I had a terrible nightmare last night about Lulu.  I rarely have nightmares and I’m not sure why I had this particular one, but for some reason I was in a car on the freeway and Lulu was running in a wide grassy median between the two sides of road.  She was terrified and sprinting faster than I ever thought rabbits could go… I was driving really fast, trying to catch her and I could never keep up no matter how fast I drove.

Suddenly, much like a macabre video game, predators appeared in the median… wolves, coyotes, a German shepherd… she dodged them all, leaping over them, diving under them and still we kept speeding along.  Finally, a big bear swatted her to the ground when she tried to jump past it and the terror in her eyes are absolutely horrifying. I watched the bear sniff her butt fluff, while her nose ran with tears (that’s what happens when she’s really scared) and her eyes darted wildly around.

My car had stopped, I guess. I don’t know what happened to the car at this point, but I stared absolutely petrified and helpless while the bear tore into my little bun and I couldn’t scream, I couldn’t make any sound, I couldn’t move… at least not in my dream. I woke myself up with my shouts, though.  I knew I was having a nightmare, but it was so real, I couldn’t believe it.  I was compelled to get up and check on Lulu, but I knew she was fine, so I tried to go back to sleep.

But that scene kept replaying in my head whenever I closed my eyes and then I found myself crying about it, so I finally got up and checked on her.  I found her snuggled on her little carpet with her head in the food dish, half asleep — of course.  I’m sure there’s some kind of dream analysis that says something about my biological clock or other malarkey, but I’ll chalk it up to Quizno’s for dinner.

Then this morning I watched Barack Obama get sworn into office and a surprising and massive sense of relief swept over me. I’ve considered myself not a very political person, but so many subjects have passionately moved me in the last few years, and of course, the economy effects everyone.  I’ve found myself more involved in the news and politics than ever before, but I didn’t really understand just how much stress the Bush administration had put on us, as a country… as individuals.

*deeeeeeeep breath*

There now. I feel better.