It's beginning to look alot like...

Trouble

Every year it starts around Thanksgiving and continues through the end of the year. I'm beginning to hate the holidays with a deep and abiding passion.

Last year, Bean spent Thanksgiving well on her way to a second case of pneumonia which the doctor wanted to "wait and see" about after a week of illness and two visits. We decided to switch to a pediatrician that actually practices medicine rather than practices racking up co-pays.

Then we had to buy a new electrical panel for the house. We'd been having a light flickering and I joking told the electrician, "Well, it's not like it's going to burn the house down." His response? "Well, ma'am, actually it might." He showed me the incredibly shoddy work which made me wonder what the hell the inspection process actually accomplishes because we'd been living with a time bomb for about 9 years.

This year?

At least everyone waited until the day after Thanksgiving to get sick. Dr Pig came down with The Cold of Doom and spent two days in bed doing little but sleeping. Then Bean got it and had to miss school on Monday.

Tuesday, I'm all set for a day of Getting Stuff Done. I go to the store and, when I return, I notice the dog limping on her back leg. Badly limping and in obvious pain.

Bottom line: the dog has torn her ACL. Right now, we are treating it with meds but I see very expensive doggie knee surgery in my future. She's going to be 8 in February, so she's young enough that it's better to go ahead and do it and improve her quality of life and also protect the other knee so hopefully she doesn't mess that up as well. But it's a repetitive stress injury rather than a single, traumatic event. Knowing my luck these last few years, we'll fix the one this year and have to fix the other next year.

Next year, I'm considering going to bed the day before Thanksgiving and not getting out until after New Year's.

Think of the knitting time!