It seems to take forever to blog.  Things I think about to share never meet up in the same time spot as when I'm hunched over this poor worn out laptop.  I am amazed to see how long it has been since I got around to posting.  Perhaps I will become better later this summer.

Right now my life seems to revolve around a most excellent trip to the Canadian Rockies.  At the largesse of my Uncle Bill, I shall stuff my dog Chelcie into a carry on doggie bag.  Then I will stuff her under the seat in front of me.  Off we will fly, first to Seattle and then to Calgary.  Doesn't that sound almost exotic?

After spending some time in Calgary and Banff, we will start our trek across the Canadian Rockies.  Bill is a marvelous driver and has a huge super size van.  He is always the driver.  He's been planning this trip for months and months now.

Bill came late to the Internet but now uses it with great abandon, except for email.  The few family members he communicates with via email all know to telephone him with a reminder to read his emails.  I think he has used Google map to look up almost every intersection we will cross in our three week journey.  He has even found  a three star kennel for my dear dog for part of the time in a teensy town at the Alaskan/Canadian border

  Of course another communication issue dear Bill has is the telephone.  He refuses to set up his answering message.  I think either his son or son in law has now put a warning on his cell phone.  We callers receive the message, " Bill doesn't respond to voice messages or texts, so don't even bother to leave one".  It is rather amusing in a Luddite way.  Nevertheless we have spent hours and hours on the phone, during a long winter, debating where, when and how we will see what we want to see.

Some point in the trip - near the summer solstice - we will arrive in a British Columbia port town.  After boarding Chelcie Dog, we ourselves will board a huge ferry for a 13 hour trip.  Then on land for  mere 5 hours.  Then back on board for the return trip North, back to our starting point.

We are not allowed to stay on the ferry so I had to figure out place to hang out for 5 hours.  I think I made everyone at the little motel giggle when I asked if I could rent a room by the HOUR instead of overnight.  The implications of what my innocent request stirred in the mind of the motel proprietor escaped me until I heard her somewhat nervous giggling but negative response.  Oh well.  Like I said, it has been a long winter for me here in the Northwest.  It must have been even more so for a hotel owner in a tiny BC town.

Getting a passport to go to Canada seems inherently wrong to me.  However I was forced to do so.  Passports have become so much more expensive than when I got my first one- over 15 years ago.  These new ones have a micro chip in them.  I'm not quite sure how it all works.  But then again I paid about the same to have my DOG microchipped 5 years ago.  I hope we don't set off any alarms due to crossed chips when we go through Security.

It turns out getting Chelcie flying status to Canada is a bit of an ordeal within itself.  So far I've invested $55 in the special, guaranteed to pass Airline rules of a "sherpa" brand carry on bag.  I've had her Rabies vaccination renewed.  And then
within the 10 days prior to flight... well... .more in a later blog.

ttfn.