Dog Days.

Literally. Chloe had a vet appointment yesterday for her annual shots and check-up, and while the vet proclaimed she is very healthy for a girl of her age (15 in September! and hell, she was walking better than I was yesterday after my 13 miles), I agreed that she should undergo yearly blood tests to make sure everything is on track. So, $360 later, we left the vet's office. Now, granted, this included the exam, regular vaccines, three months of worth of Frontline, plus the blood panel. But. Jesus. Christ. For years she had been going to a family friend near my parents' house who charged us well, family friend prices. Now I have New York City prices. Hmmph. But, she's my girl. What can I do, right?

It's August. As in, I need a vacation. I haven't planned to go anywhere, and truthfully, can't afford anything lavish (see above) and have reached an age where going "home" for a week...doesn't sound very relaxing. Is it wrong to want to take a few days and head to a bed and breakfast all alone and do nothing but sleep, eat, and read (Beach Music!)? Yes, and run. Do single people really take single vacations? Or is that something we only see at the beginnings of sappy movies where the heroine laments her lonely life before meeting the perfect guy? See, Under the Tuscan Sun, Message in a Bottle. Ok, so they both loved and lost in those movies, but at least there was some adventure and drama in the middle.

Even Congress is on vacation. Not that they get much done when they're in session, but for the next five weeks they don't even have to pretend to get stuff done. Speaking of talking about doing stuff but not actually doing it, the election is soon, people! Like, really soon. We've been campaigning for basically for years, but the big day is 3 months away? How'd that happen? Shouldn't we have running mates at this point? Who? What?