life

There are many reasons people need a vacation: unemployment, terminal cancer, beloved pet dies suddenly, work related stress, etc. Unfortunately for me, my life started going haywire in January and I single-handedly claim all of those reasons. I consider myself to be a positive person; one who takes action to improve a bad situation. However, I have to admit that this time it feels like there are way too many bad situations all at once. I hardly come up for air and another situation strikes. My husband has been unemployed since January. We are managing to stay afloat with his unemployment checks and my teacher's salary. He definitely needs a vacation to regroup and feel better about himself. Unemployment was followed by news that my father's colon cancer is terminal. This was shocking since we had previously been told that surgery and six months of chemotherapy would almost guarantee that it could be eradicated. Shockingly, the chemotherapy was totally ineffective and the cancer spread. My father has opted for a homeopathic diet regimen and no further chemotherapy. When the time comes he will move in with us. While still reeling from the news about my Dad my dog, Doc, fell ill. He suddenly didn't have the strength to walk. He stopped eating. How could this vibrant, lovable dog, which never left my side, become so sick, so quickly? We took him to the vet where he spent six days on IV's, antibiotics, anti-nausea medicine, appetite stimulants, blood pressure medication and human plasma. But he never ate, and failed to improve. We were told that Doc had severe kidney damage due to lyme disease. We brought him home hoping that his own environment would spur him to eat. It became painfully obvious that Doc wasn't going to make it. His conditioned worsened and later that same evening we had to put him down. I miss that good boy so much. I keep expecting him to be right at my heels. Everyone endures personal tragedies and life’s ups and downs. As a teacher I found it doubly difficult to deal with the stress and heartache. I had to go to school each day and be a positive role model for my students. Those little eight year olds didn’t deserve a short-tempered teacher. They deserved to be greeted each day with a smile and learn in a positive environment. I hope I didn’t let them down. Three days ago, when my daughter crashed through the garage door (there was a bug on her lap), I thought to myself things are improving! She wasn’t injured. The car wasn’t wrecked. A garage door just needs to be replaced. Would you please select me and my family for a free summer vacation?...

Children, mortgage, work,

I dream of tranquility,

"Hon, the dog has pee'd."