It's been a long year...

And we haven't made it to August, yet. 

Imp failed first semester biology.  In spite of trying really hard to not.  Was the teacher and the way the class was structured, not just his information retention and unwillingness to expend effort on a failing proposition.  My stress levels jacked way the hell up.

Then. Back in January, Shadow stopped eating.  Entirely.  I managed to pull her through the crisis, but it took a lot of time, effort, and stress.  Which led to February.  

In February, I got sick. Again.  Flu-adjacent.  I never take viruses to the doctor, since there's jack-all they can do; however, this time, one dose of Anacin really hurt.  And then, the toddy in the evening to knock the virus back a bit felt like pouring rubbing alcohol on a scraped knee.  

In my stomach.  I'd expected it with the sore throat, but not...not my stomach.  That sent me to the doctor.   She said it was eminently possible that I did, indeed have ulcers, but that it was likely stress-induced, in my case (and she wasn't wrong).  She gave me a prescription for six weeks of PPI, and switched my brands of natural thyroid to the one that worked better.  

And the cat had another downturn, just after I finished up my six weeks of PPI at the end of March.  MUCH more stress.  I pulled her through it, and managed to get her to gain a little weight. Not much, but a little. So that was a relief.

Oh, and Imp passed third quarter biology...barely.  As in, one half of a percentage point appeared to bring him up to 60% on his third quarter grades.  Out of nowhere. That was something of a relief, too, but it was very short lived.  

Toward the end of the school year, the cat had yet another downturn, but not as bad.  

The Imp, on the other hand...well.  I'm working on a piece explaining the shit-show that ended the school year, there. 

And so, we're at the beginning of July, and Shadow has decided it's time to go.  I can't get her to eat. I can't get her to drink, at this point.  She's shutting down, and cold, even as she lifts her head to squeak when I go check on her. 

I haven't gotten anything done except rushing around trying (and failing) to put out fires.  I don't have anything finished and ready to publish.  I mean, I've got one project about half done, and a collection of shorts about 2/3 done.  NOT planned shorts, not a planned collection, just...well. I get mugged by stuff that demands to be written immediately, or else it shuts down the main projects until I do. Faster to write the damned stories. 

 Oh, and my laptop's giving signs that it wants to die.  I am going to need a new one.  I'm trying to keep it going at least until we can take advantage of the back-to-school sales tax holiday.  And we're also going to need a new printer.  And a laptop for Imp, since I'm responsible for that.  And textbooks.   

August isn't going to be any better.  I'll still be grieving Shadow (and probably spoiling Cricket a bit), and I'll be pushing to get both kids ready for the school year.  I'm really not sure how anything's going to shake out for the next year, at least, and possibly the next two years.