I just found out this morning that today is my day. The day where everyone living in America….the United States, (America is a continent, NOT a country…it’s all semantics) has to celebrate me.  I love knowing people all over this land will be celebrating, doing all sorts of good things in my honor. It just makes me feel good, deep, deep down inside. Maybe there will be parades, toasts, feasts and parties. All because of me. Of course I’m referring to

National Nut Day.

This has been quite the week already. It all started a few weeks ago when my cat was not acting normal. I know I know. Whoever knew a cat to act normal? Especially my cat, who if you call him a cat, gets rather angry with you. Until you apologize and call him, “the little furry person”.  This cat, when we lived in St. Louis, would predict the weather.

“Alex, is it going to rain today?” He would, of course, run to the window, look out and either shake or nod his head. And he was always right! (I almost added 100% of the time, but isn’t that kind of redundant?) He loves to go for rides in the car. Although, the move from Missouri to Nebraska almost cured him of that. In the past 10  years he hasn’t been as ready to hop in and go.

He has never eaten, by his choice, people food. We can leave plates of food on the floor, he will sniff at it and walk away.  He loves Schwans Peppermint Ice cream. Only their peppermint and only from Schwans.  He knows what “treats” are, and I can no longer spell the word. He still knows what I’m talking about.

Anyway, I noticed a couple of weeks ago he wasn’t acting normal. The days were cooler and he was just as lazy as in the midst of the energy-zapping hot days of summer.  He was laying in the window one morning and I noticed he was drooling. Now I know some old men can drool, and he is old. (13 years last April) But it’s not entirely normal for a cat to drool. Some do when they purr but he isn’t one of those.

I researched cat drool (Lovely topic to research) and every place I visited said I should seek a vet’s advice. But then he seemed to snap out of it and was fine.

Then I noticed blood on the fur by his mouth. One small line. One small incident. I thought he must have scratched himself. Then it happened again. Then it happened again.

And I took him to the vet. And I paid out more for him to spend 2 minutes with the vet than I spend for 30 minutes with my doctor. And we don’t have pet insurance.

Which to me is really odd. Not that we don’t have it, but that you can actually get health insurance for your pet. On the one hand I know a pet is like a member of the family, and that we are told by God to care for His creation. I get that. But on the other hand, it’s an animal. And lest you think I’m hard and unfeeling, Alex is referred to as our firstborn. In fact when we got him, we sent a letter to everyone about the “new addition to our family” only at the very end did we mention he was a cat. And furthermore, if that doesn’t convince you, I did take him the vet.  (paid an arm and a leg out the nose and that, my friend, was painful)

Has the discount for cash really gone the way of the dinosaur? You see Mr. FullCup laughed in my face when I told him I wondered what happen if I gave them my Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance card.  He is a member of the family, after all.

I didn’t give them the card. But I did ask about a cash discount for paying in full, in cash. No worry about a rubber check, maxed out credit card, no collection hassle should we not pay (which wouldn’t happen but they don’t know that). I was told no discount for cash. I said, “you have not because you ask not.” She thought I was strange. (but it’s National Nut day!)

I had a minor freak out at the bank getting the cash. I hate hate hate to take money out. I used to be free, but Dave Ramsey killed that in me and now I’m all about saving.

I don’t know if the girl I asked for the discount talked to anyone about it or not. But the bill was almost $30 less than I was told originally. And that, my friends, makes me very happy.

I still have to give the beast an antibiotic twice a day. Isn’t that a trip. I think I’ve managed to get most of them in him. I have only “wasted” 3 so far. Not bad.

I’m not telling him he has to go back next week.