Aunt Buggy

Cousin Mary Kate (or Aunt Buggy) has come to stay with us for the month.  She has flown into town posing as a doctor.  She claims to have gone to medical school, but I think she’s a pretender.  She was dismayed on her first day of work to learn that the fourth year medical students at Regions Hospital have to wear flesh colored scrubs, and she would not be wearing the attractive green scrubs she bought especially for the trip because they really “make her eyes pop”.

“How can anyone make a good impression in flesh colored scrubs?”  She lamented to Aunt Sally.

Aunt Sally was sympathetic, “Not in our family, you can’t.”

Aunt Buggy didn’t come alone.  She brought Georgie.

This is our first household experience with a big dog.  Our previous experience has been limited to an incontinent poodle.  There was nothing wrong with Nellie Olson: miniature poodle.  It’s just that we got her used.  And while I generally recommend buying used, you don’t really know what you are getting with a used dog.  In my professional opinion, her incontinence seemed to stem from her fear of being alone.  Any time we left her unattended she lost control of both bowel and bladder. Other than that she was the ideal dog.  She sat with her legs crossed nervously on the couch.  “More like a houseplant,” was Carl’s description.

It is going much better with the big dog.  She has only lost control of her bladder once, and that was only due to a surprise meeting with one of our boarders early one morning in the kitchen.  And who can blame her.  You never know who you are going to see coming down those stairs.  It’s scary.  Enough to make anyone wet the floor.

Fortunately, Georgie is not afraid of children.  And it is so nice to have her company on outings.  The first day we piled in the van, she hopped right in and climbed directly into a car-seat…on top of Miss P….who did not even blink and kept right on sucking her fingers.

Like her dog, we have found that Mary Kate is also willing to accompany us on outings.  With Aunt Buggy’s help, I have been able to take our excursions in a new and wheelier direction.  On Friday we went rollerblading around Lake Nokomis, each pushing a double stroller, with Georgie running beside.  On Saturday we peddled bikes, each pulling two children, downtown to the farmer’s market, and then to the Mill City Museum.

Fortunately, I don’t think anyone at the museum recognized me as the invalid wife confined to a wheelchair just weeks ago, or they may have questioned my miraculous recovery. Having now done the museum both ways, I definitely recommend seated.

On Sunday, Dan encouraged us to take some time off from kid duty and go out just the two of us. We felt so light… euphoric even.  With the afternoon our oyster, we headed straight to the mall to ride the rollercoaster. We did some shopping and then hit the movie theater.  And do you know that when you go to the movies with Mary Kate, you get popcorn AND candy?  We finished the night with a dramatic hand of Canasta.  Then Mary Kate bid me goodnight with: “Well I had a great time. I’d love to go out again!”

It has been a looooong time since I’ve had that much fun.

Below: the rollercoaster was much scarier than we remembered.  We were glad to get off!