What's Up Weekend? 06.01.2018

Another weekend is on the horizon, which means it is time again to link up with the wonderful folks at the Peaceful Posse Facebook group, where we get to talk about our weeks, and all of the positive things going on.

I'm not even going to lie - I have had a pretty trying week. There was work nonsense to deal with, and I came home on Tuesday evening to find that Champ, my thirteen year old mutt, had been sick in his crate during the day. Him and poor Madden were a mess, and had to be bathed as soon as they were done outside. I had to take Champ to the vet yesterday as we were about forty-eight hours in to tummy issues - something that I have never dealt with when it came to him - and I was a nervous momma to say the least. I mean, he's thirteen - hardly a young pup anymore - and I have noticed him slowing down in the last year or two especially. I freak out and imagine the worst all of the time anyway, so dealing with his belly issues didn't help.

On a good note, however, the doctor didn't find anything obviously wrong with Champ (no parasites, and he didn't seem to have any sort of obstructions), and he was sent home with some probiotics to help. He seems to be feeling better, but has yet to have a solid bowel, so I opted to call out of work again today to stay with him, because my mom-guilt would have been in overdrive if I had left him home. The medicine he was prescribed can actually be obtained on Amazon, for right around the same price I paid at the vet. Knowing what I know now, I am going to order another kit of it - as a backup - in case this ever happens again, with him or any of the other pets. I feel very comfortable medicating my pets as needed, and make sure I listen to our vet for advice. I have saved myself a lot of money in vet bills by just knowing what to do and what to expect in cases of emergencies.

This week, I also feel like I have started to find my voice a little more. I wasn't originally going to look at this as a positive, because I feel like I might be being a little bit snarky sometimes - but I am learning more and more to stand up for myself, for other people, and for what's right. I found myself commenting on a lot more social media posts than usual lately, pointing out peoples' errors in judgment, calling them out for spreading falsehoods, pleading with them to fact-check before posting. I am not sure if it has done any good, but I feel better knowing that I am not just sitting back and letting people do things. Perhaps that is so much of what the problem is - not so much the evil-doers, the ones out there fighting and doing wrong, but those of us who just sit on the sidelines, afraid to open our mouths, afraid to speak up for the voiceless. I know that we have to be the majority out here, and yet so many people seem so afraid to say anything. And so the hatred continues, the falsehoods get shared again, the bad guys wins the day. I know that I can't change the world on the whole, but perhaps I can make my little corner of it a bit more peaceful, kind, and able to critically think. One can only hope...

I did receive compliments on some of my writing this week, so that was pretty awesome. It always makes me feel amazing when someone shares something that I wrote, and tells me that it affected them. I am so very lucky to have people like that in my life.

In the meantime... I am hoping that the weather clears up a bit today - I want to get to the park to go for a walk, possibly alone, possibly with one or more of the dogs. I haven't been able to take a lot of time for me lately - I feel like between work and having to come home, clean the house, take care of more-than-enough pets, etc., I don't get a lot of quality time for myself. Today, I am trying to make it happen. I may even just walk in my community - anything to get out, get some fresh air, and just feel better about myself.

I may also finally get around to finishing "The Princess Saves Herself In This One." I had to put it down one night when too much of it was resonating with me, and I was finding myself emotional and a little bit broken one night.

So happy to be linking up with Lindsay, Beth and Charlotte again this week, and being able to sit and reflect on happy, positive things! Make sure you go check out these ladies' blogs, and say hello!