You Just Can't Plan For Those Unexpected Events

This is as close as we got to the snow.

Well, for all best laid plans, we didn’t get to Truckee. Mother Nature got the win on Tuesday. We were turned around at Nyack and hung out at The Monte Vista for a few hours. The beer battered fries are killer but getting to the snow would have been better. We decided to go home and look to Wednesday. I emailed the owner of the house to see if it was available on Friday and we could still get our 3 days in, Dave and Mason could ski, and we could be home in time for our Mardi Gras party on Saturday. Later Tuesday night, Gunner started with “the symptoms.” Are you frick’n kidding me?! Yeah, it got worse and Dave took him in to the vet at midnight. 

Well, if road closures and weather weren't enough, the dog was admitted, Dave came down sick, I was informed the power was out at the Truckee house, and it was not available to extend until Friday. We all concurred that it was not meant to be this time. Well, Dave and I concurred, Mason was not happy, but we all ultimately agreed there was just too many reasons not to go. As bummed as Mason was, I assured him that this was so not the end of the world and things are fine. In fact, I told Mason that it was a situation very similar to this one that brought Dave and I out of the friend zone and ultimately where we are today. I had won a trip to Mexico and wouldn't you know, none of my friends could go - not one! Dave was my last choice (it just seemed complicated to go on a vacation, in one room, with the guy-friend). I totally expected him to say he couldn't get time off work or no money, but no! He said yes. We were on the plane on the tarmac when the captain came over the intercom saying there was a hurricane that had changed course and we could not go. We waited a day and the next day, more of the same. We decided to go to South Lake Tahoe and it was on the drive up and the three or so days we spent there together that things changed. Who knows how it all would have played out had we made it to Mexico right then (we did eventually go, it turned out to be our honeymoon as we had secretly married). Adapt and Overcome, it's a good thing. So I told Mason, the Truckee door has closed, turn around and see what good is behind the doors that may be opening now.

We decided to call it a staycation and Dave and Mason kept their plans to ski on Friday. From the vet on Thursday, "It seems our options are to keep waiting (but he's not eaten for over 2 days), do surgery, or euthanize." WHAT?! Euthanize? “NO!” I shouted. She went on to explain that there was no judgement, she understood that there are people who just can't deal with a dog like this and their money means more to them than their animals. Uh, no, that's not us. Our animals are as much our family as our people...we made a commitment to Gunner when we brought him into our family and we do not renege. Gunner had surgery #3 Thursday night. 

Saturday was super fun, we got all dolled up and went to Gary and Michael’s Mardi Gras party and when I say they go all out, I’m not mincing words, they go ALL OUT! Rachel and Ryan came up and we cleaned Mason’s room so they had a place to stay and didn’t have to drive home. We had a ball, so much fun, that Sunday we all moved somewhat slowly. Laughing! 

Here we are, it’s Monday and all is well. Gunner is home and doing better, tomorrow is my mom’s 87th birthday, and all I can think about is how lucky we are. We are a strong, happy family and even when life challenges us and negative circumstances pile up, we pull through. We pull through by sticking together and finding humor somewhere. Sometimes it’s in the kitchen making dinner, sometimes it’s in a few drinks and stupid invention ideas at our local watering hole, and other times it’s all of us, cuddling in one bed watching a movie. We have love, lots of love, and there is so much power in that, in us as a family.