Saturday's a Special Day. . .

It's going to take some time to resolve my emotions over what happened to my father. He was mauled by dogs while hiking. He did nothing to provoke them. They just snapped. In fact the owners where so afraid they did nothing to stop the attack. No one is really sure how my Dad escaped. Running on shock and adrenaline he managed to get himself off the mountain and to the emergency room. According to the plastic surgeon, who measured the bites around his face and thigh, those Mastiffs weighed around one hundred and fifty pounds a piece. Fortunately, they missed every artery and nerve in his face and neck. One centimeter to the right on the bite below his right jaw would have ended his life. And people say miracles are dead.

So now he gets to have one of those rugged scared faces that will make him look even more like Clint Eastwood than he already does.

Today is better.

I ran this morning. I had no particular milage goal in mind. I just needed to clear my head. The amount of head clearing I needed took two hours. It's strange running with a shiny new canister of tear gas. It makes me feel less safe—sort of trapped. I'm trying not to get angry but it's hard. I hate weapons of any kind and I hate that I don't feel safe without one anymore.

Three things I've learned this week.

My dad is one tough (insert adjective here).

And

Don't let life get in the way of people you love.

I've been so busy trying to get my career off the ground I've let it come at the expense of some of my personal relationships. My Dad retired last year and moved from California to be near me. I haven't spent the time with him that I should. Shame on me! How dare I complain about the selfishness of others when I've acted selfishly myself.

The third lesson learned, if you're spending more time online than with the people you love; it's time to shut off the computer.

So I'm having a party for my family to celebrate the end of this crappy week. My kids are so excited they can hardly wait. We are going to eat giant slices of three layer chocolate cake with strawberry lemonade. When my four year old heard we were having a party she wrapped her arms around my neck and said, "Oh mommy, we have to use the princess plates." I'd been saving a package of Princess dinnerware for her birthday but I think she's right. We need those princess plates today. We survived one heck of a week. It's time to celebrate.