Merry Christmas to all my family and friends. I spent my New Year's Eve with a lethargic ferret scared he was going to die right in my arms. Skin was all purple, not eating or drinking. New Year's Day he was more alert and drinking water so I was happy. Come Monday, he was still struggling to tinkle so off to the vet we went. Tests showed he had an infection causing bladder stones and given antibiotics. After 2 days at the vet’s office, he went into kidney failure and I brought Faramir home to die with his family. Next morning, he was still alive screaming every half hour as he got worse. I scheduled to have him euthanized in the afternoon and he died on the way there. Vet curled him up in a box and I buried him in a flower pot 3 weeks short of his 4th Birthday. Happy New Year to me.
Attended the Extended Family Christmas at a park shelter in Waukee and everyone relayed their condolences. Next, my female Beta fish Artemis died. Got a baby female fish named Hera and she died a few months later. Had a cold on Valentine’s Day so didn’t have to smell my coworkers’ flowers (Achoo!). Sent Mom a Heart shaped pizza and some brownies for her to enjoy the holiday. Volunteered for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) for another season, my 3rd year. More of an assistant to the professor than a tax preparer, but hey, looks good on my resume. My male fish Cronus died from bloat after trying every cure on the internet. Got a baby boy fish named Helios. Celebrated cat Precious’s 11th Birthday. Healed from Faramir’s death to get another baby boy ferret named Beren that I had for 1 day. The next day he crawled under the door and made it outside in the rain. Neighbor took him to the shelter down the street. Since I just got him, I thought he was hiding under the furniture terrified of his new home. After I hadn’t seen him for a couple days and started looking him, I discovered the shelter had already adopted him out to another family. Then, female fish Gaia died after having her a year after I got her as a baby. I got a baby female fish named Eos. Took Mom to the Des Moines Ballet performing Snow White. Spent Easter at Mom’s apartment looking at pictures of my brother’s vacation during Spring Break. Celebrated cat Frodo’s 11th Birthday. Attended the Def Leppard/Poison/Tesla concert at Wells Fargo Arena. Healed from losing Beren and got another boy ferret named Boromir. This one escaped under the door to bite the neighbor who found him in the hallway to get us evicted after a week and a half after getting him.
Baby female fish Rhea died growing into her teen stage. Got a female fish named Nyx (full grown). Had a realtor friend help me for months to find me a home to keep my ferrets. Found a foster home through the Crisis program at Animal Rescue League of Iowa for the ferrets until I find us a new home so I didn’t have to face a 7 day eviction notice on my door. Spent Mother’s Day with family at Iowa Machine Shed. Took Mom and sister #1 out to the cemeteries on Memorial Day. Next, took Mom and Nephew to Lake of the Ozarks to visit my Aunt and Uncle there. Nephew enjoyed taking walks and wave runner rides with Uncle. Nephew went bonkers over his tool shed (he loves tools and machines). Enjoyed the scenery, tourist spots, and boat rides on the lake. Saw caves and state parks. Rode the wave runner and started my Christmas shopping. We had a good time. Attended a family reunion at Aunt in Omaha’s house and explained my house hunting progress. Went to Adventureland with sister #2’s family. Nearly bought a house in my hometown, but the roof was bad from the storm that recently hit and had to walk away from it when sellers refused to fix it. Spent 4th of July with sister #2's family in Urbandale and played frisbee with my nephew waiting for the fireworks. Took my Mom out for her birthday at Baker’s Square, just the two of us.
Attended my niece #4’s and nephew's first piano recital. Celebrated nephew's 13th birthday at the Taproom in downtown Des Moines. My male fish Hades died and got a male fish called Pontus. Tried to view the partial solar eclipse at work, but clouds were in the way so couldn't take very good pictures of it. Got into a car accident right before I moved and since my car was 17 years old, insurance thought cost of the repairs was more than the worth of the car so they offered a settlement. Moving day came and took Frodo to the vet. He had fleas and so did my apartment, meaning all my movers got flea bites. Spent the past 3 months getting rid of fleas I brought to the new house and they are disappearing. Got my ferrets back from foster care and my girls were so skinny I could feel their bones. Luthien took a week and Eowyn took two weeks to get back to normal. They just needed their Mom. Boromir was much bigger and happy to come home. Had a strange experience of my inoperable doorbell going off, and still goes off now that it's fixed. I think I have a ghost.
Celebrated my birthday with a family dinner at Iowa Machine Shed and unpacking my house. Cats love their backyard and want to enjoy it every day until it got cold. Bought yard tools and some flower bulbs for the first time. Planted flower seeds before on my apartment balcony, but squirrels destroyed the pots so gave up. I planted Hyacinths, Daffodils, Peonies, and Dutch Irises. I plan to buy tulips from the Pella Tulip festival next May. Some family might recognize most of those are my Mom’s flowers she had at our childhood home. Mom was sad the new house owners tore out her peonies so I got some just for her. Next spring, I should have lots of pretty flowers. After the first rain, I found leaky windows so had to seal them. Bought a used car to have it break down on the way home. Had to take the car to the shop 5 more times to fix things so far. Celebrated ferret Eowyn's 4th birthday. Was called in for Jury Duty and then cases plea bargained so was released after two and half hours. Frodo found a hole in the backyard fence so had to fix that. Watched sister #2’s cat while they went to Walt Disney World. Got ready for Halloween and it was so cold that only 9 kids came so offered candy to coworkers. Ferret Boromir celebrated his first Halloween watching me carve a pumpkin. Got yard raked and mowed with help from sister #2 and nephew, I’m ready for winter and put up those Christmas lights and displays. Spent Thanksgiving at brother’s house bringing Aunt in Omaha along for the ride to see brother’s new house for the first time. I will take Aunt in Omaha and Mom to my niece #3's college graduation, with honors. She will be a high school math teacher when she wrangles a job, probably next spring. I will host Christmas Day dinner for Mom and any family members that come. I told nephew that if enough people come over that I will cook my first turkey. Boromir will celebrate his first Christmas and loves playing in the Christmas village on the floor. And finally, will enjoy the Extended Family Christmas the Sunday after Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Jordan
Precious (cat)
Frodo (cat)
Eowyn (ferret)
Luthien (ferret)
Boromir (ferret)
Helios (fish)
Nyx (fish)
Eos (fish)
Pontus (fish)
