I object

Snow in early fall in Alberta isn't unheard of, but it's temporary. Usually, we get a shock of cold in early fall, and then it warms up for a few weeks of Indian summer. Not this year. The snow has melted, but it's been cold and wet ever since. We're waking up to fog - practically unheard of around here - and the constant threat of snow or rain is around all day. My lawn is the greenest that it has been all year; but it's too darned cold to get out and enjoy it.

A pipe seems to have burst at work. Washrooms are closed today, and there is no water in the kitchens. Did I mention that I work in a hospital?

Dr Dad is trying to ground me, literally. He thinks that my hemoglobin level is too low for me to fly. Apparently, the air in planes are regulated so that they contain the same amount of oxygen as would be found at 10 000 feet. Low hemoglobin means low oxygen, and he says that I'll be too out of breath on the plane. This threatens my upcoming vacation, and is my strongest objection right now.

I have an appointment to see the new GP, and I'm hoping that he's more agreeable than my Dad about this. I'm even considering dragging an oxygen tank along for the ride; but I don't know if those are allowed on planes. In the meantime, I'm taking boatloads of iron pills (Yuck!) and eating every iron-rich food that I can think of. A friend suggested that I chew on paper clips. I considered it, but then I realized that they are made of aluminum.