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Hello, Goodbye

There’s a vegan restaurant nearby that changes its menu four times per year.  There are one or two items that remain constant, but most of them change from season to season.  I know this would be a big plus for some people, but I hate it.  If I like something, I want to be able to get it again, and there have been too many times  when I can’t find anything I want on their menu.  When that happens, I need to either avoid the restaurant or go with a salad I could make at home until they change their menu again, three months later.

Today is the menu changing day.  They finally had something I really liked on their menu and now it’s gone.  I’m going to spend the morning hitting refresh on their site until they post, moping that they took away my sandwich.

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Our amazing vet sent a letter that she is retiring this summer. I immediately called the office, trying to keep the tears out of my voice. Why did she have to retire? Why did she have to enjoy golf and hanging out with her husband? Why did she need to purchase a house in a different state?

They don’t have anyone else on staff who can take care of Linus. They are working to get another vet who specializes in small mammals, but baring that, I need to go to a different practice. We have a backup vet that we used for Truman once when our main vet wanted a second opinion, so we’ll go to her if they don’t get another vet in our main office, but I’m really sad.

A theme to my week may be “I don’t like change,” but it’s more than that. She coached me through Cozy’s death and Truman’s death. She was there in my hardest moments, when I was all alone in the office, needing to make a terrible end-of-life decisions. She was so caring, with Cozy and Truman AND with me. And I’m going to miss her. I’ll miss her guidance, but I’ll also miss her care.

8 comments

1 Sharon { 04.09.19 at 3:04 pm }

Aww, sorry to hear about your vet’s retirement. I can understand why that’s hard.

And I hope you find something you like on the vegan restaurant’s new menu. 🙂

2 Working mom of 2 { 04.09.19 at 3:49 pm }

I’m a creature of habit too but new vegan menu options every few months sounds awesome…

I have more of a problem with products/brands/flavors etc. that I like being discontinued…

Hope you get the vet thing worked out.

3 a { 04.09.19 at 6:52 pm }

Awww – it sucks that you’re losing your vet! Why can’t people just continue to work until WE’RE ready for them to retire? Obviously, they can take on fewer patients and slow down and stuff, but when you find someone you like and they just decide to stop? Sadness…

I probably would not return to a restaurant that annoyed me that much. However, have you asked them to add your favorites to the constant menu? I would not be shy about doing that…along with a subtle threat of being the disappointed customer.

4 Mali { 04.09.19 at 8:52 pm }

Both these things suck! I’m usually okay with change, but it is never without some discomfort.

Our favourite brunch place (which we can’t afford to go to very often these days) changes only one or two things on their menu seasonally, but even that can be a wrench if I have an urge for the one thing and miss it by a week or so. You should tell them how much you miss some of their items!

And a vet who cares for the animals’ owners as much or more as the animals they treat is a gem. I’m sorry she’s retiring, but hope you find someone new with whom you can become comfortable. My doctor since the 1980s is just a few years older than I am, and one of these days she’s going to retire. I am NOT looking forward to that.

5 Lori Lavender Luz { 04.09.19 at 9:18 pm }

I’m so sorry. These are two losses made even harder by happening at the same time.

I hope the restaurant replaces your sandwich with something super yummy, and then brings your sandwich back another time.

And I’m so sorry you’ve lost your small mammal vet with the empathetic manner. Stupid golf and husband hangouts and houses for sale in other states.

6 Jess { 04.11.19 at 9:29 am }

I’m so sorry for your compounded losses. The vet is particularly sad… A good, compassionate vet is a treasure. And the menu change! That drives me crazy. There’s a Woodfired pizza place here that does amazing gluten free, and they had a pizza I LOVED — the Parma (garlic oil, goat cheese, figs, prociutto, balsamic reduction… And they eliminated it! It was one of the fan favorites, so I’ll never understand why they did that. Another place had a Reuben crepe, so yummy… But it is always coming off the seasonal menu. Arrrghhhh.

7 Cristy { 04.11.19 at 10:05 am }

I’m so sorry Mel. I know how you feel about change and there’s been so much of it in your life at the moment. Thinking of you as yours navigate it.

Regarding your vet, I highly recommend you connect with her (not her staff or the others at this clinic) and talk with her about options. Who are her colleagues would she recommend take over Linus’s care? We did this for finding new vets when we moved (Seattle to Boston and then. To San Francisco) and it helped ease the pain of that loss. I bet your current vet has some good recommendations and it will give you a chance to stay connected as you navigate the grief of losing someone who has been an important factor to your family.

8 Geochick { 04.13.19 at 2:25 pm }

I’m sorry that your vet is retiring. She sounds like an amazing, empathetic and caring person.

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