I forgot the most important part !

     In my saga of the last few days, reported in part in the previous blog, I forgot Ava! Smart Ava! House manager Ava! Our black lab, who keeps us running  and organized, became ill on the day we viewed the house we are buying.  Really ill.  Throwing up and everything else for two days.  To the hospital, i.v.'s, tests, prayers, hand wringing. Not only do we need her, our other dog, Timmy needs her.  Ava is the alpha dog. Timmy can't eat without her.  He waits patiently while she finishes her dinner before approaching the dog dish.  When it's his turn,  he methodically cleans his plate, just as she taught him. Without anyone to tell him when it was his mealtime, he was perplexed. His sad face was sadder than ever. He picked at his food, and with Ava spending the night at the vet's, he burrowed under a quilt and slept. He had no pal to offer the priceless gift of his beloved owl toy, or a friend for a bedtime tug of war.

     A virus. No blockage, no cancer, nothing that medicine and a few days won't cure. Joyous homecoming. Ava slept on my feet, her four paws sticking up in the air in her posture of bliss. Timmy pushed his blunt little nose onto my pillow, snoring peacefully.  The world was back on its axis. I clung to the edge of the mattress.  There are more important things than a good night's sleep.