A non-relaxing week

[almeda]

But finally everything seems mostly under control. And I only have fifteen or so more things to do before getting in the car very early tomorrow morning to initiate the long drive to Toronto. A sampling, roughly in chronological order:

• My dad and stepmom agreed to take Ajax for the duration of the trip, but couldn't deal with having both Wonder Twins around and ganging up on them. I decided I'd board Boston, since he's more boardable and less psycho-violent when upset. Note: I did not at this time make a reservation anywhere. Because I was busy with umpty-zillion other things.
  
• I took the car into CarMax, because it had an SRS light persistently on, and it's good to get the car checked out before long road trips.
  
• There is a LOT of packing up involved in sending two dogs off separately to two separate vacation dispositions. OMG.
  
• The car thing might have been a fuse. It wasn't. Our airbag controller unit is busted. And the part, on special-order, won't be in until probably Friday. Oops. Well, John and I have done road trips in cars without airbags before; I guess we'll just do it again.
  
• Emptying out perishables-that-will-not-be-eaten-yet from the fridge.
  
• Doing and putting away load after load of laundry.
  
• Discovering that next week is spring break for something like 70% of all educational institutions in the area, and so EVERY SINGLE KENNEL is full. To the brim. Frantically called around folks I know to see if anyone can be owed massively to take Boston for a long weekend.
  
• All hail ashnistrike's household, for lo, they can! And also all hail alwosm for very sweetly finding a space at his vet and reserving it for Boston, just in case said pup didn't get along well with ashnistrike's cats. Which was highly possible. And if I hadn't had a hotswappable backup solution available, it would inevitably have been needed, but since I had one, I didn't. YAY! (Boston likes their yard. It is full of ALL THE NEW SMELLS EVER. There are raccoons.)
  
• Discovered that what I thought were dehydration headaches were in fact TOOTHACHES. Which is sort of bad, but at least now I know I can take pain pills and it'll go away. Since trying to drink more fluids was (a) not helping and (b) annoying me.
  
• Put mail on hold with USPS.
  
• Called ADT and let them know we'll be gone (and give them the in-laws' phone number, since our cells won't work in Canada).
  
• Roasted a supply of beef neckbones, and froze them, so the dogs will have massively-yummy, massively-distracting treat/toys while we're gone.
  
• Went to the store to buy a carrot supply for the dogs, and various other sundry consumables/destroyables.
  
• Mailed the two or three things hanging about waiting to be mailed.

Yet to do:

• Drop off Ajax with my dad (remember to bring crate, bagged crate contents, Care Package bag, harness).
• Drop off Boston at ashnistrike's (remember to bring poop scoop-and-bucket, extendy-leash, crate, bagged crate contents).
• Actually pack clothes and such for me for trip.
• Finish off laundry, so as not to leave the house a pit while we're gone.
• Go to the grocery store to buy John's mom a supply of Good Corn Tortillas, which are apparently totally unobtainable in Ontario.
• Pack CDs and consumables for the actual road trip itself.
• Put away excess clean laundry that isn't being packed for the weekend.
• Get out sheets and consider making the bed deborah_c will be using next week, immediately post-FKO. Likewise consider tidying the room so one can, oh, walk into it. :->

Do after the con:

• Take both dogs to Spike's Pet Hotel in Oak Park for initial visit and official pre-intake, so that either or both of them can stay there in future if necessary.
• Take both boys to the vet for this year's rabies shot, and any other immunizations they need at that point.
• Actually post some of the garden pictures I've been taking lately, and babble about plants.
• Keep on top of the whole 'when can i get in to see my dental student?' thing.