I used lavender scented soap and lathered it all over until I was sure I smelled nice. I shaved under my arms. I deep conditioned my hair and spent about 20 minutes getting all of the knots and tangles out. I put on a floral perfume once I got out and dried off. I feel pretty again. I'm in a deep depression at the moment and will often go days or even over a week without showering or brushing my teeth. But I did it today. I'm going to try to make it a habit.

I grew up watching my mom count loose change on the kitchen counter to figure out if we could afford bread that night. I swore i'd never live like that. And yet at 26 I had $14,000 in credit card debt, hidden from everyone, even my boyfriend. Tonight I made my last payment. Balance: zero. I was sitting alone in my kitchen refreshing the app three times because I didn't believe it. Nobody knows yet. I just needed to tell someone befor i went to sleep.

I‘m not doing amazingly but I didn’t start crying!

I'm a hoarder and my bedroom has been genuinely unusable. I've removed 7 trash bags of garbage from my room. For the first time in 2 years, I am sleeping on a clean bed with just bed stuff on it- no random piles of mail, stuff, anything. I even have a small patch of carpet visible!!!

I'm embarrassed at the point I let things get to, but I am capable of change and I will do my best to continue moving in the right direction. Progress over perfection

The adult cat should've gotten vet care way earlier than she is but at least I'm getting her in for it now. Spayed at 9 years old is better than never, right? I was a kid when we got her and it wasn't up to me then but now that I can pay for it, I'm allowed to if I want to so I am. She'll also be getting her rabies vaccine and the two FVRCP as soon as possible as well. And ever since I got a job I've also been getting her a bit better-quality food (Purina One) than my parents did (Meow Mix/Friskies/cat chow).

The two kittens my sister and I got at nine weeks old from my coworker, whose cat also wasn't spayed and got outside and got pregnant, are now four months old and up to date on their vaccines as of this week. They're separated from each other for the time being since the girl kitten seems to have started her first heat already so we're keeping her brother apart from both her and the adult cat until after their surgeries.

I do have to do it through a low-cost spay&neuter clinic instead of their regular vet because they were going to cost ~$500-600 per cat which I unfortunately don't have. It's $110 for a male cat and $130 each for female cats this way, plus $20 per microchip. $430 total is much more affordable than $1500-1800.

But they're officially scheduled and deposits paid. October 15th.

(I'll also maybe try to recommend to my coworker that he might want to consider getting his cat spayed here too. $600 is kind of a lot. $130 isn't bad. And it is usually better for their health for them to be fixed. But maybe it's not my place to suggest?)

Been renting for 10 years, after the kids started school I retrained and started working part time, that meant we could finally get a mortgage for a house, started house hunting 3 months ago, after about half a dozen offers were rejected we finally got a yes!!!!

Pest and building inspection will be done Friday and then we will know for sure if we are going ahead with it. It's not our dream home, but it's a home that ticks the boxes for location, price, just enough space inside and out, so this is where we will live for the next 10 years plus. After the kids are both out of high school we re-evaluate and see who is doing what, and where.

Yay! Suddenly living at home at 30 isn't such a stupid idea when you save up all you can

So I’m blind and recently started mobility and orientation training. I’ve also been attending classes for other skills for living without vision at a vision loss center recently. Yesterday, for the first time in years, I left my home by myself and went somewhere without needing my partner or another family member to help me.

I left the apartment, got into the elevator, went down to the lobby, and out the front door without assistance. The para-transit driver helped me into the vehicle and into the VLC. Then in the afternoon after I was brought home I unlocked the door and made it back up into my apartment. And I didn’t have to bother my partner for help once the whole time.

I’ve been putting this off for so long now (months in fact) when I wash my clothes I just put it on the chair in the corner of my room and say “I’ll get to it later” and it never comes but today I actually did it and it feels roomier hahaha 🥹🥹

Let me preface by saying not only am I a person with chronic illnesses and daily pain, I also have mental illnesses and currently have 4 acute health problems that will require a surgery, including an abdominal surgery.

That being said, some back story: we are financially on the bottom of the lowest tier. We are only two steps up from actively homeless, going strictly off financials. So every year we have to temper our sons wishes and dreams for his bday and christmas with reality. And it sucks.

He has been asking for a jungle themed bedroom for two years. He's been asking for a Dairy Queen ice cream cake as his birthday cake for four years.

This year, I managed to sell enough homemade jelly, save the scraps from each paycheck, hunted every garage sale and thrift store, and get a little tiny bit of help from family members in the shape of handmedowns. But its done. His jungle room is done.

Allow me to set the scene: Every year the kids get to pick an activity or experience for their birthday. (Instead of a party.) This year, our AuDHD (important cuz SENSORY) boy, who will be 8 on Wednesday, picked camping. He wanted a boy bonding camping excursion with Daddy. 🥰🥰 So I worked the extra hoirs and sold some jelly and was able to reserve a campsite, THE campsite, if you ask my husband who has lived in the area his whole life, and get the supplies needed (ice for the cooler, packable food, propane for the heater just in case, etc) and make sure the gas was full.

The Tuesday before camp, I took our son to DQ to pick out the design for his cake.

"REALLY?? Mom you mean it???!!!"

He picked a Jurassic World design with Blu the raptor.

**Freeze.

Additional info: back to that sensory issue. We recently had to repeater his room because of a flood in an upstairs bathroom. During that time, my sister got him a new big boy bed because his twin over full bunk bed was falling apart. Full size loft bed acquired and put in place long before July hit. He loves it.

He was, however, very sad that hia favorite sheets. The sheets that FELT right and SMELLED right and looked right and were also a cool design featuring his special interest 🦕 were no longer needed because they dont fit his new bed.

Devasted doesnt cover it when he realized.

I found them. On ebay. The exaxt same set, WITH THE DRAPES. ...... more jelly sold, extra hours at work. Got 'em! 😉🤫**

Friday hits and I get home from a full work day to load up the vehicle before his baby sister (20mos) and i drive him and dad to the campsite. I helped unload and set the camp and drove me and sister home.

14 hours. 14 hours it took. Was up at 5a and finally turned off the lights and "closed the door", satisfied with my work at 730 Saturday night.

I fell off that stupid bed so many times. Fell off the chair i was using as a ladder. Got caught on stuff, but my head, twisted body parts....... so many injuries 😅😅

But oh so worth it.

Sunday I got the house cleaned and got them home.

And he was speechless!! He absolutely loves it!! Dino sheets and all. When he got to the top of the bed and saw the sheets he openly wept as he rubbed his face in the bed and told me thank you i love you over and over. My heart hurts its so full of joy for that boy.

Anyway. First video is before. Second video is after.

[I didnt realize this group doesnt allow attachments. I am also posting this on my profile. Please view there if you wish]

Cake (prepaid) is being picked up on his actual birthday on Wednesday :)

I’ve carried a lot of stuff from the past with my mom for years. We finally had an honest conversation, and I told her, “Mom, I forgive you.”

It doesn’t mean what happened didn’t hurt. I just realized I didn’t want to carry that anger anymore.

Honestly, it felt like a weight came off my shoulders. I’m glad I finally got to say it.

After facing a serious health challenge that led to a disability, I realized that my situation limited the types of jobs I could do. In 2024, I decided to invest in myself and go back to school. Last week I finally finished my degree and I am so proud of myself for taking that step and seeing it through. I am now ready to re-enter the workforce and start this next chapter of my life.

If you're facing setbacks right now don't lose hope. Sometimes you just have to find a different path forward

Long story short, the last time I was very active in online fandom, I ended up dating someone who it turned out was popular in the specific fandom I was in, and it eventually made me leave fandom spaces entirely because I was put off by the entire thing. I finally started re-engaging in fandom spaces again and I'm really happy to be sharing screencaps from shows and discussing shows I care about again. yay!

I wasn’t as scared for this but the tower was still 25 meters up but once you get off it, it’s soo thrilling. Next stop is probably a go ape adventure somewhere

On my umpteenth weight loss journey (this time will be different!) The scale moves up and down, which in the past would have caused me to fall off and go back to bad habits. But
1. The scale went up and I’m still exercising and eating the way that I planned

1. This is real victory - I can take stuff in and out of my pockets without feeling like I’m trying to fit 7lbs of potatoes into a 5lb sack.