On the road again

I have made it through the journey stage that still evokes the most concern for me: airport security. Why this nervousness should be, I have no real idea, but so it goes. One blessing of white hair and a history of uncomplicated travel is that security personnel seem to view me as unthreatening, so I am generally waved through with minimal screening--except for the memorable trip when I was the person randomly selected for intensive screening--on both entering and leaving the country.

As is typical of life, the best-laid plans "gang aft agley." The travel companions with whom this year's winter retreat was planned have experienced last-minute medical challenges, so I am on the road alone, at least for a while. Yesterday, during a final load of laundry to prepare for the house-sitter, the washing machine decided to begin screaming during the drain cycle, requiring a load of mostly sheets and towels to be wrung out by hand; they took a long time in the dryer. Then Mittsy's annual checkup revealed two very bad teeth (suspected, given her recent breath), so the poor feline had to be left at the vet for blood work, followed by general anesthesia and oral surgery this morning. This complication required the acquisition of soft food and arranging pickup for what is likely to be a very groggy cat.

But the overall plan proceeds. The house-sitter knows a few things about motors and will take a look at the washer (and has a Plan B for laundry in any case). Cat food has been provided, and Mittsy has a ride home. The travel companions have been in contact with their medical providers, and we are hoping that all will be well in the near future. The spouse, returning to Toledo for musical activity, accompanied me to an airport hotel, where the desk clerk was a drummer, the room was warm, and excellent Chinese takeout was available. The caretaker of our rental house will be meeting me at the airport and swinging by a grocery store before taking me to our temporary home. Most delightfully, two adventurous women encountered during last year's wanderings are in Merida and will be meeting me in Chicxulub tomorrow for an exploration of that area, followed by a geriatric slumber party.

If the winter storm just manages not to hit Atlanta until this afternoon, I should see the Gulf of Mexico by 5:00 PM.