Dear Connie's subconscious:

Knock it off. Yes, life is sorrow, pain and woe. But it is also joy and love and happiness. Each in its measure is the best way.

Lots of love because you are part of Connie, Me.

P.S. You are supposed to be part of a survival mechanism. Don't make me come over there and explain how short and brutal life is without things like pleasure and fun and laughter.

I'm ignoring the dental talk because I'm in denial about needing to go, myself.

Also I'm a little flighty with needing to distract myself today. Sammie went to the vet's for annual shots and exam. At 13 she was due for a senior panel blood draw. Nifty on-site lab came back fast with everything but one in the normal range (Thyroid test goes to an outside lab so it'll be a few days on that). Her creatinine is just a smidge above the border of normal. So they want to do a UA to see how the urine is concentrating. There is a good possibility that Sammie is just fine, and really, I think worst case scenario is that she is at the beginning of chronic renal failure, caught early enough that with care and treatment, she still has a number of good years. But... sitting here worrying is what I'm trying not to do.

I'm so glad you people are around.

I'm running visualizations like Awkward Yeti, with Heart bouncing around after butterflies and occasionally running into Grief, a quiet shrouded figure who makes every room a little bleaker. But the butterfly is still fluttering around, catching Heart's eye. (And poor Gallbladder needs a hug and someone to appreciate the stones he makes)

Gives stern look to the part of your brain that says not to enjoy. Everyone that loves you, here or gone, wants you to have a full and happy life. Celebrate and be grateful when you catch yourself having good moments.

I just felt the need to boost the signal on Laura's wisdom.

Let me ask a reality check question...

If you had a major rat infestation in you house. So major as to be visible without actually having to look for it...and you had two 180lb Great Danes...would you leave on a European vacation and expect your dog walker to deal with it?

When informed that the exterminator you requested your dog walker deal with says that there is risk of Huntavirus...and you VET says that he fears Leptospirosis...both of which are potentially lethal to humans and dogs...would you ask your dog walker to 'just throw out the dead rats the exterminator traps?

Yeah. I didn't think so.

The owner says taking the dogs for medical boarding is 'not optimal' and they apparently have no one else to help.

The hammer of common sense has fallen from my hand, right onto her head, via text.

Nope. Nopety, nope.

Either I hear from her by COB or I'm renting a car and driving them to the hospital myself. After I don a mask and gloves, that is. I think I even have an old pair of shoes I can throw away right after.

PEOPLE.

ICK

No, your rats are your problem (and the exterminator's). NOT the dog walker's.

I repeat: ICK.

What Toddson said. That is just all sorts of wrong.

That is absurd! Not optimal my ass. Taking off on vacation and expecting others to deal with your lack of responsibility is not optimal.

seeeriiiooously. ICK.

This is the second time I've been left to deal with a _known_ disaster while someone says, "I can't _not_ go!" ...on a vacation.

The boarding for those dogs will be at least 2K. I wonder how much cutting the vacation short would have cost.

The owner, who doesn't like to displease anyone, feels bad because we are known for being superheroes. There is a difference between being heroic and enabling foolish decisions.

The dog owners should be aware that endangering the health of their contracted employees opens them up for a *lot* of lawsuit should the dog walkers (heaven forbid) contract a disease from the house or the dogs. Getting the dogs out of the environment, further, treating the dogs prophylactically for both hanta and lepidoptera--not just to protect the humans that have contact with them, but for the dogs' own health--should be the next priority.

Yeah, the vacation is going to cost them a lot more than if they'd stayed home and taken care of things. How could they have been *living* in a home with visible evidence of rat infestation, and not acted before now? Humans, I swear.