that I am happy that we have made another step forward on equal rights. But the work is not done. There is still a long way to go, and anyone that thinks that women have equal footing under the law would be wrong too. But any progress forward is welcomed.
One last little thing... a wee secret... don't tell her... but Jaz is about to get a B A T H. Shhh. Not today. But her pantaloons and lower haunches on her left side are starting to feel a wee about ready to start matting. I am going to try to comb through them this weekend and see how bad it is, but she may be due for another bath. I would much rather do it now while its warm outside than in the winter when I have to fight to have it warm enough inside for her to dry off and not be cold. And please purr for my Uncle. He hasn't been heard from in years, and while I found out from a second cousin I didn't know I had last year that he'd been seen not TOO long ago, until I can find him, I will be worried about him. My Mom was very close to her little brother and I just want him to know he still has family that loves and cares about him. But searching from half a country away is difficult at best. But I WILL find a way to find him. And everyone will surely hear about it when I do!