Yesterday

The 2nd day of the conference was much harder than the first. Hotel sleep is never satisfying, and as I did the last time I stayed in a hotel, I lamented some silly 'flashing' light that made me crazy. Potentially migraine triggering and insolent, it tortured me until around 3AM when I finally awoke from the grogginess long enough to figure out that it was my cell phone - the flashing 'light' which tells me if there's a missed call or message. I had set the alarm (because I'd tried to set the nightstand alarm but you had to reset it by going a minute at a time, back through 24 hours, to get to the time you wanted to wake up. 1/2 way through (from a 6:15 set getting to a 5:45 set), I took a break 'cuz my hand was tired - and the darn thing reset itself all the way BACK to 6:15 again. So I used my Blackberry alarm instead and then left it on the nightstand so I would hear it. And then was tortured by that stupid flashing light. I chided myself when I finally realized what it was 'cuz I had the same experience when I stayed up in Yolo County awhile back. So I didn't get into a decent sleep until after 3 and then it was time to wake up.

I called J. from the parking lot of the workshop hotel and asked if we were doing the right thing about Dani. Knowing we were, but still, wishing there was a way she would be OK again. He said he managed through the morning just fine until he was almost at the vet's office and then he lost it. The front desk people were so kind and gave Jim Kleenex. They took Dani from him and he talked to the vet in the room with her for a bit. And then he left. We will have her ashes - something I never thought I'd do - and will make a memorial area under a shady tree in our backyard when Spring comes.

Yesterday, a single pink rose arrived from the vet's office with a note offering their support. I thought that was the sweetest thing - to acknowledge that she was a member of our family and we are all grieving losing her.

It is probably hardest for Chloe since she has been snuggling with Dani since she was 6 weeks old. She is now opting to sleep in the 'travel' kennel - as if being in the bigger kennel without her 'cell mate' is too much for her to handle. She is cold, I think, because she doesn't burrow like Dani did so she doesn't have a lot of 'covers'. We are giving her extra attention and loves. She is adjusting to less food (she would eat hers and then finish whatever Dani didn't eat) - the first time we served her 1/4 cup of kibble for dinner, she gobbled it down and then looked forlorn upon realizing that was it. No more. Poor thing. She needs to lose some weight and then we can give her a tad more, I think.

I will be working most of the day tomorrow. I am resigning myself to going in all day tomorrow and possibly part of today. There is much to do, suddenly, as several 'simmering' things have risen to the top and are now in need of considerable effort and attention to get them done. And the month of October has flown by and I have a HUGE report due to the Board in December - and with the Thanksgiving holiday, that's fewer days to get it done. Auditors are still here though so far, it's going very well. There's just always so much to do. It's a constant rush, rush, rush. I thought Oct/Nov/Dec was my 'slow' time but it's not turning out that way. I'm looking forward to close to 3 weeks off at Christmas and just praying I'll be able to take most of that time off.

Time to get laundry, etc. going...typical Saturday around here. Only not typical - Dani was a barker and barked at every little thing. Without her, the house is eerily more quiet. Chloe barks a bit, but quietly, often sort of 'under her breath'. I don't miss the barking, but I do miss the barker.

Bye for now. Bug, if you're reading this, email me so I know you're back from Mouseland.