No free rides for feral kittens!

I slept OK but just dead today.  I think I am sliding into depression. 

I got up, took my shower, helped Ron, fed my cats.  I read something interesting last night "No Free Ride" for a feral kitten (which I have, apparently), they must submit to petting while they eat and then gradually handled when they eat, working up to petting in your lap.  "Don't" they said in the strongest terms: Do not just put the food down and walk away. 

OOops!  So I went out there prepared to pet.  They were pretty hungry but Cleo wouldn't even come by, I think she is still nursing.  Spot reluctantly came over, not crazy about the petting, shied away several times...but MEOW MIX won out. 

That is why I am feeding this to the cats.  Yes, they could be eating a "better" food but the primary short term goal is fattening them up.  I noticed, petting Spot, that is he is still pretty bony - I could feel his backbone and hips, and I have been feeding generously for a week.  It is very tempting to them and they are eating a lot, which can only be good. 

I walked away pretty happy with the progress.  Spot wouldn't let me pet him at all a week ago, and he allowed quite a bit of petting this morning (and later). 

We went to work, stocking away.  Things were dead so not much to do.  Then Ron's doctor calls and says "Oh, by the way, we need to reschedule your 1 PM to 11 AM".  Uh, that's a problem when you don't drive.  Ron called dispatch, got a supervisor, one who likes him. 

Safe to say Ron is so well liked, they will "come down" the office building to the lobby to say Hi to us when we drop by once a year to get his pass.  It is a huge building with many employees but some will always run down to say hello and meet us. 

So this lady likes Ron.  I think he reminds her of her husband. 

She rearranged the pickup time to 9:30, which later changed to 10.  We went out at 9:25 of course, so we had plenty of time sitting around.  I told Ron I need to get my eyes checked.  He was very supportive. 

I found my local low cost eye place (the one you see on TV, with the owl).  I scheduled an appointment on my phone, I had not done anything like that before.  They will see me tomorrow.  They have a 2 (lined, which I prefer) bifocals deal for $99.  I have that saved up for glasses, so excellent. 

Ron said he would take me on paratransit and then we could take a cab home, so that will save us $20.  I agreed, surprised he would even go.  He hates going places with me lately. 

Our ride eventually came and we had a straight trip to the doctor.  Doc saw us pretty fast.  Ron had not wanted to talk to Doc about the Kratom yet, but after this last weekend when it worked so well he did.   As I have said, there is nothing in the contract about legal drugs so I didn't see an issue with him using the kratom. 

Doc had heard of it.  He said it was fine to use.  Ron then disclosed he had been using it.  Did it help?  Tremendously.  Excellent, keep it up.  So we have a medical blessing. 

Ron also mentioned the brain fog he has had lately, doc said that is the painkiller and to cut it in half.  Good to hear that. 

We went out to wait on a cab (it was a while) and one of the other patients came in.  You see the same patients again and again at the center.  They come in once a month like us so we see them repeatedly. 

This was an older man and his very elderly mother.  He is the caregiver.  She was moaning and babbling in another language, she has some cognitive issues but seemed worse today.  The caregiver mentioned she (his mother) had fallen yesterday. 

About 10 minutes later, I heard the doctor's voice saying, quite loudly "You need to take her to a hospital, she has a broken ankle!  They are prepared to treat this and I am not."  The man protested repeatedly and the doctor kept telling him they had to go to the hospital. I am not sure how it ended, hopefully with the woman in the hospital. 

But it was, to me, a pretty classical case of caregiver burnout.  That older man was so burned out caring for his mother he had burned up all his compassion.  He had nothing left  It was a good cautionary tale for me. 

I told Ron about a meme I saw on Facebook "You can't pour from an empty glass, take care of yourself".  He found that very profound and I was very glad I had made that eye care appointment. 

Our cab (Alex this time) came and Ron had some trouble getting in.  And Ron is slim.  I had to shove him in once he got his butt on the seat. It wasn't professional but it did the job. 

We went straight home.  I fed my cats, and then took some food outside. Mama and Spot came over,more petting for both of them.  They sure like that Meow Mix.  I will keep feeding it unless the vet tells me it is crap. 

I saw Cleo but we are in a battle of wills, no pet, no eat.  She can always nurse if she gets very hungry.  Mama still has plenty of milk. 

I went back inside and took a nap.  I was awakened around 2:30 by the yard guys.  I never know when they are coming but they work for free so who cares?  My cats fled in terror.  I could only imagine the chaos with the cats outside trying to hide.  Again, I need to get them in the house. 

I did call the vet earlier and the office lady said she would send me an estimate on getting Mama cat checked out.  Well, it isn't cheap, more expensive than my glasses will be - but I need to get her checked for FLV.  I am pretty certain there will be biting, scratching, fluids exchanged when I bring her in the house.  Not to mention sharing the water bowl. 

I was sort of hoping I could do the checkup/shots and then the spay shortly after, looks like I will have to wait a few weeks on that.  Ron would help if he could, I'm sure, but he has to save up $418.50 for his next yearly pass, due in early August.  And we have to try to pay back savings because we have taken a lot (to me) out recently (not for vet care). 

I will make it happen somehow. 

Happily we can pay all the bills.  Ron is still unhappy with his cell phone but it can make and receive calls so I am not worried.  I found an Alcatel flip phone on the Walmart site, but the customer service people (never used that chat before) said it doesn't talk.  Well, fooey.  That would have been great. 

I will do some hunting on the Jitterbug website and see what they can offer.  They have phones for seniors so presumably something easy, with a loud volume, and a talker for bad eyes.  Half of all people over 80 are blind.  So there's a good market for a basic, simple, talking phone.  I just need to find it. 

Worst case I will go to the NFB (national federation of the blind) and see what they suggest.  I see a lot of I phones at the vending conferences (a lot of well paid vendors attending).   I'll figure it out. 

So tonight Ron is taking me out to the buffet restaurant.  I feel like I deserve it after the last several days.  Tomorrow I will get up early, do my kettlebells, have a nice shower, and go to the eye place.  Then I am done for the day. 

It will be good to go to bed tonight, it's been a long day.  I am so glad we are clear on the kratom so I can tell medical people he takes it and has his doctor's blessing.