Today we mark our five-month ampuversary

We are also headed out today on Sam's first road trip since Christmas! We are headed down south to I-o-way to do a race and visit my parents...and I have to admit, I'm a bit nervous.

For one, we've been a bit...off...the last couple of days. Nothing obvious or specific, juts...off. A little less somethin' somethin, I suppose. It's been 10 days since our last acupuncture, and I am wondering if that might not be part of the problem. Our ER clinic stopped offering it, which sucks. The vet who was doing it, though, wants to keep helping Sam, but A) she is out of town and B) going forward, we will now have to meet clandestinely, under cover of darkness, in some hidden locale (well, not REALLY, but it does need to be not at the clinic, and this way it sounds more glamourous...). So there's that.

Unnecessary reason for worry #2: lately, I've been avoiding putting Sam in my car (a Highlander), b/c I have to lift him up to do so. The lifting in and of itself isn't an issue, but he seems to have a lot of back and abdominal tenderness lately...whether that's from a combo of his lipomas and arthritis or from something else more ominous, I don't know, but he's not a fan of us having to hoist him by his own petard, as they say. And he won't use a ramp. BUT we are not taking the tiny Saturn all that way, so we shall have to lift gently.

I also don't like being away from our own vets. Funny that I was pretty okay going on vacation and leaving him at home--our sitter is our vet tech, and we live a block from our vet, as well as the ER. No worries. But having him away from home right now...eh. Pawsitive thoughts, and we won't need to worry about it!

ANYHOO: I shouldn't be so glum! We are at five months. And in March, we walked into this knowing there was a better-than good chance we wouldn't get two or three. So we will accept this "slower" day for what it is, a small dip in the road that we probably would never have noticed before, so why stress it now. And we shall spend the day getting treats and pets from co-workers (I brought the dogs in with me to the office today) and then enjoy the road trip to Grandma's house for some spoilage (Grandpa makes doggy breakfast with PB toast and bacon grease sometimes )... and, as always, continue to bask in our slow-moving tidal wave of awesomeness-with-a-hint-o'-truculence for as long as it pleases us to do so.

Here we are at work (Crabby Sadie has her ears-down-disapproval-up face going on :p)!