I'm oriented already!

Have completed week 1 of my 3 week orientation for the new job. And then I get to have MORE orientation when I get to my unit. I think I will really like this job. Will be working with kids and that's a nice change from working with (criminal) adults. I can't complain too much about the orientation because I'm lucky enough to be in a group of really nice and fun people. That makes long days much easier to handle. The kids are liking their new daycare and that makes it easier on all of us. Getting back into a new routine after months of being unemployed takes a bit of getting used to - for all of us.

On another note, my old cat (Drake) is seriously ill and needs to be euthanized. I found out a few weeks ago that he has end-stage liver disease and there is nothing that can be done for him. He is almost 13 years old and I know he has lived a full life but it is still very hard to let him go. I've been postponing taking him back in because I keep rationalizing that maybe he's not so bad. But I know that he is having even more trouble eating and keeping food down. I can look in his eyes and know he's feeling bad. So tomorrow (while the kids are somewhere else) I'm going to take him in for euthanization. It will be hard to say good-bye to such an old friend. He was my daughter's cat. Since she's passed away, he's been one of the few last connections with her. I think that's another reason it's so hard for me. When he's gone, I will still have my daughter's dog and my other (much younger ) cat. A more manageable pet population. I know my daughter will welcome Drake into heaven. He'll be with her tomorrow. Still...