Tag Archives: Cats

Thankful For Busy Day Ahead Online

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It snowed once again in Seattle last night. Last night’s snow was a lot more and sticking around. I am not a big fan of snow but at least I do not have to go out in it today despite how busy I am going to be today. Thankfully the busy day is all online.

I am currently doing a volunteer shift with the Alley Cat Project. I am on the incoming calls team which means, I return phone calls, emails and online submissions. All of this is done online and I call people back from my personal phone. I am just grateful I can do this volunteer job in the comfort of my own home with my own cat, Billie in my lap.

On that note I also have an online virtual group therapy session today. The group is for queer people like me. I am happy that the mental health agency I am a client at has a safe space for the queer community who seek services from them. I am so glad that it is virtual for many reasons especially today with the snow.

I do not have anything else to discuss or write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Therapy + Snow = Snowball Fight With Therapist

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It snowed last night here in Seattle and it sucks but at least I was still able to see my therapist in person. My therapist and I discussed the death of my dad and how challenging it has been to lose him so close to my mom dying. We also discussed how not just my mom’s death but my dad’s death has increased my PTSD symptoms. While discussing the increased PTSD symptom my therapist noticed that I was starting to dissociate and thought it would be a great idea to go outside to have a snowball fight to allow myself to let my inner child out. So, today’s session focused on allowing myself to let out my inner child as I had a snowball fight with my therapist.

Allowing myself to let out my inner child helped a great deal with my dissociation and my therapist saw this as we had our snowball fight. She asked me in what ways I could let my inner child out so we discussed how my cat, Billie helps. I also brought up the fact that I never stopped coloring and continued to color despite being made fun of on the occasional basis from people. Coloring has always allowed me to be me and kept me connected to my inner child even though I didn’t realize it till today.

Now that I am home, I am coloring as I watch the local news with my cat, Billie sleeping in my lap. I love the fact that I have my cat, Billie in my lap purring as I color letting out my inner child. I am so happy that I let out my inner child today in therapy and that I am doing that with coloring at home.

I do not have much more to discuss or write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Sleepless In Seattle Type Of Night

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It is a few minutes after two o’clock in the morning here in Seattle and I am sadly unable to sleep. I am unable to sleep due to PTSD and insomnia which is nothing new to me. It is literally below freezing outside and is supposed to snow in Seattle. Other cities in the area already have accumulated snow. I do not like snow and I really hope we do not get any.

Since it is so cold outside I have my heating blanket on as I really do not like turning on my heat unless I have to. On that note since it is so cold and I am unable to sleep, I am coloring as I have my heating blanket on. I have this special lap desk I can use in bed which comes in handy especially when I don’t feel like getting out of bed and want to color. I really enjoy coloring.

As I color my cat, Billie is curled up next to me snoring. I am so grateful that my cat is in my life. I do not know what I would do without my cat, Billie. I love my cat so very much and I am so very grateful for Billie’s unconditional love.

I do not have anything else to discuss or write about in this particular blog post except, I really hope it does not snow in Seattle. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Daily Prompt; What Are You Doing This Evening?

Posted on by Gertie
Daily writing prompt
What are you doing this evening?
View all responses

My plans for this evening is to stay home and watch movies. Hell, my partner Junior will be joining me at my place to watch movies with me. Let me not forget that my cat, Billie will of course be at home watching movies with me and my boyfriend, Junior. I am looking forward to watching movies on a streaming site at home with my partner and cat. There is nothing like being home in my pajamas with my cat and my boyfriend. I am not sure what movies we will be watching but I am just glad to be with my cat and partner.

Daily Prompt; How Do You Relax?

Posted on by Gertie
Daily writing prompt
How do you relax?
View all responses

There are many ways that I relax. One of the ways that I have relaxed since I was a child is the water. I spent the first sixteen years of my life in California and there was not a week that I didn’t go to the beach at least once. Now that I live in Seattle, I go to various lakes as well as various places to access the Puget Sound. One of those things is taking the one hour ferry ride from Seattle to Bremerton. The water is so peaceful and relaxing. I go to the water at least once a week.

Another way I relax is by doing some artwork. I usually do art by coloring or diamond art/painting. I do paint rock on the occasional basis. I really like doing artwork as a way to relax and to be creative.

Another way I relax is music. I love listening to it as loud as my neighbors can tolerate when it is not quiet hours. I also love playing music on my flute even though I suck at it. It truly helps me relax.

Last but not least cats help me relax. That is one of the reasons why I volunteer with cats. Hell, that is why I have my cat, Billie. He helps me relax and I love him so very much. Anyone who has pets of any kind knows how relaxing they are. I love how Billie helps me relax.

A Good Day & Yet I’m Currently Dissociating

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It has been a good day for me here in Seattle yet I am currently dissociating which suck shit. I am not really one hundred percent sure why I am dissociating which is scary as hell but I am sure that it is PTSD related. I do know it was a cold foggy day here in Seattle which is probably why my depression symptoms are slightly worse. Like I said I have had a good day and I have been in a really good mood. I will take a good day and a good mood with slightly elevated depression symptoms over a shitty day any day of the week.

Something I realized around the time I got hurt by a neighbor in the summer of 2023 when my dissociation started getting bad again, I color when I am dissociated. It is usually a giant poster or two that are mandala type and/or kaleidoscope type poster. I also color smaller posters that are about eight by ten (or maybe eight by twelve). The smaller posters that I am doing are sort of the similar designs as the giant poster. I only color these particular posters while I have other posters I color and focus on when I am not dissociated. You can tell just by the coloring and the mindset I am in. I think I am going to cuddle with my cat Billie as I do some coloring. My cat is even more of a lap kitty or velcro kitty when I am dissociating. I think my cat Billie does this to make sure I am safe. I love my cat, Billie so very much.

I do not have anything else to write about or to talk about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, than you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Daily Prompt; Was Today Typical?

Posted on by Gertie
Daily writing prompt
Was today typical?
View all responses

So far it has been a typical day for me. It is only nine o’clock in the morning here in Seattle so I can only say that so far it has been a typical day. I do my mindfulness meditation practice this morning. I also did my morning walk. Thankfully it was not raining but it sure was cold. I then came home to shower and eat breakfast. I then cuddled with my cat, Billie like I always do. Now, I am blogging and afterwards I will go see my psychiatric nurse practitioner and then go get my meds. So, yes so far it has been a typical day.

Daily Prompt; What Topics Do You Like To Discuss?

Posted on by Gertie
Daily writing prompt
What topics do you like to discuss?
View all responses

The topics I like to discuss are cats, mental health challenges and recovery. I love talking about cats because I have one myself and volunteering with cats at two different animal welfare nonprofit organizations. I love cats and love talking about them.

The other topic I like to discuss is mental health challenges and recovery. People without mental health challenges tend to think that those of us who have them are not productive members of society. I also like to discuss mental health and recovery because I am in recovery and I have worked in the mental health field.

Another Sleepless In Seattle Type Of Night

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I am once again sleepless in Seattle. At least there was no family drama involved this time around like last night. Sadly, my depression and PTSD symptoms have not decreased much due to being so hypervigilant from last nights family drama. I really dislike hypervigilance and wish I did not have PTSD.

Since I am unable to sleep again and dealing with the aftermath of the family drama of last night I have been cuddling with my cat, Billie. In fact he is all curled up in my lap as I type this particular blog. My cat, Billie has been curled up sleeping as I do some artwork. The type of artwork I am doing is coloring a gigantic coloring poster. I love coloring and enjoy doing it especially when my cat, Billie is curled up on my lap or beside me.

I do not have anything else to talk about nor to write about in this particular blog post except that I hope that I can get some sleep. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App.
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Attend an in person 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Go to the DSHS office
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Attend a second online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Appointment with my employment specialist
  • Appointment with my peer specialist
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Appointment with psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Attend a second online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Go to the movies with my partner
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Morning walk
  • Go to the U-District Farmers Market
  • Attend an online virtual 12 step meeting
  • Go to the movies (again) with my partner
  • Work on recovery related workbooks
  • Read
  • Artwork (diamond art/painting)