Leaving, on a jet plane...

Stick your hand up if you remember my child saying, "I realize that if I don't watch your dogs you can't go on vacation. I will watch your dogs." Remember how sweet that was?

The honeymoon is over. I was gone all of two nights last May. That was my last trip, other than the one I took her on in October to Toronto.

I called her this evening, since she didn't show up to help me clean as promised today. My vacuum cleaner is getting dusty - it hasn't been used now in three weeks. The Swivel Sweeper can only do so much, but that is all I can handle. I heal fast, but I am not a robot. I thought she might feel guilty. Remember the $100 she borrowed for a few days at New Year's? I don't have that either.

My ears are still ringing. She said she wasn't yelling, but my hearing is good. She was yelling. I have no right to assume that just because I want to go some place that she is going to want to watch my dogs. She is a busy person, you know. It went on and on. I said never mind, I won't go. No attitude in it, I just gave up, but I said it conversationally. I am not a manipulator. It's my job to be sure my dogs are safe, and if I can't be sure of that, I don't leave.

She said I had no right to give her attitude. She is busy. She is getting ready to go out. No, she can't watch my dogs the few days I want to go because she agreed to watch someone else's. Also, she is going away over her spring break.

Give me a break - she is 27. Spring break? She is going back to Florida. I said I had no idea she was going away, and that it would be nice if she let me know these things.

She said she doesn't need my permission (!). I agreed, she doesn't. I said there is a difference between keeping in touch and getting permission.

She decided she maybe could watch my dogs but she really doesn't want to. I said I would get back to her. (That was the one thing I said that really wasn't true.)

I spent a while, in tears after the conversation, looking for the name and number of the girl who sucks my blood out at the doctor's office. She said she would watch my dogs for me sometimes. She used to suck blood from dogs - she was a vet tech. She likes dogs. I was too upset to call her.

So far, I still don't have tickets to go to Arizona, even though I found a real sweet deal on tickets - which you know will be gone by tomorrow. I will call the blood sucker tomorrow. If the tickets are still available and cost less than my condo, I am going.

I haven't been avoiding giving the news on Molly's tests because I don't have them yet. It one of the reasons I hadn't booked my tickets yet. But she should be OK in the hands of a vet tech, right? I can call the vet's office first, anyway, and find out why the results that were to come in on Friday haven't been given to me yet.

My brother is out of the hospital and doing fine.

My friend's mother isn't, and I went to the funeral home for her today. I will miss her mom; she was always nice to me. She lead a very happy and active life. I have known the family since around 1973. That friend now lives in New Mexico, and while bittersweet, it was nice to see her today.

It's a good thing I have been doing my best to keep my condo clean, since I am obviously not getting any help. Child said she spent a week here helping me.

She was where doing what?