Snow Day

It's a white world outside. We got blasted with a snowstorm yesterday--endless white falling down. Only an inch was predicted but it just kept falling and falling and falling. The roads were slick and snow-covered, yet we had to traverse it a few times. Yesterday was my first day at my new part-time job, of course, so I braved the roads to work and back. And then Roy dropped Piper off at the vet's earlier and so we had to make the dangerous trek back to get him.

Just as we were pulling out of campus onto the main road, Roy's cell rang; it was Jason, our maintenance director here at the academy: I'm not sure where you're going but the roads are terrible! If at all possible, you should stay home!

But of course...it wasn't possible, so off we went, the three of us braving icy roads and North Carolina drivers. Frankly, I'm not sure what's worse. We did just fine until we got to the road that leads to the vet's. The road has a sharp curve followed by a steep incline. Roy stopped at the bottom, all of us looking up skeptically, as there was no traffic at that moment. And then? We were off, Roy determinedly looking straight ahead, both hands gripping the steering wheel. We got about halfway up...and then our tires began to spin and...down down down we slid, anxiously looking behind us to make sure no cars were coming our direction.

"Why don't you and Jace just walk up the hill and get Piper?" Roy said. And so we did--me walking gingerly up the steep incline, wary of slipping and breaking a hip or hitting my head and knocking myself unconscious while Jace zigzagged and skipped and ran and threw snowballs at me. I love the snow, Mom! This is awesome! Do you think school will be cancelled? Ohh...I hope so! I love snow days! Don't you, Mom? Don't you love this?

"Be careful, Jace. You're going to knock me down!"

We finally made it. Piper was so excited to see us, every part of his body wiggling--one part going north while the other part went south. And of course Jace was just as excited to see Piper, petting him and talking to him as though they'd been parted for weeks rather than just a few hours. Say hi to Piper, Mom! Don't be rude to him! Look how excited he is to see you! Come on, Mom! Say hi!! (He is saying this as I'm talking to the technician about how Piper needs a dental cleaning. I kept waving my hand at him...you know...STOP IT!!!!...as the technician explained the dire hazards of plaque on a dog's teeth.

Okay, so...Can I just say that we had dogs growing and not once did we take them in for dental hygiene? Call us irresponsible dog owners...but I can't remember a single dog getting a tooth absess that resulted in surgery and such due to irresponsible dental care. Who knew dogs got plaque on their teeth? Who knew dogs need their teeth cleaned??

So you need to bring Piper in as soon as possible to get that plaque cleaned off his teeth.

And how much is that going to be?

It's an estimated cost of $220. But you are eligible for a $10 discount since he just had a physical!

I'm thinking Piper is going to take his chances. He'd better start eating some bark or gnawing on rocks--or something that will get that plaque off those teeth. Evidently he needs to be a little more proactive where his dental hygiene is concerned.

Meanwhile, as we're discussing Piper's plaque, I glance out the window and notice that Roy is once again braving the hill. I stop her mid-sentence: That's my husband...And everyone in the room stops whatever they were doing to look out the window and watch, bated breath, as Roy slowly inches upward and then, tires spinning frantically...stops.

Is he going to slide back down???

And then he started again; I could see Roy's utmost concentration as the car began moving up, moving up, slowly...and finally, thankfully,  he pulled into a parking lot  across from the vet's.

Whew.

We all gave a collective sigh as we watched him drive the car to safety.

So would you like to make an appointment to get Piper's teeth cleaned?

"Let me get back with you on that!" I replied, smiling appreciatively. And then I paid the vet bill that was more than I spend on myself medically in a year (not even kidding) without getting Piper's teeth cleaned, and Jace and I headed out the door with Piper in tow.

We made it home without killing anybody or smashing our car to smithereens. Piper bounded inside, thankful to be back home where life is good and the couch is comfortable. We all settled into life on the homefront, everybody doing their own thing. And so the evening passed and the snow fell and now, when I look outside, all that remains of our dangerous trek is a snow-covered world that leaves me gazing in awe at a world of pristine wonder.