BB, I get what you're saying, but humanely ending an animal's suffering is a gift of love. I would have preferred for Artie's euthanasia to take place at home like the last two, but God sent me an angel that morning at LSU. The doctor, who I had just met, was full of empathy and compassion. She let me say goodbye to Artie in a private room ... just the two of us. And when it was time she let me hold him as his body was put to sleep. I can't imagine not being there for him in the end no matter how painful it was.

eam44, thank you! beachem, I remember vaguely that you'd hurt yourself (I'm thinking I was new, didn't know anyone well at that time). I'd no idea it was because of a concussion! Micro strokes?? I'm so sorry! How frightening this must be for you! Thank you for the information - I didn't see it yesterday because I was stubborn and stupid and drove to the grocery store right after I posted (I had one dizzy spell). I'm that way at times, but after reading what you wrote, I'm staying at my home office, and resting in bed in between desk work, for another week... and taking it far more slowly than I have. If you'd not shared, I'd not have done that. I'm grateful to you, and yes, you all are distracting me! I'd rather laugh and hurt than not laugh!

Shawlin, That happened to us, except it was on a 10 hour trip and we were about halfway there before it started, and it was during a Christmas holiday. We had to stop at a gas station after our toddler had thrown up yet again, but this time it was on her pillow... she was trying to keep the puke from dropping off the pillow, but then we hit a bump and SPLAT! Now she was covered in puke, it was dripping off her hair. Hubby asked the gas station attendants to bring out the hose and while he sprayed down her car seat, I took her into the bathroom and tried to wash her hair in a gas station bathroom sink... you know the kind where the faucet is really short and the sink is small? By the time I came out of the restroom the nice gas station employees had coned off the area with yellow caution tape. I felt SO BAD for the mess, I was apologizing profusely, and they were SO NICE. I can't even recall what state we were in by then... it was a nightmare. During the family reunion, there were about 20 of us, and only me and one of my sister in laws stayed healthy through the whole reunion (we weren't the only family who came in sick) and we spent the every day cleaning with bleach. LOL! We actually all have a lot of great memories from that trip though... we can all laugh about it now.

We had a situation this year where next door neighbors were knowingly and willfully infringing on our property with noxious behavior, and while the HOA did issue violation warnings, their process moved at a snail's pace. During the slow crawl where the noxious activity continued, the neighbor was actually seeking an exemption that they thought would allow them to continue damaging our property. Unwilling to wait, we hired an attorney who swiftly brought about a remedy, to our satisfaction. Know that anyone who has entered into an HOA has the right to legally enforce its provisions in a court of law. You are not at the mercy of the HOA to take action; you and your neighbors are contractual parties with rights of your own to enforce. Just saying, in case anyone might think that the association itself holds the power to enforce.