Let’s address traveling with a pet….

I had a small Jack Russell.

Maggie.

She went all over the country with me. When we flew, she was quite often in first class. Under the seat.

When we drove, she had her own car seat that was buckled in and she was attached to. High enough to look out the window.

She demanded I stop every two hours so she could check out the rest areas. Because there were so many smells.

Drove with me from Houston to Homosassa and vice versa numerous times.

When we stopped at hotels, she loved trotting through the lobby and getting on the elevator. She was a happy pooch!

Compared to traveling with Athena.

In a speaker phone call with Alan and Lauri, Lauri asked when we were leaving. Athena’s head popped out from under a quilt. Then the whole body. What? We are leaving?

Packed the car the next morning. Went looking for the cat. I had closed ALL of the bedroom doors. (In the past she has hidden under the king size bed—just out of my reach.) Looked for her for 20 minutes. Terry found her wedged under the TV stand. He saw the very tip of her tail.

The chase was on. Finally got her into her crate and buckled into the car. She cried for 2 hours. Stopped at a gas station and let her out of the crate so she could roam around the car. Ready to go. Can’t find her. After a frantic search I saw an eye peeping out from under the drivers seat. Fine. You can ride there. Not safe but I didn’t care my more.

Took the scenic route through the “Upper Peninsula”. Reserved a room the first night in Duluth on the lakefront at a very nice hotel that allows cats with a “small” fee. (It was not small)

Got lost on the way there because my phone didn’t have a signal. Arrived after dark. Ate at a pizza place.

Athena always makes herself at home at every hotel. Just like Maggie, she likes to check out every nook and cranny of the room.

Planned on staying to explore the next morning but it was 30 degrees. Got a couple pics and took off for our next stop.

The drive was lovely through Wisconsin and Michigan with the leaves changing color. Stopped just short of Mackinaw City. On another great lake. Dark. Had a nice dinner at the hotel. Athena decided that it was time to leave at 3 am. Singing the song of her people. Trying to open the door–if she only had thumbs. And then when it was really time to leave she hid. Usually hotel beds have a box under them so it’s hard for her to find a hiding place and at this place I was able to crate her up after a short search.

The next day the drive was scenic but our hotel was not. Just needed a place to stay. That allowed cats. it was in the middle of a corn field. Fortunately the corn had been harvested or I would have not slept waiting for the children of the corn to appear. Athena again woke me up quite early with her song and trying to open the door. and when I was ready to go, squeezed herself between the box under the bed and the wall.

How much do I love this cat? Enough to not have left her behind–though I was sorely tempted. Scraped up my arm while bending it backwards to drag the cat out by a leg.

But happy to say, other than Athena being a brat, the drive was great and we arrived safely!

Have been spending lots of time with the family. Celebrated Halloween.

And I have a new grand dog!

Otherwise, I have been cleaning out closets and organizing so all the stuff is easy to find. Efficient. The place is small so everything has to have a place. I have been doing some small sewing projects which I hope to post about next week.

Meanwhile, happy to say all is good!