Wednesday, June 2, 2021

con·tre·temps /ˈkäntrətäN/

 


That's 17 points in Scrabble, for those keeping track.

Yeeeeeesh. 

So by now you may or may not be aware that the correct file for Scandal at the Salty Dog was actually uploaded after the book went live on Monday. 

Yes, I know.

The correct files were uploaded Monday, but that doesn't mean you have them. It means they're now available. If you've tried to get updates to the original file, but you're not able to, drop me a line and I'll send you the correct file. 

Frankly, that was the LEAST of my disastrous weekend. 

On Friday night--no, let's be precise--at two a.m. on Saturday morning, I woke to what sounded like a waterfall in the master bathroom. I staggered in to see what was happening, opened the cistern and water began shooting out everywhere. I couldn't see how to fix it, so I staggered back to wake up the SO, who was sleeping peacefully throughout my exclamations of dismay, the rush of Niagara-like sounds, and the dogs racing around, hopping on and off the bed, to join in the fun. 

At last the SO comes back to life--cue resurrected mummy sounds--jumps up, staggers into the bathroom, can't see how to fix it--coz it's a special water conserving toilet???-- tries to turn off the valve below the toilet and... It's stripped. He can't turn off the water there, so he says he'll have to shut it off at the street. Not ideal, but okay.

He staggers out to turn off the water at the street HOWEVER we don't have a normal valve out there. We have some weird jerry-rigged monstrosity that requires a special tool which we don't have. So after trying an assortment of wrenches and hammers and whatever, he says we have to call the city AT TWO IN THE MORNING.

The city says ARE YOU KIDDING? IT'S TWO A.M AND THIS IS A HOLIDAY WEEKEND. WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU. I won't repeat what the SO said. The city finally staggered out and turned off the water. 

We all go back to bed.

On Saturday, we begin calling plumbers. No luck. No one can come out before Tuesday. TUESDAY. And we can't turn the water back on because, you know, weird jerry-rigged street valve. 

No showers, no washing dishes, no watering the garden, no flushing the toilets. You get the picture. It's not pretty.

By Saturday night, I was thinking it couldn't get worse.

Then my beloved little darling, Marlowe the Mutt, out of nowhere starts choking and coughing up white foam. It goes on and on and then stops. And then starts again. And then stops. And then starts again. I think something is lodged in his throat or he's been poisoned and he's dying and it's pretty much the worst night of my life. 

But then it stops. He seems fine.

We go to bed. Please, please, please God, don't let my little dog die.

I lie with Marlowe tucked against me, stroking him, listening to him breathing, all night. In the morning, he is jumping up and down, wanting breakfast, while I'm calling our vet trying to get their emergency line--WHICH THEY NO LONGER HAVE. They didn't even have the answering machine on. NOBODY HOME.

So Marlowe seems perky and fine, but every now and then he has this weird coughing spell--which I now realize could be kennel cough. So I read up everything I can find on kennel cough, and proceed to do all the things to make him comfortable.

Now it's Wednesday and I've currently called four recced vets--not including our regular vet--and the soonest anyone can take him is JUNE NINTH. Our own vet can't take him until the FIFTEENTH. 

The plumber came yesterday. Today Marlowe seems better? So maybe, maybe, maybe life is getting back to normal. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop.



34 comments:

  1. Oh, God bless you. What a week from Hades. 👿 And why does everything happen on holidays??? Savor your Memorial Day miracle from the city utilities crew! I hope sweet Marlowe is still OK. I truly can't believe no vet will see him on a walk-in basis. Yes, appointments are priority but at least he would get seen. UNbelievable. I feel terrible for suddenly sick animals in your area and the people who love them. SO and I were actually at animal ER at 5 this morning. One of our dogs was showing signs of pancreatitis (she's had it before) and not in good shape. They tested, stabilized her and she's now comfortably running up a bill at our vet. I truly don't know what I'd do in your situation. I think people would see me on CNN holding a vet at scissors-point or something while he/she checked my fur baby. If it helps, we love you. 😍

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    1. EXACTLY!!!! WHY DOES IT ALL HAVE TO FALL ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND? And how the hell is it possible that NO vet can take what (to me) sounds kind of urgent. How can this be? His own vet tells us, you should probably try to see if you can get him in somewhere else. WHAT????????

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    2. Raging insanity. Don't they have some kind of oath? Or, I don't know, care of animals that made them become a vet? Bah! Hope little Marlowe is better. 🐕❤

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    3. It seems there's a genuine shortage of vets right now, which is a really scary thought.

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  2. Ah, man...you need a hug, right along with Marlowe the Mutt. Time for all that deep breathing, yoga, and visualization stuff. Trouble is, by this point I'd be visualizing screaming obscenities at people...albeit with proper lung control. I hope Marlow recovers on his own, and quickly. I hope your water problems will be short lived and you'll get a hot shower soon. Hot showers are a blessing from above. The book will sort itself out. Try not to worry.

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    1. I mostly held it together until Marlowe got sick. Then... Yeah. It was pretty much abject terror and lots of tears.

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  3. Oh, wow, I'm sorry. That sounds like hell. Hope your pupper is OK!

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    1. He does seem to be better. His appetite is good. He's perky. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed he's on the mend.

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    2. They're so dependent on us, it's extra terrifying when you can't get them the help they may need. (Are these "vets" related to your new "doctor"?)

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  4. Oh. My. Goodness! Poor darlin. You've had a rough few days. Maybe you should sit down and write snd forget your problems. Lol. Seriously, hang in there. Hoping you find that little Marlowe is a hypochondriac and just needed some attention. Love to the whole family. Muah.

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  5. You need a different, better vet. And a live-in plumber. God, what a weekend!

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    1. I can't believe I can't find a reputable vet who can fit him before next week! WTH.

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    2. Maybe our proximity to lots of vet schools (Auburn, Georgia, Tuskegee, Mississippi State) has flooded our area (Birmingham) with awesome vets and specialists but I am absolutely flummoxed that NO ONE in your area will spare 10 minutes to do a quick check of vitals and draw blood. FLUMMOXED. And kinda pis**d.

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    3. A vet friend told me there's a real shortage of vets! I'm sure it's a tough job. In Marlowe's case, I'm guessing they figure if he's not already dead, he's probably okay to wait. :-/ Which is horrible, but true.

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  6. Wow! So sorry about all of this. Hopefully there wasn't water damage on top of everything else. Fingers crossed that little Marlowe is fully recovered now/soon. I've been reading stories in our neighborhood news blog (here in NM) about people having trouble getting vet appointments for their pets. I don't know if this is COVID related (more pets adopted; fewer available appointments due to safety restrictions) or just a scary shortage of veterinarians. Hugs sent your way!

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    1. I've been putting the difficulty in getting appointments down to the pandemic protocols (and that's entirely understandable) but as I think back, it was harder and harder to get in to see them even before the pandemic, so I'm starting to think that when the clinic changed hands, they reduced staff. I think it's probably time to find a new vet. If they aren't there for emergencies, then they really aren't your vet.

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  7. What a nightmare! So sorry. Hope the pup is on the mend. As for the book, can you dumb it down for me: how do I know if I have the correct file? How do I get it if I don’t? I don’t see an option to “update” at Amazon. Thanks.

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    1. You may have already tried this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GBR7PXPE8JEJWM7U

      But just email and I'll send you a download link. That way you can get your choice of format.

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  8. .....we have availability at our place....if you don't mind driving 300 some miles to get here.

    Reminds me of the nightmare of my hot water heater bursting and I didn't know where the shut off was...and it was like, 2:30 in the morning. Cuz everyone knows that's when floods occur.

    I hope everything is going better for you now. And I loved the book!

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    1. Right? The real witching hour is 2:30 in the morning. Don't let anyone tell you different.

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  9. That’s wild. I’m a vet and our team has struggled with the number of emergency calls recently, but if an animal is in respiratory distress our protocol is to either accommodate them immediately or refer them to a clinic closer to their location. It’s the same for allergic reactions or toxicities, can’t tell how severe they might be. So glad your little buddy is feeling better now!

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    1. It was all I could do not to leave a screaming YELP review.

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  10. Good grief! What a horrible way to have to wake up and deal with what seems like everything plus kitchen sink going sideways. So sorry. Marlowe too. Oy! I hope he’s improving daily and his usual self. If it makes you feel any better my weekend was awful, so I can certainly empathize.

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    1. I can tell he's still a little wheezy, but he's so much better. He's playful and alert, his appetite is voracious as ever. I just need the vet to give me the all clear, and I'll be able to relax.

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  11. How do I know if I have the correct copy. I preordered so I'm assuming I need the updated file but there's no update at amazon to download. Will you send the update to me.

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  12. Our sick little dog with pancreatitis took a turn for the worst last Thursday and we honestly all thought she was going to die. Miracles happen! She finally began eating again and with fluids, meds, etc., I picked her up yesterday! I mentioned your woes with getting help for Marlowe and the vet was flabbergasted. He said, "Not only do we take an oath but it's just the humane thing to do to see an animal in distress." BTW, I used an Adrien English Tomkins the cat reference when she ran my debit card for $1,500 and I said I needed to wipe the blood off it. 🙂

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    1. LOL but oh no about your little dog! I'm so glad she's doing better. We finally got Marlowe into the vet yesterday and it's bronchitis! Of all the weird things. So he's on meds and already so much perkier and more like his normal little self.

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    2. Yay! Bronchitis isn't a minor thing - so glad the little guy is better!

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  13. Hi Josh how are you? :)
    Smashwords has the publish date as June 3. So will I get the correct files?

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    1. Hey there, Andy! Smashwords should have provided the correct file. But if you have any doubts, just drop me a line and I'll send you a copy just to be sure.

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  14. Oh my! What a terrible holliday! I think it's Murphy's Law you have to blame for bad stuff always happening during holidays... Or maybe the Law of the Buttered Bread? But it's actually one and the same...
    My toilets are also kind of moody and no plumber with the pandemia so I had to become a master at opening the tank and manually operate it. Soooo annoying but I learned new stuff.
    One of the reasons I love the place where I live is the veterinary clinic only a 5 minutes drive from my place. And they are quite dedicate. Pandemia? They still have the emergency services on 24/24h and 7/7 days. Holliday? ER still working.
    I'll keep my fingers crossed for your cute baby and really really hoipe it's nothing else than a bad episode <3

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