weekend rambles

Things are settling back in now that we're home, but so are the post-trip blues. In the past couple weeks of Tennessee and friends visiting, there was something going on just about every day. Three or four days of no plans or friend visits later, I'm crawling up the wall.
We did have a neighborhood meeting earlier in the week where we planned our big cookout for the summer. I was hoping it'd be earlier than it is, but I'm really just glad we're doing something like that at all. Everyone will pitch in to bring tables, chairs, food, music, the works, so we can all meet and greet and gain a sense of community.
I've been trying to work up the motivation to clean my [disgusting] house. Hasn't happened yet. So....I decided to take care of some errands instead. Yesterday we had to take the dogs in to get new heartworm meds, which consequently means I have to get their bloodwork done so they can have a heartworm-negative tests on file. I somehow managed to get myself and both kids ready, in the car, dogs in the car, and to the vet 20 minutes early. If you know me at all--this NEVER happens. I am notoriously late. For everything.
I was never punctual [much less early] before kids, but they just fuel the flame. I've even tried budgetting my time better, getting up earlier, planning ahead the night before. I've set out clothes and pre-made breakfast. I still end up rushed and frustrated. Granted, my planning is never perfect, and there have been many a snooze button that I've indulged in, but I promise there were several good efforts that just plain failed.
Anyway, so I got us all to the vet on time, without rushing, and good thing too. Do you know how horrifyingly hilarious it is to push a stroller, drag two dogs that try to run off in different directions, fuss at a 3-year old to hold on to the stroller and open a door? Like a full-on knob-turning door that is not a push-open or automatic??
Let me just say the place was pretty full. There was a family with a guinea pig having its nails trimmed on one side of the waiting room and a hoity toity couple on the other with a golden retriever puppy on the other. The husband was complaining about something to the front desk, and the wife sat there in the middle of the seating area, taking up all the space I could possibly walk through or sit down. I awkwardly parked the stroller to the side, tried to keep my barking dogs close so they'd quiet down and quit going crazy on everyone who walked by. There was also a man sitting there with his dacschund (not neutered! I was judging!) who took up the last possible seat close to the door that I could have taken. No one held the door open for me. Everyone ducked their heads, only looking up occasionally to snub me for having too many kids or dogs or whatever else.
Now, my dogs have never been to a puppy training class or anything remotely close to it. They run off if I let them off their leashes and they bark and whine whenever they see a stranger or a strange dog. They are great with my kids, have never bit them or snapped at anyone. They love people, but will bark and let me know if someone is outside my house or trying to get in. They know how to sit and shake, but that's about it. Basically they're good ole redneck dogs and that's why I have them. To feel safe and for companionship.
The man with the dacshund was the first to say something. "Are they [dogs] always like that?" Me: "Only around strangers." He huffed and went on. They weren't snarling or growling or anything. Just barking and whining because they were in a FREAKING VET CLINIC and there were strangers and strange dogs everywhere.
He occasionally mumbled something under his breath and kept saying to his dog, "You go show 'em how to act" and actually pushed his dog at mine at one point.
The guy who had been carrying on at the front desk was now sitting with his puppy and started chiming in then. Then, as if to show off how great his freaking dog was, started commanding it to sit. It plopped down and started scratching itself. Haha!
The two men kept carrying on, showing off, and whining about my dogs and how loud they were til the other side of the waiting room cleared up. I moved over so I wouldn't have to sit on the floor anymore (and listen to them).
Perhaps, gentlemen, you would consider opening the door for the young mother with her hands full before complaining about the dogs' behavior??
Luckily, they left eventually. A few older ladies sat near us while we were still waiting [forever] and every one of them had something kind to say. One lady told me about her shopping trip when her 3 children were young and she was pregnant with her fourth. The two oldest ran off while she was distracted and she had to chase them down, pregnant, with a baby in the cart. She laughed, and made me laugh, but you could tell she was far from laughing when it happened.
Finally they finished the bloodwork, after Bailey screamed (yes, the dog literally screamed), and everything was good, so we got our heartworm meds (which costed an arm and a leg) and a nice [real] gentleman held the door open for me on the way out.
Sooooo...I got my first encounter with rude people down here! But all's well that ends well.