The Adventures of Being Me

Frodo's 3rd birthday. I ate the cake and the cats got a can of salmon.

Trying to find a new apartment is harder than I thought. The apartment managers have gone anti-cat and pro-dog. Yes, there are mangers that demand cats be declawed with dogs large and small living next door. I refuse to allow my cats be killed by the neighbors' dogs because they can't defend themselves. So I am getting focused on the pet rules before rent pay or dishwasher. Some only allow one animal with $100-200 fees. I also find many places have dinky balconies that would not hold my xmas decorations. What is the point of having a balcony ifthere is not room for a lawn chair. Some places charge you a monthly fee for a parking space. Hopefully I can find a nice place soon. I have 2 days to turn in my leaving notice. Later.

We love our renters so we want you to stay with us. For your reward we will raise your rent $10 and start you a water bill that is not paid to the water company, but to the apartment manager. And by the way, State of Iowa law states you have to give notice of leaving at the end of the prior month (which is in 3 days). I guess they are not making enough from doubling the pet fees and raising garage prices. Other times I renewed my lease I got new light fixtures, carpet shampooing, and cheapo stuff in a catalog. Now I get to pay for water. I think I'll move out. Cats fear all the dogs anyway. Now what can I afford with my work hours hacked to death and back to Mom's is no longer an option since I have too much heavy furniture to move, besides where we will put it all. Better start looking. I have 34 days to move out. Later.

It was such a beautiful day I wore shorts and a t-shirt. Precious loved the weather so much that after his walk he drove me crazy meowing and jumping at the doorknob to go back out. And yet, the cats nap on the carpet, chair, table, etc. instead of outside on the balcony. I have lawn chairs for them to cuddle in. Had fun explaining to people all day that everybody is sold out of cars cuz of the Drake Relays this week. It is a track and field event at Drake University that colleges all over the country compete in so it is a big deal around here. Had the president in the area today and drove by the giant heliocopters on the tarmac on my way to work. He was in Newton for something, about 45 minutes east of here. Later.

Need 2nd opinion here. I walked out of the local 24 hr grocery store with bag in one hand and purse in the other. I just got off work so it is 12:41 AM, so parking lot is dark despite the street lamps. Lady chases me down and gets right in my face saying she lives on the west side and is stranded and needs a few dollars to buy gas (in the middle of the night?) and make a phone call. I took a step back thinking I'm about to get mugged, answer back I don't have any money, and step around her to walk to my car. Next a man starts following me to my car, yelling Ma'am, ma'am, ma'am. I tossed my bags in the front seat floor when I usually put them in the trunk, holler out to the guy now 3 feet from my door I don't have any money, slam the door shut, and take off. Did I overreact here freaking out like that? Just checking. I better note, I remember everything I wrote on my list even though I forgot it at home.

I got my first Avon order in Saturday and delivered the goodies. Then the gal at the airport suddenly doesn't want her order anymore yet breaks the seal to her bubble baths to smell them. Bitch. That wasn't what she said last week when I told her when it was coming. After sniffing she decides to take the bubble baths and pay me tomorrow. I guess I should be asking if she wants me to order her stuff next week. Then I have two ladies who want to order stuff but don't tell me what they want. One called me the day my order was due to ask if she was too late. Yes she was. I might not make it as an Avon lady. Here's hoping. Later.

Today my cat did something extraordinary. As we were walking around, a neighbor gets out of his car and walks to the door. Expecting Precious to hide behind me as usual, he bolts to the door just in the nick of time before it closes and races up the stairs right behind the neighbor. I'm sure if Precious was a dog the neighbor would be terrified of being attacked. Precious continues up the stairs to our door on the third floor, neighbor stopped at the 2nd floor. Then he goes inside the apartment and I take Frodo out for some stairwell time since he refuses his harness. Precious meows as if in pain from the apartment so I let him out. And Precious just lays there while Frodo is bouncing everywhere trying to play with him. Weirdo cat. Even better while I'm playing with Frodo near our couch, Precious plops down in the middle of our play area and yet doesn't play. Poor Frodo tries to catch the feather but Precious won't move his butt out of way so game ends. Frodo knows bett...

I was freaking out Saturday closing for a coworker cuz people from other counters kept leaving hours earlier than last time I closed on Saturday last Fall. Is my watch broken? No, in the quest in saving money the other counters are closing much earlier due to lack of business on Saturdays. Woe to the weekend traveler to find most counters closed. One counter leaves after the last flight so she left right after me. Our closing time is the same, I checked my coworker's time card to verify. Had one guy in the SuperElite Club of the car rental next door who knew when they close and yet expected them to be waiting for HIM when he finally arrives. Sorry the girl left an hour and half ago. That is no excuse cuz they knew he was coming, they just lost a customer forever. Yeah, yeah, I heard that before and they always come back. I have cars available. Rent a minivan since he has a bunch of Asian clients who speak very little English with him. He will rent from now on with us from our excep...

Precious has the hiccups. I have been looking into becoming an Avon Lady. Frodo is getting playtime in the stairwell that was interupted today by the cleaning lady and her noisy vacuum. Today Precious got an hour walk since it stopped being so windy. Had only one difficult customer who thought I just fell off the train from Stupidsville and got mad I refused to honor a promise someone made to him, who he could not name. The problem was his business rate forbids any upgrades to bigger cars so he can't get a bigger car that he wants. Then he sends in his barracuda wife to change my mind. My position: Barracuda is not the renter and not part of this conversation. Called the managers and nobody at our counter promised him anything. I had plug my ear to hear my manager on the phone because the customer wouldn't stop yelling how he will take his business elsewhere if he can't have his way, and assured me I don't want that. I did not rent this car and will not be returning it ...