Tomorrow I am being promoted to Captain. This is normally cause for big celebration. It's a nice little pay raise, a little more room to financially stretch and usually a little more respect as you move up in rank. It's been a much anticipated event. Apparently, Duncan has been anticipating it too. Remember my post where I figured Ben must have surveyed the house and it's issues before making a break for it off to Afghanistan? Duncan seems to have done the same with my finances. "Hey! Look! She's getting ahead. I simply MUST work up some kind of medical anomaly to fix that." Sigh. Oh Duncan. The last three weeks have had me cleaning up more dog vomit than I ever care to see again. He's been coming to me for comfort in the night, and since Duncan isn't one to interrupt his own sleep pattern to bother with me, I know he must be feeling really poorly. His stomach has been grumbling so loud that I can hear it from across the room and he's just not his usual Duncan self. So after a trip to the vet with no answers, I decided to take him back where they did x-rays, injections, bloodwork, the whole gambit. The bill? Oh boy...the three day total is $1100. Below is my poor sick puppy moping in his bed. Between his sad face and the financial sum, I want to cry. So Ben is conveniently off visiting his parents and children out west and I'm here dealing with vomit and debt. Will it never end? While discussing Duncan's medical issues, I had two grown men at work tell me that I just shouldn't bother to spend the money. And do what instead? Watch my poor pet suffer? The dog who has been beside me during it all?? I'm sure both of those men go home at night and snuggle their toy poodles, equally as enamoured with their furry companions but a little less willing to admit it. But at the end of the day, our pets are our family. I spent all of last night up with him, cooing to him and rubbing his belly, unaware of the massive sum of money I'd be handing over today. But then today, as I pulled out my debit card and looked down at him as he continued to stare at me with all the love in the world, despite the fact that I just subjected him to various forms of diagnostics, I knew that there could be no other decision other than to hand over the money and realize that I won't be buying myself the new purse I've been eyeing as a "congratulations on your promotion" present to myself. But instead, the money will go to my most loyal and loving Duncan. $1100 has never been better spent. Get better soon, Duncan. Or Momma's gonna need another job. Kelly