Congratulations???

Our other dog, Thumper, also known as Uncle Thumper is getting old.  He is turning 13 this year, and all these years he has been a sweet companion to us.

I picked him up the other day from his hypoallergenic bath at the vet (because he has skin issues and everyone I love is allergic to him.)  The vet tech who brought him out to me hollered, "CONGRATULATIONS" as we ran out of the office.  "THANKS," I smiled and waved.  Once I got in my car, I thought, "Congratulations.  For what?"  Was it because Cristi and I had just been featured on the cover of our local newspaper for being finalists in a music competition or was it because the last time I came into the vet office my boyfriend came in there with me, and as we all know, that was surprising enough to all of us, OR, was it that the vet had figured out that my beloved old dog was not knocking on death's door like I thought, but that he has a severe case of hypothyroidism.  I sat in my car and laughed out loud that I really couldn't be sure what good thing it was exactly for.  For all of our years and days of dark artistic angst (I think we even had a few of those last week) it is a gift to be reminded that things aren't really as bad as we think they are.  In fact they might even be plain old good.