Sunday, June 19, 2016

Vacation Plans

We're planning a September whirlwind tour across the United States, beginning and ending with the Dowager Duchess. Not lots of time in any one place, but some very special family visits that are long overdue. It's still more than two months away and the days are already filled.


San Geraldo always acts as our travel agent and he does a phenomenal job finding flights, getting good seats, scheduling connections, getting in touch... He finally booked all the separate flights that will take us from Málaga to the Northeastern US to the Plains States to the Pacific Northwest and back again.


Even though the boys won't be joining us, Moose has assisted every step of the way. He'll be in big trouble when Dudo finds out.

FINALLY DONE AND HAVING A SIESTA
AFTER ALL HIS STRENUOUS ... SIESTAS.

40 comments:

  1. Moose must be exhausted!!
    What a great trip for you guys, Mitchell. Always good to have a reliable travel agent!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim:
      Moose is either exhausted from all that work or from all the talking he does. The most talkative cat we've ever known.

      Delete
  2. you are such a good kitty supervisor, moose!

    ReplyDelete
  3. There is nothing like a good siesta to help one recuperate from all those other siestas.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That Moose is a hard working cat. SG was lucky to have his help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wilma:
      As Moose repeatedly reminds him ... and me.

      Delete
  5. Planning is so tiring, lol! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Snoskred:
      And Moose will not be pleased when he discovers what all the planning has been about.

      Delete
  6. Mitchell great vacation so take me with you. I think you upload a lot of photos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosia:
      Oh, yeah, there will be loads of photos... from all over the place.

      Delete
  7. Exciting! I think September is a good time to travel. Take your camera(s)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Walt the Fourth:
      I will likely never have a camera like yours (mine must fit in a pocket), but I'm thinking of upgrading before our trip.

      Delete
  8. Sounds like fun... better start practicing your English ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon:
      That's no joke! Our conversation gets really confused.

      Delete
  9. Sounds like a whirlwind trip ... and poor Moose is exhausted just from making the arrangements!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob:
      Poor Moose will be more than exhausted when he sees the suitcases.

      Delete
  10. I only go away for a few days (5) once a year - to visit my sis - and that time is coming up again in a couple of weeks. But what always makes for a heavy heart is putting two of the cats in a cattery and locking the third outside to fend for himself, with me feeling guilty as sin all the time I'm away, and longing to get back home just in order to be reunited. (They make such a racket in the taxi both on the way there and back, putting on strange, strangulated yells that I never hear at any other time).
    I'm guessing that the welfare of D & M hovers over you in like manner, while I'd surmise that S.G. doesn't give a hoot, for which he ought to be thoroughly ashamed of himself. Is that close?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ray:
      I think you will be pleased to know that you're not enough close. Jerry adores the cats and can't stand being away from them for even a day. He gets out of bed around 5 every morning because that's when Moose wants fresh food, water, and a treat. He opens and closes his office window every two minutes (or as demanded) for the cats to enter and exit the terrace at whim. He lies uncomfortably in bed for hours so as not to disturb the comfortable cats. I'm a bit more heartless. We're very lucky, though, to have neighbors (the porter's wife and daughters) who also adore the cats and spend hours daily in our apartment while we're gone.

      Delete
    2. Ray: And that was supposed to be "not EVEN close."

      Delete
  11. Moose is just like my cats, they all want to be on the table when I am writing or drawing, they all want to take part and help and vie for the best place on the paper I am working on of course. In the night they get special treats and best beds when Peter gets up for them and I sleep and I ask him in the morning why was he up in the night: because Skinny wanted something.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rachel:
      Moose and Dudo have caught on that they can't sit on the desk, but Jerry leaves enough crap around to make them feel like they're getting in the way. Jerry always gets up for the cats; I sometimes do (he usually caves first).

      Delete
  12. Where will you be visiting in the Pacific Northwest? It would be great meeting you in person.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      Oh, how I wish. We'll only be in Seattle and the Seattle area.

      Delete
  13. If you are coming through DC, let me know. I do all of our travel planning - fun-fun-fun. I need a cat to help double check the details.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Travel:
      We lived in DC in the '80s. I haven't been back since the mid-'90s. That would be fun. But we'll only be in NY to see my mother and family. Then working our way west.

      Delete
  14. I was basing my judgement of S.G. on something you mentioned some time ago viz that when it's bed-time, if one of the furry ones is sleeping in his 'patch' he'll brusquely shove them out of the way, whereas you, like me, prefer to curl yourself around them as not to disturb. Perhaps if it's true, I did over-interpret. However, I'm relieved to have been put right. Glad I'm not the only one who dotes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ray:
      We may have that backwards. Jerry has been known to lie awake for hours or get shoved into a tiny space rather than disturb the cats. I have claimed in the past to be more heartless, but I'm not much better. The problem with me is that once I'm asleep, I tend to move and thrash a lot, so the cats don't tend to hover too close to me

      Delete
  15. Okay, rather than further tighten the knot of misunderstanding, I'll drop this subject. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raybeard:
      All that matters to me is that it's now as clear as mud for you... no matter what I might have led you to believe in the past. (Remember that song with the catchy title, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I've Been A Liar All My Life?")

      Delete
  16. A little off topic, but, want to ask if you guys had your cats prior to moving to Spain. If so, what was it like getting them there safely overseas? I live in the US and plan on moving to Spain next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Adam:
      We adopted our cats after we moved here. There are a bunch of regulations for traveling with pets, including shots, certificates, microchips, passports, etc. If you read Spanish, here's a link to Spain's Ministry of Agriculture: http://www.magrama.gob.es/es/ganaderia/legislacion/animales-compania-normativa-zoosanitaria.aspx. Here's a link to an American pet relocation company website: http://www.petrelocation.com/resources/international-regulations/spain. Once you've taken care of all the legal stuff, you can check with the airlines and see what their regulations are. Some will allow pets in cabins. Others have special pet holds, as well. People do it all the time, but we never have.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for such a rapid response and for the info. I lost my beloved Peppy of 11 years last May due to kidney and heart failure. I definitely want another cat in my future, but haven't decided whether I want to (should) wait until I have moved to Spain (in the seriously considering phase at this point) or not before adopting a new one.
      If you are willing over time, I have a variety of questions I'd like to ask you about regarding Spain and moving there. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

      Delete
    3. Adam:
      My pleasure. Feel free to send me private email via the blog and I'll be glad to help with info and experiences.

      Delete
    4. Hello there. I sent you an email back on June 28th. Perhaps you've been busy or didn't get it. When I tried to click the link for your email, it would not work. But I was able to see it and type it in manually.

      Delete
    5. Hi Adam: I didn't receive a message. Don't know why. Just to be sure: mscottlowell@gmail.com

      Delete
    6. Thank you. I resent it.

      Delete

Please visit www.movingwithmitchell.com if you would like to comment or stay up to date. I stopped posting here and reproduced all previous posts, as well, 25 September 2018. Thanks!!!