Or at least close. Started off early this morning with Patrick calling to say he got a $47 parking ticket at the Metro lot because the lot is only for Metro riders. Except that he IS a Metro rider. He has no idea why they would have given him a ticket other than the fact that he parks in the lot overnight. But he works downtown overnight. Apparently the Metro cops don’t take into consideration that some people take the train to night shift jobs. He wrote a great letter to appeal the ticket, so we’ll see how they respond.

I knew I needed to get gas on the way to work as my gauge was on empty, but I was sure I could get to my regular 76 gas station…and I did. Unfortunately, it was closed! They were repaving the lot. Oh shit. I had to think fast as to where there was another station nearby and I didn’t have time to even consider price. I remembered a station just off the 210 fwy about 3 blocks up the street from where I was. The price was higher by 2 cents a gallon, but at least it wasn’t more than that. I filled my tank and it cost me $70.80 (price per gallon was $4.61)!!! Thank God I don’t have to go anywhere but back and forth to work for a long while.

Got to work (late) only to discover that Amanda (one of my coworkers and Patrick’s friend) had sliced open her right hand last night while washing a knife. She had to have stitches and a tetanus shot and has her hand all bandaged up. She’s having a rough time trying to work and do day-to-day things without using her right hand. I remember having to deal with a similar situation when I (I mean Mickey) broke my right elbow back in the sixth grade. Luckily she only has to have it immobilized for a week.

Shortly thereafter I got a call from Kevin. He was at the vet’s office with their dog Hannah. Seems Hannah and their other dog, Dante, were racing up and down the stairs this morning when Hannah fell. After x-rays and an MRI, the preliminary diagnosis is a ruptured disc in her back. The vet feels it should heal and she should be able to walk again after some physical therapy. Initially they thought she had broken her back and that she might have to be euthanized, so the news was much better than they expected. They’ll still have to wait a day or two to be certain there are no other problems.

What a day! Talk about stress! The weekend can’t come soon enough.