Scraps of Happiness

For the last couple years I've kept a jar in my bedroom, and in this jar I've kept slips of paper with good things that happen to me throughout the year written on them. The idea is to look at them at the end of the year (actually, I planned for winter solstice) and then start filling up the jar again with the new year (or for me, any date after solstice).

I started neglecting the happy jar in summer, about when the anxiety really hit big time. This means that there are some things not in the jar that should be, such as spending Samhain with my boyfriend, mom bringing home the new dog, and when I got a new giant cage for the pet rats. I also didn't touch the jar on solstice, and am only now getting around to it. Here are most of the things that are in it.

Started back to school -- spring 2014

Spending time with "Murray" [note: I'm not using my boyfriend's real name] on Imbolc weekend, and Zoe [this one] apparently getting along better with Kokopelle. -- 2/2014

Watching Babylon 5 with Murray -- 2014 ♡

(Yes, I really did put a heart there. No, we've never been accused of being sappy. Why do you ask?) (Ok, maybe I'm lying.)

My cholesterol was checked, all looks normal. The "fish diet" worked! =) -- 1/31/2014

Mom finished her MBA program -- spring 2014

Spending Christmas evening with Murray -- cuddles and getting Salem's Lot -- 12/25/2013

Decided to go back to school. -- February/March 2014

CthulhuCon with Murray -- spring 2014

Fourth of July with Murray ♡ -- 7/4/2014

Field trip to the coast with oceanography class. -- 5/16/2014

I got three A's and one A- during my first term back to school -- spring 2014

Date with Murray, saw Godzilla and went to [library] to get Babylon 5 season 1. -- 5/2014

Went to [arcade] for the first time with Murray :) -- 7/2014

Portland Highland Games -- 7/19/2014

I went to my first Pride parade with mom.  -- June 2014

The smell of fresh rain late at night -- summer 2014

Brushing snow off a bush, and feeling soft snow under a layer of almost ice. -- 2/9/2014

Valentine's date with Murray. Visiting bookstore, movies, cuddles, and chocolate ice cream. ♡ -- 2/15/2014

I got my books out of storage =D -- July 2014

Walking outside and hearing snow melt around me. -- 2/10/2014

Same sex marriage legalized in Oregon! -- 5/19/2014

Jim Butcher book signing -- spring 2014

Despite the last half of my year being crummy (panic attacks for a couple weeks, anxiety, depression...) this list would be longer if I'd kept up with writing down the good things that happened. Now to start filling up the jar with things that have happened since solstice 2014.

Scraps of Happiness

Furry friends

Today's post will come in two parts.

The visiting puppy

It's been said before that, the way Kokopelle torments Saphira, it might be nice for him to get a bit of his own medicine. Well, he hasn't gotten it in the form of another animal body slamming him...but he has met someone who he's very uncertain of.

Zoe is an adorable basset hound who loves everyone, and she definitely loves cats. My boyfriend occasionally brings her on dates, and she's met Kokopelle exactly twice. Both times she's tried to make friends with my kitty.

Kokopelle isn't entirely certain what to make of this.

The only times I've ever seen him hiss, arch his back, or have his fur on end, have been in Zoe's company. And below is photographic evidence of his opinion on dogs. All she wanted to do was play...

However, Kokopelle did eventually go nose to nose with Zoe of his own accord. So he must not have been too traumatized by her presence.

Zoe wanting to play with Kokopelle

Sabine and surgery

Not a fun detail, but if I'm sharing about my furry friends anyways, I'll go ahead write about it.

Two nights ago I noticed that Sabine has a small lump under her skin. Yesterday I called to make an appointment with the vet, and today the vet said that surgery is the best option.

I still have no idea if it's a tumor or a cyst. Either way, it's coming out on Monday.

Sabine doesn't like the vet. She's better about it than she used to be, but after the visit I gave her a little bit of chocolate chip cookie. Definitely not recommended as regular treats for rats, but I thought it might be nice to give her a little extra something nice.