I'm back well at least sorta :)

Dallas (sis's kitty looking out the window)

Hi everyone!!

I know I've been very MIA lately.  Seem so much has happened.  I still haven't found another job.  I've answered a lot of applications, had quite a few interviews, but everything falls apart when the interviewer finds out I need to be sponsored for a work permit. 

Pomponnette (parents' dog)

I keep on trying to find another job.  I am starting to run out of time so getting a bit worried to tell you the truth.  I did apply to go back to university for a MBA.  But that isn't really a good solution either at this point.  Little hard to pay for school with no money coming in (I don't qualify for unemployment since I'm not a resident).  The couple of schools I could afford don't accept international students who need a F-1 student visa.  And to stay here I have to have a correct visa.

Sonja (my sheltie)

As you know I had to move in with my parents back in the beginning of December.  The whole no money coming in thing does cause some trouble lol.  I love them dearly but they do make me kinda crazy.  At least I convinced them to stay here in Houston instead of moving to CA.  So since I'm at home all the time I helped get stuff out of storage and help unpacking things in the house.  It really does look much better with things on the walls lol.

Back in Feb I had to re-home Czarina my Greek tortoise.  She hadn't handled the huge temp differences in the house and my mom was being difficult about her.  I really miss her but unfortunately there was very little I could do.  At least I know she has a great home and will do well in it.  She got big in my care and very healthy so at least I did my part in helping her out.

Elise (sis's dog)

Oh and back in Feb my sis decided to move in to our parents house too.  She needed to be able to save some $$.  Dallas her kitty is diabetic and has done extremely well for the last 3 1/2 years (not normal for cats at all).  Not to mention her 17 year old car.  It's been great having her stay here too.  I really missed her when I moved out of my apt.  We are very close and get along so well.

Patches left, Pirata right (my kitties)

On some cool news. On March 3rd 2010, both my parents and my sis became American Citizens!! We are all very excited about this.  My bro has filed for his American citizenship as well.  So he should be becoming American soon.  Which will leave me as the lonely foreigner LOL.  I still haven't gotten my greencard so it will be a while until I can become American too.

Pomponnette, having changed places to nap :)

About a month ago my car (1998 Ford explorer) decided to act up and have more problems than usual.  I already knew it needed a lot of work but once again didn't have any $$ to put into it.  Well it decided to overheat and all kinds of liquids came out of it.  My mechanic got it towed to his shop.  Well after the estimate of what that needed to be done ($3-5K) and the car only worth about $1K I decided to sell it to my mechanic.  So on top of everything now I no longer have a car.  Thank god my mom lets me use her car.  Which in turn lets me run all her errands lol.

Sonja (maybe inside is better for napping)

Patches and Pirata will be 14 in June.  They are doing ok, but I'm pretty sure Pirata is kidney failure.  She has all the same signs as Nanuchy and Tux (other cat who passed from kidney failure several years ago).  She is drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot and loosing some weight.  She is still eating well so can't complain.  She is already on a special diet and has been for 10 years due to chronic urine infections.  Patches is slowing down a lot too.  Even though she is on small portions of food she keeps gaining weight (same diet as Pirata, Patches is prone to bladder stones) but her spine is very skinny.  Last time I took her to the vet I was told there is something going on with her but due to financial issues not much I can do.  She is eating well and happy (very opinionated as usual).  They have both had a lot of health issues over the years and I know at this point there isn't much I can do.  So as long as they are happy and doing well we keep on going.  When the time is right I'll let them go.

Elise maybe it's cooler here

Sonja is doing ok, has settled down a lot.  Being with the other 2 dogs has really calmed her down.  She still runs in circles but overall you can tell she is happier.  She has gotten very stiff (especially in the back end) and I had to up her dosage of nupro.  I notice if she lies still for a while she is very slow to get up and will limp a bit.  Vet said its just arthritis.  The higher dosage of nupro is helping (Sandi her cousin who passed in 2008 had horrible arthritis).  She needs a dental again (her teeth are bad and 6 months after the dental looks like she has never had them done).  But once again something that will have to wait.  Doesn't stop her one bit from eating lol.  Absolutely nothing wrong with her appetite.

Pomponnette, thank god we have so many beds in this house :)

Elise is the youngest one.  She will either be 3 or 4 in June too.  Pomponnette is 14 1/2 and def slowing down in the last month.  She loves to play rough with Elise and we have noticed she doesn't run as much and gets tired much faster.  She still is happy and enjoying life.  No health problems for her.  She is on nupro too and on a low dose and doing very well.  Hardly any arthritis at all.

Sonja, I really don't understand toys lol

Both Elise and Pomponnette love that cow that is in front of Sonja.  Pompom loves to squeeze it in her mouth to make it moo lol.  Then Elise gets all worried when it makes noise.  She is convinced that all the toys who make noise are hurt and will go over and lick them to make them feel better.  It's sooo cute!

Dallas, doesn't everyone sleep on their backs in the sunshine!

I joined 24 hr fitness in the beginning of Jan.  So I've been working out and completely changed my diet (lot less carbs, lots of veggies and grilled food, no fried food).  And since the 2nd week of Jan until last Monday I've lost 32 lbs!!! Woot!!  Very excited lol.  I still have a lot of weight to loose.  But it is sooo nice seeing the weight coming off.  All my clothes are very baggy and that is good.  I want to loose a bit more weight then buy some new clothes as intermediate as I loose weight.  At the rate I'm going at I should have most of the weight off by the end of the year.  What a relief!!

Anyway didn't think this post would be so long lol.  I took all the pics today as the dogs moved in and out.  The only cool thing with the whole unemployment thing is I get to hang out with the babies most of the day.  I traded my acer netbook with my dad since he flies to much and his old laptop is heavy and overall old and cranky.  So he has the light fast machine and I have to old heavy laptop that takes 20 minutes to load up when you start it up (I already cleaned it up as much as I could lol).  Anyway, I promise to start reading blogs again :)