My life mottos:

"Playing chicken with deadlines and working under stress and pressure is fun." (Apparently, cuz I keep doing it and seem to thrive on it even when going nuts.)

"When you see something you want to go after, jump first, plan the landing on the way down."

These are not perhaps the wisest life mottos but they certainly do make things interesting. I have everything pretty much ready for Laurent's birthday except for picking up a few odds and ends, a long over due hair cut for myself (bless Mary, she's a saint and a miracle worker...), pick up the fresh produce the day before for all the various food items, bake/cook/frost and decorate and then pick up stuff that has to be done just before like the balloons. Invitations, hand-made and DONE, ready to go for tomorrow! Photographer booked. Venue and question of permits dealt with. Speeches written and organized. Tree for tree planting and pot taken care of. Guest gifts taken care of. L's gifts taken care of.


STILL HAVE TO DO:
* pick up extra potting mix for the tomatos, salad greens, snap peas and cape daisys, pick up native potting soil for pine, drool over water trays, water displays and all the gorgeous plants I WANT but must resist until I'm actually moved or I'll have more to deal with leaving behind.
* print everything out so it's not just living on my computer or Murphy will make me pay by crashing it five mins before crunch time
* pick up the pram from repair shop in Sunshine West (shudders)
* foam board and ribbon for the rosemary rememberence thingie for L's bday
* hearth tiles so we can get the heart done
* find a place that sells doors and mantles which fit Edwardian houses as we want to take ours with us cuz they're pretty and would cost a mint to buy again for a new place... unfortunately the doors we've found to replace them are slightly different dimensions than circa 1911 when things were not-standardized
* pick up table and heating elements for food dishes that need warming at the party
* beat the idiot spa repair person who hasn't figured out the concept of showing up when scheduled. Again.
* check out and book a storage place for moving, start boxing up the extra 'stuff' we don't want around for showing or auction

In addition to this, Cade is going in tomorrow morning for surgery to remove 2 histiocytoma tumors. They'll basically have to snip off the tip of his one ear. This type never metasize so removal is due to their persistance and ulceration rather than worry of cancer. He's going to have a dental (scaling/polishing) as well, so we're going to remove them at the same time. He will have all the standard bloodwork, plus heated fluid IV so recovery is easier and they have a line already in if anything does go wrong. But it's Cade, my heart-dog who has been with me through everything since highschool. And it's a lump. Which automatically equals Amanda-worrywartness. His sire Dimitri had lipomas, which are typically harmless, for years until one killed him at age 11. That is quite young, as the breed averages 16-17 years. Cade is almost 9, just a little younger than Dimitri. I worry over every lump and bump he gets and the older he gets the more I worry even though I know it's nothing and his litter siblings are fine even half-siblings through his father are fine at 13 years old. Doesn't matter, I'll worry anyway.

Dogs aren't the only ones who generalize fears or develop superstitious behaviour from them.