senashenta | Entries tagged with money

Mom and Lee are nickel-and-diming me to death. I already pay more here for room/board than I am allotted by ODSP and it's supposed to cover everything, including my food. Now, when I want snacks and stuff, I pay for them myself, but actual FOOD is supposed to be covered. But when I ask for V8 juice for my special diet, or hot house tomatoes because roma tomatoes are bullshit, they force me to pay for that as well. This week I asked for turkey lunch meat, which I get occasionally and have NEVER had to pay for it before, and suddenly Mom has decided that I have to pay for it out of pocket. It's like $15.50.

And that's another thing. I'm CONSTANTLY picking up little odds-and-sods of snacks for them when I find stuff I think they'd like, but I NEVER ask them to pay for them, even when they offer. But if I "buy" something for $12.25 you had better bet I'm PAYING THAT QUARTER because they are NOT willing to round down. They'll round UP if it's in pennies, but NEVER DOWN. I need some form of groceries every week that aren't their "normal" groceries because of my fucking liver but they won't give a Goddamn INCH.

It's no wonder I never have any money.

Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: N/A

It's the second of the month and I have $38 in my bank account. Today Mom was supposed to take me out to buy the rest of my monthly groceries and stuff, but obviously that's not happening. We did go back to Walmart this afternoon, though, to return a binder and a pair of pants that I bought on Saturday and turned out to be incorrect. I was able to exchange the binder for the correct one, but the pants were out of stock so I couldn't get a new pair in another size, so that added $30 to my account, but now I'm back to having no pants that fit. =/ Since I HAD that additional $30, though, we went to Canadian Tire so I could pick up the set of shelves that I needed, so at least that's done.

On the 10th I get a government payment (I can't remember which one) that's about $100, so I can go out and get worms for the 'lotls then. Until then they'll just have to put up with pellets. They actually don't seem to mind the pellets all that much, but I know worms are better for them. I really need to get their tank swapped over ASAP, too, but between my ribs and my legs I just... I feel so useless. I can't do anything right now.

Today I finished Solid Foundations, and it came in at 36 pages and 17,730 words, but it still needs to be edited, obviously, so the word count will definitely change a bit one way or the other. But I have time to edit Solid Foundations, it's not being posted for another week-and-a-bit. Tomorrow I'm going to be editing Absolute Devotion, though, because it's due to be posted this Thursday. Did I mention I really hate editing? I have? Well guess what, I still really hate editing. :P

I spent a while today making covers for some more of my fics and printing them out for future use in binders that I don't have for them yet. About half of my Valdemar fics are going to end up in 1" binders, I think, though three or four are going to go in 1.5" binders instead. Meanwhile I have a 3" binder and a 2" binder for Horror High et al AND THREE 3" binders and a 2" binder for Storm season et al. Honestly that series will be the death of me and I don't even care.

Before I can put my new shelves up I have to move two other sets of shelves that are already in the library, and they are, as you might imagine, full of books atm. I think tomorrow I'm going to try tackling that project because I can move the books just a few at a time and the shelves themselves aren't that heavy when they're empty. I think I can do it even with my fucked up ribs and legs, if I take it slow. Then I can assemble the new shelves and screw them into the wall the same as the last ones I put in.

Tomorrow I also have to go down to the front of the complex and raid the rhubarb plant that's growing there. Mom mentioned it to be today, but I had just spent an hour planting and watering my tomatoes and I was in SO much pain, so I opted to put it off to tomorrow. Hopefully no one else goes down to pick it in the meantime, it's not a very big plant. =/

Current Mood: sore
Current Music: N/A: "The Devil You Know" on Tubi.

I should be working on Absolute Devotion, and I DID for a while this morning, until my hands started shaking and making typing very frustrating to say the least. I'm doing okay typing THIS because I'm going really, really slowly, but if I tried to work on Absolute Devotion at this pace I would drive myself batty. My creative brain works too fast for that. =/

So.

I guess what's happening is that Dad is just going to pay for a storage unit for me, but starting next spring just before my time limit runs out with Aunt Brenda and Uncle Alec because he doesn't see the point in PAYING for storage for almost a year when I could be getting it for free. (Also he just wants to dick around with Aunt Brenda and Uncle Alec because of how they've been treating me.)

Dad also says that hopefully I'll get a place through the subsidized housing people between now and then, and maybe the storage unit won't be necessary at all, but I'm not holding my breath on that one. I've been on the list for like 5 or 6 years now and when I emailed them a few months ago they wouldn't even tell me where I was on the list. So, yeah. Don't have real high hopes there. Which sucks because it means I'm fucking stuck here, but there's nothing I can do about it so I just have to suck it up.

Anyway.

Lois had her hip replacement surgery a couple of days ago and apparently everything is going really well so far. Dad took some time off work to take care of her/the house/the dogs but he says if it wasn't for the dogs he probably could have just kept going to work. As it is, Lois' grandson, Connor, is staying with them right now so he's supposed to be helping out as well, but apparently he's absolutely useless and all he does is eat things that aren't his to eat, get high, and bitch when they ask him to do something. I'm not surprised, though, his mother was always a useless twat too, so he probably gets it from her. The reason Connor is even staying with them right now is because this past winter his mother pissed away all her money and didn't bother paying the rent, so as soon as spring hit they were kicked out.

But they're doing alright, even dealing with Connor's bullshit, and Lois is healing up really well. I'm sure she'll be recovered in no time, and feeling better than she has in a LONG TIME. I think she still needs to have her other hip done as well, but I could be wrong? I should ask Dad about that next time I talk to him. I like to keep up-to-date on things like that, I love both him AND Lois will all my lil heart.

...

My feet/ankles/legs have been swelling up REALLY badly lately, particularly the right one. I've had to start wearing my compression socks again, but everything is so swollen the socks are actually causing BRUISING, at least to my right leg anyway. I wake up in the morning and everything feels okay, and I spend from 8am to around 11am or 11:30am sitting, working at my computer, mostly writing (except when I feed the cats at 9am) and things seem mostly fine, but as soon as I actually get UP, go and SHOWER and GET DRESSED? My legs start to swell. Some days are worse than others. Yesterday was a better one, the pain was less, but a couple of days ago I had a day where I could barely WALK. I need a Chi Energizer or a Dr. Ho's Circulation Booster or something like that, I think, but all those kinds of things cost HUNDREDS of dollars that I DO NOT HAVE. I'm going to talk to Dr. K about it at my upcoming appointment. She'll probably recommend exorcises I can't do because of my joints and supplements I can't afford because ODSP. Sigh.

In other news, my back is still fucked just because it's MY BACK, but my ribs are getting better bit-by-bit. They still hurt if I strain them or cough too hard, but it's a process. The other day, Mom mentioned wanting her cedar chest back, because right now the new tank for the axolotls is sitting on it (and has been for like over two months now) and told me I needed to work toward getting that done. And I'm kind of like. I have four broken bones in my chest PLUS whatever the fuck is going on with my legs, it's not as if I can just magically FIX those problems. I CAN'T lift and carry heavy things, so I CAN'T empty/bail the existing tank, I CAN'T swap the tanks out, and I CAN'T lift the buckets of water to FILL THE NEW TANK. I could do things like scrub the hides and swap out the filter cartridges and things like that, but water is SUPER HEAVY and so are the TANKS and I just... I don't know what she wants from me. I don't have Wolverine healing. Anyway, to placate her I said I'd at least get the support boards painted in the basement, but even that I can't do sitting on the floor and leaning over, so I'm going to have to cover the puzzle table with dropcloths and work from there, I guess. =/

The problem is... almost two years ago, Mom and I both got sick and then that illness (Covid) went to our lungs, causing pneumonia. While we both had pneumonia, Mom actually had it worse, and she broke 4 or 5 (I can't remember which) ribs, just coughing, the same as I just did last month. BUT. When SHE broke her ribs she didn't have any lingering PAIN from them. There was the pain of the initial break and then she was FUCKING FINE, with the exception that she couldn't sleep in certain positions. Dr. K told her at the time that this was REALLY UNUSUAL and that she was REALLY LUCKY. I was NOT that lucky. My ribs continue to ache and do the stabby pain thing when I twist wrong or bend over or try to lift things. But Mom doesn't have that kind of experience to compare it to, so she's getting impatient and I think she might think I'm faking it at this point, which sucks. And I just. I don't know what to do about the situation.

I guess I should just be happy that she's still helping me with the cat litters, at the very least.

The last time I saw Dr. K she got me to try a couple of new supplements, and one of them, Berberine, was to help with weight loss. Because it's an OTC supplement I don't expect results for a long time, but it's supposed to boost metabolism, I guess, and I HAVE noticed that I've been hungrier lately, which is... counter-productive to the weight loss goal. I've also been having trouble with my hands shaking like they are this morning, and I greatly fear that the Berberine is the cause, since I'm not on any other new drugs/supplements so it's really the only thing that could be causing it, either in itself or in a reaction with something else I'm currently on. So, I don't know. I'm going to give it a little longer and if my hands don't start evening out or start getting worse, I'm going to have to go off of it and see if THAT clears up the shaking. It's frustrating.

And there are like 5 other supplements that she wants me to be on as well, for my lungs mostly, that I'm just NOT ON because I priced them out and I CAN'T AFFORD THEM. They are all OTC stuff and ODSP doesn't COVER or ALLOW FOR OTC STUFF. I already spend probably $250/month on meds from Costco and the Walmart pharmacy just to keep me going, and that is a HUGE chunk out of my monthly allowance. The Berberine alone costs $30/bottle, so I'm like... fine. My weight is so out of control I don't even recognize myself anymore, so I'll eat the cost of the Berberine in the FAINT hope that it'll help. But I can't afford the rest. Sorry, Dr. K.

Other than that... I watched Final Destination: Bloodlines once on Saturday and then again yesterday (because I got distracted by other things during the last half hour of the movie on my first watch-through) and I actually really liked it. I think it fits in really well with the other FD movies and the kills were solid and creative. My only big complaint was how long the opening "premonition" was, it was MUCH longer than the premonitions in any of the other movies, or at least it seemed to be. I literally kept checking the clock on my computer when it dragged on because I was starting to lose patience. >>;;

ALSO NEW HTTYD MOVIE NEXT MONTH HELL YEAH!! <33

Current Mood: bitchy
Current Music: N/A

I finished Cornfields today, and it came in at 37 pages and 17,757 words, which is reasonable unlike some other fics I'm written recently. :| I still need to edit it, but I'll do that tomorrow and still be in plenty of time for posting it on Thursday.

I am reeeeeeeally failing at dropping my Every Thursday Update Schedule, here, like no joke. I said I was dropping it and then posted a new fic the next freaking Thursday, and then the NEXT, and I have one to post this Thursday now, too, and I'll have one to post next Thursday as well. I mean. Come on, Sena, what are you doing, here? Clearly still obsessing over Horror High et al, obviously. *FACEPALM*

In related news, I'm about halfway through writing Breathe (NEXT week's Thursday fic), I'm at 19 pages and 9,831 words so far, and the goal is around 17-18,000 words so. I can probably get that banged out over the next couple days, around editing Cornfields. Then I think the next in line is Absolute Devotion, then Hunter's Funeral, then Nightlight and finally Put Your Hands On Me. I'm trying to get all the post-HH one-shots finished up before I go back to the FREAKING post-SS SAGA that I've got going on. >>;;

I have like four post-SS fics written that still need to be edited, too, speaking of...

Anyway. Writing aside.

The $200 bump to all disability payments across Canada has been scrapped, which fucking BLOWS because I was really hanging my hat on that additional $200/month. But we had the election and ended up with a new government and I guess they decided FUCK THE DISABLED. Instead they introduced a new income supplement for people on disability that you have to apply for separately through the CPP, and assuming you qualify the amount you get (UP TO $200/month, probably less) is calculated based on how much you paid into CPP through your fucking WORK over the last however long. Except I've been on disability for TWENTY YEARS, so I obviously haven't been paying into CPP, so basically I'm BONED. Like this entire new income supplement situation makes no sense, they're like "apply if you're on disability, oh, wait, you're on DISABILITY? No money for you, then." It's fucked. But I'm applying anyway because I'm fucking desperate and don't know what else to do.

In regards to Dad and Lois and getting a shed put up on Lois' property to store my belongings because my FUCKING Aunt and Uncle are SCREWING ME OVER, it looks like that's going to fall through, too, because Dad is already telling me to look into storage units, which I've TOLD HIM I CANNOT AFFORD. The cheapest one I can find that's the size I need is like $264/month +tax, so $300/month, and WHERE AM I GOING TO COME UP WITH THIS MONEY? I MIGHT have managed it if that $200/month ODSP bump had come through, but now? No Goddamn way. I don't understand why people don't GET THIS. I HAVE NO MONEY. I CANNOT AFFORD THESE THINGS. But no matter how many times I say it, everyone seems to gloss over the fact that I live WAY below the POVERTY LINE. WHY THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I'M STILL LIVING WITH MOM AND LEE??

Literally even DR K keeps trying to push herbal remedies and stuff on me, and I'm like I CAN'T AFFORD THEM, they are all over-the-counter and obviously NOT covered by ODSP, and they are expensive! Dr K, YOU KNOW MY SITUATION, YOU FILLED OUT THE ORIGINAL ODSP APPLICATION FORMS FOR ME, WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS??

Right, so, basically I'm screwed and have no idea what I'm going to do. The end.

Current Mood: frustrated
Current Music: N/A

I keep coughing, and it's been a couple days since I broke that last rib so it doesn't hurt QUITE as much to cough (sneezing is still a BITCH though), but every time I cough I'm afraid I'm going to break another rib because a) my track record this past month and b) I can feel a spot in one of my other ribs that's really straining and trying to give. So, I'm just like... no, please. Four broken ribs is MORE than enough. :|

I have a couple more days before Mom is going to make me start doing the cat litter and everything on my own again, but I think tonight I'm going to offer to (try to) help, just as a gesture of goodwill. I'm not sure if I can do it, but if she sees me trying at least maybe she'll understand that I'm not doing this on fucking PURPOSE.

Still going to talk to Dr. K about osteoporosis and getting a bone scan when I go in to see her next.

ANYWAY.

Um. I finished Say Something the day before yesterday and it came in at 36 pages and 17,390 words which means it's BY FAR not the longest HH or SS one-shot (I'm looking at YOU, Endling) but it's still a respectable length. I'm pleased with how it came out, and it's actually more angsty than porny, so there are only three smut scenes in it unlike most of the rest of the post-HH stuff haha.

Right now I'm working on Southern Hospitality, which I think IS going to be as smutty as the other post-HH stuff but what else is new, right? The setting is quite different, though, and there are some really cute plot points in it that I'm looking forward to writing in. Cookies. Dean cooking. Taking care of backyard chickens. Making love on a legit bearskin rug by the fireplace. That sort of thing.

I also dug out (read as: opened in Word, there wasn't much actual "digging" required) a couple of my Valdemar one-shots to tinker with again, and right now the one I'm mostly focused on is called Highwater, which is relatively new. After that I might work on Graceless. But I also have Not Horses, Wander and Sweet Like Candy kind of queued up for later.

The funny thing is that my goal for my HH/SS SPN fics is always 13,500 words and I (almost) always go over that by a fair margin, but my goal for my Valdemar fics? 5,000 words. Yeah. I mean, if I go over that they YAY but that's my base goal for Valdemar one-shots and chapters of Valdemar fics (except for Marionette, it has much longer chapters than that.) I just... I've never written long Valdemar stuff, so I don't want to set the bar too high and then be disappointed when I don't reach it. So, I set the bar lower and hope to go over it instead. Make sense?

Mom thinks I'm underestimating myself, though. She says I've grown as an author and a writer a LOT over the last few years, and especially since I went onto the ADHD meds, and I should have more faith in myself. And it's not that I don't WANT to have faith in myself, I know my writing is better, longer, more in-depth, I just want to be realistic, I guess.

Speaking of writing and Word, though, my subscription has lapsed and the Word people keep sending me notices about it. It's only a matter of time before they cut off my services, but I can't do anything about fixing it until my Carbon Rebate comes in and I have no idea when that will be. Hopefully they won't cut me off before then. (Maybe I can start saving my writing in Drive so I can work on it there just in case until I get this whole situation worked out.)

It was much easier when I was working and had a paycheck coming in every two weeks on top of my ODSP money, but I'm to the point physically AND mentally that I CAN'T work anymore, especially at the places that would hire me, like fast food franchises and that kind of thing. :|

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: N/A

Georgian Pines Tattoo in Barrie is doing a FB giveaway of an entire-day session (7 hours) with their premier artist, the same one who fixed my Velociraptor tattoo, so I entered because YES PLEASE? I could possibly get my Therizinosaurus AND my Dracorex Hogwartzia done (or at least half-done) in one day. Basically my whole forearm. For free. But I mean, I'm not ACTUALLY expecting to WIN, it's just a shot in the dark really. I'm not even sure I DID THE ENTRY RIGHT tbh, I hate how weird and arbitrary these giveaway things are. But I also figured WHY NOT? I can at least take a chance, right? The worst that happens is I'm still stuck right there I have been the last two years, wanting tattoos I can't pay for. *shrug*

Other than that...

I'm going to try doing one of the litter boxes tonight and see how it goes. I'm not EXPECTING it to go very well, but Mom has been doing the boxes in the basement for me for almost two weeks now and she can't keep doing them forever, right? So, the least I can do is try for her, though she needs to be there to take over with the second box (and possibly with the first one, too, if it all goes pear-shaped.)

I've posted about Sickpocalypse2k25 and broken ribs a couple times on FB and Dad seems to be very pointedly ignoring me. He hasn't even FB MESSAGED ME, never mind called to check up on me, and the few messages I'VE left HIM (mostly about movies), he's completely ignored. It's not like him, and I'm starting to get concerned that something's wrong on HIS end and he just doesn't want me to know about it. Something with the property or with Lois' kids or whatever...

I'm very concerned about having enough money to take Juna in for his vet appointment in July. If everything goes well I should be able to put $300 on my credit card per month (May/June/July) and be okay, but that's assuming Capital One clears enough money to pay for the vet and I don't have to use any in the meantime. My last Carbon Tax Rebate is coming in on the 22nd of this month, and I have no idea how much it is, but I can only hope it's at least enough to pay H&R Block to file my taxes, even though I'm still dubious about the nature of the RESULT OF MY TAX RETURN this year. I feel like later this year I'm going to get $500 or $600 back the same as I did last year because my taxes were done incorrectly. But if and when that happens isn't a given, so. Yeah. Last year it was in December.

Anyway, ideally my last CTR will also have enough in it to pay back Mom some of what I owe her from this month and buy the things in my Amazon Cart, but I feel like that's probably pushing it. I hate that I can't work anymore; I'm physically and mentally incapable of it, especially in the types of jobs that I qualify for (low-ladder customer service, basically) because I really need the money. Even working part time at McD's was IMMENSELY HELPFUL and I've STRUGGLED GREATLY since I had to quit.

Then there's the whole thing where I need to figure out a way to move and store my belongings from my Aunt and Uncle's place, because God forbid I should use their fucking SHED that they're NOT EVEN USING RIGHT NOW, and if I don't get my stuff out by a year from now they're literally going to throw it in the dump and CHARGE ME $100/LOAD TO DO IT. Like, FUCK, man.

So, yeah, I have to figure out the freaking money for that, but that's not going to happen, so it's goodbye to my furniture, my books, my collectibles, the things with sentimental value that I've owned for decades. How could they do this to me. I don't understand AT ALL. I need to talk to Mom about talking to them because I asked her to like over a month ago and she agreed, but so far hasn't done anything and it feels like my time is running out already.

Anyway, money problems, yes.

That aside...

I needed a break from Endling today, since I JUST finished it yesterday, and I have like two weeks before I have to post it (more than two weeks, since I'm technically ditching my update schedule), so I didn't work on editing it today and worked on writing Supply And Demand instead. I got a few pages written before I needed to break for food and then I did some BMR Bluesky prep and now I'm writing this journal entry. After this I'm going to have a nap. But it's funny that the first thing I did after deciding to abandon my update schedule was finish the next fic and start working on the one after that. My ADHD, I guess.

Oh, and last night I dug out my other Horror High et al binder because basically the 3" binder isn't cutting it anymore and I need another one. The old 2" binder will be helpful for now, but at the end of the month I'm going to buy two more white 3" binders, one for Horror High et al and one for Storm Season et al because HELP ME 3" WHITE BINDERS YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE.

Also, I think Mom is going to let me put another set of shelves in the room that was formerly-Jessie's, so that will be helpful for storing binders as well. Just. So many binders. Like the "Bet MGM Casino" commercial only with "binders" instead of "jackpots" it's actually ridiculous. :D;;

Current Mood: cranky
Current Music: N/A

My yearly account payment for DW is coming up next month and WOW it doesn't feel like it's been a year. So, I have to set aside the money for that in April and possibly push Juna's vet appointment back from May to June. idk, things keep coming up when I'm supposed to be putting money aside for Juna's appointment... at least he's healthy, so unless something huge happens in the meantime he'll be fine. =/

Today Lee did the shopping and managed to find the binders I asked him to look for (YAY!!) so I'm gearing up to do that once I'm done typing this entry. I have to swap Horror High (et al) into a bigger binder and upgrade the second Storm Season et al binder from a 2" to a 3" so just generally switching everything over and labelling/re-labelling things.

I'm currently watching the movie Bite, which I've watched about a million times, so I don't have to pay close attention to it, I can work on other things while it's playing, which is great, I love movies like that, I get stuff done while still enjoying the film.

Yesterday I watched Big Bad Wolves and Excision... and then immediately deleted them from my hard drive because they were NOT my cup of tea, despite sounding promising in the recommendations video I watched. Excision in particular was really weird and very uncomfortable at times and also I just wanted to fucking STAB the mother in the movie. Big Bad Wolves was just... slow paced and kind of boring, in the end. *shrug*

Today Mom and I went for a (very slow) walk to the Dollarama at the corner so I could buy a plant pot, and I ended up with TWO plant pots, a mug for Dad, some paintbrushes, some plastic containers (for bailing the aquarium I hope next week-ish), some fruit Mentos, a pack of Skittles and a bottle of Code Red Mountain Dew. So, basically, I went completely off the rails as usual. :D;;

Then when we got back I used one of my new pots to repot my Baby Rubber Tree, now named Gregory House M.D. (just "House" for short) and then started watching Bite and put together the three little snap-together dinosaur models that Dad sent me in my Christmas package. They were relatively easy once I figured out which animals they were (a dilophosaurus, an ichthyosaur and a plesiosaur.) Now I just have to figure out where to put them.

And finally...

I JUST GOT A CALL FROM FUCKING MCDONALD'S! THE most POLITE and CORDIAL call that you could ever IMAGINE, where a NEW manager calmly and pleasantly discussed my T4 situation with me and set about getting me back into the easystub website so I can print it out (I have to wait until next Friday for the system to reboot with my password, and then I can try.)

Basically, when I called the CRA it sent up a red flag, I'm SURE that's what happened, and they must have come down on McD's HARD. I'm kind of giddy, actually. Like the self-satisfaction is REAL right now.

Anyway, if I try easystub next week and it still doesn't work, that same manager is on shift that day so I'm supposed to call and let her know, and she says she'll get the ball rolling on getting an actual physical copy of my T4 sent from head office. She really was super nice and accommodating. After all the dicking around the past month, it was really nice to talk to someone so calm and pleasant.

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: N/A: "Bite" on Tubi

I finished Afterglow last week, and finished Lifeline yesterday (though it still needs editing) and Lifeline came in at a MASSIVE 43 pages and 20,224 words. That is a TON for a one-shot! But I figure the word count might go up a bit when I start editing it, there are a couple parts that are bugging me. I'm hoping to get it edited by Thursday so I can post it then, and then Afterglow next week. Now I'm working on Comfort Food and Let's Make This Moment. Still not sure about Let's Make This Moment's title, that might change before I post it, whenever that is.

I need two new, bigger, white binders for Horror High and Storm Season. They've gotten completely out of control and the 2" binders that I've been using just aren't enough anymore. I need 3" ones. So, those are on my list for end-of-the-month shopping. At least I can get them cheap(ish) from Walmart. The orange binder I need for Endgame Girls is going to cost me $16 from Staples, which sucks.

.....

My infection is lingering despite the abscess being drained and the IV antibiotics AND the regular antibiotics I'm currently taking. I'm in a lot of pain. I might have to go to the hospital again, which fucking SUCKS. I hate the hospital, they're understaffed and overworked and when you go you end up spending two days there. ...that's an exaggeration (but not much of one.) I'm going to wait until I'm done my antibiotics and see where I'm at, and if it's still Not Good then I guess I have no choice but to go to the hospital, since getting in to see my actual Doctor is like pulling teeth. (I should be happy I even HAVE a family Doctor, really.) Anyway.

Today Mom and I are going to pick up a dresser in Barrie and I literally can't even afford it. I have $60 to my name and the dresser is $80 so I'm going to have to borrow more money from Mom. This month has just been a financial CLUSTERFUCK and there's nothing I can do about it. I HAVE to get a new dresser and I HAD to get a new aquarium and ODSP just doesn't allow for such things. They think $1200/month is enough to get by on, but it's not. But there's no point in getting into that again, it just makes me angry and gets me crying and I don't feel up to either of those things right now.

Now I'm going to go take a nap because I'm exhausted all the time right now and I need to be with it this afternoon when Mom and I go to get that dresser.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: N/A

I'm still fighting with Wren's seller on AliExpress, they're like "I paid all the fees" and I'm like "CLEARLY YOU DIDN'T I HAVE THE RECEIPTS TO PROVE IT." I'm definitely going to have to complain to AE itself about this, and they don't have a great track record for this kind of thing, so I'm probably not going to get my $24+change back. It fucking SUCKS but at least it WAS only $24, it could have been worse I guess. And I FINALLY got Wren, after they dicked around about even shipping her to begin with. I should probably just count myself lucky. =/

A lot of the other dolls I wanted are no longer available because I took so long saving up the money to order them, especially after I had to quit my job a year ago, which is really too bad. I wanted that second zombie doll (Cecelia), for example, and I'm pretty sure she's off the market now. I'm just glad I grabbed Tyler, Katie and Luna when I did because otherwise I'd be boned for my TKA family (and Luna.) I'm hoping some of the others will come back eventually. Mantis doll. Centaur doll. Zombie doll, obviously, though at least I do have Aurelia (I just have to finish painting her.) I think scorpion doll is still available but close to being sold out. And I think the doll I wanted for Nazoko and Nozomi is still available for now, too, but I'm not sure for how long.

I hate not being able to work. Even working VERY part-time it still gave me like $300-$500 a month extra to work with, sometimes more if I was able to pick up an extra shift or two. But physically and mentally I'm just... unless I'm working a DESK JOB somewhere, which I don't have the qualifications for ANYWHERE, I can't do it. He health is just so bad at this point that I can barely function just day-to-day living, never mind working a physical job, which is the only kind I'm qualified for. McDonald's was literally the only place that would hire me, and the physicality of the job (and later on the mentality of the job) was too much. My body just... broke. And it hasn't gotten better since.

So, I'm just screwed, unless I can come up with maybe a remote job that I can do from home or something and even those usually require a high school degree at the very least, which I don't have. I'm just in an impossible situation and have been ever since I started getting sick when I was 15. And ODSP doesn't help, their government funding means they can only give people the bare minimum and leaves those of us relying on them living WAY below the poverty line. I get $450 for rent, and rent for a ROOM around here is $1000-$1200. The only reason I'm not HOMELESS and LIVING ON THE STREET is because Mom and Lee haven't kicked me out. YET. (In August ODSP payments are supposed to go up by $200/month and I am HANGING MY HAT ON THAT because PLEASE I NEED THAT MONEY.)

And I do have a history of being irresponsible with my money, but I'm currently trying very hard to get better with that (despite having just discovered Temu), I've put all my extra government payments this month onto my credit card and I'm going to put another $150 on at the end of the month when I get my check. But then the cats have to go to the vet in February (Juna) and March (Pluto), so that's another $1000 down the drain and I'm basically back and square one. It's damned if I do, damned if I don't, basically, but... I'm TRYING. So I dunno.

That's why I'm arguing so hard with Wren's seller over the $24, because it doesn't sound like much but in the grand scheme of things it's still TWENTY-FOUR DOLLARS that could go toward food for my new diet or taking the cats to the vet or even Christmas presents for this year if I want to be frivolous with it (buying stuff cheaply now saves me money when Nov/Dec rolls around.) Like, they took money out of my pocket after I had already paid for the shipping and that isn't right. Right?

Anyway.

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: N/A

The day before yesterday (Sunday?) I finally went at and did a full, deep clean of the axolotl tank and a complete water change at the same time. I'm telling you, axolotls are worse than FISH, trying to catch them to get them in the bucket. They just go ZOOM everywhere, and kick up all the gunk in the tank in the process so you can't even see them. It was an adventure capturing them all, that's for sure.

But once Kaida, Haku and Ryuu were out of the aquarium, I set to siphoning out all the water and scrubbing it clean, then scrubbing all the hides and stuff and rinsing off the plants, cleaning the filters. It was a long and arduous process, but the 'lotls were safe in their bucket with an air stone to make sure they had oxygen. The worst part was hauling all the water, both emptying the tank and refilling it later. It put my back out, as well as my wrists, knees and hips. I woke up in AGONY the next day.

When I put my little 'lotls back into their tank, they all immediately dove for cover, which wasn't exactly a surprise, and I basically didn't see them at all for the rest of that night. Kaida is still hiding now, and that was two days ago. But while I was fixing up their tank and making is sparkly clean, I added a new hide that I bought around 10 days ago for just this occasion and it turns out they LOVE IT. Haku and Ryuu do, anyway. I don't think Kaida's been in it yet.

Anyway. Adventures with axolotls, yep. :D

Yesterday I ordered the rest of the movies that I had on my Christmas List and didn't get (I only got one, Saw X, from Amy and Brit, I should have known they'd get me that one lol), so I've got Inside Out 2, The Watchers, Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire, Lisa Frankenstein and Imaginary coming in over the next little while, and I also ordered Don't Breathe 2 because while going through my movies I realized I didn't have it. :D;;

On top of that I ordered a book on Edible Wild Plants, a compass and two sets of tights (one summer and one winter) for my Bug-Out Bag. BECAUSE PREPPING. I also ordered some picture frames which have absolutely nothing to do with prepping, I just wanted them for some photos I have and couldn't find cheap 4x4 frames around town. :P

I just bought two wigs for Wren (because she changes her hair so often) and a shirt and skirt/corset set for her as well. I'm still trying to figure out Wren's style. She's like Sexy Librarian Chic when she's at work and then when she's at home or out and about she's all long flowy skirts and corsets, shirts with bell sleeves. She's complicated. Wears black a lot. And purple. Dyes her hair on the regular, all kinds of different colors. So I bought her a white-and-red wig, and a purple-and-white wig. And I already have a black-and-pink wig for her here. So.

This month I have three extra government payments coming in: GST, OTB and CCR. It's a decent chunk of change all together but I'm going to put all of those payments onto my credit card because I've been using it quite a bit lately. Same thing with the extra government payments coming up in the spring. Trying to be responsible, here, for the first time in my life, I guess.

On Friday Mom and I are going out (a little late) for our monthly meal out together. Friday is my birthday, too, so I requested that we go someplace nice so I guess we're going to Swiss Chalet because Mom has coupons. It's like. It's my freaking BIRTHDAY, can't we go to a steakhouse or something? Not that I could CHEW a steak considering my tooth situation at the moment but it's the principle of the thing. Still, I agreed to it because I'm tired of being yelled at for everything I say and I just... it's fine. It's my birthday, but it's fine. Coupon meal on my birthday. That's fine.

I need to finish my postcards in the next day or so, so that I can mail them in the next few days. I've really procrastinated over them this month. I guess it felt pointless at first because of the postal strike and then I just... didn't want to. It's still the same as before, I started the postcard thing with Poe and I'm not enjoying it nearly as much now that they aren't included. More Poe drama, but just in my head this time.

Last time I went shopping I bought a bunch of different alternative "milks" to try, all the Silk brand: soy, almond, coconut and oat. So far I've tried the soy and the almond and I like them both. It's weird because I like the almond milk they use at Tim Horton's, but when I bought almond milk from Costco it just tasted like water, it had no flavor or texture to it and I hated it. I ended up donating almost two full cases of it to the food bank. :| But I really like the Silk almond milk so I guess just... steer clear of the Costco stuff? It's just strange because usually Kirkland brand is good. Oh well. Still have coconut and oat to go. Also the oat/coconut "festive nog" is AMAZING and tastes SO CLOSE TO REAL EGGNOG OMG YOU GO SILK.

Only three episodes of The Walking Dead to go and I will have powered my way through the entire series with only one or two movie breaks for sanity. I think I've enjoyed Negan's character arc the most out of everyone's, but Daryl and Gabriel's were really good too. Quality writing all around.

Today I was supposed to do some baking, but I don't know if that will happen or not, considering I didn't sleep last night. I'm hoping to just pass out soon and sleep the afternoon away. I guess if I just can't sleep at all today either I might as well bake, though. *shrug* We'll see.

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: N/A: "The Walking Dead" on Riptide

Like seriously WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK, we're supposed to be FAMILY, why are they treating me like this?? They KNOW I won't have anywhere to go by the time they've given me, and they KNOW I can't afford a moving truck or a storage unit (the cheapest unit I could find in Orillia last night was $288/month), THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS FEASIBLE FOR ME AND THEY ARE PERFECTLY AWARE OF THAT FACT.

THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT YOUR FAMILY? NONE of this was discussed with me beforehand, they just slapped a contract down on the table and made me sign it and my Aunt was like "I know you're not happy but" and I'm like NOT HAPPY? I'M FUCKING PISSED OFF like what did you expect after throwing this at me out of the blue. All I was told was they were building a shed to house my belongings and when my stuff was gone they would use it for their own purposes. NOWHERE IN THERE WAS THERE AN EVICTION DATE.

And Mom is like "I told you this wouldn't be forever" WELL YEAH BUT I FIGURED THEY WOULD AT LEAST HAVE THE DECENCY TO STORE MY STUFF UNTIL AN APARTMENT CAME UP FOR ME ON THE SUBSIDIZED HOUSING LIST LIKE FUCK.

The only good thing is they gave me to spring 2026, which means it will theoretically be AFTER ODSP payments go up by $200/month, but like FUCK MAN I have this whole new expensive diet that I can barely afford and I CAN'T afford to be saving money for a moving truck OR paying for a storage unit ON TOP of that. I have no idea what I'm going to fucking do.

Current Mood: pissed off
Current Music: N/A

A couple of days ago I somehow ROYALLY buggered up my knee, and basically my whole left leg from the knee down hurt like FUCK, but especially the top of my foot for some reason? And only when I walked, when I STEPPED DOWN and put pressure on my leg. It wasn't sensitive to the touch or anything, it just hurt like fuck to WALK. And I was like, cool, you know, sounds like a plan, body, what else have you got for me? Luckily it only lasted a couple days, and this morning it's (mostly) back to normal with just some minor pain when I walk, which I hope will be completely gone in another day or two.

Next week Mom and I have to go back to the house in Baysville to haul furniture and boxes some more, and I think Mom plans to go twice in the week so that's going to suck but I guess it needs done so LET'S DO IT. It's just hard because of my back/hips/knees/wrists/hands/lungs BASICALLY MY WHOLE BODY, hauling heavy stuff up flights of stairs is like torture. But we have to get as much of it out to the garage as possible so that I know what's left to go to Dad's for storage there, since storage units are like $500/month now and I CANNOT afford that. :|

Last week when we were there we discovered that the mice that Grandma allowed to run rampant in the house for years had gotten into my couch and love seat so I had to throw those away. I have a chair down there still that I have to inspect but my hopes are not high for it, which SUCKS because it's the best chair EVER.

I have a lot of regrets in my life, but moving out of my last apartment and in with Grandma is one of the biggest ones. I was having mental health crises in that apartment, but if I had just stuck it out and gotten on the right meds it would have worked out and I could have stayed there. Then my stuff wouldn't be destroyed and I would have my own apartment, still. But I guess there's nothing I can do about it now, except wait for the subsidized housing people to get to me on the list, preferably some time this DECADE.

It's been twenty days since Poe last emailed me, other than to tell me that they couldn't email me for a while because of the whole mentioning TW thing. Sometimes I feel like our crazies match up, and other times I feel like they just look for excuses not to talk to me. I'm starting to wonder if we just weren't meant to be friends after all, considering all that's happened, even though we're basically the same person. I want to send them some Juna pics to cheer them up, but I don't know if that's allowed. I just don't know anymore. I just want them to be happy.

I still haven't gotten the wiggly foxes up on Etsy even though I said I was going to. I looked at the pictures I had taken and decided that I needed more of them, but then I've been procrastinating over actually DOING to pics, because I always do that, so they're just sitting here, staring at me.

I think I'm depressed right now and my motivation is just... not there for most things. I should be making candles, too, but I just... meh. I dunno, maybe I'll get out my candle stuff so I can make a couple later in the day when Jessie's room is closed up (that's where all my candle supplies are stored.) I really want to check the Dollarama for more of the super pretty Thanksgiving mugs to make into candles but I had to buy printer ink with my Trillium Benefit so I'm broke now until the end of the month unless I take money out of my jar again, which I shouldn't. Sucks.

I started writing three more Hijack one-shots last night, Switch, Paris and Violets Are Blue, all of which are Chemistry side-stories. I'm really enjoying writing Hijack in-and-around my SPN stuff lately, it's nice to get my head out of the Destiel for a while on occasion. I mean, I'm still working on Storm Season and When Lightning Strikes at the same time, and I also write a couple of blurbs for The House this morning, but, you know, variety is the spice of life and all that.

I really do want to write something for Valdemar soon, too. Maybe I'll finish Not Horses or Wander, or possibly Knowing? I don't know, I always have SO MANY Valdemar one-shot ideas it's hard to narrow it down to just one to work on. I'll figure it out, though.

Writing seems to be one thing I can still focus on despite the depression creeping back in, and I'm sure that's because of the ADHD meds. I think without them everything would just be me laying around thinking about the sweet embrace of death (again) and just generally being horrible. At least with the writing it gives me something to focus on and keep my mind of the CRUSHING DESPAIR, for part of the day, at least.

My Amazon cart currently has $145.09 worth of stuff in it, but to be fair there are 4 DVDs (Abigail, The Mitchell's VS The Machines, Sting & Kung Fu Panda 4) and two things of Halloween candy for next month, so it makes sense that it's that expensive. I can't pay for it until the 30th, and even then I might have to defer some of the stuff until my other government payments come in around the 15th of October. I also need to mail Poe's parcel when those come in, and the TINY PACKAGE is going to cost me like $118CAD WHAT THE EVER-LOVING FUCK.

Literally I remember mailing SUBSTANTIAL parcels to the UK back in the day and it costing me like $38CAD to do it, I have no freaking idea why everything is so much more expensive nowadays. INFLATION, MAN.

P.S. I did manage to get about 3 hours of sleep last night after all. I am freaking exhausted, obviously. Going to go get candle stuff and then have a nap, I think. Hopefully I can sleep for real this time. *fingers crossed*

EDIT: Also, Mercedes Lackey is running another kickstarter type thing for a deluxe leather-bound book of like 30 of her short stories and I want it SO BAD but it's $100USD and it ends in like 15 days so WAY before I'll have the money to pay for it. I hate when people run kickstarters (etc.) for really short periods of time, it means people like me who have to scrape together the money get left in the lurch. :(

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: N/A

So I'm out of money. I can't mail Poe's parcel this month, it's going to have to wait until October (I have like 3 different government payments coming in in October) which sucks, I really wanted to mail it ASAP. But shopping yesterday cost more than I thought it would, plus the extra money I owed mom (I owe her an extra $90 next month, too) and I'm just... broke. Which is nothing new, really, but still blows.

I can't buy plants for in the aquarium this month, either, which sucks. But I've at least got it up and cycling now, if nothing else, with the terracotta hides in it and the one filter. Today I'm adding the second filter and the two air stones.

Today I'm also going to de-pot my pothos (Sam) and my two new vines (Dean and Castiel, both philodendron variants) to "plant" in the top of it and we'll see how that goes. My baby spider plant (Miles) is growing roots now so I should be able to plant him any day and grow him up to a suitable size for the aquarium, too (since right now he is itty-bitty.)

My huge spider plant (Peter) just started growing a stem to grow spider babies of his own, so he must be happy. I just moved him to the window in my bedroom a couple months ago and he's doing really well there, so that's good.

I just realized most of my plants are "boys" and I don't really know why. Maybe because they're named after my favorite characters in movies/TV/etc. and most of THEM are boys? I guess that tracks. I do have Isley (philodendron, named after Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy from Batman) and Alice (umbrella tree, named after Alice from the Resident Evil movies), though, so it's not ENTIRELY a boys' club.

Speaking of Isley, her pot fell from where it was hanging about a week and a half ago, which I'm pretty sure I talked about before but whatever. Turns out the ceiling hook wasn't actually in wood, just the drywall and it just gave out. When she fell, though, her pot broke and we had to repot her, but her vines were SO long and twisted up... by the time we got finished untangling her to actually repot her, half her vines had snapped off. Now she's scraggly and scruffy looking. It's sad because she was so full and beautiful before. But I know she'll grow back, it'll just take time.

I'm going to plant my pothos clipping, the one I took off Sam last month, in an actual pot with dirt today. So far it's been just chillin' in its glass of water, growing roots. It doesn't have a name yet, I need to decide on a good one for it. Maybe a girl's name this time. I'm thinking maybe Bella or Charlie. Leaning more toward Charlie.

I think neither of my pink princess philodendron clippings are going to work out. One of them already died and the other one is just.... sitting there. Doing nothing. idk how long it's supposed to take for them to grow roots, but I feel like it's probably been too long at this point? I'm going to have to break down and just try to order a full plant from somewhere. Actually, on second thought, I'm going to call my (eventual) pink princess "Charlie" and call my new pothos "Bella." *bangs gavel* IT IS LAW.

I still have clippings off of Isley and a clipping off of Bucky that I'm trying to propagate, too, but so far nada. I think I might just give up on them soon. But since I've got Dean and Castiel now they're slightly less important anyway. :P

I ordered a macrame plant hanger off aliexpress, it's like a double hanger for smaller plants, to go in the other side of my window, opposite of Peter. I was originally going to put my pink princess philodendrons in it once they rooted EXCEPT. So I guess Bella can go in one section and... something else can go in the other. Maybe Miles, once he's big enough to go in an actual pot with dirt. At least until he moves to the aquarium, anyway.

Until recently I had kind of forgotten how much I enjoy plant husbandry. I had a veritable GREENHOUSE in my old apartment because it had so many huge windows and it was so warm in there all the time, the plants LOVED it and I had DOZENS of them, all different varieties. I got really into houseplants at that point and then when I moved in with Grandma, it just... well. My mental health got WAY worse and it took literally EVERYTHING to keep up with just the CATS, never mind the PLANTS. Besides which I'd had to give away like 28 of my plants when I moved in there because there was nowhere to put them all, and it turned out that house how WAY too little light for plants anyway. When I moved out and in here with Mom and Lee, I brought a couple of my plants with me from Grandma's but she didn't take care of the ones I had to leave behind and they all died. I have regrets, there.

But now, even though this place only gets ambient light (mostly), I've got it pretty much filled to capacity with plants. Lots of vines, a money tree, an umbrella tree, spider-plants, an aloe vera, that kind of thing. I think I'm pretty much done for now though, with the exception of getting my hands on a pink princess philodendron and the aquatic plants for the axolotl tank, just because we're running out of room.

Mom keeps rolling her eyes at me and my plants but they're important to me, I get a lot of peace out of them, and honestly I think she likes them too, because she used to try to keep plants when I was a kid and always failed at it, so now it must be nice to have the greenery in the house. Only a couple of the plants here right now are actually HERS, so when I move out most of them are going with me, but at least now she knows it's possible, right? Just with the right kind of plants.

Anyway. That's my plant rambles for today. Signing off (for now.)

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: N/A

I got two government payments to my bank account today, one was the Carbon Tax Rebate, and I can't remember what the other one was but it was substantial. I was expecting the CTR one but not the other one, so I was surprised when I opened my banking app this morning.

Anyway, so I bought the books I had in the thriftbooks.com cart (My Life With The Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall, The Dog Who Rescues Cats by Philip Gonzalez & Leonore Fleischer, The Parrot Who Owns Me by Joanna Burger and Living Free by Joy Adamson, all for Grandma, and The River Has Teeth by Erica Waters for myself), as well as a bunch of stuff from my Amazon cart: all the chemicals I need to start cycling the axolotl tank, the underwater filter, the air pump, the cooling fans, ink for my printer and a copy of American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

I also bought two t-shirts from teepublic, one that's a generalized fandom one (that somehow encompasses all my main fandoms) and one that's a Supernatural one, because my Tuesday Pig n' a Poke one can only be worn on Tuesdays, but only because of my OCD brain. :|

Other than that...

HH is up to 140 pages and counting. I posted Chapter One the other day and got a (predictably) minimal response. I have Chapter Two and Chapter Three ready to go for next Friday and the Friday after that, though they may get edited a little in the meantime. Chapters seem to be averaging 15-->17 pages, which is respectable. I'm good with that. Hopefully when I start posting more chapters more people will start getting interested in it? idk we'll see. Probably interest won't go up much until I get to the smutty stuff, if I'm being honest with myself.

I think I've decided for sure that SS is going to be top!Dean and bottom!Cas again after all, just because that's what I prefer. It's not what most of the fandom writes, but I would rather enjoy writing the story than cater to the fandom in general, if that makes sense.

But I've also decided that after I'm done HH, and probably Cheap Motel and Counting Scars, before I write SS, I'm going to pick one of my original novels and sit down and write it. I'm having fun with SPN fic right now, but being so productive has me thinking that I should be working on original stuff, not just fan stuff. So basically a pause before SS for me to write a book. Seems reasonable. Now I just have to decide which one. :|

I have it narrowed down to My Zombie, The Order of Delphi, MOA or TKA. Ideally I would love to finish up TKA, but I don't know if I'm ready for that yet, I have a lot of trauma to work through with TKA, still, unfortunately. Talking with Poe again is helping, but it's going to be a long road. So maybe My Zombie is my second choice? Still thinking about it...

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: N/A

So the last few years, since I started making jam/jelly/sauces/preserves/whatever, each fall around this time Mom takes some sample jars in to her work and takes orders from the people in her department. The last couple of years went okay, but THIS YEAR?

The last two days I've made $200 worth of sales. X3!!

I'm doing things a little differently this year, though. Mom took in the sample jars as usual, but then I put together a list of products that are available, rather than kinds that I happen to have on hand atm. Before, people paid and basically got their jam a day or two later, since it was coming out of current stock. This time they make their orders and pay, and their orders are delivered two weeks later.

All this means is that they can order things that I don't currently have stock of, or even make special requests for flavours/bulk orders/etc. And it's worked out very well, so I think I'm going to do it like this from now on. ♥

$200 (35 jars) isn't a TON, but it will completely cover having Ves and Lily spayed and Nio neutered (assuming his missing testicle makes an appearance, if not then I have to have him done via my regular vet. :P) Then I just have to put out the money for their shots, which is about $90 assuming all three of them get in; $30/cat. (If Nio has to be neutered later, then the jam money will cover Ves and Lily's spays AND their shots, yay!)

Anyhoo, I've got some jam to make over the next couple weeks!

Crab Apple Jelly
Lime-Zucchini Marmalade
Mixed Berry Jam
Pumpkin Sauce
Peach-Cranberry Jam
Apple Butter
Cranberry & Mixed Fruit Sauce (with Walnuts)

Aaaaaand I'm making a test batch of Pineapple-Plum Marmalade to see how it turns out. :3

One of the comments I often get from people who order from me is that I make very unique flavours. This is true of some of my stuff, like the Lime-Zucchini, Peach-Cranberry, Lychee or Pineapple-Plum, but I also do classic things like the Crab Apple, Apple Butter or Cranberry Sauce. I guess I just like to try new mixes, and having some different kind of products is working out very well for me. :)

Oh, and I'm also going to make a foray into the world of pickles and preserves this time; I have beets to make pickles out of (a special request from my Dad and Lois), and I want to try to make Crab Apple preserves, similar to something my Grandma on Dad's side apparently made when Dad was a kid. We'll see how it goes~

Which reminds me, I need to go back down and pick more of the tiny crab apples before they all go bad on the tree. Maybe tomorrow or the next day, if it's not pouring rain...

Current Mood: artistic

I keep saying I'm going to write in this thing regularly like I used to, and then I never do. I'm not really sure why; health problems lately, depression and anxiety, financial issues? I guess I've just been distracted by other things, my mind isn't on doing random journal entries, which is stupid because writing in my LJ always helps me work through things that are happening in my life. =/

In any case, I have been updating my writing blog (

vanimadin); I set it up a while back and have been using it quite a bit. I can't remember if I ever mentioned it here before.

I've also FINALLY been updating the Esprit Studios blog (

espritstudios) after like a year of nothing. >>; This is (hopefully) a precursor to me finally getting the ES etsy shop up and running full capacity. It's a long process, though, as I have to photograph and catalog all of the items and then take the time to post them in the LJ and list them in the shop.

I've also been slowly but steadily working toward actually getting somewhere with House Of Yum. Working on a plan toward an actual, credible business is very hard and complicated, but I'm hoping it will all be worthwhile in the end. Fingers crossed, right?

Other than that, I've finally decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and pay for a gym membership. I've pretty much come as far as I can with my fitness on my own, and I need access to the facilities a gym would offer. I'm thinking probably the YMCA, both because it has disability discounts and because it offers use of the pool and various sporting areas as well as the typical weights that other gyms offer.

This of course means that I have to somehow AFFORD a membership as well as actual workout clothes. At least I already have decent runners? So I need to go out to Sport Check or wherever and do some pricing, too. Oh, and I need to check and see if I have a bathing suit that fits. .__.; Almost forgot about that.

Oh, and since I haven't updated recently I guess I never posted about Lily, Ven or Opal. :D

Lily: Another kitten. Dad brought her up from the farm, where her mother had abandoned her when she was about 2 weeks old. They found her by the middle barn and Lois bottle fed her for about a month before they passed her to me. She's a tiny little tabby, and when she arrived she looked like she was still 2 weeks old, even though she was actually 6 weeks. She was, and still is, EXTREMELY stunted with her growth and development because she was booted from her mama at such a young age. She's a handful. But being here with the other cats, lots of attention and as much food as she can possibly cram into her little kitty belly, she is catching up in leaps and bounds. Lils will never be the biggest cat. She'll always be small and delicate. But she's healthy and happy and robust now, so it's all good. ♥

Ven: My new rat, named after Ventus from KH: BBS. I unfortunately had to put down my last rat (Roxy, named after Roxas from KH) just a couple of days before I left for the US back in the summer. I was very sad about that, Roxy was a special little rattie and I loved her to bits. And I've had rats pretty much always since 2005 when I got my first one (Yuki). I really love the little guys, they're so smart and loving and adorable. They make great pets. So when I got back here from the US, I went and picked out a new little rat. He's white with a blonde-cream hood, and he lives up to his name by being a total trusting derp. He's a darling and I luff him. :3

Opal: Third snake's the charm! I've still got Aya, of course, and he's doing perfectly fine, but one day I went into J&K and was looking around and ZOMG! they had the most gorgeous snake I had ever seen. Opal is an albino reverse-stripe kingsnake. (You can find albino kingsnake pics here. Some of them are reverse-stripe and some aren't. I should really just upload some pics of Opal. :P) She's still quite young so she's only about two feet long. She'll probably end up around six feet, but kingsnakes are like garters, they get looooong but stay relatively skinny. Right now she's in the small terrarium (the one Aya started out in and Nyoka was in until she escaped and subsequently, yanno, DIED. *facepalm*) but eventually I'll have to upgrade her to one similar in size to what Aya is currently living in. Ah, her full name is "Opalescence", but w/e I just call her Opal. :P

Still want to try another sand boa, and I plan on getting a tarantula at some point. I'm finding keeping non-mammals very interesting. The snakes/turtle/fish/etc, are all very different from the cats and rabbits. Fascinating, really. ♥

Oh, also? MLP: Friendship Is Magic. I've been sucked in. SO RANDOM AND ADDICTING. [/is cosplaying Princess Luna at Otakon next year.]

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: N/A: "Mantracker" on Squall.

Alrighty! Today was grocery day, as is every Wednesday. Woo-hoo. /sarcasm lol.

I didn't have much to get for actual groceries, but I did have to get cat food at the vet's (prescription weight management/urinary tract care food that Neko and Loki are on) and there were Sena-prescriptions I had to pick up too.

At the grocery store I mostly picked up some dumplings and wontons (they have these frozen ones that you steam and they come out DELICIOUS and taste JUST LIKE RESTAURANT GYOUZA/WONTONS ASDGH! X3), canned cat food for Tri and fresh cranberries for making home made cranberry sauce. ♥ I also actually found some eye-of-round steaks that were 90% fat free. Finding steaks with a low enough fat content that I'm willing to eat them is rare, and they were ON SALE OMG so I got a pack of two. :3 I might cook one tomorrow night!

And since Lee was driving and I wouldn't have to actually try hauling them home, I got another set of shelves at Walmart to complete my movie wall in the living room. 8D I spent an hour tonight putting them together and reorganizing everything and now they look awesome and I looooove it. X3!! Haha, I have room next to them for a small cabinet too, so I might pick one up at some point. Right now I have a stand there that I built out of DIY cubes.

At Walmart we also stopped to have dinner at McD's, and ran into Sarah and her fiancé, so we sat with them while we ate and had a nice conversation. The more time I spend with Arthur the more I like him... he has a very grounding effect on Sarah, and her complete bullshit has gone down a lot since she ended up with him. Just for that I approve of him, though he's also a really nice guy. :)

Oh, and this afternoon (before we ran into them) I got a message from Sarah about the wedding; her mother found out I was doing the bridal jewelry and wanted to know if I could design a piece for her as well, to match a set of earrings she wants to wear. I told Sarah I could probably manage it, but I couldn't say for sure either way until I had a look at the earrings. Basically, her Mom wants a large snowflake broach, which I think I can manage. I even have a basic idea in my head using fire-polished crackle beads and swarovski crystals, but like I said I won't know 100% until I see what I'm trying to match. And Sarah's Mom is like rich, so she's offered to "generously compensate" me for doing the project. I LOVE MONEYS. \o/

What else...

Well, yesterday I was out and about and picking up a few things. I needed rats for Aya-- my baby has graduated from fuzzies to pups!-- and a couple of other items.

I got some cookie cutters from Mariposa Market, as well as a bottle of sparkling cider to take to the Christmas get together in like a month and a half. I'm way the hell ahead of myself. xD;; And while I was there I taste-tested some eggnog-fudge which was just ahguisldfghuiadfgarngvu *DROOL* *A* I am so getting some of it to take to the get together as well. :3

And while I was out I got Lee a gift card to the music equipment store downtown, since his birthday is Friday. ♥

Anyhoo! I started working on some new recipes for dog and kitty treats for Christmas presents, and right now I'm in the middle of a decent maple-and-brown-sugar one. Just a little tiny bit of sugar and mostly maple extract for flavouring. They're pretty tasty. I still want to do one more, I think maybe liver flavour and bacon bits for "sprinkles". We'll see.

Oh, and today other than Squall arriving I also got the books I ordered the other day; two of them are for Dad for Christmas (Dragongirl by Todd McCaffrey and Legends of Shannara: Bearers of the Black Staff by Terry Brooks) and the other one was a discount book I stumbled upon, Beyond The Body Farm by Dr. Bill Bass & Jon Jefferson. It's by the same people who did Death's Acre, which is one of my favourite anthropology/criminology books of all time. Which I lent to C.A. way the hell back in 2004 and still haven't gotten back from her. *facepalm* She's horrible about remembering stuff like that. I might just break down and buy another copy and let her keep the first one lol. So I'm really looking forward to reading the new one~!

I also got a little package from Maddie and Chloe today! Or, rather, from "Rufus and Reno Shinra"! To "Roxas". I LOLED SO HARD WHEN I SAW THAT. It was epically awesome. ILU GUYS, DID YOU KNOW THAT? It had a couple of buttons and some cute stickers in it. And caramels! And a pretty glass star pendant which I put on right away and am still wearing now. =3 Hehe.

And I guess the only other thing is the cats.

First; 'Dion scared the SHIT out of me today. This morning he was sleeping under the desk in the back room, which he does all the time because it's right in front of the baseboard heater. I went to sit down to check something on the computer, and reached down to move him... and he kind of flopped around and looked at me like he was half out of it, but not in a sleepy!kitty sort of way. His fur was also puffed up, which cats tend to do if they're not feeling well. This concerned me, and I took him back to the living room and laid down to cuddle up with him some-- which was when I noticed he was shivering. Not in an "I'm cold" kind of way, but in an "I'm in pain" kind of way. I cuddled him close and fretted over him and tried really hard not to panic while I decided if I should rush him to the vet or not.

Finally, he fell asleep and so did I. A couple hours later when I woke up he wasn't there, and when I went looking for him I found him playing and looking as if nothing was wrong. I don't know what the problem was, but DAMN, 'DION. PLEASE DON'T PULL THAT KIND OF STUFF. YOU NEARLY SCARED YOUR MOM TO DEATH. D8

I'm going to keep an eye on him for the next couple of days, just in case. But now he's acting completely fine, so...

Second; Got a call from the Barrie SPCA today, finally! Way back when I first brought Tia home, I called them and got on the wait list for having her spayed and Juna neutered. They were still too young at the time, but the wait list was about four months long so by the time they got around to me they'd be the right age. Sounded like a plan to me!

So on Friday I'm taking Juna and Tia to Barrie to be fixed, for $50 per cat. Let me say that again; $50 PER CAT. Instead of the $350/cat it would cost me to take them to the vet in town and have it done. They also say they can give them all their vaccines and etc. at the same time. I AM HAPPY WITH THIS PLAN AND THE COST INVOLVED. ^___^

I couldn't book 'Dion at the same time since he's still too young, but tomorrow I can call and get him on the wait list and in a few months when they get to me again he'll be old enough.

I'm really, really hoping that having Juna neutered will calm Neko down a bit; Neko is NOT Juna's biggest fan right now and keeps kissing and spitting and snarling at him, which I keep trying to dissuade of course, but it's not working. Neko seems to think that Juna is vying for Top Cat in the pride, which Juna really isn't. He just avoids Neko and defers to him, acts submissive, but Neko doesn't take that for what it is and beats the hell out of him whenever they cross paths. Luckily no real injuries have happened, just one or two tiny scratches and a lot of flying fur. Still. Hopefully once Juna is neutered things will settle down...

And now I think I'm done rambling. For now. And I have the munchies. So Imma go find something to eat. OMNOMNOM and all that.

*salute*

Current Mood: hungry
Current Music: N/A: "Urban Legends: Final Cut" on DVD.

So. Wednesday was shopping day, which was pretty uninteresting this week. Just groceries, not much else.

After that though, Mom and I had to pick Pan (my bunny that is living with Sarah as a companion to her rabbit Angelina) up from Sarah's place and take her to the vet. Ever since she was little Pan has had a problem with her weight; about once a year she'll lose a ton of weight until she's practically skeletal, and we all generally flail around and have to give her a special diet to fatten her up again.

Right now she's back to being practically a bag of bones, but since this happens regularly and the vet always tells us to do the same thing we generally just do it and don't bother taking her in anymore. This time, though, the weight loss was accompanied by the appearance of cataracts over both eyes, and as she's only four years old, we decided we'd better take her in just in case.

So of course, two days before we're supposed to, Sarah is diagnosed with Scabes and therefore can't come close to other people lest she spread it. And Mom and I DO NOT want to get that. Blegh. So we had to get her to put Pan in the carrier and set her outside the front door for us, where we picked her up and then deposited her when we were done. We knocked on the door and then bailed when Sarah came to take Pan back inside. lol.

Anyway, basically the vet is stymied. He says physically he can't find anything wrong, but there's a possibility she has diabetes (which would explain both the cataracts and her ongoing weight problems), so Sarah has to decide if she wants to pay for blood tests or not. Personally, I would pony up the dough if I were her, but it's her decision...

I guess we'll see.

Then today, Mom took in a bunch of my jams and jellies to work along with order forms and had a tasting day and took orders for me. I sold $56 worth of stuff, which isn't actually a lot, but any money is my friend. Besides that, one of her coworkers' wife works for the police station (the big provincial one just on the outskirts of Orillia) and thinks his wife might like to do the same kind of tasting thing there too, so I could go and do that and hand out order forms and cards. Fingers crossed for that one! ♥

That's about it. Except I have to send my laptop in to be repaired now that I've finally (today) got the info for doing so. So on Wed/Thurs I'm shipping it off, and I'll have no computer until it gets back. ;~; I hate that, but I have no choice. The screen is dying fast and my warranty is up as of the middle of next month. :P

Current Mood: meh.

My GST came in today, so I spent a while downtown picking up odds-and-ends that I needed.

I got frames so I could hang the Zelda prints I got at Otakon, then when I got home I set about doing just that... and dropped the Midna one, so the glass broke. I had to clean it up and then go back downtown to get another frame to replace it. ~_~;; At least they had the right size at the dollar store, so they each only cost me $5, whereas getting them at Walmart or Zellers or wherever would have been more like $15-$20. =/ Frames are expensive.

Anyway, I also got some reptile bark for cleaning Aya's terrarium. And a couple odds-and-ends for P.O.S.es (just one more thing I want to pick up and then I can start boxing everything.) And I got a few more things for Maddie and Chloe's Christmas/Yule present, so now I'm almost done that. Then it can be boxed up too and mailed so it'll get there, yanno, by Christmas. xD;;

Oh! And today Air Canada finally called about the rebate ticket I mailed in way the hell back in July! ...turns out I forgot to put in the ticket info when I mailed it, which was why it took so long. So they got all the info from me over the phone (thank God for me writing everything down on the calendar!) and are going to set about processing it, so the money should go onto my credit card in two or three weeks. WHOO!!

Hm. A few days ago I downloaded a short anime series called Dai Mahou Touge ("Magical Witch Punie-chan") and it was... um, in a word? CRACK. It was really amusing, violent as hell and perfectly cheerful about it. Haha, I might look into getting it on DVD at some point.

And right now I'm working on downloading Angel Beats! because it sounds interesting and I'm an absolute sucker for the kind of art style it's done in. :D I'll let you know how it is once I've watched some of it~

...

...and now I should really stop procrastinating and clean the bunny and rattie cages out, since it's garbage night. >___>

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: N/A: "Mirrors" on DVD~

Um, yeah. So much for updating every day or two. *facepalm*

Whatever.

I had to take Juna to the vet a couple weeks ago for an infection in his paw. He was roughhousing with Tri (probably) and ended up with a scratch on his paw. It wasn't a big deal so I didn't worry about it... but then it got really, really badly infected. ~_~;; So he had a course of antibiotics and now everything's kosher again.

Went to Anime North the end of May. Only for a few hours on Saturday, but it was still fun. I was really happy to be able to go and not have to bring my cane with me. By the time Mel, Bonnie and I headed to the restaurant for dinner my knee was completely locked up though. XD;; Sitting while we ate dealt with it, though, so everything was fine. (I'm bringing my cane with me to Otakon/Matsuricon anyway just in case.)

While I was there I got a fuckton of buttons to make into more fridge magnets (as usual), a couple of bookmarks, a print for Kiin-bb, a Heartless plushie and a hilarious Yoda plush for Dad since it was his birthday that weekend. ♥ I also got some onigiri, since the restaurant we ate dinner at was selling them~ tuna onigiri yum~!

Unfortunately now Mel is off to Japan, so that was the last I'll see her for a while. I'm hoping to be able to visit her there for a little while, but I won't know for sure if I can afford it until after Otakon/Matsuricon. *fingers crossed*

Anyway, back to the cane thing for a second... sort of. The reason I can go without my cane most of the time now is because of how much weight I've lost so far. SIXTY POUNDS ASDGH;KL. I'm only about halfway there at this point, but I'm SO happy with things so far. I can do all these things I couldn't before, plus the other day I actually bought a pair of SIZE 16 JEANS. I know that doesn't sound all that great, but I haven't been in size 16 in YEARS. >>; So~ ♥

Right.

So a couple days ago the rest of my tax rebate came in. I got about $7,000, which sounds like a lot but I had to pay Mom back $1,500 right off the bat, plus $300 to Grandma, $200 to Dad and $100 to my brother. Plus I have to set aside enough for Otakon/etc. and for getting Juna neutered in September. Still, I had about $4,000 left, so I've picked up a rug for the living room and on Wednesday I'm getting a cabinet/pantry for the kitchen so that I can organize my jams/jellies/etc.

I also got a few cheap movies and books, and some jewelry display pieces for using at the cons.

And today I finally got to get my snake! I've been researching them for years and wanted one forever and now I finally have one! His name is Ayame (after the Furuba character lol) and he's a Ball Python. I'll have lots of pics to share in a couple days, but for now I'm just letting him chill and settle into his new terrarium. I can't wait to show him off, though, Aya's so pretty! :3

I was originally going to wait until after I got Juna neutered to get Aya, but when I went in today to price terrarium kits they didn't have the small one so they offered me the large one for the same price as the small. It's $150 savings on the large kit, plus it means I don't have to upgrade when Aya gets bigger (the small terrarium only fits smaller snakes) so he can live in it his whole life. The deal was too good to pass up, especially since I was going to spend the money anyway. So I ended up with my first scale-baby a couple months early. xD;;

Apparently ball pythons live 20-30 years in captivity. .__.; /random

This morning I also went down to the Farmer's Market and ended up buying strawberries and cherries. So this afternoon I used half the strawberries and most of the cherries to make some Strawberry-Cherry Jam. It's sooooo yummy. Too bad cherries are so expensive, so I can't use them in more recipes...

Anyhoo, a lot of the rest of the money is just going to be squirreled away in case of emergencies or whatever.

Note for Steph and Lome: I haven't mailed your packages yet but I should be able to on Tuesday/Wednesday this week. Finally. XD ♥

Finally, a video I found the other day. I'm sharing it because it was so sad and the song completely broke my heart. It's one of the worst stories of animal cruelty that I've ever heard, and it especially touched me because the puppy was a Pom, and I know firsthand how sweet and loving they are. But please don't click if you don't want to cry.

RIP Tobey.

EDIT: Oh. Does anyone want a DVD? I accidentally ended up with two copies of The Uninvited and obviously don't need them both lol. It's Region 1 format. Free to a good home! ♥

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Maria Danes ~ "Tobey's Story"

Okay, so I've been looking at rates for travelling down to Otakon in August. The general plan (unless Chloe objects, lawl, Maddie and I just kinna decided) is that I'm going to go to Dayton and then take the train with them to Baltimore. :3

I looked up the bus schedules and prices and then checked out the flight schedules and rates as well just in case, since sometimes flights are randomly cheaper. O__o; lol. Basically, it boiled down to about $91 each way (just under $200 all together) for the bus, and $500-ish return-trip for the plane. Less than half price for the bus, so BUS IT IS. =D;

Man, the bus ride to Dayton is almost 15 hours though. xD; I'm going to DIE. Must remember to pack lots of stuff to keep me entertained! My mp3 player and books and ~~printed RY smut omg~~ stuff like that! Maybe my sketchbook. Also, snacks. The bus line recommends snacks. *nodnod*

Also, between now and then I need to buy new headphones, and a portable charger for my mp3 player, since right now I can just charge it from my PC...

YAY!note: I have almost $200 ($195 lawl) saved up already! X3 I usually fail at saving munny, so this time I took an old pickle jaw (clean of course), and exacto-knived a hole in the lid, then super-glued the lid on so that once the money's in it I can't get it out without smashing the jar. HAH SPENDING TENDENCIES I WIN. >D

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: N/A: "Evan Almighty" on the PS2. <3

OMGYEYGSTREBATE! ~.~

I was down to $29 to last the rest of the month, and I checked my bank stuff online a minute ago looking for a paypal thing from a couple weeks ago-- and wham! $75 GST REBATE FTW! AWESOME! I completely forgot that was this month~ xD;;

ZOMG I'm not completely broke anymore! @__@

*will like totally buy food tomorrow then, hurray*

Current Mood: relieved

Okie... I have a favour to ask of all ye on my f-list; could you pretty pretty please pimp this post anywhere you can think of? I really need money, and I really need to get rid of these to make space, and since ebay didn't work I'm going to try here. Also, if you know anyone who might want to commission a pony, by all means send them my way. You will get [virtual] cookies! And possibly a pony of your own at Christmas/your birthday~~

So! These are the ones I brought back from AN with me, who still need homes. Normally, the quoted price would not include the shipping, but as an incentive, I'm not going to charge shipping to anywhere in the US or Canada. (Basically that means about $5 to $8 off.)

If you're interested in any of these, or want to talk about a commission, email me at obsidian.equine [at] gmail.com. I generally take Paypal, and would really prefer that, but I can take a cheque or bank money order if you really really can't do Paypal.

Prices are in US Dollars.

( Magic Knight Rayearth; Ryuuzaki Umi ($30) )

( Fruits Basket; Sohma Akito ($30) )

( Fruits Basket; Sohma Isuzu 'Rin' ($30) )

( Fruits Basket; Sohma Kureno ($30) )

( Fruits Basket; Sohma Kagura ($30) )

( Fruits Basket; Hanajima Saki ($30) )

( Fruits Basket; Uotani Arisa ($30) )

( Ouran High School Host Club; Suoh Tamaki ($35) )

( Ouran High School Host Club; Ootori Kyouya ($35) )

( Ouran High School Host Club; Fujioka Haruhi ($35) )

( Sailormoon Stars; Taiki Kou ($30) )

( Sailormoon Stars; Yaten Kou ($30) )

If you want more pics, just ask, or if you want pics of other ponies I've done. You can also look at my DevART page (link to the left on my main journal page), though not all of my ponies have been posted there yet.

If you're interested in commission, I'll do pretty much any character, and the price will depend on the level of detail and whether you want "real" or clay hair, or if you want accessories~

Current Mood: hopeful

So I listed 14 ponies on ebay a week ago, tonight the listing ended, and none of them sold.

So instead of having more money toward buying Rie... I'm down $27 in listing fees. -_____-;

I seriously thought that at least the Ouran ponies would go... but no one wanted them at AN, and aparently no one else in the world wants them either. O__o; I guess I was really wrong...

Anyway, I'm really just disappointed. I was looking forward to having more money to put in the Rie fund. ;-;

Current Mood: disappointed

I HAVE 6 COMMISSIONS RIGHT NOW AND IT GIVES ME MAJOR GLEE~

Yey Anime North. *___*

At this rate I'll have enough money for Rie in no time! X3

Anyone else want a pony~?

EDIT:: I'll have enough money for Rie if I stop buying Ouran stuff, that is. >>;;

Current Mood: cheerful

I've been scalping ponies for about an hour, prepping them for customizing, since this year I actually will have a table at the AN convention. Now I have a huge blister on the ring finger of my right hand. Owie. ;~;

Sigh.

I'm feeling marginally better today than I was yesterday... probably because I've been planning for AN, and that always cheers me up a bit. Especially since I have a chance of making a decent amount of money from it, even if it's way ahead in May.

Oh, and now

smoulderedtears,

lipstickcat and

etcetera_cat have all got their gifts (pony!Kao, Chase The Stars and Damali, respectively) in the last couple of days, so I can stop worrying about those getting lost in the mail or something. Now I'm just waiting on

cassandracsenta's Christmas present to get to her. :)

And I think I'm getting sick. My sinuses have been really bad the last couple days, and I've had a chronic headache for a week; now I'm starting to develop a cough. Ugh. =_=;;

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: N/A: "Law And Order" on the TV...

I'm gonna get money tomorrow. YAY. Honestly, the whole thing with the money for any given month going through on the very last day of said month is a pretty stupid idea... but who am I to complain? Money is money, I guess.

The last few days I've been very tired, just like usual, but I've been trying to get some things done around here-- cleaning and organizing a bit at a time, with the hopes of getting this place back to the way it should be relatively soon.

Yesterday I went through my Pony Cupboard (aka: where I keep my craft stuff for ponies and other projects) and organized it, so now I can find stuff in it. ^_^; I also cleaned out the animal cages, but that's part of my regular duties anyway. Today I collected all the various pieces of cardboard that I tend to just stick in out-of-the-way places, so that it could all be recycled. Also went to Mom's and did my laundry, which needs to be put away now...

Tomorrow I need to go through the boxes in my alcove and organize them. It'll be a BIG job. |_|;;

I also need to do some dishes. And organize my medicine shelf. And maybe go through the huge box of random papers that has been MOCKING ME from it's hidey-hole between the couch and the wall pretty much ever since I moved in here.

Murr... I'm tired already. =.=;;

Current Mood: blah

1) My finger hurts a lot, but it's not so bad today; the swelling has gone down, but now it's bruising a bit, and it still bleeds when I change the bandages (because it sticks to them). Other than that, all is pretty much on the well side of the tracks. :)

Lesse...

2) Went Christmas shopping with my Grandma today-- it's a thing we do every year. It gives us an excuse to spend the day together, and I help her to find gifts for Trunks, since he's extremely hard to buy for.

3) When Grandma got here, she gave me a Christmas card from her and Grandpa... which was wierd. In my whole life I've never gotten a Christmas card from them. Neither has Mom, Dad, Lee, or Trunks. I was like O_o;; mweh? ...then I opened it up, and there was $100 inside! @_@;; OMFG! Grandma tells me that Grandpa knew I was really short on money this year, and thought I might appreciate some help with Christmas shopping... and when Grandma told him I was pretty much done already, he said then I probably could use it for myself, then. ^_^ I've been doing Christmas shopping and kind of skimping on stuff for myself for the last month or so, so it's totally true. Anyway, I <3 my Grandpa! =3

4) OMG she brought me date squares, too! *_* She makes the bestest date squares ever... *drools*

5) I found a Seaspray pony while we were shopping. Yayness!

6) Also, while we were shopping I discovered that Terri Clark has a new CD out, so I picked it up since Walmart had it on sale.

7) Got a copy of "Donnie Darko" on DVD at Zellers for about $8. I am the queen of bargain media shopping.

8) After shopping, Grandma dropped me off at Mom and Lee's place, because a guy was coming to look at my drums around 5-ish and I had to be there. I got there just before 4, and played with/brushed/generally cuddled the dog while I watched TV.

9) At 5, the guy came about my drums... and I finally sold them! WHOOT! ^__^ We talked for a few minutes, discussed the drums and why he wanted them (they're for his son for Christmas), and then he goes "well, I'll tell you what-- I've got $480 in my pocket." To which I replied; "sounds good to me!" No bartering or anything. I was asking $500, so twenty bucks short was awesome. I thought I'd have to end up selling them for about $400 instead. ROCK ON. I HAVE SOME CASH NOW. X3

10) To celebrate, I took Mom and Trunks out for supper. We just went to Arby's, but it was nice anyway. ^^

11) Am now home. Have some Christmas wrapping to do later, but I'm using the computer for now.

12) And finally...

cat_mcdougall gots the gifts I sent for her and her kittens today! YAY!

elsewherecw also got hers, a couple of days ago. ^^ I'm happy. A few more to go, though!

Current Mood: pretty cheerful

I went to the bank today to pay my cable/Internet bill, since it's hooked up to my Interac card. First I had to deposit $80, though. =_=;; Given to me by my Mom, of course, since I'm flat broke as always.

Anyway, once I deposited the money, I should have had about $80.03 in the bank... and when the machine spit out the reciept, I had $157.90 instead. @_@;; I was a little confused, but paid my bill and figured I'd work it out once I was out of the bank.

The only thing I can figure is that my GST rebate came through in the last couple of days.

Any way you look at it, I'm not complaining. Extra $70? I can use that, yeah!

Current Mood: confused

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