Wednesday, October 24, 2007

getting ready to head out again

We leave Friday afternoon for Florida, to cruise around the Caribbean for a week with family. It's not our favorite kind of vacation, but Karen's 96 year-old Mom has limited mobility and eye-sight, so this is what we do.

In the past, on cruises, I spend hours researching shore activities, to maximize the experiences to be had in each port. This time, there's been little of that. Karen's brother did arrange for one cave tour in Belize (where he had gone some years ago), but, other than that, we have no plans.

On my iPaq, I have two PG Wodehouse novellas, a bunch of O. Henry short stories, and a dozen political/cultural essays by George Orwell, plus a bunch of music. There will be Internet access on the boat (overpriced, as always), which is a mixed blessing.

My mother in Wisconsin is clearly declining - her (even older) brother and his wife are flying there from Phoenix next week, for what they all surely realize is their last visit together. In Portland, Edie, our siamese cat who gave birth to 4 kittens three weeks ago, was ill yesterday, and I am just now waiting for a call-back from the local vet, about what to do.

Meanwhile, we've had three days of spectacular weather, which is greatly disappointing. It's always better to escape to a warm, sunny place, if you're not leaving a warm, sunny place that's your home!

So, my duffle-bag is out again, piles of clothes are being assembled and rethought, and I pulled our 20 year-old snorkels and fins out of the cellar closet. Two client visits today, to turn over recently-completed stuff, and a computer-guy meeting tonight at our synagogue. Busy day - wonder how I'm going to fit a visit to the vet in there?

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