Juggling life and dogs

This has been a crummy week for blogging, in spite of having lots of ideas.

Tuesday I found out that my aunt Karene (Mom's sister, like a second mom to me) has breast cancer. Karene has lived with Mom since my dad died 3 years ago. Karene is in the process of cleaning out and selling her house. Finding out you have cancer is one of Life's slaps in the face. Makes you want to slap Life right back and say "I don't have time for this crap."

My aunt would never say anything like that. I suspect she politely and sweetly informed Life that this was a bit annoying and would it please get out of her way because she had more important things to do. Life had better listen if it knows what's good for it.

Karene had surgery yesterday and it went well. They removed the lump as well as several lymph nodes, which did not show cancer cells on initial inspection. Karene got to go home last night. Who would have thunk it - cancer surgery as an outpatient procedure. But I guess people are happier and heal faster in their own homes. From my own brief hospital stay a couple of years ago, I know my entire focus was on GETTING OUT.

Fortunately, the timing of everything worked out that Phoenix and I get to leave for the Denise Fenzi seminar near Chicago this afternoon without any accompanying guilt that I should be sticking around for my mom and aunt. The Farmer and I will be taking several days in the coming weeks to help her with the final move from her house, since the buyer wants to close on July 1.

Really looking forward to this seminar. I enjoy Denise's blog as she details the training journey with her young Terv and am looking forward to exploring more of her methods firsthand. I was wait-listed for a working spot initially, but time is a wonderful thing and enough people had changes of plans that I was able to get a working spot. I have my ever-changing list of training issues tucked into my gear bag and we're ready to hit the road.

I hope next week will bring time and motivation to write about the seminar as well as some other topics. Have a great weekend, no  matter what you are doing!