So in case anyone was wondering where I've been post-Ida...

@anthracite and I got into a dispute with the Crazy Cat Lady we were trying to help. She is now convinced I am stalking her on the dark web. I'm 80% sure that in our final phone call she mentioned dating Harry Connick Jr.

What actually happened is that she sent a text to us during Ida that said she was without power and low on phone and to contact... the other people who had been feeding her cats, who proved later to BARELY KNOW HER EITHER.

They didn't answer so we Googled her first name and phone number and found the front desk of her nursing home, who we asked to go check on her. Apparently that was an "invasion of her privacy" even though SHE asked US for help and never told us not to contact anyone else.

And now she's gotten it in her head that I used some "secret Internet site" to find her information-- uh, it was the first result on Google, darlin'. And I am now a "force of chaos" in her life.

Just yesterday morning, she'd told Peg we were "angels." That's how fast she turned.

But then our neighbor-- who she's been sparring with over these cats for 8 years, and she ASSURED us would mind his own business-- spots us going to feed the cats and starts harassing us. And we call her to tell her we just can't fucking do this anymore. She ARGUES. She PLEADS.

And then the moment I mention that I went over to that guy's house later and attempted to apologize, suddenly I have done something terribly wrong and she's told me not to go over to that house or feed the cats again, and I'm some kind of hacker violating her privacy.

So yeah.

I am emphatically not okay today. This is all on top of a bunch of other post-Ida crisis. Crazy Cat Lady told us herself that she once threatened to shoot that neighbor's kneecaps off. (I am somewhat assured by the fact he still has kneecaps after 8 years of her shit.)

We blocked her texts last night. And I know how narcissists are. I'm really afraid that she's going to come try to force the issue. I'm worried she might try to take it out on OUR cats. People reassure me she'll probably forget about us now that we've stopped rewarding her...

And they're probably absolutely right. This is a feeble old woman who seems to have burned every bridge in her life. (I'm not even BEGINNING to detail all the sketchy contradictory stuff in her stories.) But I am already traumatized and having even that vague worry that she MIGHT be deluded and vindictive enough to try something with us won't leave my mind.

I am in really bad shape, folks. I think I'm at the point where I don't feel guilt or shame in saying I have some genuine trauma happening here.