Entering the Black-Out Period

It seems like I have "disappeared" for awhile...

"Disappeared" as in not being on social media anywhere as much, or if I am, it's only just for a few minutes to glance at the newsfeed..."Disappeared" as in not responding to texts or if I do respond, I'm hours behind on the timing of the response,  "Disappeared" as in being extremely behind on mail and e-mail - my inbox is full of messages that have yet to be checked - My work email is alot better than my personal one but that's because I'm required to be on top of my work email (I mean, they PAY me to do my job and part of my duties is reading my email or typing them out all day long),  my "actual" mail is in several piles on a table off to the side in my apartment - pretty much all unopened.  

Disappeared.

Disappeared...to a certain time of the year. I have officially entered the "Black-Out" Period of the Retail World.

What's a Blackout Period?  It's the time that the retail world decides that ANY and ALL of its employees will be required to be dedicated to work November 15th to January 5th with absolutely no vacation, no PTO's, no holiday travel or holiday time. (You see, when you accept a job in the retail world, you sign a paper stating that you will work holidays and weekends and nights - those are the hours.)  It's also a period where you will work longer hours, you will work overtime and you will have more deadlines to meet.  It will not be a choice, it will not be an option, you will have to just work the longer hours irregardless of what you want or what you think you deserve.

That is why I haven't been around as much.

I have been working longer hours...I have been doing overtime.  Everything gets put on the back burner and honestly, this year....it feels like

Work has consumed my life.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow being the last day of November  All of my deadlines will be met and I'm glad to say that I'm exactly where I need to be...even though the stakes are higher, the bar has been set HIGH for success.  And I completed it - tomorrow is just 'breathing room' at work but dang, it feels good to know that my store has broken the record for the highest sales for the month of November at that location...and we just beat it yesterday.

Although work consumes my life as of lately - I also have the attitude of gratitude.  I am back in the city that I love,  I have wonderful family and I miss them very much but cherish them & maintain a close relationship with them all, I have amazing friends, I have the sweetest boyfriend and I have a job that I enjoy very much.

  I have more than enough.

Yes, the hours are long and I don't like not having my holidays - but I am grateful.  My holidays are anywhere from Januart 6th to November 14th.  :)

So if it seems I have disappeared.... that the texts are few and far between, just know that I'm super busy with work, thinking of y'all and wish y'all a wonderful holiday and I miss you!

I hope y'all had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving.


XoXo,

Meg

Cats...or should I say, "The Cat".

Cats.

Feline creatures.

Smaller version of lions, tigers (definitely not bears).

Cats.  

For those that know me, I truly despise cats.  I can't stand their nature or their attitude - if you ask me, I think they're actually rather obnoxious creatures.  It doesn't help that I have an allergy to cats.

When I'm around them - my eyes get watery, itchy & red.  I can't breathe that good.  My air supply feels like my lungs are being suffocated & I find myself sniffling and sneezing.

Pure Misery.

That only adds more fuel to the fire- the simple fact that I hate cats.

That is....until...

FELIX.

Yes, Felix as in Felix the Cat and no, not of the cartoon variety this time.

When I moved back to Austin from Dallas - I couch surfed with friends....couldn't afford to pay rent in two different cities since I moved back to Austin before my lease in Dallas was up...a good 2 months before the lease was up.

Finally - when I got my apartment here in Austin, no more couch surfing & FINALLY free from Dallas.  Everything was great.  A few weeks after living here in my permanent 512 lease (at least for a year because that's what I signed) - I started noticing a 'stray black cat' hanging around.  Actually...my boyfriend noticed him first.  

You see....my boyfriend is a cat lover.  Yes, that's right.  Imagine that.  Me, a cat hater....dating a cat lover.  Andrew is pretty lovable so I can overlook that easily.

Whenever we would see this stray black cat- he literally acted like a dog.  He would run up to Andrew and literally run up Andrew's legs into his arms.  It was like the cat climbed up him - but because his legs were moving so fast,  it was more like he was walking up Andrew's legs to his arms.  At first, I was like, 'That's strange...but kind of cute."  I would try to ignore him most of the time...it didn't work.   He would walk with me to my car and back.  He would also walk me to my apartment door all the way up on the 2nd floor whenever I would return home from work.

I liked that he was more like a dog than a cat.  He didn't rub up on my leg like an annoying cat or meow constantly.  He would just walk up to you and simply just walk with you.  That showed loyalty.   That's probably why I started petting him.  (I should have known that contact with this particular cat will lead to establishing a relationship/developing a rapport with this cat).

Andrew & I ended up being convinced that he was a stray.  Andrew started calling him Felix.  It fit him perfectly.  He's all black & is quite a magnificent looking cat.

Extremely attractive (for a cat!), all sleek, and an extremely cool personality to roll with it.

After taking him in, (mind you, I waited almost 2 months) it appeared that he was house-broken.  He knew how to use the litter box and he didn't try to claw at the furniture   (I have a beautiful black leather sectional so this was a huge worry for me!)

Took him to the vet to get him checked out and officially (Believe it or not) make him mine.  Turned out he belonged to someone.  That someone lived in my complex.

I was saddened...I had grown an attachment to this particular cat. The cat that had grabbed my interest...and captivated me.

Then I grew a little angry - why was he always running around?  Why is he always super skinny and super hungry when I feed him?  Why does he not wear a collar?  This cat is neglected.  This isn't fair.

Anyways - I went home later that afternoon and when I was walking up, I noticed my neighbors put up this mesh net on their first floor balcony...as if it was to keep an animal from escaping the balcony.  I instantly wondered if that was Felix's owners.  After awhile, I went down there to knock on the door - A man in his early 30s answered and I just told him that I was one that had found the cat - also, that I loved the cat.  He said 'thank you so much for saving Pixels.'  

His name is Pixels. 

Long story short - He's a bombay cat.  (that's his breed).  Bombay cats are typically all black - with green or yellow eyes.  They're super friendly and act more like dogs than a cat.  People with allergies to cats don't suffer as much with the bombay breed.

Felix's....I mean, Pixel's owners told me that they adopted Felix...Pixels from an organization named Texas Bombay Cat Rescue.  They moved up to North Austin from South Austin and brought Pixels along with them.  They also have another cat and a dog.  Pixels loves to sleep with the dog.  

They said they let him outside once in awhile but he kept getting braver and braver and would step off the balcony...and then would venture out to the sidewalk and then got to the point where he wanders all around.

After this - I would try to avoid looking at their balcony because I felt like Felix Pixels should have been mine.  We had an instant connection.  I hate cats and he was the cat that made me give felines a chance.  I liked this cat alot.

Anyways after a few weeks of keeping Pixels indoors- they let him out  & he did it again. He wouldn't stop following me or walking with me.  He would walk me all the way to my apartment door and let himself into the apartment and just hang out with me.  I would try to shoo him out and tell him to go back home....but eventually, I let him hang around.  He's super attached to Andrew as well so we kinda joke that the cat is our 'sometimes pet'. 

 We still call him Felix and he responds to Felix.

When I walk out to my car in the morning for work, Felix will try to follow me all the way to my car.  I have had to pick him up a few times and walk him over to the neighbor's balcony and hand him over to them.  His parents usually sit on balcony every morning with a cup of coffee and just relax looking out the balcony. 

They know that their cat, Pixels, hangs out with me. They see Pixels follow me everywhere - to my car  - to my apartment.  They laugh and wave at me as I walk by with Pixels right alongside me.  They even joke that we have joint custody of Felix/Pixels.

Felix hung out with me last night -  It was almost as if he was waiting on me to get home from work.  As soon as I parked and hurried up the sidewalk, he tried to pounce on me from hiding in the bush and walked me to my apartment.  He's a little gentleman.

I let him come in and hang out.  He got some dinner and water and snuggle time.  

Then I let him out to go back home.

I think that cat was put on this earth to change the world. 

--- or at least, to change a cat hater's feelings on cats.

I know he changed mine.  He gave me a new perspective on a few things...and he has influenced me to love all creatures great and small.

I'm not by any means a cat lover now -  I probably won't like your cat but I'll like 'mine'.

XoXo,

Meg

Halloween!

Costume Party.

Wasn't sure if Andrew & I'd be going to one this year- no one we hung out with seemed to be planning one this year.

Then Andrew and I got invited to a costume party that someone decided to throw together at the last minute. We did get about six days of notice.  It took me almost 3 days to figure what I wanted my costume to be...

Andrew laughed at my costume idea. 

 He thought it was silly.  

Imagine how much sillier he thought it was whenever I told him he could do it with me - do the costume with me.  

He decided he'd go as a rock star!

Anyways, we had the day off together on Wednesday  - we went out on a lunch date and ran a few errands - after that, I told Andrew I wanted to stop at Target to pick up a few supplies to make my costume with.  He said that was fine and said he'd help me put it together.

We go into the aluminum foil/baking aisle at Target  I'm looking for the aluminum foil tray that people cook turkey in - As soon as we spot them,

Andrew decided he wanted to be a NINJA TURTLE with me!!!

We got 2 of those trays - an oval shape for me and a rectangle shape for him.  We grab mini spray paint cans in green and white - 2 green cotton tee shirts, a little green yarn, & some yellow fabric paint. We also got some red and purple fabric.  Then we headed home...

As soon as I set everything up- Andrew took over and started participating in the craft with me.  We painted our 'turtle shells' and whjpped the yellow fabric paint out and dipped a sponge into the paint to create our little '6-packs' onto the shirts.  - Andrew ended up making 2 manly pecs onto his shirt- it turned out quite well!

I'm pretty sure Andrew may have had just a little more fun than I did because he did most of the painting of our turtle shells!  Ha ha ha!  Looks like I might be able to get him to do an arts and crafts night with me once in awhile!

Here's the aftermath- I didn't get as many pictures as I thought I did!  :o(

That's all that I have!  :o(

I will have to ask a few friends and see if there's anymore and hopefully I can post them up soon!

Ah - here's one more!!!

(Yes, I am wearing a tutu!!!)

Don't we look like we can kick some booty!!!!  

I loved that I got to 'create' Andrew & I's costume - I also love it even more that he jumped onto the train with me and wanted to make the costumes with me and wear one!

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

XoXo,

Meg