What a Week

What a week it's been! Time has seemed in an odd way suspended. It's Thursday morning, but it seems as though the weekend may never arrive. It seems as though four weeks might have easily fit into the span of this one. On Tuesday, I remember feeling like it should have been over already. Tuesday was not a very good day. And Tuesdays are supposed to be the best day of my week. Always. Tuesdays are always wonderful. Always. And I guess, all things considered, this Tuesday could have been a lot worse.

I had decided that it was time to stop being stubborn and spending money unnecessarily. My car is getting sick and I think I'm wearing out energy I don't really have to spend. Plans haven't been working out how I'd hoped and I'm not going to be living in Schaumburg. (Long story.) So Tuesday morning I woke up in DeKalb and planned to head to one of the temp agencies that I am registered with for some training on computers. I put pretty much all of my stuff in my car and headed back to civilization. I met my dad in Arlington Heights for lunch to tell him my plans and then headed to the parents' home. What I didn't realize was how well-timed my arrival back in these four confining walls would be.

My mother's daycare was in full swing as was her dog-sitting business. (My sister's new puppy is staying with my folks while Beth is taking finals.) The kids were eating snack and I was in the kitchen getting some water when Phoebe and Chase (my parent's dog) got into it over Chase's water bowl. The fight resulted in Phoebe being taken to Dundee Animal Hospital by my mother and my always-at-the-ready friend Kari (who honestly though a child's body had been maimed by a dog) for surgery on her ear which the big dog did, not so kindly, bite off. It was quite a scene to witness. Children and dogs screaming. Not to mention a hysterical mother. One of the older daycare kids said something to me like, "I'm really glad that Sandy wasn't here alone when this happened."

My mother doesn't really handle crises well. That a 5th grader readily recognizes this fact frightens me slightly. Kari, after being in the car with an injured animal and my mother, asked me, "Kate, how does your mom handle crises when humans are involved?" When I replied that it usually looks pretty much the same as this whole thing did, she basically shook her head in disbelief. I am just glad that my mother wasn't here alone and that I picked Tuesday to return home, whatever my reasons.

At any rate, Phoebe is fine. One ear is now significantly shorter than the other, but she is a beagle-basset hound so she has too much ear anyway. Several people have said that if she were their dog, they might get the longer ear trimmed as well to make them even. Others say the lopsidedness give her "character." Beth will see Phoebe today for the first time since the accident. I wonder what she will think.

I'm greatly looking forward to the weekend. I'm not even sure what I'm going to be doing with my weekend. My friends Vi and Bill are in from NY (or CT...or where ever they live :-P) and we're going to hang out. Sunday will hold some family stuff at Mike & Sally's. Then the Axis Drive-In. So, who knows. The weekend that seems as though it will never arrive is only about a day and a half away. Someone please make time go faster!!!!