Saturday, February 16, 2008

Falling off the wagon

I have to admit, I have fallen off the wagon. It started after the NOFA conference, when my 10 year old dog Jack, the one I have traveled all over the country with competing and performing in sports and shows, woke up one morning unable to walk. I rushed him to the vet, where it turned out he had a disc problem and needed meds, which they gave me in a plastic bottle in a plastic bag. I numbly took the bag and went my way. I stopped at the store to get hot dogs to feed the pills in, and bough plastic wrapped hot dogs which they packed in a plastic bag, and I took it and went home. These meds did not work, so a few days later I went back and got 3 more types of meds, all in plastic bottles all in a plastic bag. Again I did not argue.

My big canvas bag was peed on by a dog when I was teaching freestyle, and that waits to be washed, but there is a sick chicken on the washing machine so I have not been doing much laundry. SO every trip to the store has meant a new plastic bag.

Our friend's kids are coming over today to stay for a week, which meant a trip to the store to buy fake, plastic food like Kraft Mac and Cheese, processed peanut butter in plastic, and white bread.

The good news is that even though I have been less careful, I only went up to one grocery store bag of garbage last week. The bad news is that with my friend's boys coming, we will likely be up tp a large bag this coming week. I still love that they are coming, but it will be a real challenge to keep it down.

It has been so hard when this busy to stay organized enough to do this. I will have company all weekend, and I have a large assignment for school, so I do not know if I will have time this weekend to sit down and organize myself. I have been so good about organizing schoolwork this semester, which is a huge undertaking, but myself and the household is another thing altogether.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you're posting again, on or off the wagon.

You can't do anything about prescriptions in plastic bottles. But you can try to remember to refuse the bag. There's usually some little thing you can do. It doesn't have to be all or nothing at once. That kind of thinking can cause you to give up in frustration.

How is your dog now?

Oh, and what the heck do you mean by, "there is a sick chicken on the washing machine?"

Jen Kuhn said...

I had a hen who was sick so I brought her inside and had her in a crate on the washing machine. The Bull Terrier would have terrorized her so she had to be up, and the only place with a flat surface away from the food area and off the floor was the laundry room. Unfortunately she died, and when I autopsied her she had huge tumors all over her intestines, so there was nothing I could have done. Next time I see the same symptoms I will cull the bird to save it the pain.

Yes, I could have refused the bag, but I was a little shell shocked from the injury. I think this needs to become second nature before I remember under stress.

The kids are all bugging me to play a game...no rest for the wicked.

Jen Kuhn said...

Oh, Jack is doing well, but still on crate rest so is very unhappy. Thanks for asking.

Anonymous said...

You are a woman who autopsies hens. You are my new hero.

Jen Kuhn said...

You are funny.

Doesn't everyone autopsy their dead livestock to find out why they died? ;-)