I’m typing this about noon on Sunday, so evedn though you’re reading this on Monday, my brain is too discombobulated to translate times. As y’all are reading this, we’re at the vets with Jake. I don’t know how long we’ll be there or when we’ll get to bring him home.

For those who don’t know, a little over a week ago, LG noticed a lump on Jake’s tail. At first, he thought it was a sweet gum ball that was tangled in the pupper’s tail feathers. Newf/Pyrs have very long feathery tail fur. As he looked closer, he realized it was a growth. Luckily, we were able to get Jake into his vet the next day. She looked at it and things went…sideways. She did blood work and we took her first available appointment for surgery–which is this morning. It may or may not be cancerous. We won’t know until after the biopsy. In addition, tails don’t have much “meat” on them. They’re mostly skin, bone and a few ligaments/tendons. There may not be enough skin to suture after the lump is excised. If that happens, she’ll have to amputate part of his tail. We’re worried. Jake is 11, which is old for a giant breed. His heart, lungs, and kidneys appear to be in good shape but it’s always iffy putting a dog under anesthesia. Anyway, things are discombobulated and will be for a while.

My weekend was mostly spent watching softball and petting Jake. LG and Uncle Fix-It went up to the Kids’ house to help put in a new hot water heater and then switched out their older, leaky dishwasher for a newer one given to them by friends. Both of those are long stories and I won’t bore.

I’ve delved into the backlist of some favorite authors to get over my reading/listening slump. I hadn’t listened to Ilona Andrews’ Innkeeper Chrnonicles for a couple of yeas. The Graphic Audio versions recently came up on sale at Audible so I snagged them. They’re fun. Once done, I decided to dig a little deeper and relisten to their The Edge series. Also fun and it’s been at least 5 years so while I sort of remember what happens, I don’t really. I do wish GA would decide to do this series with full cast as well.

Writing has occurred. Not much, as my brain has been more distracted that usual. There was no Thursday Thread challenge last week so I didn’t get 250 new words. My writing is still pretty much in the dumpster but I’m doing some…not really editing or revising…it’s… Well, a puzzle. I have all these scenes and I’m working my way from the start, adding in some scenes to previously wrtten chapters, and then getting a better idea of what should come next and thereafter. It’s a process.

On that note, as it is Sunday and I know absolutely I won’t get anything done tomorrow, I’m going to try to get through a chapter or two on the WIP. I have to admit, I’m so scattered…SQUIRREL! … Sorry. There’s a juvenile squirrel that has discovered the bird feeder outside my office. He zooms back and forth along the window sill before leapng, hangs from the roof to drop, and/or climbs the metal shepherd’s crook holding the bird feeder. The birds are not happy at this intrusion. If I tap on the window, he simply stares at me, continuing to eat. He only bails if I open the window. You’d think my great white hunter–who barks at leaves falling in the yard, the rooster three blocks away, and the invisible intruder would deal with it. Nope. Toby sleeps through every incursion. He has earned his PITA Pup nickname.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and here’s to a healthy and productive week for us all!