Wednesday, May 27, 2009

in which Jo wishes for a life without incident

Of course I am lucky, with my two whole and healthy children, who don't appear to have special needs. Roof over head, food on table. While my marriage may not be blissful, there is no abuse or court appearances. No middle of the night trauma.

So I need to stop reading the small things that go wrong as a personal curse from on high. I drove out of the vet's this morning thinking, aw, can I not just catch a break? And then lectured myself sternly about the break I've caught, see above.

And yet. Could things just not... just keep simple?

On Monday I went and bought a cage for the impending gerbils. I got a freecycled tank, but couldn't replace the broken side, then we went to Woodies to try and get perspex and stuff to make a lid, but they never have what you need and Axel was a prick about it to the extent that it made me cry. So I just bought a cage. For €85.... Then the gerbils and their bits came to €40, but it all looked great, they were happy scamperers, and we all loved them and were proud gerbils owners.

Til 8am this morning, when Olivia came in to say Munch had got her tail caught, and it had pulled away from the bone, and Nibble had pulled the rest of it off (vomit) and my small girl was fairly well freaked out. Aconite. Good for shock, highly recommended.

So the €85 cage has a platform that doesn't latch into place, hence the caught tail. Off to the vet, to hear the joyous news that Munch will have to have an operation to amputate the bared tail, and it will cost €120. FUCK.

Can we not just replace the gerbil, asked Axel on my return. Tempting. She was the prettiest one, too. Ai me. This is my fault for forgetting to secure the cage. I'm off to find Twistysticks now.

This is why I'm happy with stasis, why I can sit on the couch all day. It's safe. I know that I'm blessed, that I've caught a huge break. But please, can stuff just stop happening? Can I just get something right?

28 comments:

morgor said...

heh, i know what you mean.

Still all these little annoyances and problems keep us occupied, otherwise we'd just be bored. or happy...

Having a shedload of money would make things so much easier though....

Jo said...

Yes.Indeed.

The lotto's 14 million tonight, isn't it?

Ciara Brehony said...

God. Isn't that just always the way? Or so it seems sometimes.

I've just remembered why we don't have any pets...

Jo said...

Learn from me, Ciara! Learn from my life!!

mammydiaries said...

Oh god! Still weak from "fur pulled away from tail..."

Think I may fake a fur/feather/animal allergy for when children are older...

Jo said...

Yes. Pet ownership is ofttimes gross and icky for the squeamish!

Ms. Moon said...

You haven't lived until your pet cat eats your pet rodent.
Oh, the life-lessons our pets teach our children!
I'm sorry Ms. Jo. I am so sorry.

Jo said...

Gah! This is why we have the no-cat rule! Not just pet rodent, but all the little half dead presents they bring into the house.

Munch is safely ensconsed back in Chez Gerbil, half tailed and sleepy, having been welcomed without fuss by Nibble.

So it's all good, except for the Visa card. There was a sweetcouple with a box of young turtles in the vet's.

And I think poor Olivia's tummy can stop twisting now they're back home and she's made them a treat-puzzle to open. Poor baba!

Martin said...

Would never have happenned with goldfish.

Yvonne said...

ouch €120! i'd recommend insurance, we pay €25 a month for our two dogs, but it hardly seems worth it for a gerbil...or am i devaluing the life of a gerbil with that statement?

Jo said...

Ah, no, Yvonne, but I'm not convinced it's worth it €25 a month seems like a lot. We had a tragic timewith our dog some years ago, and ended up spending agrand before we had to finally put him down. But I don't think I'd have saved anything paying monthly for all the years of his life.

Jo said...

You think? I've a fish story too... never again...

morgor said...

we had most of our family dogs executed (why bother with euphamisms) usually for bad behaviour.

Our cats are fine although they kill red squirrels and robins but leave rats and crows alive because they fight back.

Martin said...

if you managed to detail a goldfish then you probably shouldn't keep pets.

Martin said...

De-tail, that is, not detail.

That would be a curious hobby.

Jo said...

No, in truth, I never de-tailed a goldfish.
What would detailing a goldfish be? Is that something to do with cars?

Martin said...

'Pimp my seabass'

Red Leeroy said...

jo, pet insurance, I have saved myself thousands.

Jo said...

Tell that to the pigeon, RL...

I don't know. I can't afford OUR health insurance.

Martin said...

List the gerbil as a third child?

You'd probably have to put your religion as protestant though, to be covered for tail surgery

Jo said...

Goodness me. I'm unused to such sectarian quippery.

Martin said...

tongue firmly in cheek

Sniffle said...

And no Richard Gere comments?

Jesus H, but sometimes life’s like that Jo. Family life is a money bonfire. And Hi too, it’s been a while .

Holemaster said...

Ah shit, the Lotto.

AMI said...

Don't bother. Gerbils lose their tails all the time, we have had loads of them, and it will grow back. the old one will turn black and then drop off. Your vet is being ridiculous!

Jo said...

Well, fuck, that info is a hundred and twenty quid too late!!

Seriously, the tails dropped off and grew back after degloving? That seems insane!

Martin said...

Is it too late to cancel the conversion?

Ms. Moon said...

Okay. These are some of the best comments I've ever read.
"Pimp my seabass?"
Oh yes. Please. And I'd love some fresh-cracked pepper on my salad.