Fluff and Mush

I'm forcing myself to write since I've noticed that my attendance has gone down lately.  Part of that is due to the fact that I went on an "internet strike."  I dunno WHY I suddenly get all "Ugh!  Computer!" all of a sudden, but it happened again, so I turned it off (well, except for that Never-Ending, Ultimate Part-Time Job Search) and hid behind some books for a bit.  Yep, I fell BACK into my self-wallowing pattern that I always notice at this time of year.  Less sun?  Well!  Book-cuddling is the cure!  ...And then I remember that it makes me even MORE mellow, so perhaps what I SHOULD be doing is running or the Wii fit or something active.  Naaaaah...I'll just turn the computer on again.

The kids are keeping me busy, of course.  I decided to start attending the violin (Mary), cello (Keith), and viola (Izzy) lessons.  I mean, it's required for Izzy, but it's NOT for the other two, but I've been going, anyway.  And...I like it.  I mean, it's kind of amusing that I'm now at the kids' school three times a week, but it's also good to know what's going on in their lessons.  Now I know EXACTLY what they are supposed to be practicing.  MOOHAAHAAHAAHAA.  I also know that both Mary and Keith have a really good ear for music (Izzy's ear is still to be determined...).  It would be thrilling if they kept this up.

Zuko is just past six months old now.  We scheduled to get him neutered last Monday.  When I showed up with him, the nurses asked, "Has he had anything to eat?"  Um...what?  I did NOT remember being told he wasn't supposed to have food at the surgical consult.  "You should have received a phone call to remind you on Saturday."  OK, that part I KNOW didn't happen.  Unless of course someone called while the kids and I were at their swimming lessons and John didn't tell me about it...?  (They didn't call.)  Anway, I told them I doubted if he'd eaten--I mean, he hardly ever eats before the kids leave the house, but yes, the food/water dish was out.  The doctor decided not to risk it, and they scheduled Zuko for Tuesday morning.  "Put away the dish at 8:00 tonight."

(And then 12 hours later, I thought I had a brief glimmer of a memory of the vet tech telling me something important and my thinking, "Oh!  I'd better write that down, or else I'll forget!  Where's a piece of paper?"  And I didn't have any.  And...I just BET you that was it--the fact that he wasn't supposed to eat.  ...I have started carrying post-its and my calendar in my purse now, BTW.)

We were good Monday night and remembered and everything was fine, and he was ready to go Tuesday morning.  Then Izzy, seeing his dish on the table asked me, "Hey!  Isn't Zuko hungry?  Shouldn't we give him his food?"  NOOOOOO!!!!!  He has surgery this morning!!!!  Don't!!!!  He'll get sick!  Then I hear an "Oh NO!"  Pan over to Mary--with a look of horror on her face.  YOU DIDN'T!!!!  WHAT did you do?  "I gave him a treat!"  And here come the tears.  Seeing how the doctor didn't want to risk Zuko even having a tongue-lap of water the day before, I just called the vet and canceled again.  *sigh*  We are now scheduled for next Monday.  (And a brief REMINDER was given to Mary that she is NOT supposed to give the dog treats without permission!)

And...the fifth grade class is ALL abuzz about this youtube video.  Careful!  It's an earworm!