Last Thursday

Last Thursday.

I realized that Harley should really see the vet for her shots and it should be soon.  So I called vet first thing in the morning. Not open yet. Ok… next up was get children off to school and toddlers dressed for the pool. I decided to try to teach Olive and Henry to swim before the school year is over. I rented my friends indoor pool and had my Mom meet me there. I was glad it worked for Mom to come as Hank was not scared to jump in the pool but he would just freeze instead of kicking and keeping himself above water. I had to resort to putting floaties on his arms as well.  His swimming lesson felt like a fail. Oh well, he is still 2. Olive did much better than I expected. I was back home by 9:30 and I gave the children snacks… 

then I called the vet again where I miraculously got an appointment for that day at noon.  I despise taking the dogs to the vet. It’s my fault. I did not train them to act better out in public. I called Nate just to make sure that he couldn’t make it home for the noon appointment and to also make sure it wasn’t terrible to take our dear Harley to the vet without a bath. I know what I’ll do, I’ll brush the dog. That seemed to help. Harley loved it she was rolling onto her back asking for more. I got the children dressed, combed my wet hair, found the leash, switched one of the car seats in the station wagon, made sure the station wagon had gas, got the toddlers strapped into the station wagon. Put my credit card in my skirt pocket so I would not have to dig for that with my crazy dog on her leash at the check out counter. This was a production!  When I opened the back door for Harley I realized she was not able to jump in. She had put on too much weight.  I left her in at the backseat where she went stumbling across Olive’s legs and I had to smack her butt lovingly to get her to jump up over into the back section. We were on our way,  it was drizzling. Did I mention that Hank had diarrhea. I was changing him pretty regular. Harley was dripping blood as she’s in heat. We got to the appointment early enough to just chill. I wasn’t going to go in until the last minute. We watched the shoppers at Hornings. 

My untrained dog.

I mean, Harley just goes nuts… sniffing the flower bed, straining at the leash. There was a lady sitting on each end of the waiting room with a dog. The side that I chose had a very lovely weimaraner who was perched on one of the chairs beside it’s master.  I was on the floor hugging Harley’s head. This was a new low for me as I’ve never been in the waiting room with other dogs. I spoke soothing words to my pet and occasionally she would obey me and lay down. Hyperventilating all the time.

My children were pretty much on automatic and thankfully they were doing ok. Until Hank found the X ray reader light switch. On and Off it went. Time and time again. I must say the staff was unbelievably kind. Harley was deemed to be healthy and she is now up to date on all of her shots.

Back to the parking lot we went. I left Harley in first this time… that seemed to work better. Everyone was strapped in and when I tried to leave the wagon wouldn’t start. No. no, no no no nononono…..
Called Nate. Voicemail. Saw he was in Palmyra so no help. Called Dad. He was on the road almost home and he said he’d gladly come to rescue me… Did I have jumper cables? I said no. He had to go home and find his. We both felt puzzled that I had a dead battery for no reason but I knew the battery is pretty weak. While waiting on Dad realized I had left my lights on. So I’m really feeling like a hero.
By now people are coming out of office with their dogs.  People that I had just shared the waiting room with and there I sit with 2 children and a dog in a pitiful looking station wagon, windows down.   There was some shame. Fed children a Lara bar. Olive didn’t like it.  She is the only one in the family that does not love coconut. She was freaking out about why we weren’t leaving so we were watching the road for Grandpa when I saw Dad drive past. He forgot where he was going because he was thinking to himself, “This is almost the whole way in Myerstown” so he was mindlessly driving the whole way to Myerstown. He saved the day though. Second time now that he rescued us in the wagon.

Got home, fed Olive, she was crazy for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and I wasn’t arguing. She only wanted a quarter. Around this time she discovered she had FART POOP. She was in the bathroom exclaiming loudly about this. (I’m so sorry, it’s what she calls it).  She was now down for the count in the flu department. And yes I thanked the Lord that she did not have an experience while we waited in the parking lot with a dead battery and all of that.

Nap time
School children came home.
Headed to Dutch way for milk and a few groceries.
Hank screamed most of the way there.
At the checkout I did not have my Dutch Way card on me so I asked if I could punch my phone number in the keypad. The lady told me that it would be faster for me to tell her my number and then she made a mistake and I had to repeat it. Immediately following this I heard the customer in the check out to my back use my number. My cashier looked at me and said, “Did that guy just use your number?” to which I replied, yeah...?  Then I had to follow him out of the store, he never said anything... guess he figured he'd get some deals, I don't know it was strange. 

Ran the 3 oldest to piano.

Went to bank. 

Olive flipped out when I asked for two lollipops she was screaming in the back that she did not want a lollipop (definitely not feeling well).
Teller told me to have a good day, she was overly friendly, trying to make up for the long wait perhaps. Nothing. She forgot to send the canister back.
Brought the groceries and toddlers home. I wanted to go for a bike ride because the weather was beautiful but I was too busy with my children and their bathroom and feverish needs. So I got supper started.... went back to piano lessons to pick up the children.
Nate was soon home to tell me that....
Whoops, I did have jumpers in the station wagon.


Sorry Dad.