Counting down

 Next Tuesday we take the dogs to the hotel where they will stay for a week (no pickup on Sunday and we get back too late on Saturday).  Beaux will be fine.  Toby will be OK but not happy.  They are staying in the same 'room' so they will be fine if not happy.

Next Wednesday in the dark we drive down to south Austin to the airport to board a 7AM flight to Nashville where we change to another plane because it is Southwest where we promise no direct flights will happen.  Then on to Hartford, CT and rent a car and drive south an hour or so to the beautiful western Massechusetts.  And then do the family and wedding thing.  Meet the fiance and family and whatnot.  I've not received an invite to the bachelor's party, nor an invoice.  So I'm happy.  I think our Wednesday evening will be spent with the inlaws, which is fine.  They are both retired New Jersey judges so it should be interesting.

This morning I'm packing up some of Dana's decorative and fairly vintage china handed down in her family and a bunch (maybe a third or so) of my father's Waterford crystal glass collection.  I'd send the whole thing but it is so damn heavy.  I'll send a bit for Christmas and such until it is all gone.  We hardly ever use it and I hate it just sitting.  And it is just a matter of time before it all has to go somewhere.

The plane has been paid for but that's all.  Dogs and hotel and car and mailing heavy expensive stuff...   all not paid for yet.  And whatever else we're going to need to buy while we're there.  We are flying out Saturday morning so we don't have to have the room for another night.  That Saturday night the rate about doubles.  Leaf peeper time in W. MA.  We're getting out of town before ALL the prices double.

Sigh.

And Dana needs a very expensive tooth extraction.  NOW.  

In other news.  Nothing much.  Tonight is a big soccer thing.  Austin TX is in the finals for a prestigious tourney going on and the game is in Austin so the city is having a party.  We won't be at the stadium.  Too hard, too far, too expensive.  But we are going to go to a local bistro that features the game so we can be around a bunch of fans.  I suspect Austin will lose but if they win the place will be rocking.

Fortunately it is close by, just down the road, so easy to get there easy to leave.  

Sure am glad it is the nice cool fall weather now

Yeah, it's 91 degrees here and not topped out yet, I think.

I was going to wash the AC condenser, a chore I do twice a year to help ensure the efficiency of my AC.  Not that we use it much.  

Now it is too hot to go out and do it.  So I'm putting it off to Saturday morning. 

The mornings, at least, are cool here.  Sitting on the porch drinking coffee in the 60ish degree weather is such a luxury.  It stays cool enough for the first couple of hours that we can leave our door open.  Zoe used to love going in and out to her heart's content.  Beaux will too once he gets the dog door figured out.

Three pre-trip checked boxes today so far.

I sent off the wedding present.  UPS advertises that it they pack anything with their material and you ship with them they guarantee arrival or will pay for whatever you shipped.  The caveat, not included anywhere in their web site, is that you have to buy exceptionally expensive insurance.  They wanted $350 of insurance to guarantee my shipment and claimed that 'corporate' owned the web site if it was confusing.  I left.

Found an independent pack and ship place and their insurance was about $29 for the same thing.  And their packing and shipping was far less.   

Called the hotel and told them that we won't be staying that last night that costs $269.

And filled out the paperwork to drop off the dogs at the puppy hotel.  We drop them off a day early and can't pick them up until the Monday after we return.  No pickup on Sunday.  That will be kind of sad to be dogless. 

Verified, yet again, flights and car reservations.

I used to revel in all the detail of planning such a trip.  Now it is just a pain.  I'm still pretty good at it (runs in the family, we are ALL good trip planners) but I don't love it much.  

The new Pickleball place that I bought into last June opens this weekend.  No idea how it will work but it is close by so I can just run up and see what's going on without it being a big trip. 

It is an indoor facility which it nice when the weather isn't cooperating.  And I can still go to the outdoor place if it is a nice day.  I like playing outdoors but wind and rain and heat and cold make it hard sometimes.

I've only played indoors once and that was on a basketball court.  This is a pickleball only facility so it should be interesting.  I'm looking forward to having it so available.