De ja pew

It started out a great week, riding high on the Canadian success in Vancouver. Gracie was having a little trouble getting her eyes lined up and will need some surgery most likely, and I needed a little medical intervention at the endocrinologist's office, but otherwise, we're pretty excited about March break and getting packed for Florida.

Until Thursday.

Tony was on call Wednesday night, so I was in single mom mode Thursday morning. We've all had colds so my sense of smell had abandoned me. I let the dogs out while getting the kids organized, and Bella, who opens doors independently ran through the house. I thought for a minute that she had rolled in something unpleasant but my eyes began to water and Lil set me straight...Mom what is that awful smell?
Yup, Bella got skunked. Big time. Remembering our challenges when Lucy dog got skunked I pulled out the emergency skunking supplies and got to it.

After a series of baths involving tomato juice, Masingill vaginal douche, baking soda, peroxide and Dawn dish detergent I thought, Bella smells okay. Maybe I should change my clothes before taking the kids to school and going to work. So I browsed through my closet for something else to wear and set off on my morning routine.

It is amazing that Lil did not get kicked out of school for the stench. It filled Grace's day care room, my mom van and the stairwell, hallway and clinic of our office building. The staff sprayed me with room deodorizer and I hid in the lab for most of the morning.

My sinuses cleared up pretty quick upon returning home, especially when entering my clothes closet. I decided that skunk spray should have a useful purpose in warfare or mob control given how pervasive and disgusting it is.

So this week, I have had to delay packing my suitcase in the hope that I can wash the stench out of my summer clothes before packing them for our trip. The silver lining is that I don't think anybody will be stealing my luggage.