My housemate told me a few days ago that he was planning to find his cats a new home because he’s going to uni in London next year and can’t keep them. I assumed he didn’t want me to keep them because of Halo getting attacked, and he assumed I didn’t want them because of the long term responsibility. But the other night I just ended up blurting out that I didn’t want the cats to go, and then everything happily fell into place and I’m now a proud mummy!

It’s a big responsibility as the cats are only two and three years old, so they have another decade and a half left in them at least. Theo told me I could change my mind before he moves out in July though, and I said to him that I’d be happy to give them back to him in a couple of years or so if he settles somewhere. But yay, kitties!! I’ve grown so attached to them in the past few months that it would break my heart to see them go, especially as Theo was originally talking about having to split them up.

My only concern is that Halo came back with scratches on his nose the other day, and tonight he’s come back with a couple of small cuts on his ear but nothing like as bad as the damage to his legs. I’m keeping an eye on him anyway….by which I mean he sits on my legs when I’m watching TV and is cuddled up next to me now as I’m typing this in bed. He has this annoying habit of lying on my bed right up against my bedside table and casually knocking things off it onto the floor on purpose. My glasses and my phone have crashed repeatedly to the floor…which is almost as bad as Chief’s habit of walking on my laptop when it’s on the floor (my own fault though for putting it there)!

A few bad things have happened to my friends recently, including three burglaries, and a mugging, which happened to my housemate Ben yesterday. He wasn’t even out late – it was only 10:30 and not far from the house either. He ended up handing over his wallet and phone, although he did ask if he could keep the SIM card (!) and the muggers agreed. Apparently they were quite cordial (?!). It does make me feel uneasy living here now though and I’m even more paranoid than usual at the moment.

Work’s been quite busy recently because I’m more involved with the central marketing department now and I have a lot more stuff to do. One thing I’m concentrating on right now is descriptions for a big Adobe release which involves a ‘secret product’ and new releases of some old favourites. I’m finding it geekily exciting because I know the release dates, the products and the features even before the rest of the Internet does…and the secret one has a lot of interesting potential. One of these ‘classic’ programs I’ve grown up with, and ten or so years ago I would never have dreamed about being involved with it on such a geeky, slightly insider level. I know, I’m easily pleased. It makes a change knowing stuff, as opposed to doing Apple marketing where you never have insider information as they work on a need to know basis.

What else? Well, I’ve been exhausted pretty much all the time recently. I’ve been so busy and I’m spending so much money this month. It’s the most expensive month of the year for me because it’s everyone’s birthday (or so it seems) plus Mother’s Day. Last weekend I went home for it and had some nice family time. This weekend is Vitushni’s birthday and next weekend it’s my sister’s, and I’m having my laser eye surgery consultation as well. Last week I also spent far too many nights eating out and seeing friends, especially as my days are kind of hectic already. On a typical weekday it goes as follows:

7:15 – Get up
7:15-8:15 – Do a half hour workout, wash/shower, get dressed, feed the cats, prepare food for the day, go to the bus stop
8:15-9:00 – Read on the bus/get to work
9:00-5:30 – Work, with an hour for lunch which is often spent shopping/walking/randomly surfing the Internet
5:30-6:10 – Home on the bus
6:10-7:30 – Relax, watch TV, feed the cats, eat dinner (or go out), do the washing up if it’s my day
7:30-11:30 – Various things, anything from household chores to crashing on the sofa, sleeping, web design, surfing the Internet, playing Catan, catching up on emails, paid writing, working on Blossom and more.

I’m happy because I’m a lot busier in the evenings than when I lived down south, but at the same time it’s quite exhausting because there are so many things to think about and juggle. Even one thing going a bit wrong can throw my whole routine out, and by the weekend I just want to sleep. Which hardly ever happens, because weekends are for food shopping and recycling and laundry and spending some of my hard-earned money, seeing friends and spending proper time with Joe. I really need a break, especially as work is so hectic at the moment, so I’m happy that the end of March marks the new holiday year for the company, and I also have the 26th and 29th March off for a nice long weekend. Let’s hope there’s lots of time to relax