Tag Archives: Fireworks

Happy 4th of July

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World and Happy 4th of July to all Americans around the world!!! It is a beautiful Independance Day here in Seattle with sunny weather. I am currently at a friend’s house celebrating the 4th of July with my friend group. We have had plenty of food all day and continue have food flowing till it is time to watch the fireworks later tonight from my friend’s backyard. I am looking forward to watching the fireworks from my friend’s backyard. I’m glad to be having fun with friends yet I am missing my cat, Billie.

Sadly, people who live in my apartment complex have been setting off fireworks which means I had to give my cat, Billie some anxiety meds before I left. I am paying a neighbor to check on Billie every two hours and to continue to give him a dose of his anxiety meds every four hours as his veterinarian suggested. I am glad my neighbor is willing to do this for me and Billie. I feel like paying my neighbor fifty dollars to take care of Billie is well worth peace of mind and making sure he is comfortable when I am not home when there is the scary noise of fireworks.

I do not have anything else to discuss or share or to 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!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Read
  • Do artwork
  • Evening Walk

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Work
  • Evening walk
  • Read
  • Do artwork

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Work
  • Evening walk
  • Read
  • Do artwork

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Appointment with peer specialist
  • Lunch with a good friend
  • Read
  • Do artwork
  • Evening walk

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Work
  • Evening walk
  • Read
  • Do artwork

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • 4th of July party with friends
  • Evening walk
  • Watch 4th of July fireworks

Saturday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice
  • Morning walk
  • Volunteer with Alley Cat Project
  • Do artwork
  • Read
  • Dinner with friends
  • Evening walk

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is that time in the week that I do my weekly check-in. I know it has been a few weeks since I have done a weekly check-in and I hope you can forgive me for not doing one. I do not have an excuse for not doing one and I am not using the holidays as an excuse.

As all of you know this past week we had New Years Day. I watched the drone and firework show that was held at the Space Needle. I stayed home and watched on television so I didn’t have to be out in the cold with a bunch of strangers. I was at home in my pajamas with my cat, Billie bringing in the New Year watching an awesome firework and drone show that was at the Space Needle. I enjoyed it and I am grateful that I was at home with my cat, Billie.

New Years is also a time when people reflect on their lives and how they can change in a positive way. I do this throughout the year and New Years is just a good reminder to do that reflections are a good thing to improve myself.

One of the ways I am wanting to improve myself is to continue to go to therapy. In fact I went on Thursday for an appointment with my therapist. We discussed how I can deal with some uncomfortable emotions like anxiety and anger. We discussed how writing down my feelings can be helpful which reminded me to show her the journal I bought myself for Christmas. She liked the fact that I already had the idea of writing down my emotions as well as thinking that my journal is pretty. She also thinks that writing down my feelings especially my anger is a form of harm reduction. She thinks this due to the fact that I tend to stuff my anger and then emotionally explode by screaming and yelling when I’ve had the last straw when something makes me angry. So my therapist thinks writing when I am angry is a good thing and she suggested that afterwards to reach out to a trusted natural support person. I really like the idea of reaching out to a friend after writing about my anger.

I do not have anything else to discuss or write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you 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 continuing to read 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!!!

Goodbye 2024 & Hello 2025

Posted on by Gertie

Happy New Year, World!!! I am so happy to say goodbye to 2024 and hello to 2025. We are just over an hour and a half into the New Year here in Seattle and so far 2025 has been a good year. Granted it only has been an hour and half and I can only hope this year continues to be a good year.

I watched the firework and drone show that was put on at the Seattle Space Needle here at home in my pajamas with my cat, Billie in my lap snoring as he slept. I loved the drone and firework show that was done at the Space Needle and I am extremely impressed by it.

I am extremely hopeful for this year and what it has to bring. I am hoping that I will be able to get a job this year as I had quit my last job in early January of last year (2024). I had to quit for various reasons and the main reason was due to the fact that my mental health was starting to decline and I needed to focus on my mental health. For me I need to practice what I preach when I work as a peer specialist which means if I need to not work to focus on my mental health then that is what I need to do as my recovery is one of the most important things in my life.

One of the things I am looking forward to is that I will be starting the process with being a volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium. I will be doing an online orientation then an interview. I signed up to be a volunteer summer of last year (2024) but sadly the three volunteer positions I applied for were full. Now I will be doing orientation for two of the positions as well as an interview for two of them. Sadly, the third volunteer position is full and I am on the wait-list but I am okay with that.

Also this year marks five years since I started volunteering at PAWS Cat City. In fact my five year anniversary of my first shift at Cat City is Tuesday, January 7th. I really enjoy volunteering at Cat City and I am happy that I started the process when my last cat, Lil Gertie got a cancer diagnosis and continued the process when she crossed the rainbow bridge due to a mini stroke on Thanksgiving Day of 2019 along with the cancer. It was and still is one of the best decisions I have made in my life.

I do not have anything else to 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. Happy New Year and Peace Out, World!!!

New Years Eve 2024

Posted on by Gertie

Happy New Years Eve, World!!! It is New Years Eve 2024 here in Seattle and I really hope 2025 will be better for me. It may still be 2024 here in Seattle but in places like Australia it is already 2025 and I hope they had fun bringing the New Year. As far as Seattle goes, the Seattle Space Needle will have fireworks as well as having a drone show. The drone show will be every thirty minutes starting at 10:00pm and the firework show will start about a minute before midnight to countdown to the New Year and last until 12:09am. The drone show is new this year. I have gone to the Space Needle in the past years but not in the last few years.

In fact, I will be bringing in the New Year at home with my cat, Billie as we watch the firework show from the Space Needle on television. Sometimes spending New Years at home with your pets at home in your pajamas is the best way to bring in the New Year. Or at least it is for me. There is nothing like spending quality time with my cat, Billie especially on special days like bringing in the New Year.

I don’t have much more to write about in this particular blog post. I 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 continue to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy New Years, World!!!

It Wasn’t Fireworks

Posted on by Gertie

I’m not even going to hi or good morning as I was rudely awakened by what I thought was fireworks. Well it was not fireworks but gunshots. Of course it not only scared the shit out of me but out of my cat as well as my neighbors and their pets. Now there is a buttload of Seattle Police surrounding not just my building but other buildings on my street. There is also a buttload of fire department vehicles (Fire Engines, Ladder Trucks, Medic One Ambulances, Battalion Chiefs and even the Chief of the fire department).

All I know is it wasn’t fireworks and it was gunshots. Sadly, there were at least two people shot. As far as I know nobody thankfully was killed. On that note having two people shot is still scary. Another thing that is scary is that we can’t leave our building much less our apartments with a couple of expiation’s which are coming home from someplace of course needing to show a valid I.D/Drivers License/Passport or if the person has an emergency or has to go to work.

Needless to say many of us in my building and I’m sure other people in the neighboring apartment building are scare shitless. I know I am. My cat was scared at first but he appears to have calmed down. The poor dog two doors down from me is still freaking out as he is still barking.

I was sound asleep when the gunshots happened and I am tired as hell. I’m scared to go back to sleep. Most importantly I am worried about the two gunshot victims even though they lived in the building next door to my building. I know I shouldn’t be as scared as I am but I am. At least I know I am safe and alive.

And now there are more gunshots which is why I am purposely sitting on the floor below any windows. This is not going to be a fun night as I’m still waiting to give my statement to the police after the initial gunshots. I just want to go to sleep without being in fear of being shot.

Well, I should get going. I just want to try to calm myself down. I hope to update you all later.

4th of July

Posted on by Gertie

Happy 4th of July, World!!! Yes, I know the 4th of July is an American holiday but I just wanted to wish everyone a happy fourth. I, normally don’t mind the Fourth of July but this year I am slightly irritated by it. I think I am irritated by it because the symptoms of my mental health diagnosis have increased which is why I am not going into work today. I informed my employer that due to my disability I can not go into work today. Thankfully, they appear to be okay with it especially since they were able to get coverage for my shift.

As much as I wish my mental health symptoms weren’t acting up, in a weird way I am glad they are. I am glad they are because my neighbor has been shooting off bottle rockets and other fireworks in front of the building as well as on the community patio which I have windows over looking both. Billie Dean my cat is not a big fan of the fireworks being so close. Billie doesn’t appear to be bothered when the fireworks are farther away but when they are just outside our window then he minds especially since we live on the second floor. It is illegal to set off fireworks in Seattle and my neighbor has been setting them off since Thursday evening. Sadly, the Seattle Police are not doing shit about them. What good does having laws in place when they are not enforce them? I know the police have higher priority calls to take care of but if something happens like a fire or an injury they they will have to respond. All I know is if a bottle rocket hits my window and causes damage, I will not be a happy camper.

I best be going as I am getting angry and don’t want to rant as if I do my anger might increase. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you read my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Peace Out, World!!!

Happy Independence Day

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Fourth of July, America (and World)!!! Today is Independence Day here in the United States of America. Since it is Independence Day here in the United States which is fondly called the Fourth of July, many people are spending it by celebrating.

For me, celebrating the fourth isn’t what it use to be. Mainly because I worked retail for ten years and I feel like it is too commercialized. Don’t get me wrong I still celebrate it but not like the way I use to especially as a child. Today, I went to a barbecue a friend put on around lunch time. I enjoyed being surrounded by friends and eating food with them for lunch. I was invited to stay but I declined as I had made other plans with some of my neighbors. Neighbors that have become friends. In fact a couple of these neighbors are barbecuing dinner as I write this blog post. I donated meat for this barbecue. After eating we are going to play some board games and then go to the roof of our building to watch the fireworks.

As far as the fireworks go, I don’t think my cat, Lil Gertie, will react to them as she seemed pretty chill last night when someone was light off fireworks in front of our building. I love my cat so much and if I think she would react I would give her some of her anxiety meds. I am grateful that I have had pets throughout my life that didn’t seem to be affected by fireworks. I do know that many pets have issues with the noise as well as the brightness of fireworks. As far as my pet cat, Lil Gertie, I am preparing a “safe place” for her as a precaution. Her safe place is usually my bedroom and bathroom with treats and her favorite toys.

I don’t have much more to say. I should really go and help my neighbors with the barbecue. I want to thank you all for reading my blog as it is greatly appreciated from my end of things. I hope everyone has great day and for those who live in the United States, please enjoy your Fourth of July and stay safe. Again, thank you for reading my blog. You are all awesome in my eyes. Peace Out, World!!!

Belated 4th of July Post

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I want to apologize to you my reader for not blogging as much. I have been struggling a great deal with my depression. My depression symptoms appear to have effected me severely enough that I haven’t been blogging.

Since my depression symptoms got in the way of blogging, I wanted to tell you about my 4th of July.  Despite my depression symptoms acting up, I managed to attended the Mariner versus Angel game here in Seattle. I really enjoyed myself with the exception of having Mariner’s fans throwing things at me. Due to having things thrown at me, I received a ticket to another game. I am also happy to say that the Angels won the game.

As for watching fireworks, I watched them at home on the television as I wasn’t sure how Lil Gertie was going to react to them. Lil Gertie didn’t react all that well to the fireworks. She hid in my dirty clothes hamper which is in my closet. She meowed out fear a good portion while fireworks were going off.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Had A Great Weekend

Posted on by Gertie

     I had a great weekend. Yes, I know it’s Tuesday but I am now getting around to writing more about my weekend. I was too exhausted to blog yesterday when I got home.

     I really enjoyed my weekend. As I told you in a previous blog my boyfriend and I went to the city where my brother lives to celebrate his birthday. The first night we stayed at his place and the second and third nights we stayed at a hotel. Saturday my boyfriend and I spent most of the day with my brother. We of course had the barbeque at my brothers place. My mom and two of my uncles were there as well as some of brothers friends were at the barbeque. Surprisingly, my mother didn’t cause any drama. After the barbeque was over my boyfriend and I checked into the hotel and then met up with my brother at a local fair/carnival. The three of us of course had a blast.

    After my boyfriend and I spent most of Saturday with my brother we decided to spend the rest of the day and pretty much most of Sunday being intimate with each other. For people who have had intensive sexual trauma like I have endured have trouble with sexual intimacy. My boyfriend is always gentle with me and we stop when I need to. It takes a great deal of trust for me or any trauma survivor to be intimate with anyone. My boyfriend has proven time and again that I can trust him. That is a huge deal for me personally and he knows that. Like I have said he is always been gentle with me and I know he wont hurt me. Their is no proof that he will hurt me cause he hasn’t hurt me in the past. I have to believe what the past says about my boyfriend. It has taken a lot of therapy for me to trust a person to be intimate with and I am beyond grateful for that therapy.

    After spending most of Sunday being intimate with my boyfriend my brother came over to the hotel we stayed at to watch the fireworks to mark the end of the carnival/fair. I was impressed with fireworks. It takes a lot for me to be impressed with fireworks because of growing up near Disneyland and watching their fireworks. After the fireworks were done my brother and I said our goodbyes and he went home.

    My boyfriend and I got home yesterday. We were both extremely tired and that is why I didn’t blog yesterday. I need to cut this blog short because I need to get ready for my session with my therapist. I had to reschedule my session with my therapist because I was out of town. Anyway I hope to blog again later today. Peace out.