December 11, 2007
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Preparing for Our Trip to Florida and Baron Gets A Safety Harness
I have spent the last three days cleaning in preparation for our trip to Florida for the closing on our house there. It makes me sad since that was the house we had built that was supposed to be the last one. We added a lot of special features that this house doesn’t have and I miss already. But time marches on and things change so we go down there to sign the papers and say goodbye to a different way of life. Now we can fully embrace the new life we are leading and get local insurance coverage, drivers licenses and declare homestead on this house for an even lower tax bill next year.
I also did a lot of washing. Not just clothes but bed linens and scatter rugs. There’s a method to my madness….I don’t have to worry about any house cleaning when I get home from Port Charlotte. I can concentrate on finishing my Xmas shopping and decorating while the Beast is over in Fort Lauderdale doing his consulting work. He also gave me the assignment of going to Lowe’s and scoping out the stoves there. I’ve been looking at a lot of places since I am going to get a better stove in here come hell or high water. The Beast has looked at the ones they have and he swears they have several stoves I would like. He said just get what I want since the price won’t matter so I will, either there or somewhere else. He also wants to replace our living room furniture (I am shocked since what we have in there is almost brand new but is leather and has proven a bit …well, cold for this clime). He told me a few places he wants me to check out what they have and we can go and look together once he gets home. Oh, the reason he hopes I find what I like at Lowe’s is because they will deliver and install the stove before he gets home…LOL.
We have talked a lot about my traveling back here with Baron by myself. Baron is a bit big and muscular the Beast feels and can be distracting while driving. The Beast feels HE can deal with him being stronger than I am but is worried about me being alone and Baron acting up. I wasn’t worried about it except for one thing. We haven’t had any kind of restraint to protect him if we make sudden stops for any reason. I have imagined him being a 60 lb. projectile and, at best, falling on top of one of us in the front.
Today we bought a doggie safety *belt*. It’s really a neat little rig, easy to put on him now that we’ve got the proper adjustments made (I had to do this because the Beast has so little patience and was cussing and swearing because he just didn’t *get it*). Baron, to our surprise and laughter, loves it. I mean he acted like he was wearing a new suit or some such thing. He strutted around with it on and gave us a hard time when we took it off him. We locked him into the seat belt in the back seat of the car and found he has enough *slack* to lay down if he wants but he can’t come forward (or fall forward) and that’s what we wanted. Laugh all you want but I feel both he and I will be much safer now.
I packed the suitcases and all we need is the last minute items that we will use in the morning. The Beast just ran up to Walmart to pick up some pre-made sandwiches for while we are on the road tomorrow. Also things like cheese (for him), my Sprite Zero, some milk and whatever strikes his fancy once he’s there. I am cooking up some chicken and some rice to take with us for the dog (we add it to his kibble). We’ll put everything in the cooler tonight along with enough ice to keep it so that we can get out of the house bright and early in the morning.
I should be back by Sunday evening if all goes right and I will let you know how things went when I get back here.
In the meantime, be happy, get those Xmas chores done and all the presents wrapped and under the tree. Fill your life and others with holiday cheer (and liquor MAY be involved here
). Tell your family and friends you love them as often as you can. We just lost a dear, dear friend who will be greatly missed. I still can’t believe he won’t be here in this world any more. We loved him like a brother. His death was totally unexpected so that is why I say….tell them often that you love them…while you can. You just never know…..!
