Sunday, Aug. 24, 2003 - 11:09 p.m.
Well, it looks like I won't be going to Toronto. I was really looking forward to it, but to get there would cost me almost an entire paycheck. Not having my license comes to bite me in the ass once again. One of these days......
The summer camp ended on Friday. It really was a lot of fun, and if I am in Pet next summer I would like to do it again. The last field trip was to a place called Storyland. The entire property is filled with recreations of your favourite children's stories. You can sit in Cinderella's pumpkin coach, put on costumes and act out your favourite fairytales. You can have tea with Alice in Wonderland or visit Snow White at the dwarves cottage. There is also a water park, petting zoo, several jungle jims and a bouncy castle. Not to mention the white rabbit that sure enough runs by you mumbling something about being late.
Friday night, to celebrate the end of a job well done, Yellow and I headed to a friends cottage in Quebec. If you thought the bees were bad, wait until you hear this....
So there we were, Jim and I, drinking and chatting in the screened in porch of the cottage, when we heard Yellow barking off in the distance. "That's not her usual 'I've treed a critter' bark" I told Jim. "She might be barking at some other dogs down the way", he replied. I decide that perhaps I should call her in. I called....and I called....I coud see her off in the distance doing that crazy batting at her own head thing. "Oh no....not a skunk", I say to Jim. Yellow finally comes to the porch. I don't smell anything, I don't see any Yellow sludge dripping from her muzzle. Instead what I see are 10-15 quills sticking straight out of her nose and lips. Yup, a porcupine. Well, that's a new one on me. Jim goes to the shed for a pair of pliers while the girls (who have just returned to see what the ruckus was about) tell me that I will have to take her to the vet. Apparently porcupine quills have hooks on the ends of them similar to arrows that make it difficult and damaging to remove. Hmmmmmmm....I've been through the vet thing before and learned a valuable lesson. It's not always necessary. Jim returned with the pliers, the girls held Yellow in a sitting position while I pulled them out one by one. She was very good about it, only flinching at the few that came out of her nose and her inner lips. At the end of the day I think she would do it again. Crazy dog!
She's fine now and we are back at home. My house is clean, my fridge is full and I feel on top of the world. I have a week off ahead of me (full of volunteer work, a few projects, some errands and getting to know Abi). I will be spending much of my time researching for my trip in October. I am sooooooooo excited.
I wish I had more to tell you about how things are in Afghanistan, but unfortunately Rich and I have been so busy getting dates settled for the trip that we haven't had the time to discuss much else. I'd love to be able to give you the inside scoop, only, he's not giving it to me. I'll let you know as soon as I know!
That's all for today. If anyone has advise on things to do and see in Paris, Frankfurt or Brussels (and all points in between) I would love to hear them. As well as car, hotel, and flight advise. Until then....
..take care of yourselves, and each other.
