Just when you thought it couldn't get worse

I received a summons today as I was heading out to run an errand. I was in what I thought was a minor fender bender a few years ago. Two of my sisters and I were driving home from our nieces' wedding in Canada. We were at a stop sign and the car in front of me started to turn out onto the other road, but I guess she changed her mind because she stopped suddenly. More suddenly than I did. Everyone seemed ok. We exchanged information. Called the police to file a report and then we all drove home.

Well, she's decided that that was her lucky day and is suing us. The insurance companies are handling it right now, but we've already dealt with the incredibly painful passing of our mother. I'm trying to scatter her ashes. My dog is very ill. And now this.

As far as I'm concerned, Ms. Groomes is racking up some seriously bad karma. And if she EVER complains about how much insurance costs, she can just stand in front of a mirror and to see one of the reasons why.

In the mean time, I have to find a way to keep putting one foot in front of the other and get through the next few days. It just got harder to do. :-(

This is a year for the record books

The weather (both land and sea) are looking pretty good this week, so I started calling boat captains. I found someone who will take Jay and I out so we can "scatter" mom's ashes. It's not really scattering. I found a water soluble urn that I just place in the water and within a few minutes, it sinks to the bottom where it breaks down.

We tried to do it as a family a few weeks ago, but the weather did not cooperate. At all. We all know that mom was a "pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get on with life" kind of woman, so it was agreed that I would do it the first time the weather and the seas were good. So this is the weekend. We'll go out on Sunday morning.

But our dog also has not been well. And it seems to have gotten worse this week. So we took her to the vet and found out that she has a fairly substantial mass in her lower (towards her hind quarters) abdomen. Crap. We will schedule an ultrasound to find out what it is and what it's attached to and, hopefully, that tells us if it's operable. Then we start making decisions.

We adopted Zena 10 years ago. She's 13 now. I cannot express how integral she is to our family. This pound puppy who wasn't house broken has become so important to us. I can't loose both mom and her in the same year. That's just too much sadness. Right now, she's pretty miserable. She's not eating. She has major diarrhea. And she's struggling with her hind end in general -- steps are difficult.

I'm trying to not over-react and start wailing. She needs me, so I'll keep marching until a vet tells me it's time to stop. So we just help her and keep her comfortable until we get the ultrasound.

What a week.

Missing Mom

We went to a friend's house last night for a party. We haven't seen them in a long while, so we were looking forward to the visit. Plus, we know that Chris frequently invites his band mates and there's a little concert to be enjoyed. :-)

Chris' mom was there. We've met her before and she remembers us because her husband used to always talk to Jay about flying. :-) I was fine while we visited and chatted. I was fine until Chris started playing and his mom moved across the room to a rocking chair to watch Chris.

All of a sudden I couldn't breathe and was really having to work to hold back tears. I finally got up and went outside for a few minutes. When I collected myself, I went back in and sat back down, but I couldn't stay. I had to go back outside. Jay followed me the 2nd time. He knew. I had a good cry and just stayed away from the living room for the rest of the evening.

I think I was fine until I saw her being a proud, loving mom in action. Watching her watch her son ... it's how we saw mom at big gatherings and such when she was watching one of us or the kids. I want that again. I miss that.