It's been a year and a half (give or take) since I posted a journal? How did that happen? Time goes by so fast, I wonder if anybody missed me on here.

Overall, things have been interesting. Those of you who know, know that my father passed away suddenly May 2006. Well, April 2009 my mom will be remarrying. It seems like such a short time, and already she has met someone and loves him. Not that her relationship with dad was all that great, but it still feels very strange to me. I never thought of myself as having a stepfather. Or step siblings. Or that she would seem happier now than with her old life. =/

It has come to my attention that she compares her own children with his. His kids are about 5-10 years older than I am. They have children of their own, and are very successful. One won the lottery (epic win, not something small) and the other married into money. I struggle to get by, and dont' really want kids. As much as she craves grandchildren and I feel sorry for her disappointment, 98% of the time I want nothing to do with children. I can in no way see myself giving up my life to nurture a child's.

I'm pretty sure she dislikes (if not hates) my business. Yes, my hamsters are officially a business now. So not only do I work full time, I run my own small business too. It's not profitable enough to support us, so I do both. I enjoy it immensely, so I won't give it up. Right now, it's paying about half our mortgage. I think she's ashamed of my house, she has yet to bring her fiance to see it. He's a very particular person, as are his kids, well dressed and very neat and tidy homes. Mine's a disaster. I don't showcase a few things for the sake of it, I surround myself with things I like. I'm a cluttery packrat, get used to it! And my house smells like a hamster! Could be worse! (She probably doesn't realize that the lower half of her house smells like cat urine. But mentioning that would just cause a fight.)

Our menagerie is expanding. But so far, only one animal aquisition hasn't added to the profitability of the business. Stewart, our little male brazilian possum, died suddenly of an unknown ailment. That was $300 gone, and more importanly, my little cuddle bug gone. He was my sweetheart, lived in our kitchen entry-way. I was hoping that he would make babies with our female, but that never worked out.

Our tally is now:
dwarf hamsters (one of only a few private breeders still at it)
roborovskii dwarf hamsters (only breeder in ontario)
teddy bear hamsters
black bear hamsters
panda bear hamsters
NEW - dalamation hamsters
gerbils
degus (rescued pair plus kids, now breeding stock)
guinea pigs (most rescued, only three were not)
dwarf and lop rabbits (all rescued from abuse/neglect/euthanasia/slaughter)
one lonely female possum
steppe lemmings, up to three colonies now
NEW - button quail (Just hatched our very first eggs a week ago!)
NEW - bobwhite quail, red phase, won't be keeping them.
One lonely male milk snake
Two adult corn snakes (I know he's a male, the other I hope is female, we'll find out in the spring) male purchased, female was a rescue.
Two one year old corn snakes, guaranteed a pair, not yet old enough to breed.
Four two month old corn snakes, one male three females, three will survive for sure one I'm not sure of, she refuses to eat. All hetero for red albino.
Two pet rats. Four rescue rats. Three breeding rats, so far no success with them.
Three colonies of mice, five animals in each.
Two colonies of african rats, three animals in each.
One trio of hedgehogs, he's a snowflake, the girls are both wild-type. The male and one female are definite rescues, the third female was a somewhat rescue.
Several rescued animals, including a starved/abused/grossly neglected dwarf hamster. Who needs her teeth trimmed biweekly. Joy.

She has asked me when I will have enough. It's not a question of 'enough'. I will always be getting more, and then getting rid of things I don't like. I know now, I don't like birds in the house. (The baby quail are something different). But perching birds and parrots especially I don't like. Tried it, hated it, rehomed them. Won't do it again. She has told me "Don't get any more" as though she expected me to listen, and then gets mad when I do. As if she expected me to just obey. Same with other things. I don't think she realizes that this is My House. Not hers. She has offered help, both financially and time-wise, and I am grateful for it. But that doesn't make her a share holder. I'll take advice, but not always act on it. But I will not obey a command that goes against what I want.

Yes, I am as stubborn as my father. Heh.

Wish I'd gotten to know him better. I think because we are so much alike was the source of all the strife between us. Now I know that. Then, I didn't. Now it's too late. And I miss him alot, way more than I ever thought I would.