Mondays, Ugh

If I asked you which day of the week is your favorite, I bet most of you would say Saturday. Some might think Friday because it leads to Saturday. A few might even answer Wednesday, becuse 'hump day' means Saturday is getting closer. if I asked which day of the week is your least favorite, would you answer Monday?

Monday has always been my least favorite day. When I was in school it meant the end of freedom and sitting in a classroom all day. When I was working, it meant setting the alarm, getting up too early, dressing in not weekend clothes, facing traffic and settling into my office. Don't get me wrong, I liked my job, I was the only woman in a company of about thirty men. They treated me great. One co-worker brought me a chocolate bar each morning, another regularly brought me a bouquet of flowers for my desk. Still, Monday meant a long week of solving problems and not lounging with my dog.

Now that Rob is retired and we don't have to live by a schedule, you'd think I'd change my feelings about Mondays. You'd be wrong. Want an example?

Last Monday morning I went to the garage to feed the dogs. When I set his bowl down, I noticed that Noah's eyes looked a little red. I checked them closer and there was pus in them, too. One of the symptoms of a drug reaction to his colitis meds is eye infection. I immediately put in a call to the vet and he said to bring him right in.

Dr B did a test on each of his eyes for dryness. They needed to register above 12 and one was 19, the other 21, so it wasn't a drug reaction. We were sent home with an antibiotic ointment to put in his eyes twice a day for a week.

When we got home I sent the dogs outside for a while. When I called them in Bailey didn't come with the others. I went to look for her and found her lying in the yard, chewing on her foot. I brought her in and examined her foot. It was red and  angry looking where she'd been chewing it, but there was no swelling or oozing. I trimmed off some hair, soaked the foot, put some soothing gel on it and put a cone of shame on Bailey.

Fudge refused to eat his breakfast unless I spoon fed it to him. When I went upstairs, I discovered that Morgan had not eaten her breakfast. She's also had a messy stool. I took her temperature and it was 101.9, right at the top of normal. I settled her down for a nap, and finally got my first cup of coffee of the day.

Around noon I took Morgan's temperature again and it had come down to 100.9. I offered her some food but she refused it, so I made her a bacon, cheese and kibble omelet. She ate that with no trouble. Rob went out to get her some of the canned food she'd liked a few weeks ago when she was sick.

In the evening I treated Noah's eyes again, checked Bailey's foot and put more gel on it and noticed that Sydney was limping. I checked her foot, leg and nails. I couldn't find anything wrong, so I gave her a Rimadyl before bed. I also hand fed Morgan a few dog food meatballs which she had no trouble eating.

OK, so much for  last Monday.

Now it's Monday again. How are they all doing? Noah's eyes are clear though I'm still putting ointment in for another couple days. Bailey's foot is fine. The redness is gone and she's not paying any attention to it. Morgan is eating her canned food quite happily and Sydney's limp has disappeared.

But it's Monday, so we have a whole new assortment of problems. Mack didn't want to eat last night or this morning and had some  vomiting this morning. She'll fast today and rest. I don't think it's anything serious, probably ate a weed in the yard that disagreed with her.

Fudge still refuses to eat his breakfast unless I spoon feed him. I don't understand what's wrong, he eats his dinner and late snack by himself. It's the same food in the same bowl. I can hear you thinking, let him go hungry, then he'll eat. But this is Fudge. I think it's just an attention thing. He considers it a bonding moment between us, so I take him onto the porch, sit down and spoon the food into his open mouth.

I guess that's what I get for having a house full of perpetual two year olds. It's OK, I can deal with Monday, but I'm glad it only comes once a week.